Historical photograph by Kuramshin from July 1945 capturing freshly repainted IS-2 heavy tanks of the 74th Heavy Tank Regiment at a vehicle park in Güstrow following the Battle of Berlin.
IS-2 Heavy Tanks of the 74th Heavy Tank-Self Propelled Regiment in Güstrow (July 1945)
This impressive archival photograph, taken by military correspondent Kuramshin in July 1945, depicts a line of IS-2 heavy tanks belonging to the 74th Heavy Tank-Self Propelled Regiment stationed in Güstrow, Germany.
Arranged neatly alongside a newly constructed timber vehicle park, these 45-ton armored vehicles had served as the tip of the Red Army's spearhead during the Battle of Berlin just two months prior while operating under the designation of the 88th Separate Guards Heavy Tank Regiment.
Post-Combat Overhaul and Anti-Faustpatrone Armor
The photograph provides a detailed technical record of heavy breakthrough armor following the cessation of hostilities in Europe:
- Refurbishment and Fresh Paint: After surviving continuous urban combat, the IS-2 tanks were thoroughly serviced, fitted with replacement tracks, and coated in fresh protective green paint for peacetime garrison presentation.
- Improvised Mesh Screens: Visible on the turret of the foreground IS-2 are wire-mesh anti-shaped-charge screens (often referred to as 'bedspring' armor). These field-expedient modifications were welded onto turrets prior to entering Berlin to detonate incoming German Panzerfaust handheld anti-tank weapons at a safe stand-off distance.
- Heavy Armament: Armed with powerful 122mm D-25T main guns featuring double-baffle muzzle brakes, these vehicles had fired direct-fire high-explosive rounds directly into fortified embrasures across Königsplatz and the Reichstag.
Transition to Peacetime Garrison Duties
Following the reorganization of breakthrough units into combined heavy tank-self propelled regiments, armored vehicles were systematically consolidated into covered vehicle sheds in Güstrow to ensure long-term preservation during the post-war occupation of East Germany.
📍 Location: Güstrow, Germany
📅 Date: July 1945
📷 Photographer: Kuramshin (Military Press Corps)
📰 Primary Source: Soviet Armored Forces Historical Archives
Recommended reading:
- The IS-2 Heavy Tank in Berlin: Field modifications, improvised mesh armor, and urban tactics
- Reorganization of the 88th Guards to the 74th Heavy Tank Regiment: Vehicle rosters and post-war history
- 122mm D-25T Gun Performance: Efficacy against fortified masonry and heavy armor
- Soviet Vehicle Parks in Germany (1945): Logistics, maintenance, and storage protocols