About the SU-85 Tank Destroyer
With a weight of 29.2 tons, the Soviet SU-85 (SU stands for Samokhodnaya Ustanovka, which translates as “self-propelled carriage”) was designed explicitly as a tank destroyer. A crew of four operated the vehicle and its 85mm D-5T gun. Essentially, the SU-85 was an SU-122 assault gun modified by replacing the 122mm howitzer with an 85mm high-velocity antitank gun. It was obviously based on the chassis of the T-34 tank, and its heavier gun was needed to counter the appearance of new German tanks such as the Tiger and Panther. Indeed, its gun could penetrate the side armor of a Tiger or Panther at long range.
Dragon is proud to release an SU-85 in its 1/72 scale range of model kits. At first glance, it may look the same as previous SU-85M and SU-100 kits, but first looks can be misleading! In fact, this SU-85 is very different, including a brand new upper hull, mantlet, frontal armor, gun and hatches. It also has the correct fixed commander’s cupola with rotating periscope and three vision blocks. This model tank destroyer is produced extremely accurately in this small scale. There is also a variety of vehicle markings available on the decals from Cartograf. One set of markings even includes those of a captured SU-85 in German service. Thus, this detailed and flexible kit allows modelers to choose either a Soviet or a German SU-85. While in reality production of the SU-85 ceased in favor of the SU-100, Dragon has resurrected this important tank destroyer.
Dragon is proud to release an SU-85 in its 1/72 scale range of model kits. At first glance, it may look the same as previous SU-85M and SU-100 kits, but first looks can be misleading! In fact, this SU-85 is very different, including a brand new upper hull, mantlet, frontal armor, gun and hatches. It also has the correct fixed commander’s cupola with rotating periscope and three vision blocks. This model tank destroyer is produced extremely accurately in this small scale. There is also a variety of vehicle markings available on the decals from Cartograf. One set of markings even includes those of a captured SU-85 in German service. Thus, this detailed and flexible kit allows modelers to choose either a Soviet or a German SU-85. While in reality production of the SU-85 ceased in favor of the SU-100, Dragon has resurrected this important tank destroyer.
Special Features:
- Newly tooled mantlet for 85mm D-5T gun
- New upper hull with improved weld seams and details
- Rear fighting compartment plate is newly tooled
- One piece gun barrel made by slide molds
- Injection molded engine deck cover
- Photo-etched engine deck grills and air intake louvers
- Fuel tanks with supports and photo-etched straps
- Crisply molded road wheels
- One piece DS tracks for convenient assembly
- Cartograf Decal offers various markings
