T-55

[MolliG]

The T-55, in its day, advanced and formidable; today, tough, reliable and cheap.

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_7.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_1.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_2.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_3.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_4.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_5.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_8.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_9.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/T55_10.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/TO55_1.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/TO55_2.jpg

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/armored_vehicles/tank/TO55_3.jpg

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-55-DAST8804830_JPG.jpg

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-55-DAST9209286_JPG.jpg

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-55-DDST8911749_JPG.jpg

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-55-iraq.jpg

http://www.mobrien.com/twr/Gulfwar/images/iraq2003/april%203-/An_Abandoned_Iraqi_T55_Tank.jpg

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2003814164744/$file/TANK%20low.jpg

http://www.darinmurphy.com/images/family/shane/rolled%20tank.JPG

http://www.fortissimo-europe.com/gallery/offroad/OUR_FLEET/C_Battle%20Tanks%20MBT/big_T55_MBT_2.JPG

http://www.fortissimo-europe.com/gallery/offroad/OUR_FLEET/C_Battle%20Tanks%20MBT/big_T55_MBT_1.JPG

http://www.fortissimo-europe.com/gallery/offroad/OUR_FLEET/C_Battle%20Tanks%20MBT/big_T55_MBT_3.JPG

:)

Pictures from many sources, many from www.fas.org and www.aeronautics.ru.

[Fox2]

T-55 is pretty cool. :) Blows up real nice also! :D


On an unrelated note...

MolliG, you know an avatar such as that is dangerous for a person who is continually confused for a female... ;)

Hm... maybe not female...but not quite male either? :lol:

[mustamato]

If used as a mobile infantry supporting gun rather than a MBT it might
still be effective.

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/virma02/get2data.php3?id=56

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/virma02/get2data.php3?id=57

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/saha2002/get2data.php3?id=87

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/saha2002/get2data.php3?id=88

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/saha2002/get2data.php3?id=76

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/saha2002/get2data.php3?id=46

http://tietokannat.mil.fi/saha2002/get2data.php3?id=45

[Lysander]

Does anyone have pictures of the T 55 with a 125 mm gun and western style turret?

There was a modernized one shown at a military exhibit a few years back, however I can not locate any photos.

The only one that I found shows a T 55 that was upgraded, but still has the 100 mm gun.

Picture at http://www.ifrance.com/ArmyReco/Russe/VTTV_Omsk_2003_Pictures_Gallery/VTTV_Omsk_2003_Pictures_Gallery.htm

Question, I am new to the forum, how do I post a picture?

[REMOV]

Question, I am new to the forum, how do I post a picture?Put its name (i.e. full length filename with http://www... at the beginning between and tags. For example: _http://www.ifrance.com/ArmyReco/Russe/VTTV_Omsk_2003_Pictures_Gallery/T-55_Upgraded_VTTV_Omsk_2003_Pictures_Russia_01.jpg_ , but naturally with both "_" at the beginning and end.

And the picture appars ;)
http://www.ifrance.com/ArmyReco/Russe/VTTV_Omsk_2003_Pictures_Gallery/T-55_Upgraded_VTTV_Omsk_2003_Pictures_Russia_01.jpg

[REMOV]

Does anyone have pictures of the T 55 with a 125 mm gun and western style turret?
http://www.jedsite.info/tanks/tango-numbers-su/t-55_series/t-55mv6/t55mv6_004.jpg
T-55MV6


This modernised version has almost the same level of protection as the T-80U! It is equipped with "Kaktus-5" ERA and has a modified T-72B turret with 125mm gun 2A46M and automatic loader. There are two FCS options: 1A40-1 with ATGM system 9K120 "Svir" (as T-72B) or 1A42 with 9K119 "Refleks" (as T-80U). The suspension has 2x6 road-wheels now and the tank is powered by a 690 hp diesel engine V-46-5M. Crew: 3. Combat weight: 43 tonnes.

http://www.jedsite.info/tanks/tango-numbers-su/t-55_series/ukraine-upgrade01/ukrainet5501_001.jpg
T-55 (Ukraine Upgrade 1) fitted with 125mm KBM1 smoothbore gun

http://www.jedsite.info/tanks/tango-numbers-su/t-55_series/t-72z/t72z_001.jpg

At the International Arms Exhibition, which took place in Baghdad between 28 April - 2 May, 1989, a T-55 equipped with the 2A46 125mm gun from the T-72 tank was displayed. This modernised vehicle was designated as T-72Z, which at first mislead foreign experts since it was believed that the project was based on the T-72 tank. In fact, the number "72" originated from the year of modernisation - 1372 according to the Muslim calendar.
The loading mechanism of this vehicle was also taken from T-72. The fitting of the loading mechanism required increasing the aft section of the turret. The tank's armour protection was also reinforced through the use of add-on armour on the tank's front glacis. The vehicle also mounted the EFCS-3 fire control system developed by the Slovenian firm 'Fotana' and a new transmission. A set of explosive reactive armour is an optional extra.

It is believed that around 200 T-54/55s and 150 Chinese T-59s were brought up to the T-72Z standard.

[Lysander]

Thanks REMOV.

The T-55MV6 is the tank that I saw the pictuers of. I can not find info on this tank though. Just one site that I can't open. :|
I wonder how much such an upgrade would cost?

I have another question...
Are those fuel tanks on the out side of the T55 tank (right hand side)? if so, why were they left exposed and how did this affect the tank.

[REMOV]

Just one site that I can't open. :| Because JED change it address to http://www.jedsite.info/, so if you found some dead link at Google, which has some problem with refreshing, just change the first part of url to the "www.jedsite.info", and your dead link appars - for instance: http://www.jed.simonides.org/tanks/tango-numbers-su/t-55_series/t-55mv6/t55mv6-intro.html doesn't work, but when you change it to the: http://www.jedsite.info/tanks/tango-numbers-su/t-55_series/t-55mv6/t55mv6-intro.html, everything should works ;)

Are those fuel tanks on the out side of the T55 tank (right hand side)? if so, why were they left exposed and how did this affect the tank.Sometimes even helps, because after the hit the fuel tank act as primitive additional armor or reactive armour. But the real reason of instaling equipment in such way is simple - there is no enough space inside.

[Marmot1]

Some of the external tanks are in reality 200l barrels so it is easy to replace them and AFAIK there is some kind of valve that peevents fire to reach internal tank elements in case of hit.

Polish T-55 Merida (currently all T-55 are scraped or in Military surplus depots, tle oldest polish tank in line is T-72)

What is changed:
Includes turret with Polish designed I.R. sight cover, horse armor for turret, armored engine deck, side skirts. Smoke dischargers, wind sensor, laser detectors and side skirts.

http://www.aefdesigns.com/Soviet_Images/polish_mirada.jpg
http://www.pancerni.to2.pl/czolgi/t-55AM%20Merida.JPG

And variants :-)

The T-54/55 tanks have been produced in greater quantity than any other tank in the world. Seven main production models have been widely used throughout the Warsaw Pact and in many other countries. The T-54/55 series has been manufactured in Czechoslovakia and Poland as well as in China where it is known as Type 59. Due to its long service in the armed forces, many various versions and modifications were developed, both by the original manufacturer and by licensed producers later on, e.g. T-54, T-54/55, OT-54/55, T-54A, T-54B, T-54M, T-55, T-55A, T-55M, T-55AD, T-55MV and others. More than a dozen countries have produced upgraded T-55 variants with similar capabilities in protection and lethality. Due to gradual modernizations, there have been a number of upgrades concerning mobility and immediate protection for the vehicle itself and for the crew. Many countries have upgraded to a larger main gun.

#T-54: There are numerous differences between early production T-54 vehicles and later models with some having a wider mantlet and turret undercut at the rear. These are sometimes referred to as the T-54 (1949), T-54 (1951) and T-54 (1953).
#T-54A: This model has a fume extractor for the 100mm gun, stabilization system and deep fording equipment.
#T-54AK: Command tank (Polish model is the T-54AD). Has additional radios and a radio range of 100 miles.
#T-54M: T-54 upgraded to the T-55M standard. See T-55M.
#T-54B: First model to have infra-red night vision equipment. This is the model used in the above stats.
#T-55: T-54 with new turret and numerous other improvements, late production models have a 12.7mm AA MG. Improvements over the T-54 include a larger V-12 water-cooled diesel engine and an increased cruising range of 500 rather than 400 kilometers (600 kilometers with auxiliary tanks). The cruising range can be extended to 715 kilometers with two 200-liter auxiliary fuel tanks which carried on the rear. The T-55 used a completely different turret from the T-54, the most obvious difference being that the T-55 was now without the roof top mushroom ventilator dome and instead has two D-shaped roof panels. Early T-55s also did not mount the loader's 12.7mm DShK AA MG and the loader's hatch was flush mounted with little or no rise above the surrounding turret armor.
#T-55A added an NBC protection system. T-55A used a new anti-radiation lining and PAZ/FVU chemical filtration system upgrade on the same turret. The lining caused the turret hatches to be thicker and no longer flush with the turret surface. Notable features are much larger combing on the commander's and gunner's hatch, and a large blister on the driver's hatch. The T-55A Model 1970 did begin to receive the 12.7mm MG agin, but in a different position than on the T-54.
#T-55M added the Volna fire control system (with ATGM launcher), improved gun stabilization and sights, improved engine, new radio, and increased protection. That included side skirts, smoke grenade launchers, applique armor, and fire protection.
#T-55AM added bra armor, an armor band around the turret for 180° coverage. The T-55AM designation is sometimes used to indicate a T-55A vehicle with the 12.7mm DShK MG on its new fitting on the loader's hatch.
#T-55AM2B: Czech version of T-55AMV with Kladivo fire control.
#T-55AM2: Variant does not have ATGM capability or Volna FCS.
#T-55AM2P: Polish version of T-55AMV but with Merida FCS.
#T-55AMD: Variant with the Drozd APS instead of ERA.
#T-55AD Drozd: Variant with Drozd but not Volna FCS and ERA.
#T-55AMV The -AMV upgrade means substitution of ERA for the bra armor. Variants ending with -1 denote replacement of the engine w/V-46 engine from T-72 MBT. The Ukraine and Syria will upgrade to the T-55AMV standard.
#T-72Z Safir-74 - An Iranian upgrade to the T-54/T-54 that may have been applied to Iraqi T-54s captured in the Iran-Iraq War. This has a number of improvements including a 105 mm M68 rifled tank gun, computerised fire-control system and a new power pack which consists of a diesel engine, fully automatic transmission and cooling system. #The MT-55A armored bridgelayer (Mostní tank) is a specially converted T-55A medium tank chassis, with the turret removed and replaced by a special bridge launching equipment. The converted T-55A chassis differs only by the arrangement of the compartments in the hull. The bridge tank is intended for an easy and rapid crossing of antitank barriers (trenches) and other obstacles with the purpose of facilitating the passage of mechanised and tank units. The bridge launching equipment is controlled by a system of hydraulic cylinders; the distribution of hydraulic oil can be controlled both manually by mechanical levers and automatically. The pressure of the liquid is provided by high-pressure piston pumps powered by the tank engine. All mechanisms of the MT-55 used for laying and recovering of the bridge can be controlled by the crew from the inside of the tank, with hatch covers closed. To start the launching procedure, the vehicle stops short of the gap; subsequently, the bridge swings forward and down while its two sections open like scissors.
#The VT-55A recovery tank is a special armored tracked vehicle mounted on the T-55A tank chassis. It is intended primarily for towing of crashed or damaged equipment in various terrain conditions, for recovery of equipment out of all kinds of impossible positions, with a tractive power up to 75 MPa. Its built-in crane can lift loads up to 1.5 ton. Other applications of the VT-55A include material handling, like transportation of spare parts up to 3 tons to damaged equipment. The vehicle is divided into driver´s, commander´s, winch, and engine and gear compartments. It is equipped with an NBC protection. The crew consists of a commander, driver/engineer and slinger.

[Operation Ivy]

woot woot woot

[Uninen]

My gift:

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T-55AGM MBT (theres some good and high resolution pics) (http://www.morozov.com.ua/eng/body/t55agm.php?menu=civil3.php&sess=1)

http://personal.inet.fi/koti/uninen/uploads/Rf/t55agm22ls.jpg
T-55AGM.
(This is one of those pics resized..)

The T-55AGM tank is a version of modernisation of T-54, T-55, T-59 and T-62 tanks.
In order to enhance all its main combat, technical and operational characteristics, it is fitted with the following:
Power pack with 5TDFM engine
Improved running gear
Automated movement control system with a steering handlebar control
Additional passive protection, built-in explosive reactive armour, optronic countermeasures system, and new fire suppression system
Up-to-date fire control system with over-ride facilities at the commander's station
Automatic loader
Anti-aircraft machine gun that can be aimed and fired from within the turret under complete armour protection
New gun (its calibre can be 125 mm or 120 mm according to Customer's request).

T-55AGM weapons (http://www.morozov.com.ua/eng/body/t55agma.php?menu=civil3.php&sess=1)


WEAPONS

In order to increase the firepower of the T-55AGM tank, modernisation of the fighting compartment is offered. The modernisation consists in installation of a 125 mm KBM1 smoothbore gun or 120 mm KBM2 smoothbore gun, coaxial machine gun, and automatic loader located in an armoured compartment in the turret bustle.

The offered 120 mm smoothbore gun (KBM2) is a re-designed KBM1 gun and meets the requirements of NATO standards.

Use of enhanced performance conventional ammunition and barrel-launched guided missiles makes it possible to defeat modern tanks by means of armour-piercing projectiles at distances of 2000-3000 m and by means of guided missiles at distances of up to 5,000 m.

T-55AGM weapon-and-fire control system (http://www.morozov.com.ua/eng/body/t55agmf.php?menu=civil3.php&sess=1)


Up-to-date fire control system with over-ride facilities at the commander's station

The upgraded T-55AGM tank is fitted with an up-to-date weapon-and-fire control system, which enables the gunner and the commander to deliver fire at stationary and moving targets while the tank is stationary or moving, with a high first round hit probability.

T-55AGM mobility (http://www.morozov.com.ua/eng/body/t55agme.php?menu=civil3.php&sess=1)


Power pack with 5TDFM engine

The power pack that is offered for installation in the upgraded tanks, is based on the 5TDFM engine developing 850 hp. This power pack is designed and made as a separate module that is to be welded instead of the cut-out rear part of the hull.

T-55AGM protection (http://www.morozov.com.ua/eng/body/t55agmp.php?menu=civil3.php&sess=1)


Additional protection package for T-55AGM tank

The additional protection package is intended to increase the level of protection of the tank against chemical energy attack as well as kinetic energy attack (APFSDS) with the minimum possible increase of tank weight.

Check each link for more details and pics!

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;)

[Lysander]

Cool pic and site Uninen.

I wonder what he costs of modernizing the T55 to this degree are versus buying a new T72 or other modern tank?

Any ideas if there is any country that is considering such an upgrade?

[AK-Lover]

Any body want a T-55 for $10,000? tanks4sale.co.uk

[Uninen]

Lysander,

I think that even with full options that T-55 upgrade is less expensive than new T-72 (or T-80 or 90..) and has infact with that new NATO standard Ukrainian 120mm gun more hitting power than any of those.. :)

Fire control might also be better.. (at least when compared to T-72..)