This article was originally published here on Cone of Arc’s website and was later turned into a video by him.

This article was edited by War Tinder

A few months ago, War Thunder, a combined tank, plane, and naval vessel military combat simulator, added the ZSU-57-2 to the Israeli tech tree, which begs the question: was the ZSU-57-2 used by Israel?

In 1967 and 1973, a few ZSU-57-2s were captured by Israel from Egypt and Syria. The ZSU-57-2s, along with other captured equipment (APCs, tank destroyers, tanks, and SPAAGs) were paraded, and some pictures of paraded ZSU-57-2s have surfaced online with people claiming they have been used by Israel (specifically during the Yom Kippur War of 1973). The issue with the claim is the lack of supporting evidence, the only proof known being that at least two paraded ZSU-57-2s received an IDF number on their upper front plate, which was seen during the 1968 Independence Day parade in Jerusalem.

While captured ZSU-23-4s did enter Israeli service, though, in a limited capacity as training vehicles, that fact does not mean the same applied to the ZSU-57-2. As for the IDF number, IDF numbers don’t mean much, and from footage of other captured equipment, it can be seen that IDF numbers have been given to everything regardless of possible service, and the two ZSU-57-2 with IDF numbers lack IDF tactical markings of any kind, meaning they never got assigned a unit (except for the Israeli parade unit which was responsible for operating vehicles used in parades, but that isn’t a combat unit).

Additionally, unlike the ZSU-23-4s that went into service under the nickname “Gundish,” the captured ZSU-57-2s are never mentioned by nickname. In contrast, after 1956 Israel had some captured SU-100s and T-34-85s, and they all got both IDF numbers and tactical markings by 1957, with the plan has been for them to enter service, with some tests completed and a plan to upgrade the T-34-85’s engine. Only at the very end of the program, the integration of T-34-85s and SU-100s into the IDF was canceled, but with the ZSU-57-2 there isn’t any known visual or written evidence that would prove service or even trials. The plaque for the ZSU-57-2 at Yad La-Shiryon also states it never entered IDF service.

In short, the usage of ZSU-57-2 in the IDF is nothing but a myth, now it’s just a myth that has been added to War Thunder.