T-72
To replace the T-55 series in frontline Soviet units, the Red Army commissioned the T-64 design, which was intended to produce a lightweight tank with good armor, speed, and a 115mm gun. To reduce crew size, the loader was replaced with an automatic version. While the T-64 went into production, the tank's engine was unreliable and broke down too easily, and the 115mm gun was thought to be inadequate against newer NATO tanks. Attempts to modify the T-64 with a larger and more reliable engine failed, but a modification of the earlier T-62 was more successful. This new design--something of a combination of the T-62 and T-64--went into production as the T-72.
The T-72 replaced the T-55 in Red Army frontline units and supplemented the T-62. Crews liked its speed and its 125mm gun, which could defeat any NATO tank before the advent of the Chobham-armored types like the M1 Abrams, and its armor protection was continually upgraded, which gave it better chances of survival, even in combat with Western tanks armed with depleted uranium shells. It was far from a perfect tank, however: like most Soviet tanks, it was very uncomfortable as a result from its low profile, visibility for the driver was poor, and the autoloader, while reliable, was slow. In combat (mainly in the Beka'a Valley against Israel in 1972, and in Iraq against the US in 1991), the T-72's long reload time left it at a disadvantage against manual-load Merkavas and M1s; moreover, the ammunition storage on the T-72 left it vulnerable to catastrophic explosions.
Despite its drawbacks, the T-72 remained in full production until the development of the T-80, and was exported to 40 countries around the world. Many of these export versions were downgraded, and lacked the superior ceramic/steel armor of Soviet T-72s. However, the survivors have been extensively upgraded with newer armor, laser rangefinders, and improved reactive armor. The T-72 remains a significant part of the modern Russian Army, and have seen action in Chechnya, Georgia and Ukraine.
This superbly maintained T-72 is on display at the 4th Infantry Division Museum in Fort Carson, Colorado, and may be a former Iraqi Army example (most T-72s on display in the US are). The overall light green color is accurate for Red Army tanks, but the large red star was uncommon--apparently, it was more or less up to the division commander if red stars were applied. The hammer and sickle on the turret is definitely not accurate!
I joked with my friend that this T-72 was really captured when the Soviets invaded Colorado in 1983, as shown in the docudrama "Red Dawn." My friend thought this was hilarious, and yelled "WOLVERINES!" at the top of his lungs as we walked off. I'd say he was crazy, but I doubt this was the first time anyone had done that at Fort Carson.
T-72
To replace the T-55 series in frontline Soviet units, the Red Army commissioned the T-64 design, which was intended to produce a lightweight tank with good armor, speed, and a 115mm gun. To reduce crew size, the loader was replaced with an automatic version. While the T-64 went into production, the tank's engine was unreliable and broke down too easily, and the 115mm gun was thought to be inadequate against newer NATO tanks. Attempts to modify the T-64 with a larger and more reliable engine failed, but a modification of the earlier T-62 was more successful. This new design--something of a combination of the T-62 and T-64--went into production as the T-72.
The T-72 replaced the T-55 in Red Army frontline units and supplemented the T-62. Crews liked its speed and its 125mm gun, which could defeat any NATO tank before the advent of the Chobham-armored types like the M1 Abrams, and its armor protection was continually upgraded, which gave it better chances of survival, even in combat with Western tanks armed with depleted uranium shells. It was far from a perfect tank, however: like most Soviet tanks, it was very uncomfortable as a result from its low profile, visibility for the driver was poor, and the autoloader, while reliable, was slow. In combat (mainly in the Beka'a Valley against Israel in 1972, and in Iraq against the US in 1991), the T-72's long reload time left it at a disadvantage against manual-load Merkavas and M1s; moreover, the ammunition storage on the T-72 left it vulnerable to catastrophic explosions.
Despite its drawbacks, the T-72 remained in full production until the development of the T-80, and was exported to 40 countries around the world. Many of these export versions were downgraded, and lacked the superior ceramic/steel armor of Soviet T-72s. However, the survivors have been extensively upgraded with newer armor, laser rangefinders, and improved reactive armor. The T-72 remains a significant part of the modern Russian Army, and have seen action in Chechnya, Georgia and Ukraine.
This superbly maintained T-72 is on display at the 4th Infantry Division Museum in Fort Carson, Colorado, and may be a former Iraqi Army example (most T-72s on display in the US are). The overall light green color is accurate for Red Army tanks, but the large red star was uncommon--apparently, it was more or less up to the division commander if red stars were applied. The hammer and sickle on the turret is definitely not accurate!
I joked with my friend that this T-72 was really captured when the Soviets invaded Colorado in 1983, as shown in the docudrama "Red Dawn." My friend thought this was hilarious, and yelled "WOLVERINES!" at the top of his lungs as we walked off. I'd say he was crazy, but I doubt this was the first time anyone had done that at Fort Carson.