Difference between revisions of "IS-7"

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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=ussr_is_7
 
|code=ussr_is_7
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
|market=IS-7
 
|market=IS-7
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''IS-7''' is the sixth variant of the IS heavy tank family. It is a Soviet heavy tank that began development in 1945 under the project designation Object 260. The vehicle only existed as a prototype before being cancelled in favor of the [[T-10A|T-10 (IS-8) variant]]. Nikolai Fedorovich Shashmurin designed the IS-7 in Leningrad in 1945. It was the largest and heaviest member of the IS heavy tank family, weighing 68 tonnes and armed with a long-barreled 130 mm S-70 tank gun. It was also one of the most sophisticated heavy tank designs. The armor was designed in the same way as the [[IS-3]], with a pike nose on the upper glacis wearing 150 mm of armour inclined at a 65° angle. The lower glacis was supposed to be 100 mm thick, however, measurements revealed that it may be as thick as 110-120 mm depending on welding variances. When shot from the front, the sharp angle of the pike nose increases the possibility of a ricochet. The 130 mm S-70 tank gun was a naval gun adaptation that fired a 33 kilogram armour-piercing round with a muzzle velocity of 900 meters per second. The gun's loading mechanism used an assisted loading mechanism with a conveyor belt system. It could hold six ready rounds before needing to be replenished. The rounds were divided into two parts: the shell and the propellant. According to Nicholas Moran, the prototype IS-7 had eight machine guns and might have had to remove five of them if it had gone into production. The IS-7 was an outstanding breakthrough vehicle, but it was far too heavy and expensive to build; the T-10 was better suited for warfare as it was much easier and cheaper to transport. Work on the IS-7 was terminated on February 18, 1949.
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{{break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift Rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. This tank was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as the main reward of [[Operation S.U.M.M.E.R.|Operation S.U.M.M.E.R. 2018]].
 
  
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The IS-7 is the culmination of decades of heavy tank development by the USSR, combining distinctive features of previous iterations of the IS series with more modern technology like an assisted loader. The IS-7 is the ultimate 'super-heavy tank', rivalling the Maus and E-100 in pure survivability, with a massive 130mm naval gun. Nigh impenetrable from the front, even with all but the highest penetration HEAT rounds and ATGMs, this behemoth is more than capable of standing its ground at 8.3 when played correctly.
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Introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as the main reward of the [[Operation S.U.M.M.E.R.|2018 Operation S.U.M.M.E.R. event]], the IS-7 is one of the greatest heavy tanks available to the Soviet Army ground forces. Additionally the IS-7 would be brought back as part of the [[wt:en/news/9183-event-play-in-the-kv-7-vs-kv-7-event-and-earn-tickets-to-have-a-chance-of-winning-the-is-7-during-our-anniversary-stream-en|"Chasing the Older Brother" event]] for the 12th War Thunder anniversary in 2024, where 12 random players would have the IS-7 added directly to their accounts for participating in the event.
  
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The IS-7 looks quite similar to the [[IS-3]] and [[T-10M]], however due to the assisted loader and much heavier armour, the turret is significantly longer. It has machine guns strewn all over the hull and turret, and a distinctive gun with a perforated cylinder type muzzle brake. Its’ top-mounted 14.5mm KPVT machine gun is on an extremely tall spindle mount.
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It's best to play it in the medium range. The IS-7 has substantially fewer concerns with flankers than prior IS heavy tank variants since its side armor is significantly thicker. Almost no conventional round can penetrate the frontal armour, and there are few weak spots. The IS-7 has an assisted loading mechanism with a conveyor belt system that allows for the loading of 130 mm rounds in as little as 10 seconds. In addition to its impressive armor, the IS-7 is armed with no less than eight machine guns, which serve as an effective deterrence to any light vehicles that may wander into its path. Furthermore, the IS-7 is equipped with a substantially more powerful engine than previous IS heavy tank variants, improving acceleration and maneuverability without sacrificing any maximum forward or reverse speed. IS-7 players should not be discouraged by challenging terrain, as the broad tracks and powerful engine will make swift work of any surface. The IS-7 should be used as a breakthrough tank, pushing forward to allow friendlies to use lighter vehicles to secure objectives. However, be aware that it is not completely invincible, as experienced opponents may exploit the vehicle's few minor flaws. Furthermore, some high-caliber rounds (such as the [[FV4005]] and [[Conway]]) will easily disable your vehicle regardless of where they hit.
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As with previous IS tanks, the IS-7 should be played at close to medium ranges, as the monstrous short-range power of the gun falls off with range. Unlike previous models, the IS-7 has far fewer issues with flankers, as the majority of its side armour is leagues ahead of what the earlier machines had. The frontal armour is impossible for almost any kinetic round to penetrate, and with very few weak spots it can be frustrating to deal with. The weapon has a fantastic assisted loader, allowing the 130 mm rounds to be loaded in as little as 10 seconds. This newly upsized C-70 cannon (exclusive to the IS-7) only has APCBC and HE rounds, but with 35 mm additional penetration on the BR-482B over the top-tier ammunition from the previous D-25T gun (taking it to a total of 265 mm at 10 meters), an experienced IS driver will be able to deal with the vast majority of enemy vehicles they come up against.
 
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In addition to the formidable armour, the IS-7 has no less than 8 machine guns, a powerful deterrent for any light vehicles that may stray into the path of this machine. To top this off, the IS-7 has a ''significantly'' more powerful engine than previous models, with over 1300 horsepower relieving the acceleration and manoeuvrability issues encountered prior without costing at all in reverse speed or top forward speed. IS-7 drivers should not be deterred by any terrain, as the wide tracks and powerful engine will make quick work of any surface.
 
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The IS-7 should be played as a breakthrough tank, pushing forward to enable team members in lighter vehicles and secure objectives. Beware, however, that it’s not entirely invulnerable and experienced opponents may take advantage of the few small weak points the vehicle has. In addition, some high-calibre HESH rounds (such as the [[FV4005|FV4005]] and [[Conway|Conway]] will have no trouble disabling your vehicle almost regardless of where they land. Always be aware of what you may encounter!
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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<!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''-->
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The IS-7's armour is some of the best conventional armour on any vehicle available in War Thunder. However, due to its BR it often faces vehicles that possess weaponry that the thick, conventional steel armour has no hope of stopping: HEAT-FS, ATGMs and APFSDS. While some sections of the vehicle might be resistant to even these, for the most part, these rounds won't struggle to penetrate.
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The IS-7's armour is some of the best conventional armour on any vehicle available in War Thunder. However, due to its placement at 8.3 it often faces vehicles that possess weaponry that the thick, conventional steel armour has no hope of stopping: HEAT-FS, ATGMs and APFSDS. While some sections of the vehicle might be resistant to even these, for the most part, these rounds won't struggle to penetrate.
 
  
 
As such, the IS-7's true chances of survivability come from its excellent mobility and the spread-out crew. The ideal use of the IS-7, particularly when facing more modern vehicles, is to use its good mobility to get into an early advantageous position, and from there using its reverse speed to duck in and out of cover.
 
As such, the IS-7's true chances of survivability come from its excellent mobility and the spread-out crew. The ideal use of the IS-7, particularly when facing more modern vehicles, is to use its good mobility to get into an early advantageous position, and from there using its reverse speed to duck in and out of cover.
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Unfortunately, however, the vehicle's limited ammunition load and the sheer size of the rounds result in ammunition being vulnerable, strewn throughout. In fact, penetrating rounds are often more likely to hit one of many ammo racks than they are crew members.
 
Unfortunately, however, the vehicle's limited ammunition load and the sheer size of the rounds result in ammunition being vulnerable, strewn throughout. In fact, penetrating rounds are often more likely to hit one of many ammo racks than they are crew members.
  
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To put it simply: Despite the IS-7's status as a 'heavy tank', it shouldn't be played like earlier heavy tanks, but instead should be played like an early MBT, utilising mobility and reload over armour.  
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To put it simply: Despite the IS-7's status as a 'heavy tank', it shouldn't be played like earlier heavy tanks, but instead should be played like an early MBT, utilising mobility and reload over armour.
  
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
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=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1356|rbMinHp= 929|<!--AoAweight=(optional) -->}}
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 1356|rbMinHp= 929}}
  
 
The {{PAGENAME}} sports excellent mobility characteristics, despite its weight; its 1050 horsepower diesel engine comfortably pushes the vehicle to its top speed of 63 km/h (AB) or 60 km/h (RB/SB) with what seems like absolute ease. As such, it drives similarly to early MBTs. Despite a lack of neutral turning, the {{PAGENAME}} is more than capable of hull traversing at a competitive speed to best utilise its armour when necessary; this is notably improved by the Tracks upgrade. It possesses two reverse gears, and when combined with the powerful engine the vehicle can reverse surprisingly fast for such a large and heavy tank.
 
The {{PAGENAME}} sports excellent mobility characteristics, despite its weight; its 1050 horsepower diesel engine comfortably pushes the vehicle to its top speed of 63 km/h (AB) or 60 km/h (RB/SB) with what seems like absolute ease. As such, it drives similarly to early MBTs. Despite a lack of neutral turning, the {{PAGENAME}} is more than capable of hull traversing at a competitive speed to best utilise its armour when necessary; this is notably improved by the Tracks upgrade. It possesses two reverse gears, and when combined with the powerful engine the vehicle can reverse surprisingly fast for such a large and heavy tank.
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 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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<!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''-->
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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{{main|C-70 (130 mm)}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|S-70 (130 mm)}}
 +
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | [[C-70 (130 mm)|130 mm C-70]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
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! colspan="5" | [[S-70 (130 mm)|130 mm S-70]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Mode
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
−
! Capacity
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
−
! Vertical
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! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
−
! Horizontal
 
−
! Stabilizer
 
−
! Stock
 
−
! Upgraded
 
−
! Full
 
−
! Expert
 
−
! Aced
 
−
! Stock
 
−
! Full
 
−
! Expert
 
−
! Aced
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
 
| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 16.2 || 22.4 || 27.2 || 30.1 || 32.0 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
 
| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 16.2 || 22.4 || 27.2 || 30.1 || 32.0 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
 
|-
 
|-
−
! ''Realistic''  
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! ''Realistic''
 
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
 
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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The 130 mm C-70 gun stays reliably accurate until 1,500 m distance. Beyond 2,000 m the loss of accuracy becomes a real handicap. The high muzzle velocity of your shells grants you pretty flat firing trajectories and thus helps fire at moving targets from a distance. In that regard, using the "sight distance control" feature can increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks.
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The 130 mm S-70 gun stays reliably accurate until 1,500 m distance. Beyond 2,000 m the loss of accuracy becomes a real handicap. The high muzzle velocity of your shells grants you pretty flat firing trajectories and thus helps fire at moving targets from a distance. In that regard, using the "sight distance control" feature can increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks.
  
 
The turret rotation speed is average compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. This makes tracking a target from a distance an easy task to perform. Lacking a stabilizer, the tank absolutely can't fire on the move.
 
The turret rotation speed is average compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. This makes tracking a target from a distance an easy task to perform. Lacking a stabilizer, the tank absolutely can't fire on the move.
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Your recoil is important but not powerful enough to throw your gun off target after firing.
 
Your recoil is important but not powerful enough to throw your gun off target after firing.
  
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===== Ammunition =====
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==== Ammunition ====
 
The ammunition choice is limited but effective:
 
The ammunition choice is limited but effective:
 +
 
* '''BR-482B''': APCBC; a capped armour-piercing shell with a ballistic cap that has a high penetration power and an explosive filler. It will destroy any armoured target it penetrates.
 
* '''BR-482B''': APCBC; a capped armour-piercing shell with a ballistic cap that has a high penetration power and an explosive filler. It will destroy any armoured target it penetrates.
 
* '''OF-482M''': HE; useful for destroying open and lightly armoured vehicles.
 
* '''OF-482M''': HE; useful for destroying open and lightly armoured vehicles.
  
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{:S-70 (130 mm)/Ammunition|BR-482B, OF-482M}}
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! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| BR-482B || APCBC || 312 || 309 || 294 || 277 || 260 || 245
 
−
|-
 
−
| OF-482M || HE || 31 || 31 || 31 || 31 || 31 || 31
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| BR-482B || APCBC || 900 || 33.3 || 1.2 || 19 || 177.1 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| OF-482M || HE || 900 || 33.7 || N/A || N/A || 2,650 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
 
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<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Full<br>ammo
 
! Full<br>ammo
−
! Ammo<br />type
+
! Ammo<br>type
 
! 1st<br>rack empty
 
! 1st<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
! 2nd<br>rack empty
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=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|5}}
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
{{main|KPVT (14.5 mm)|RP-46 (7.62 mm)}}
 
{{main|KPVT (14.5 mm)|RP-46 (7.62 mm)}}
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|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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The small caliber of the RP-46 machine guns makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help. While you have 6 of them, they're not very helpful in battle against enemy vehicles.
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The small calibre of the RP-46 machine guns makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help. While you have 6 of them, they're not very helpful in battle against enemy vehicles.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
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<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
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The IS-7, similarly to the rest of the IS line, should be played as a breakthrough tank, taking advantage of its extreme durability, and avoiding long-range engagements where its shells simply lose effectiveness. With upwards of 450mm of effective armour in places, there’s no need to shy away from taking on almost any opponent.
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The IS-7, similarly to the rest of the IS line, should be played as a breakthrough tank, taking advantage of its extreme durability, and avoiding long-range engagements where its shells simply lose effectiveness. With upwards of 450 mm of effective armour in places, there's no need to shy away from taking on almost any opponent.
  
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The IS-7 is capable of destroying almost any machine on the battlefield and should have no qualms about combatting anything on the right terms. However, it’s best to be wary of tanks with ATGMs, high-penetration HEAT, large-calibre HESH and anything with APFSDS, as they are able to disable you, often through your frontal plate. Also be wary of any tanks with two plane stabilisers, as the IS-7s main armament is not stabilised in any way and must be stopped before it can fire accurately.
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The IS-7 is capable of destroying almost any machine on the battlefield and should have no qualms about combatting anything on the right terms. However, it's best to be wary of tanks with ATGMs, high-penetration HEAT, large-calibre HESH and anything with APFSDS, as they are able to disable you, often through your frontal plate. Also be wary of any tanks with two plane stabilisers, as the IS-7s main armament is not stabilised in any way and must be stopped before it can fire accurately.
  
 
===Fighting the IS-7===
 
===Fighting the IS-7===
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[[File:IS7 mantlet weakspot.jpg|thumb|If you don't have any powerful chemical warhead, or just got suddenly attacked by IS-7 point-blank, the highlighted weak spot on the bottom of the turret is your only real hope, since you won't have time to look for any others. APDS or other strong shells with the power of ~280 mm should be able to breach the 250 mm thick mantlet bottom even if it's a bit angled, potentially destroying horizontal and vertical turret drives as well as cannon breech. After that you should rush IS-7 down and destroy it ASAP, as it shouldn't be able to use it's gun and turret anymore.]]
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[[File:IS7 mantlet weakspot.jpg|thumb|If you don't have any powerful chemical warhead, or just got suddenly attacked by IS-7 point-blank, the highlighted weak spot on the bottom of the turret is your only real hope, since you won't have time to look for any others. APDS or other strong shells with the power of ~280 mm should be able to breach the 250 mm thick mantlet bottom even if it's a bit angled, potentially destroying horizontal and vertical turret drives as well as cannon breech. After that you should rush IS-7 down and destroy it ASAP, as it shouldn't be able to use its gun and turret anymore.]]
 
'''General tactic''':
 
'''General tactic''':
  
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It’s best to avoid taking the IS-7 on if it stands any chance of firing back - it’s very likely that if it gets a shot off, it will be able to destroy your vehicle. Try to disable the gun, or if behind or to the sides, attempt to take out the ammo - the primary store is in the back of the turret, with excess ammunition stored in the upper sides of the hull and beside the driver, as well as a small stash right below the gun breech. If forced to engage the IS-7 from the front, attempt to fire through the turret optic (just above and to the right of the gun when looking at the front), as this is your best opportunity to disable the gunner and the breech. Shooting from an angle significantly reduces the amount of effective armour your shells have to penetrate. The IS-7 can be vulnerable to trap shots or high-calibre HE rounds above the driver’s port, although it does have significantly more armour there than the IS-3. Powerful ATGM's can easily breach hull armour and potentially take out 3 crew members, or explode excessive ammo near to tank's front.
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It's best to avoid taking the IS-7 on if it stands any chance of firing back - it's very likely that if it gets a shot off, it will be able to destroy your vehicle. Try to disable the gun, or if behind or to the sides, attempt to take out the ammo - the primary store is in the back of the turret, with excess ammunition stored in the upper sides of the hull and beside the driver, as well as a small stash right below the gun breech. If forced to engage the IS-7 from the front, attempt to fire through the turret optic (just above and to the right of the gun when looking at the front), as this is your best opportunity to disable the gunner and the breech. Shooting from an angle significantly reduces the amount of effective armour your shells have to penetrate. The IS-7 can be vulnerable to trap shots or high-calibre HE rounds above the driver's port, although it does have significantly more armour there than the IS-3. Powerful ATGMs can easily breach hull armour and potentially take out 3 crew members, or explode excessive ammo near to tank's front.
  
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'''With 7.* vehicles''':
+
'''In an downtier''':
  
 
IS-7 can easily destroy your entire team with little to no effort, so if you see one, you should immediately start planning your attack or escape route. Firstly, if you can't just attack it with your entire squad, you want it to be alone. Secondly, start predicting where it's going to go, so you can get the advantage of the first attack. Some urban environment with enough cover to sneak up on it and enough space to drive around it is perfect. After that, use your tools of choice:
 
IS-7 can easily destroy your entire team with little to no effort, so if you see one, you should immediately start planning your attack or escape route. Firstly, if you can't just attack it with your entire squad, you want it to be alone. Secondly, start predicting where it's going to go, so you can get the advantage of the first attack. Some urban environment with enough cover to sneak up on it and enough space to drive around it is perfect. After that, use your tools of choice:
  
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''Smoke and cannon'': To make this tactic easier, it's best to ask your scout ally (usually light tank) to "Scout" it constantly if they can. Use smoke shells to completely blind IS-7 and get as close to it as possible. Avoid being hit by numerous machine guns, as it will try to use it to detect you or destroy your scout buddy. Do not drive in a straight line after shooting smoke shells. After getting close, it's advisable to drop even more smokes (the hull-mounted ones or the engine exhaust system works perfect, as you don't really have a lot of time), just to make sure that his teammates won't be able to stop you, then try to find out it's rear and set its engine on fire. After that, keep circling around it, setting it on fire and keeping the smoke screen up, or find it's turret's back and destroy the tank with a single well placed shot.
+
''Smoke and cannon'': To make this tactic easier, it's best to ask your scout ally (usually light tank) to "Scout" it constantly if they can. Use smoke shells to completely blind IS-7 and get as close to it as possible. Avoid being hit by numerous machine guns, as it will try to use it to detect you or destroy your scout buddy. Do not drive in a straight line after shooting smoke shells. After getting close, it's advisable to drop even more smokes (the hull-mounted ones or the engine exhaust system works perfect, as you don't really have a lot of time), just to make sure that his teammates won't be able to stop you, then try to find out its rear and set its engine on fire. After that, keep circling around it, setting it on fire and keeping the smoke screen up, or find its turret's back and destroy the tank with a single well placed shot.
−
[[File:IS7 takedown.gif|thumb|720x720px|As an example of all the attack methods, we will use this 8.3 battle rating fight. Firstly, IS7 got antagonized by another IS7 and M60A1 (AOS) which counts as '''overkill''' and '''heavy numbers'''. '''SPAA''' used this opening to flank it and break its tracks. Since it's lightly armoured, APHE didn't detonate. IS-7 didn't expect such trickery and didn't even bother to fire its HMG. Being outnumbered 3 to 1, it '''drops''' '''smokes''', which was a mistake, since it only helps IS-7s enemies to get even closer, while SPAA returns to distract it and damage every MG it has, now in range, where it can circle around it safely. By the time that smoke disappeared, IS-7 got damaged by SPAA's teammates, and it finishes the tank off by unloading APDS magazine into the back of the turret point-blank.]]
+
[[File:IS7 takedown.gif|thumb|720x720px|Firstly, IS-7 got antagonized by another IS-7 and M60A1 (AOS) which counts as overkill and heavy numbers. SPAA used this opening to flank it and break its tracks. Since it's lightly-armoured, APHE didn't detonate. IS-7 didn't expect such trickery and didn't even bother to fire its HMG. Being outnumbered 3 to 1, it drops smokes, which was a mistake, since it only helps IS-7s enemies to get even closer, while SPAA returns to distract it and damage every MG it has, now in range, where it can circle around it safely. By the time that smoke disappeared, IS-7 got damaged by SPAA's teammates, and it finishes the tank off by unloading APDS magazine into the back of the turret point-blank.]]
−
''Overkill'': If you are a proud owner of FV4005, Type 60 ATM, Sturmpanzer 2, M50 Ontos, FV 4004 Conway, BMP-1 (AB), and some other vehicles with weapons that have extreme overkill potential (usually at the cost of all the mobility and/or all armour), this is your time to shine. Aim for the weak spots, or simply fire at the left side of the hull (for you it's on the right if the tank is in front of you), depending on your weapon type. If IS-7 has full ammo loadout, it will most definitely explode. In type 60 ATM's case, you can even drop ATGM right on top of its roof or swing it into the side of the turret. Since it's not completely round, unlike most Soviet designs, it has lesser bounce chance.  
+
''Overkill'': If you are a proud owner of FV4005, Type 60 ATM, Sturmpanzer 2, M50 Ontos, FV 4004 Conway, BMP-1 (AB), and some other vehicles with weapons that have extreme overkill potential (usually at the cost of all the mobility and/or all armour), this is your time to shine. Aim for the weak spots, or simply fire at the left side of the hull (for you it's on the right if the tank is in front of you), depending on your weapon type. If IS-7 has full ammo loadout, it will most definitely explode. In type 60 ATM's case, you can even drop ATGM right on top of its roof or swing it into the side of the turret. Since it's not completely round, unlike most Soviet designs, it has lesser bounce chance.
  
−
''Strength in numbers'': Send someone to bait and stall IS-7, while rest are going to flank or simply rush it down. Despite being nearly invulnerable from the front, it may easily explode, when multiple tanks fire at its '''sides''' at less than 30° angle. Ideally, you want to send something like T95 or another extremely armoured tank as bait (or even another IS-7 in AB), so foe can't simply destroy it without putting an effort, but if there is none such tanks, sacrifices must be made. Unless...
+
''Strength in numbers'': Send someone to bait and stall IS-7, while rest are going to flank or simply rush it down. Despite being nearly invulnerable from the front, it may easily explode, when multiple tanks fire at its sides at less than 30° angle. Ideally, you want to send something like T95 or another extremely armoured tank as bait (or even another IS-7 in AB), so foe can't simply destroy it without putting an effort, but if there is none such tanks, sacrifices must be made. Unless...
  
−
''Combat SPAA'': This may sound absurd, but IS-7 can easily be doomed by SPAA. SPAA can easily use some cover to attack it's exposed track with cannons, making moving IS-7 topple over, then destroy second track, to immobilize it. Even if IS-7 fires back at it, APHE is going to over-penetrate, if it's armour is less than 15mm. After that, someone can be called in to make a clean side shot (about 170 mm penetration required for sides). In case if SPAA is combat-capable and has APDS shells with 110 mm of penetration, it can try to get behind the turret, while breaking every MG with autocannons, to execute it personally. If IS-7 is aware of your intentions and keeps tracking SPAA with the turret, just set the vehicle on fire by damaging the engine, the foe will have to extinguish the fire eventually or face consequences.
+
''Combat SPAA'': This may sound absurd, but IS-7 can easily be doomed by SPAA. SPAA can easily use some cover to attack its exposed track with cannons, making moving IS-7 topple over, then destroy second track, to immobilize it. Even if IS-7 fires back at it, APHE is going to over-penetrate, if its armour is less than 15 mm. After that, someone can be called in to make a clean side shot (about 170 mm penetration required for sides). In case if SPAA is combat-capable and has APDS shells with 110 mm of penetration, it can try to get behind the turret, while breaking every MG with autocannons, to execute it personally. If IS-7 is aware of your intentions and keeps tracking SPAA with the turret, just set the vehicle on fire by damaging the engine, the foe will have to extinguish the fire eventually or face consequences.
  
−
=== Modules ===
+
=== Pros and cons ===
−
{| class="wikitable"
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
−
! Tier
 
−
! colspan="2" | Mobility
 
−
! Protection
 
−
! Firepower
 
−
|-
 
−
| I
 
−
| Tracks
 
−
|
 
−
| Parts
 
−
| Horizontal Drive
 
−
|-
 
−
| II
 
−
| Suspension
 
−
| Brake System
 
−
| FPE
 
−
| Adjustment of Fire
 
−
|-
 
−
| III
 
−
| Filters
 
−
|
 
−
| Crew Replenishment
 
−
| Elevation Mechanism
 
−
|-
 
−
| IV
 
−
| Transmission
 
−
| Engine
 
−
|
 
−
| Smoke grenade
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
−
=== Pros and cons ===
 
−
<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
 
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* 130mm BR-482B APCBC round capable of dealing a lot of internal damage - very few tanks will survive a successful penetration
+
* 130 mm BR-482B APCBC round capable of dealing a lot of internal damage - very few tanks will survive a successful penetration
 
* One of the few Soviet heavy tanks to have a 5-man crew, increasing its survivability
 
* One of the few Soviet heavy tanks to have a 5-man crew, increasing its survivability
 
* Has an assisted loader (which loads a shell every 10 seconds)
 
* Has an assisted loader (which loads a shell every 10 seconds)
 
* Decent turret rotation (16.47° per second with a stock crew, 23.53° per second with a fully upgraded aced crew)
 
* Decent turret rotation (16.47° per second with a stock crew, 23.53° per second with a fully upgraded aced crew)
−
* A lot of machine guns; total of two 14.5 mm KPVT's and six 7.62 mm RP-46's that are deadly against open-top vehicles/ lightly armoured vehicles
+
* A lot of machine guns; total of two 14.5 mm KPVTs and six 7.62 mm RP-46's that are deadly against open-top vehicles/ lightly armoured vehicles
 
* Anti-aircraft 14.5 mm HMG that can rip apart any thin-skinned vehicles (45 mm of penetration at 10 m)
 
* Anti-aircraft 14.5 mm HMG that can rip apart any thin-skinned vehicles (45 mm of penetration at 10 m)
 
* Impressive armour display with a heavily sloped turret, piked front hull, thick gun mantlet, spaced and sloped side armour
 
* Impressive armour display with a heavily sloped turret, piked front hull, thick gun mantlet, spaced and sloped side armour
Line 278: Line 207:
 
* Good reverse speed and can accelerate backwards rather quickly
 
* Good reverse speed and can accelerate backwards rather quickly
 
* Good acceleration and decent top speed for its weight
 
* Good acceleration and decent top speed for its weight
 +
* 14.5mm KPVs can heavily damage or destroy gun barrels at close range
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
Line 287: Line 217:
 
* The front turret optic is a reasonably easy spot to penetrate from the front, needing ~170 mm penetration
 
* The front turret optic is a reasonably easy spot to penetrate from the front, needing ~170 mm penetration
 
* Vulnerable, as with all late heavy tanks, to chemical rounds, ATGMs and late kinetic rounds
 
* Vulnerable, as with all late heavy tanks, to chemical rounds, ATGMs and late kinetic rounds
−
* 20 mm of armour over the engine deck and only 5mm of armour plating over the engine ventilation, meaning planes can often cause engine damage and fires
+
* 20 mm of armour over the engine deck and only 5 mm of armour plating over the engine ventilation, meaning planes can often cause engine damage and fires
 
* It takes a rather long time to replenish shells in the assisted loader, and having an assisted loader means it must reload a shell into the mechanism first before reloading the gun
 
* It takes a rather long time to replenish shells in the assisted loader, and having an assisted loader means it must reload a shell into the mechanism first before reloading the gun
 
* Not a lot of ammo for the machine guns, some of the machine guns cannot even reload once they've expended their first ammo belt
 
* Not a lot of ammo for the machine guns, some of the machine guns cannot even reload once they've expended their first ammo belt
Line 294: Line 224:
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
−
The development of this advanced Soviet heavy tank began in early 1945. Several outstanding scientific groups got involved with the work at once, and the new vehicle was supposed to combine all the latest developments and a great deal of military experience in the design of heavy tanks. After creating several prototypes and experimenting with the engine, armament, and suspension, a steel giant was born and christened Object 260, with the letter designation IS-7. Weighing 68 tons, the heavy tank was equipped with a naval diesel engine that took the monster up to a fantastic 60 km/h. The tank was armed with a powerful 130 mm rifled cannon with mechanized first-order ammo racks and an amazing eight machine guns: two high-calibre 14.5 mm KPVs (one twinned with the cannon and the other an anti-air gun) and six 7.62 mm RP-46 machine guns The armour of the IS-7 is its main feature with high protection value, along with a range of advanced technological solutions, some of which were successfully used on more modern tanks.
+
The development of this advanced Soviet heavy tank began in early 1945. Several outstanding scientific groups got involved with the work at once, and the new vehicle was supposed to combine all the latest developments and a great deal of military experience in the design of heavy tanks. After creating several prototypes and experimenting with the engine, armament, and suspension, a steel giant was born and christened Object 260, with the letter designation IS-7 (Iosif Stalin - 7). Weighing 68 tons, the heavy tank was equipped with a naval diesel engine that took the monster up to a fantastic 60 km/h. The tank was armed with a powerful 130 mm (first with a S-26 and after with a S-70 L54 naval cannon) rifled cannon with mechanized first-order ammo racks and an amazing eight machine guns: two high-calibre 14.5 mm KPVs (one twinned with the cannon and the other an anti-air gun) and six 7.62 mm RP-46 machine guns. The armour of the IS-7 is its main feature with high protection value, along with a range of advanced technological solutions, some of which were successfully used on more modern tanks.
  
−
Unfortunately, the tank turned out to be very expensive for a country that was recovering after World War II. Mass production would involve a range of technological problems. In addition, transporting the giant IS-7 was very complex, it required special railroad platforms and the tank’s weight exceeded the maximum load for the majority of Soviet bridges of that time. After the construction of several prototypes and a limited experimental series, the project was closed.
+
Unfortunately, the tank turned out to be very expensive for a country that was recovering after World War II. Mass production would involve a range of technological problems. In addition, transporting the giant IS-7 was very complex, it required special railroad platforms and the tank's weight exceeded the maximum load for the majority of Soviet bridges of that time. After the construction of several prototypes and a limited experimental series, the project was closed.
  
−
''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5657-development-is-7-an-old-school-heavy-tank-en Devblog]''
+
''- From [[wt:en/news/5657-development-is-7-an-old-school-heavy-tank-en|Devblog]]''
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 306: Line 236:
 
;Skins
 
;Skins
  
−
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=ussr_is_7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_is_7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
;Videos
 
;Videos
−
{{Youtube-gallery|dlcbxWasJUg|'''{{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:10 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ly9JS6errQQ|'''Best secondary armaments''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:30 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|B2woWvJK4ew|'''Top 7 most armoured vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:13 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|8SBhuUXyCC0|'''How to destroy the {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|078ACBoa6cU|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|ElWz1Tl6BwY|'''The Shooting Range #109''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|IOUtLGEisi0|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|31ZOmtzI_2g|'''The Shooting Range #107''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:51 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
+
{{Youtube-gallery|bTNLb4WT_g4|'''The Shooting Range #312''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:04 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|dlcbxWasJUg|'''{{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:10 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ly9JS6errQQ|'''Best secondary armaments''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:30 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|B2woWvJK4ew|'''Top 7 most armoured vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:13 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|8SBhuUXyCC0|'''How to destroy the {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ElWz1Tl6BwY|'''The Shooting Range #109''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|IOUtLGEisi0|'''IS-7 Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''|31ZOmtzI_2g|'''The Shooting Range #107''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:51 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 317: Line 247:
  
 
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
 
;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
 +
 
* [[T-10M]]
 
* [[T-10M]]
 
* [[Object 279]]
 
* [[Object 279]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
 
* [[wt:en/news/5657-development-is-7-an-old-school-heavy-tank-en|[Devblog] IS-7, an old school heavy tank]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/5657-development-is-7-an-old-school-heavy-tank-en|[Devblog] IS-7, an old school heavy tank]]
Line 330: Line 260:
 
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/USSR/is-7-object-260 <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> IS-7 (Object 260)]
 
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/USSR/is-7-object-260 <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> IS-7 (Object 260)]
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
 
{{USSR heavy tanks}}
 
{{USSR heavy tanks}}

Latest revision as of 17:31, 16 November 2024

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
IS-7
ussr_is_7.png
GarageImage IS-7.jpg
ArtImage IS-7.png
IS-7
USSR flag.png USSR
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.3 8.3 8.3
Class:
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game
MARKET

Description

The IS-7 is the sixth variant of the IS heavy tank family. It is a Soviet heavy tank that began development in 1945 under the project designation Object 260. The vehicle only existed as a prototype before being cancelled in favor of the T-10 (IS-8) variant. Nikolai Fedorovich Shashmurin designed the IS-7 in Leningrad in 1945. It was the largest and heaviest member of the IS heavy tank family, weighing 68 tonnes and armed with a long-barreled 130 mm S-70 tank gun. It was also one of the most sophisticated heavy tank designs. The armor was designed in the same way as the IS-3, with a pike nose on the upper glacis wearing 150 mm of armour inclined at a 65° angle. The lower glacis was supposed to be 100 mm thick, however, measurements revealed that it may be as thick as 110-120 mm depending on welding variances. When shot from the front, the sharp angle of the pike nose increases the possibility of a ricochet. The 130 mm S-70 tank gun was a naval gun adaptation that fired a 33 kilogram armour-piercing round with a muzzle velocity of 900 meters per second. The gun's loading mechanism used an assisted loading mechanism with a conveyor belt system. It could hold six ready rounds before needing to be replenished. The rounds were divided into two parts: the shell and the propellant. According to Nicholas Moran, the prototype IS-7 had eight machine guns and might have had to remove five of them if it had gone into production. The IS-7 was an outstanding breakthrough vehicle, but it was far too heavy and expensive to build; the T-10 was better suited for warfare as it was much easier and cheaper to transport. Work on the IS-7 was terminated on February 18, 1949.

Introduced in Update 1.79 "Project X" as the main reward of the 2018 Operation S.U.M.M.E.R. event, the IS-7 is one of the greatest heavy tanks available to the Soviet Army ground forces. Additionally the IS-7 would be brought back as part of the "Chasing the Older Brother" event for the 12th War Thunder anniversary in 2024, where 12 random players would have the IS-7 added directly to their accounts for participating in the event.

It's best to play it in the medium range. The IS-7 has substantially fewer concerns with flankers than prior IS heavy tank variants since its side armor is significantly thicker. Almost no conventional round can penetrate the frontal armour, and there are few weak spots. The IS-7 has an assisted loading mechanism with a conveyor belt system that allows for the loading of 130 mm rounds in as little as 10 seconds. In addition to its impressive armor, the IS-7 is armed with no less than eight machine guns, which serve as an effective deterrence to any light vehicles that may wander into its path. Furthermore, the IS-7 is equipped with a substantially more powerful engine than previous IS heavy tank variants, improving acceleration and maneuverability without sacrificing any maximum forward or reverse speed. IS-7 players should not be discouraged by challenging terrain, as the broad tracks and powerful engine will make swift work of any surface. The IS-7 should be used as a breakthrough tank, pushing forward to allow friendlies to use lighter vehicles to secure objectives. However, be aware that it is not completely invincible, as experienced opponents may exploit the vehicle's few minor flaws. Furthermore, some high-caliber rounds (such as the FV4005 and Conway) will easily disable your vehicle regardless of where they hit.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull150 / 150 / 60
Turret250 / 203 / 99
Crew5 people
Visibility94 %

The IS-7's armour is some of the best conventional armour on any vehicle available in War Thunder. However, due to its BR it often faces vehicles that possess weaponry that the thick, conventional steel armour has no hope of stopping: HEAT-FS, ATGMs and APFSDS. While some sections of the vehicle might be resistant to even these, for the most part, these rounds won't struggle to penetrate.

As such, the IS-7's true chances of survivability come from its excellent mobility and the spread-out crew. The ideal use of the IS-7, particularly when facing more modern vehicles, is to use its good mobility to get into an early advantageous position, and from there using its reverse speed to duck in and out of cover.

Unfortunately, however, the vehicle's limited ammunition load and the sheer size of the rounds result in ammunition being vulnerable, strewn throughout. In fact, penetrating rounds are often more likely to hit one of many ammo racks than they are crew members.

To put it simply: Despite the IS-7's status as a 'heavy tank', it shouldn't be played like earlier heavy tanks, but instead should be played like an early MBT, utilising mobility and reload over armour.

Armour type:

  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 150 mm 150 mm Top
100 mm Bottom 		60 mm 5 - 40 mm
Turret 101 - 235 mm Turret front
250 mm Gun mantlet 		139 - 202 mm 63 - 179 mm 30 - 99 mm
Cupola 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm 30 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 30 mm thick, and torsion bars are 60 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB64 / 25 km/h
RB and SB60 / 23 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
2 back
Weight68.0 t
Engine power
AB2 003 hp
RB and SB1 050 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB29.5 hp/t
RB and SB15.4 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 64 25 68 1356 2,003 19.94 29.46
Realistic 60 23 929 1,050 13.66 15.44

The IS-7 sports excellent mobility characteristics, despite its weight; its 1050 horsepower diesel engine comfortably pushes the vehicle to its top speed of 63 km/h (AB) or 60 km/h (RB/SB) with what seems like absolute ease. As such, it drives similarly to early MBTs. Despite a lack of neutral turning, the IS-7 is more than capable of hull traversing at a competitive speed to best utilise its armour when necessary; this is notably improved by the Tracks upgrade. It possesses two reverse gears, and when combined with the powerful engine the vehicle can reverse surprisingly fast for such a large and heavy tank.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB6 319 → 8 202 Sl icon.png
RB6 590 → 8 553 Sl icon.png
SB12 477 → 16 195 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications129 000 Rp icon.png
226 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 400 Ge icon.png
Crew training130 000 Sl icon.png
Experts450 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 000 Ge icon.png
Research Aces890 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 210 / 250 % Sl icon.png
214 / 214 / 214 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
9 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
8 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
8 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
510 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
510 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
9 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
8 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
12 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
510 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

130 mm S-70 cannon
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition30 rounds
First-order6 rounds
Reload10.0 s
Vertical guidance-3° / 15°
Main article: S-70 (130 mm)
130 mm S-70 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 30 -3°/+15° ±180° N/A 16.2 22.4 27.2 30.1 32.0 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00
Realistic 11.9 14.0 17.0 18.8 20.0

The 130 mm S-70 gun stays reliably accurate until 1,500 m distance. Beyond 2,000 m the loss of accuracy becomes a real handicap. The high muzzle velocity of your shells grants you pretty flat firing trajectories and thus helps fire at moving targets from a distance. In that regard, using the "sight distance control" feature can increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks.

The turret rotation speed is average compared to other tanks at the same rank or battle rating. This makes tracking a target from a distance an easy task to perform. Lacking a stabilizer, the tank absolutely can't fire on the move.

The gun uses two-piece ammunition with projectiles and propellant bags. Thanks to the autoloader, your 6-shots first order ammo rack allows your tank to have a reload time similar to vehicles at the same BR. The reload time however becomes 2 to 3 times longer once the ready rack is empty.

Your recoil is important but not powerful enough to throw your gun off target after firing.

Ammunition

The ammunition choice is limited but effective:

  • BR-482B: APCBC; a capped armour-piercing shell with a ballistic cap that has a high penetration power and an explosive filler. It will destroy any armoured target it penetrates.
  • OF-482M: HE; useful for destroying open and lightly armoured vehicles.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
BR-482B APCBC 313 309 294 276 260 244
OF-482M HE 37 37 37 37 37 37
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
BR-482B APCBC 900 33.4 1.2 19 177.1 48° 63° 71°
OF-482M HE 900 33.4 0.3 0.1 3,640 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Full
ammo 		Ammo
type 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		10th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
30 Projectiles
Propellants 		26 (+4)
28 (+2) 		20 (+10)
25 (+5) 		14 (+16)
22 (+8) 		7 (+23)
19 (+11) 		1 (+29)
16 (+14) 		N/A
14 (+16) 		N/A
11 (+19) 		N/A
9 (+21) 		N/A
7 (+23) 		N/A
1 (+29) 		No
Ammo racks of the IS-7

Notes:

  • The IS-7 uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant bags (orange). Both have separate racks.
  • Racks 5 (projectiles) and 10 (propellants) are ready racks and take priority in being filled as well as depleted. They amount to 6 shots.
  • Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready rack. If a ready racks is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
  • Simply not firing when the main gun is loaded will load ammo from other racks into the ready rack. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready rack.
  • To go into battle with the flanks depleted of propellant bags (racks 1 to 5), pack 16 (+14) shells.

Machine guns

14.5 mm KPVT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition200 rounds
Belt capacity50 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
14.5 mm KPVT machine gun
Ammunition200 rounds
Belt capacity50 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 85°
2 x 7.62 mm RP-46 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition800 rounds
Belt capacity400 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
4 x 7.62 mm RP-46 machine gun
Ammunition1 600 rounds
Belt capacity400 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main articles: KPVT (14.5 mm), RP-46 (7.62 mm)
14.5 mm KPVT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 200 (50) 600 N/A N/A
Pintle 200 (50) 600 -5°/+85° ±180°

The pintle-mounted 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun can act as both an offensive and anti-aircraft machine gun on the IS-7, giving it protection against aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. Best use is within 500 m against lightly armoured vehicles. The 360° movement allows you to point quickly your MG in any given direction. Moreover, the high position of the MG on the turret allows you to shoot from behind cover without exposing your armour.

7.62 mm RP-46
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial - Left side 400 (400) 600 N/A N/A
Coaxial - Right side 400 (400) 600 N/A N/A
Hull - Left side (front facing) 400 (400) 600 N/A N/A
Hull - Right side (front facing) 400 (400) 600 N/A N/A
Turret - Left side (rear facing) 400 (400) 600 N/A N/A
Turret - Right side (rear facing) 400 (400) 600 N/A N/A

The small calibre of the RP-46 machine guns makes them largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help. While you have 6 of them, they're not very helpful in battle against enemy vehicles.

Usage in battles

The IS-7, similarly to the rest of the IS line, should be played as a breakthrough tank, taking advantage of its extreme durability, and avoiding long-range engagements where its shells simply lose effectiveness. With upwards of 450 mm of effective armour in places, there's no need to shy away from taking on almost any opponent.

The IS-7 is capable of destroying almost any machine on the battlefield and should have no qualms about combatting anything on the right terms. However, it's best to be wary of tanks with ATGMs, high-penetration HEAT, large-calibre HESH and anything with APFSDS, as they are able to disable you, often through your frontal plate. Also be wary of any tanks with two plane stabilisers, as the IS-7s main armament is not stabilised in any way and must be stopped before it can fire accurately.

Fighting the IS-7

If you don't have any powerful chemical warhead, or just got suddenly attacked by IS-7 point-blank, the highlighted weak spot on the bottom of the turret is your only real hope, since you won't have time to look for any others. APDS or other strong shells with the power of ~280 mm should be able to breach the 250 mm thick mantlet bottom even if it's a bit angled, potentially destroying horizontal and vertical turret drives as well as cannon breech. After that you should rush IS-7 down and destroy it ASAP, as it shouldn't be able to use its gun and turret anymore.

General tactic:

It's best to avoid taking the IS-7 on if it stands any chance of firing back - it's very likely that if it gets a shot off, it will be able to destroy your vehicle. Try to disable the gun, or if behind or to the sides, attempt to take out the ammo - the primary store is in the back of the turret, with excess ammunition stored in the upper sides of the hull and beside the driver, as well as a small stash right below the gun breech. If forced to engage the IS-7 from the front, attempt to fire through the turret optic (just above and to the right of the gun when looking at the front), as this is your best opportunity to disable the gunner and the breech. Shooting from an angle significantly reduces the amount of effective armour your shells have to penetrate. The IS-7 can be vulnerable to trap shots or high-calibre HE rounds above the driver's port, although it does have significantly more armour there than the IS-3. Powerful ATGMs can easily breach hull armour and potentially take out 3 crew members, or explode excessive ammo near to tank's front.

In an downtier:

IS-7 can easily destroy your entire team with little to no effort, so if you see one, you should immediately start planning your attack or escape route. Firstly, if you can't just attack it with your entire squad, you want it to be alone. Secondly, start predicting where it's going to go, so you can get the advantage of the first attack. Some urban environment with enough cover to sneak up on it and enough space to drive around it is perfect. After that, use your tools of choice:

Smoke and cannon: To make this tactic easier, it's best to ask your scout ally (usually light tank) to "Scout" it constantly if they can. Use smoke shells to completely blind IS-7 and get as close to it as possible. Avoid being hit by numerous machine guns, as it will try to use it to detect you or destroy your scout buddy. Do not drive in a straight line after shooting smoke shells. After getting close, it's advisable to drop even more smokes (the hull-mounted ones or the engine exhaust system works perfect, as you don't really have a lot of time), just to make sure that his teammates won't be able to stop you, then try to find out its rear and set its engine on fire. After that, keep circling around it, setting it on fire and keeping the smoke screen up, or find its turret's back and destroy the tank with a single well placed shot.

Firstly, IS-7 got antagonized by another IS-7 and M60A1 (AOS) which counts as overkill and heavy numbers. SPAA used this opening to flank it and break its tracks. Since it's lightly-armoured, APHE didn't detonate. IS-7 didn't expect such trickery and didn't even bother to fire its HMG. Being outnumbered 3 to 1, it drops smokes, which was a mistake, since it only helps IS-7s enemies to get even closer, while SPAA returns to distract it and damage every MG it has, now in range, where it can circle around it safely. By the time that smoke disappeared, IS-7 got damaged by SPAA's teammates, and it finishes the tank off by unloading APDS magazine into the back of the turret point-blank.

Overkill: If you are a proud owner of FV4005, Type 60 ATM, Sturmpanzer 2, M50 Ontos, FV 4004 Conway, BMP-1 (AB), and some other vehicles with weapons that have extreme overkill potential (usually at the cost of all the mobility and/or all armour), this is your time to shine. Aim for the weak spots, or simply fire at the left side of the hull (for you it's on the right if the tank is in front of you), depending on your weapon type. If IS-7 has full ammo loadout, it will most definitely explode. In type 60 ATM's case, you can even drop ATGM right on top of its roof or swing it into the side of the turret. Since it's not completely round, unlike most Soviet designs, it has lesser bounce chance.

Strength in numbers: Send someone to bait and stall IS-7, while rest are going to flank or simply rush it down. Despite being nearly invulnerable from the front, it may easily explode, when multiple tanks fire at its sides at less than 30° angle. Ideally, you want to send something like T95 or another extremely armoured tank as bait (or even another IS-7 in AB), so foe can't simply destroy it without putting an effort, but if there is none such tanks, sacrifices must be made. Unless...

Combat SPAA: This may sound absurd, but IS-7 can easily be doomed by SPAA. SPAA can easily use some cover to attack its exposed track with cannons, making moving IS-7 topple over, then destroy second track, to immobilize it. Even if IS-7 fires back at it, APHE is going to over-penetrate, if its armour is less than 15 mm. After that, someone can be called in to make a clean side shot (about 170 mm penetration required for sides). In case if SPAA is combat-capable and has APDS shells with 110 mm of penetration, it can try to get behind the turret, while breaking every MG with autocannons, to execute it personally. If IS-7 is aware of your intentions and keeps tracking SPAA with the turret, just set the vehicle on fire by damaging the engine, the foe will have to extinguish the fire eventually or face consequences.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 130 mm BR-482B APCBC round capable of dealing a lot of internal damage - very few tanks will survive a successful penetration
  • One of the few Soviet heavy tanks to have a 5-man crew, increasing its survivability
  • Has an assisted loader (which loads a shell every 10 seconds)
  • Decent turret rotation (16.47° per second with a stock crew, 23.53° per second with a fully upgraded aced crew)
  • A lot of machine guns; total of two 14.5 mm KPVTs and six 7.62 mm RP-46's that are deadly against open-top vehicles/ lightly armoured vehicles
  • Anti-aircraft 14.5 mm HMG that can rip apart any thin-skinned vehicles (45 mm of penetration at 10 m)
  • Impressive armour display with a heavily sloped turret, piked front hull, thick gun mantlet, spaced and sloped side armour
  • Can be very difficult to destroy for players who are inexperienced in fighting it
  • Good reverse speed and can accelerate backwards rather quickly
  • Good acceleration and decent top speed for its weight
  • 14.5mm KPVs can heavily damage or destroy gun barrels at close range

Cons:

  • Limited maximum ammunition load of 30 rounds
  • Terrible gun depression and elevation (only -3° depression and 15° elevation)
  • Shots to the back of the turret will set off the ammo rack located there, this is the first rack of shells which are loaded into the cannon
  • Often faces 8.7 tanks with stabilisers and APFSDS that can easily penetrate it
  • The front turret optic is a reasonably easy spot to penetrate from the front, needing ~170 mm penetration
  • Vulnerable, as with all late heavy tanks, to chemical rounds, ATGMs and late kinetic rounds
  • 20 mm of armour over the engine deck and only 5 mm of armour plating over the engine ventilation, meaning planes can often cause engine damage and fires
  • It takes a rather long time to replenish shells in the assisted loader, and having an assisted loader means it must reload a shell into the mechanism first before reloading the gun
  • Not a lot of ammo for the machine guns, some of the machine guns cannot even reload once they've expended their first ammo belt
  • The assisted loader will not complete reloads if the loader is knocked out or replaced by another crew member partway through a reload
  • High repair cost

History

The development of this advanced Soviet heavy tank began in early 1945. Several outstanding scientific groups got involved with the work at once, and the new vehicle was supposed to combine all the latest developments and a great deal of military experience in the design of heavy tanks. After creating several prototypes and experimenting with the engine, armament, and suspension, a steel giant was born and christened Object 260, with the letter designation IS-7 (Iosif Stalin - 7). Weighing 68 tons, the heavy tank was equipped with a naval diesel engine that took the monster up to a fantastic 60 km/h. The tank was armed with a powerful 130 mm (first with a S-26 and after with a S-70 L54 naval cannon) rifled cannon with mechanized first-order ammo racks and an amazing eight machine guns: two high-calibre 14.5 mm KPVs (one twinned with the cannon and the other an anti-air gun) and six 7.62 mm RP-46 machine guns. The armour of the IS-7 is its main feature with high protection value, along with a range of advanced technological solutions, some of which were successfully used on more modern tanks.

Unfortunately, the tank turned out to be very expensive for a country that was recovering after World War II. Mass production would involve a range of technological problems. In addition, transporting the giant IS-7 was very complex, it required special railroad platforms and the tank's weight exceeded the maximum load for the majority of Soviet bridges of that time. After the construction of several prototypes and a limited experimental series, the project was closed.

- From Devblog

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #312 - Pages of History section at 04:04 discusses the IS-7.
IS-7 - War Thunder Official Channel
Best experimental vehicles discusses the IS-7 at 1:10 - War Thunder Official Channel
Best secondary armaments discusses the IS-7 at 1:30 - War Thunder Official Channel
Top 7 most armoured vehicles discusses the IS-7 at 5:13 - War Thunder Official Channel
How to destroy the IS-7 - War Thunder Official Channel
The Shooting Range #109 - Metal Beasts section at 00:32 discusses the IS-7.
IS-7 Tank Review - Napalmratte
The Shooting Range #107 - Pages of History section at 05:51 discusses the IS-7.

See also

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

External links


Leningrad Kirov Plant (Ленинградский Кировский Завод)
Medium Tanks 
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UK · T-80BVM
Heavy Tanks 
KV-1  KV-1 (L-11) · KV-1 (ZiS-5) · KV-1E · KV-1S
KV-2  KV-2 (1939) · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6)
Other  SMK · KV-220 · IS-7 · Object 279
Captured 
KV  ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r)
Other  T-28 (Sweden)
Export  T-80U (Sweden)
See Also  Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant

USSR heavy tanks
KV-1  KV-1 (L-11) · KV-1 (ZiS-5) · KV-1E · KV-1S
KV-2  KV-2 (1939) · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6)
Other KVs  KV-85 · KV-122 · KV-220
IS-1/2  IS-1 · IS-2 · IS-2 (1944) · IS-2 No.321 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248
Other IS tanks  IS-3 · IS-4M · IS-6 · IS-7
T-10  T-10A · T-10M
Multi-turreted  T-35 · SMK
Other  Object 279
Lend-Lease  ▂MK-II "Matilda"

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