Osprey's Modelling the IS Heavy Tank discusses scratch building the side storage bins, but offers little in the way of reference other than a few photos of their model, no drawings or dimensions. They use the Aber PE bin doors to determine the size the compartment openings, apparently eye-balling the rest.

Here is what I have for a drawing, sorry about the hand-held, point and shoot image distortion

Hmmm. So that one shows the toolboxes' hinged side on bottom. All online references I have seen show the hinged side on top. Do you know if that was a feature of IS-3Ms, or if it was different factory models or something? 

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/3/p/168329/1852064.aspx#1852064

You've come to the the right place.

http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/carrey/is-3/index.php?Page=2

disastermaster

You've come to the the right place.

           

http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/carrey/is-3/index.php?Page=2

 

 

That's one of the ones I checked...are you absolutely certain that that is an IS-3, not an IS-3M?

This page shows an IS-3 bin as being hinged from the bottom, an IS-3M as hinged from the top. The models on the website are the same ones that are in Osprey's book;

http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/russia/istanks_ncortese.html

 The Osprey book has build guides for both the IS-3 and the IS-3M.

I'm wondering if discrepancies in references might be due to the rather notorious Soviet habit of minor production variances at different factories. Also, I really don't know what changes were made in the 1960's to produce the M-model.

The Littlefield IS-3M;

http://svsm.org/gallery/JS-3

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWvF9WRnEPY

And about halfway down the page.

http://tonallandscape.com/places/mvtf.html

 Plus another bonus........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1sdL1dYgsk

 After looking in to this and watching on UTUBE, I've noticed that the tanks cruising by on several of the Berlin victory parades featured (the images are a bit grainy) aren't equipped with the tool boxes.

 Turns out that the three sites I posted above feature the IS3M example. I've realized that the Tamiya kit (straight from the box) is of a very early version that was only ever seen in parades..... what a poop.

 So, "no tool boxes"and very limited weathering. You CAN see the mount for the saw on the port side but I couldn't see any tool bin doors.... and I watched "very" closely.

 You can get the the photo-etch tool boxes and fenders from Eduard's. They are are IS-3 set no. 36042 for the Tamiya kit and open in a downward motion, hinged at the bottom as it should be for the IS3. This addition would open  a larger field of building options.

disastermaster

 After looking in to this and watching on UTUBE, I've noticed that the tanks cruising by on several of the Berlin victory parades featured (the images are a bit grainy) aren't equipped with the tool boxes.

 Turns out that the three sites I posted above feature the IS3M example. I've realized that the Tamiya kit (straight from the box) is of a very early version that was only ever seen in parades..... what a poop.

 So, "no tool boxes"and very limited weathering. You CAN see the mount for the saw on the port side but I couldn't see any tool bin doors.... and I watched "very" closely.

                              

 You can get the the photo-etch tool boxes and fenders from Eduard's. They are are IS-3 set no. 36042 for the Tamiya kit and open in a downward motion, hinged at the bottom as it should be for the IS3. This addition would open  a larger field of building options.

 

Is that a saw on the port side? I was always curious what that thing was on Soviet tanks...I thought it was some kind of jack.

I have the Eduard set, that's why I was wondering about the toolboxes. Eduard shows them hinged on bottom, but all the references I had seen were hinged on top, and I had no idea what the differences between the 3 and the 3M were.

Also, what's the deal with those funny curved side fenders in all the references? Is that purely an IS-3M feature?

It appears that the side skirts are a model M feature, as are the ribs and braces on the front and rear fenders. There are also changes made to the engine deck grates.

Moff

  Is that a saw on the port side? I was always curious what that thing was on Soviet tanks...I thought it was some kind of jack.

 Look right behind the headlight and above the tool box.
It's a two man logging saw with wood handles carried in a shape-fitting rack the same as an IS3 carried.

Yeah, duh, I can't believe I didn't realize that was a saw...

Ixion

It appears that the side skirts are a model M feature, as are the ribs and braces on the front and rear fenders. There are also changes made to the engine deck grates.

 

Got it. Sorry for being a bother, in the future I'll just buy an Osprey...maybe :)

I don't know if it's too late to resuscitate this thread, but I had another question: did IS-3s have an externally visible conduit/wire for the headlights? My references don't show any, but they are photos of tanks that have been quite possibly stripped of all working parts. Any answers?

Hmmm...I may just skip that detail since I'm already in the painting stage. Why didn't they just put the cable inside the hull? Makes no sense.