BTR-152S armored command vehicle 1:72 ICM 72511

Plastic military model for assembly: Armored command vehicle BTR-152S 1:72 ICM 72511

The plastic model for assembly: Armored command vehicle BTR-152S in 1:72 scale from ICM (catalog number 72511) is an excellent proposition for military modeling enthusiasts and military history buffs. This detailed model represents one of the most recognizable Soviet armored personnel carriers, which played a key role in many armed conflicts of the 20th century.

Model features:

• Scale: 1:72
• Manufacturer: ICM
• Catalog number: 72511
• Markings: Soviet Army, 1960s.

History and use of the BTR-152:

The BTR-152 is a six-wheeled Soviet armored personnel carrier developed based on the chassis and drivetrain of the ZIS-151 truck. Its production began in 1950, and the vehicle quickly became the primary means of transport for Soviet mechanized battalions until the introduction of the amphibious BTR-60 series in the 1960s. The BTR-152 was available in several versions, including an armored personnel carrier with a single 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun, a command vehicle with an elevated roof, and an anti-aircraft version armed with a ZPU-2 set. These vehicles could transport infantry squads or specialized teams with mortars and anti-tank equipment. In Soviet service, some of them were also used as artillery tractors.

The BTR-152 first saw combat during the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, where it was used by the 12th Motorized Brigade of the USSR Internal Troops to suppress the uprising. These vehicles were deployed in Budapest and along the Hungarian-Austrian border. Many of them were damaged or destroyed by insurgents armed with Molotov cocktails. Egypt was one of the first major export customers for the BTR-152 outside Eastern Europe, ordering 200 vehicles in 1954, and between 1961 and 1966 received another 600 in used condition. Syria also received at least 200 BTR-152 in 1966, with another 300 three years later. These vehicles were used against the Israel Defense Forces during the Six-Day War. BTR-152s were also used by the National Liberation Front of Chad (FROLINAT) during the first civil war in Chad and by Libyan mechanized battalions in the Chad-Libya conflict. In the Ogaden War, BTR-152s formed the backbone of mechanized units on both sides of the conflict. Outside Europe and the Middle East, BTR-152s were also used in Mozambique, where they were provided by the Soviet Union after the country gained independence in the mid-1970s. These vehicles were used in operations against Rhodesian security forces and in search-and-destroy operations. During the Lebanese Civil War, both Lebanese militias and the Syrian army used BTR-152s.

Assembly and painting kit. Does not include paints or glue. For assembly, separately sold modeling tools are needed (including cutters, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and plastic model glue (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.