View allAll Photos Tagged soviettank
February 1945--Germany
My new T-34-85m1944. Hope you like the pic'
Better pics off the T-34 coming soon. The peoples that inspired me are tagged belolw.
Two sparrows make this Russian tank there home. This tank is part of the Soviet War Memorial that marks the Russian Liberation of Berlin in 1945.
Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon
full history : ditich.dinhdoclap.gov.vn/en-us/tin-tuc-su-kien/nhan-chung...
Imperial War Museum London
Soviet T-34 Tank
The Soviet designed T-34 produced in 1940, was one of the best performing tanks of the World War 2. Manufactured in huge numbers, its introduction greatly influenced the war on the Eastern Front, in favour of Soviet Russia’s Red Army.
The T-34 was a major leap in tank design, achieving a crucial balance between armour, firepower and mobility it was a shock to the Germans when it was first encountered in July 1941.
La dita Plaça Wenceslau, vista només des de la meitat de la seva gran llargada. Entre nosaltres, això és una avinguda, no una plaça.
Foto presa amb una FED-2 fabricada el 1958 a la URSS; objectiu Industar 50 f3.5 50mm; rodet Ilford Delta 100.
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The extremely long Wenceslas Square, looking uphill. It was here that the Soviet tanks crushed the Prague Spring just 50 years ago. By the way, at least for me, this is an avenue, not a square; it's so long...
Do you know that the only colour movie recording of that historic event was made by a man of my hometown, Sabadell, who was in the eastern block on a sales trip?
Picture taken with a Soviet FED-2 rangefinder camera made in 1958; lens Industar 50 f3.5 50mm; Ilford Delta 100.
After improved German Panzer IV's with the high-velocity 7.5cm KwK 40 Gun were encountered in combat in 1942, a project to design an entirely new Soviet Tank was begun, with the goals of increasing Armour Protection while adding modern features like a torsion-bar suspension and a three-man turret. The new Tank, the T-43, was intended to be a universal model to replace both the T-34 and the KV-1 Heavy Tank. However, the T-43 prototype's armour, though heavier, was not capable against German 88mm Guns, while its mobility was found to be inferior to the T-34. Finally, although the T-43 shared over 70% of its components with the T-34, manufacturing it would still have required a significant slow-down in production, so consequently, the T-43 was cancelled.
Not only were the weapons of German Tanks improving, so was their armour. Soviet firing tests against a captured Tiger I Heavy Tank in April 1943 showed that the T-34's 76mm Gun could not penetrate the front of the Tiger I at all, and the side only at very close range. A Soviet 85mm Anti-Aircraft Gun, the M1939 (52-K) was found capable of doing the job, and so derivatives of it were developed for Tanks. One of the resulting Guns used on the original T-34 85 model (the D-5T) was capable of penetrating the Tiger I's upper hull armour at 3,280ft It was still not enough to match the Tiger, which could destroy the T-34 from a distance of 4,900ft to 6,600ft but it was a noticeable improvement.
With the T-43 canceled, Soviet Command made the decision to retool the factories to produce an improved version of the T-34. Its Turret ring was enlarged from 56in to 63in, allowing a larger Turret to be fitted supporting the larger 85mm Gun. The prototype T-43's Turret design was hurriedly adopted by Vyacheslav Kerichev at the Krasnoye Sormovo Factory to fit the T-34. This was a larger Three-Man Turret, with Radio (previously in the hull) and Observation Cupola in the roof. Now the Tank Commander needed only to command (aided by Cupola and Radio Systems) leaving the operation of the Gun to the Gunner and the Loader. The Turret was bigger and less sloped than the original T-34 Turret, making it a bigger target (due to the Three-Man Crew and bigger Gun) but with thicker 3in Armour, making it more resistant to Enemy Fire. The Shells were 50% heavier 19.8lb and were much better in the Anti-Armour Role, and reasonable in a general purpose role, though only 55–60 could be carried, instead of 90–100 of the earlier Shells. The resulting new Tank, the T-34-85, was seen as a compromise between advocates for the T-43 and others who wanted to continue to build as many 76mm-Armed T-34's as possible without interruption.
Production of the T-34/85 began in January 1944 at Factory No.112, first using the D-5T 88mm Gun. Parallel to the production of the T-34/85 with the D-5T Gun, production of the T-34/85 using the S-53 Gun (later to be modified and redesignated as the ZIS-S-53 Gun) began in February 1944 at Factory No.112. The improved T-34/85 became the standard Soviet Medium Tank, with an uninterrupted production run until the end of the war. A T-34/85 initially cost about 30% more to produce than a Model 1943, at 164,000 rubles, by 1945 this had been reduced to 142,000 rubles, during the course of World War Two the cost of a T-34 Tank had almost halved, from 270,000 rubles in 1941, while its top speed remained about the same, and its main Gun's Armour penetration and Turret Frontal Armour thickness both nearly doubled.
The T-34/85 gave the Red Army a Tank with better Armour and mobility than the German Panzer IV Tank and StuG III Assault Gun. While it could not match the Armour or Weapons of the heavier Panther and Tiger Tanks, its improved firepower made it much more effective than earlier models, and overall it was more cost-effective than the heaviest German Tanks. In comparison with the T-34/85 program, the Germans instead chose an upgrade path based on the introduction of completely new, expensive, heavier, and more complex Tanks, greatly slowing the growth of their Tank production and helping the Soviets to maintain a substantial numerical superiority in Tanks. By May 1944, T-34/85 production had reached 1,200 Tanks per month. In the entire war, production figures for all Panther types reached no more than 6,557, and for all Tiger types (including the Tiger I and Tiger II) 2,027, production figures for the T-34/85 alone reached 22,559.
On 12th January 1945, a column of Tiger II Tanks and other Tanks from 424th Heavy Panzer Battalion were involved in a 'Short-Range Engagement' with T-34/85 Tanks near the village of Lisow. Forty T-34/85 Tanks commanded by Colonel N. Zhukov were attacked by the 424th Heavy Panzer Battalion, which had been reinforced by 13 Panthers. The Germans permanently lost five Tiger II's, seven Tiger I's and five Panthers for the loss of four T-34/85 Tanks burnt out.
▪︎Type: Medium Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎Manufacturer: State Factories in Soviet Union / Czechoslovakia / Poland / China
▪︎Production: 55,000
▪︎In Service: 1943
▪︎Crew: 5
▪︎Weight: 35.3 tons
▪︎Length: 19ft 7in / Width: 9ft 1in / Height: 8ft
▪︎Track Width: 1ft 18in
Armour: 1.18in to 3.15in
▪︎Primary Armament: 85mm D-5T or ZiS-S-53 Anti-Tank Gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm Coaxial DT Machine Gun / 7.62mm Bow Mounted DT Machine Gun
▪︎Powerplant: W-2-34 12-cylinder Diesel Engine 493hp
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph
▪︎Range: 85.7 miles.
Part I :-
The Soviet ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka'' is a Lightly Armorued Self-Propelled, Radar Guided Anti-Aircraft Weapon System (SPAAG). The acronym ''ZSU'' stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka (Russian: Зенитная Самоходная Установка) meaning ''Anti-Aircraft Self-Propelled System'' the ''23'' signifies the bore diameter in millimeters, the ''4'' signifies the number of Gun Barrels. It is named after the Shilka River in Russia. Afghan soldiers nicknamed it the ''sewing machine'' due to the sound of firing Guns. It is also referred to by its nickname of ''Zeus'' derived from the Russian acronym.
The previous Soviet Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ZSU-57-2, was armed with two 57mm Autocannons, it was aimed optically using a basic tracking and lead calculating system, and was not particularly successful despite its very powerful Autocannons, given their large caliber, it could only carry 300 rounds, was inaccurate as it lacked radar and could not fire while on the move. The ZPU series armed with 14.5mm Heavy Machine Guns carried on a towed mount or stationary, point Air Defence had a much higher rate of fire. The 23mm version of this Weapon System was known as the ZU-23-2, a towed mount carrying two 23mm Cannons. However, these towed or improvised Truck-Mounted Weapons had similar disadvantages.
▪︎Armament :- Is composed of four AZP-23 23mm Canons with an elevation of +85° to - 4°, and 360° Turret traverse. The 23mm Canon is gas operated with a vertically moving breech-block locking system which drops to unlock, and has a cyclic rate of fire of 800 to 1000 rounds per minute per barrel. The ZSU-23-4 Shilka can engage targets using only one or two of the four Canons.
▪︎Design and protection :- A large turret is mounted to the centre of the chassis, the Commander, Gunner and Range Operator are seated in the large square turret. The Guns and Ammunition are in the forward part of the turret and separated from the Crew by a gas-tight and armoured bulhead. Access to the Guns and Ammunition is by two large hatches, one either side of the turret roof, which are hinged in the centre and open vertically. The all-welded hull of the ZSU-23-4 is divided in three compartments, Driver at the front, combat at the centre and the engine at the rear. The Armour protection is 0.5in at 55° for the glacis plate, hull sides and 0.3in for the hull rear and the turret sides.
▪︎Drive and Suspension :- The ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka'' is based on the GM-575 Tracked Vehicle Chassis, which used components from the PT-76 Light Amphibious Tank. The engine and the transmission are at the rear of the hull as is the DG4M-1 gas turbine coupled to a manual gearbox with 5 forwards and 1 reverse gear. The torsion bar suspension system consists of six single rubber-tyred road wheels with the idler at the front and the drive sprocket at the rear, there are no track return rollers.
▪︎Accessories :- The ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka'' is equipped with an NBC system with an air filtration unit, fire-fighting equipment, TNA-2 Navigational System, Infrared Vision Device, R-123 Radio Set, R-124 intercom and electric power supply system consisting of a DG4M-1 single-shaft gas turbine engine and a direct-current generator.
▪︎Country users :- Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Russia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Georgia,Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, North Korea, Peru, Poland, Somalia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
▪︎Designer Company :- Russian State Arsenals.
▪︎Accessories :- NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Protection, Fire-Fighting Equipment, Infrared Night Vision, Electric Power Supply, Firing Control System and Radar.
Link to part II flic.kr/p/2i33btX
A PT-76 amphibious light tank on display at Imperial War Museum Duxford, shown in the foreground with an AEC Matador artillery tractor visible behind it as part of the wider vehicle collection. Developed in the Soviet Union during the early Cold War, the PT-76 was designed for reconnaissance and river-crossing operations, combining a light armour profile with full amphibious capability and a centrally mounted turret for all-round observation and fire support. The background AEC Matador, a British Second World War artillery tractor, provides a contrasting example of earlier military logistics and towing capability, highlighting the evolution in armoured mobility and support vehicles across two different eras.
This T-55 Tank was built in the Soviet Union and later sold to the Iraqi government controlled by Saddam Hussein. It took part in offensive operations during the invasion of Kuwait (1990) and it is possible that it may have served in the Iran - Iraq War (1980-1988). During Operation Desert Storm U.S. Forces captured this vehicle in February of 1991. It is currently on display at the North Carolina Military Museum located on Fort Fisher Air Force Station in Fort Fisher, North Carolina.
The Soviet SU-85 was developed from the chassis of the T-34 Tank replacing the Turret with a larger, fixed 'Casemate Superstructure' that allowed a larger Gun to be fitted, the 85mm D-5 Gun, providing dramatically upgraded firepower compared to the T-34's 76.2mm models. Introduced to service in 1943, the SU-85 was quickly rendered obsolete as a new Tank design featured the same Gun on the T-34-85.
This prompted the design of a more advanced 'Turretless Tank Destroyer' with the even more powerful D-10S 100mm Anti-Tank Gun. Development was conducted under supervision of L. I. Gorlitskiy, chief designer of all medium Soviet Self-Propelled Guns. The work started in February 1944 and the first prototype of the SU-100 (Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 100) ''Object 138'' was delivered in March. After intensive testing with different models of 100mm Gun Soviet engineers approved the D-10S Gun for mass production. This Gun was developed in Constructors Bureau of Artillery Factory No.9 under the guidance of F. F. Petrov. When mass production was approved in Sep 1944, they were built at Uralskiy Mashinostroitelnyy Zavod ("Urals Machine Building Plant") or Uralmash for short, in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg or Ekaterinburg) in Asia. After World War Two this Gun was installed on T-54 and T-55 Tanks, these vehicles and their derivatives were in service forty years after initial development.
The SU-100 Tank Destroyer was introduced in October 1944 and quickly became popular with Soviet Tank Crews as its Gun could penetrate virtually any German Tank then in service until being outmatched by the Tiger II. The Gun was excellent, being able to penetrate the Tiger I at 1.2 miles with APCBC Rounds while its APHE Rounds could penetrate a max of 8.5in of armour. The SU-100 especially saw extensive service during the last year of the war. It was used en masse in Hungary in March 1945, when Soviet forces defeated the German Operation ''Frühlingserwachen'' Offensive at Lake Balaton, and although not intended for it, the SU-100 was also used in the ''Battle of Berlin'' because its Gun could deal with Heavy Fortifications. However, its lack of a Machine Gun made it hard and the SU-100 needed cohesion with Air Support. By July 1945, 2,335 SU-100's had been built.
The SU-100 Tank Destroyer remained in service with the Red Army well after World War Two, production continued in the Soviet Union until 1947 and into the 1950's in Czechoslovakia. It was withdrawn from Soviet service in 1967 but many Tanks were transferred to reserve stocks. Some exist to this day in the Russian Army holding facilities. Many Warsaw Pact countries also used the SU-100, as did Soviet Allies such as Egypt, Angola and Cuba. A few SU-100's were delivered to Yugoslavia after the war, under the designation M-44. The SU-100 saw service in the fighting that accompanied the 1956 'Suez Crisis' in which the Egyptians used SU-100's against Israel's M4 Sherman Tanks. The SU-100 was also utilized in the 1967 'Six-Day War' and the 1973 'Yom Kippur War' It was modified slightly to adapt it to the sandy conditions of the Middle East, thus creating the SU-100M variant. Exported SU-100's continued in service until the 1970's, and in some countries, even later. Yugoslavs used them during the civil war, however, due to lack of spare parts they were quickly retired, despite their satisfactory performance. The SU-100 remains in use by the Vietnam People's Army and the Korean People's Army Ground Force.
SU-100's entered service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China after 1st December 1950 when Soviet Forces left Dalian. The armaments in Dalian were sold to China, including 99 SU-100's, 18 IS-2 Heavy Tanks, and 224 T-34's, with which PLA formed its 1st Mechanised Division. In April 2015, a SU-100 Self-Propelled Gun was photographed being used in Yemen as part of the ongoing conflict. Video evidence uploaded to YouTube in November 2016 showed an apparent SU-100 being knocked out by an Anti-Tank Guided Missile in Yemen.
▪︎Type: Tank Destroyer
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎Manufacturer: Uralskiy Mashinostroitelnyy Zavod (Urals Machine Building Plant)
▪︎In Service: October 1944 to present
▪︎Number Built: 4,976
▪︎Mass: 31.6 tonnes (69,665lbs)
▪︎Length: 30ft / Width: 9ft 10in / Height: 7ft 5in
▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander and Radio Operator / Gunner / Loader / Driver
▪︎Armour: front - 3in / sides - 1.77in / rear - 1.77in / roof - .78in
▪︎Main Armament: 100mm D-10S Gun
▪︎Powerplant: Kharkiv Model V-2 V-12 diesel engine 500hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 15.8hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: Christie
▪︎Operational Range: 199 miles / 310 miles with additional fuel tanks
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30 mph.
One of my favourite tanks. The tank's gun doesn't appear to be the standard T-55 100 mm; I believe it could be the 105 mm gun from the Vickers MBT. What are your thoughts on this?
The Soviet T-54 and T-55 Tanks are a series of Main Battle Tanks introduced in the years following World War Two. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945, from the late 1950's, the T-54 eventually became the Main Tank for Armoured Units of the Soviet Army, Armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and many others. T-54's and T-55's have been involved in many of the world's Armed Conflicts since their introduction in last half of the 20th century.
The T-54 / T-55 series is the most-produced Tank in history, estimated production numbers for the series range from 96,500 to 100,000. They were replaced by the T-62, T-64, T-72, T-80 and T-90 Tanks in the Soviet and Russian Armies, but remain in use by up to 50 other Armies worldwide, some having received sophisticated retrofitting.
During the Cold War, Soviet Tanks never directly faced their NATO adversaries in combat in Europe, however, the T-54 / T-55's first appearance in the West around the period of the 1950's (then the beginning of the Cold War) spurred the United Kingdom to develop a new Tank Gun, the Royal Ordnance L7, and the United States to develop the M60 Patton.
Trials with Nuclear Weapons showed that a T-54 could survive a 2 to 15 kt Nuclear Charge at a range of more than 980ft from the epicentre, but the Crew had a chance of surviving at a minimum of 2,300ft. It was decided to create an NBC (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical) Protection System which would start working 0.3 seconds after detecting gamma radiation.
The task of creating a basic PAZ (Protivoatomnaya Zashchita) NBC Protection System offering protection against the blast of a Nuclear Weapon and (radioactive) particulate filtration, but not against external gamma radiation or gas, was given to the KB-60 design bureau in Kharkiv and was completed in 1956. The documentation was sent to Uralvagonzavod. It was decided to increase the Tank's battle capabilities by changing the it's construction and introducing new production technologies. Many of those changes were initially tested on the T-54M (Ob'yekt 139)
The Tank was fitted with the new V-55 12-cylinder four-stroke one-chamber, 38.88-litre water-cooled diesel engine developing 581hp, greater engine power was accomplished by increasing the pressure of the fuel delivery and charging degree. The designers planned to introduce a heating system for the engine compartment and MC-1 diesel fuel filter. The engine was to be started pneumatically with the use of an AK-150S charger and an electric starter. This eliminated the need for the Tank to carry a tank filled with air. To allow easier access during maintenance and repairs, it was decided to change hatches over the engine compartment. To increase the operational range, 66 Imperial gallon fuel tanks were added to the front of the hull, increasing the overall fuel capacity to 150 Imperial gallons.
▪︎Type: T-54 – Medium Tank / T-55 – Main Battle Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1947 to present
▪︎Designer: KMDB (T-54) / OKB-520 (T-54A and later)
▪︎Designed: 1945 to 1958
▪︎Manufacturer: KhPZ, UVZ (Soviet Union) / Bumar-Łabędy (Poland) / ZTS Martin (Czechoslovakia)
▪︎Unit Cost: US$200,000 (export price to Egypt, 1956 to 1972)
▪︎Produced: 1946 to 1981 (Soviet Union) / 1956 to 1979 (Poland) / 1957 to 1983 (Czechoslovakia)
▪︎Number Built: 96,500 to 100,000+ est, inculding: 35,000 T-54 and 27,500 T-55 (by Soviet) / 13,000 Type-59/69/79 (by China) / 11,000 T-54/55 (by Czechslovakia) / 10,000 T-54/55 (by Poland)
▪︎Mass: 36 tonnes (T-55)
▪︎Length: 29ft 6in (with Gun forward) / Width: 11ft 0.5in / Height: 7ft 10in
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Armour: 205mm Turret front / 130mm Turret sides / 60mm Turret rear / 30mm Turret roof / 120mm Hull front at 60° (100mm after 1949) / 79mm Hull upper sides / 20mm Hull lower sides / 60mm at 0° Hull rear / 20mm Hull bottom / 33 to 16mm Hull roof
▪︎Main Armament: D-10T 100mm Rifled Gun (43 rounds)
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (12.7mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun)
▪︎Powerplant: Model V-55 (V-54) V-12 water-cooled. 38.88 litre diesel 500hp up to 800hp (later versions)
▪︎Power / Weight: 14.6hp / tonne
▪︎Transmission: Mechanical (synchromesh) 5 forward, 1 reverse gears
▪︎Suspension: Torsion bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 4.7in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 127.5 gallons internal / 70.3 gallons external (less on early T54) 87.9 gallons jettisonable rear drums
▪︎Maximum Speed: 31.6mph.
One of my favourite tanks. The tank's gun doesn't appear to be the standard T-55 100 mm; I believe it could be the 105 mm gun from the Vickers MBT. What are your thoughts on this?
One of my favorite photos from Somaliland. Along the roadside Eric took a picture of me taking it with hipstamatic and that's actually my avatar.
Somaliland is so much more than tanks!
The people of Somaliland are very aware of their tarnished public image due to their historical association with Puntland and the South. In every city I visited, people urged me to show how Somaliland was different from Somalia. They want the world to know the level of peace they’ve attained in their ultimate quest for self-determination. Though Somaliland may share a common history, language, and blood with the South, the people deserve a distinct portrayal. They border one of the most dangerous and violent territories to ever exist, a place where the anarchy is surpassed only by tragedy. Merely twenty years ago their cities were razed to the ground by civil war, forcing them to rebuild almost everything. The international community refuses to reward their efforts towards peace and order, insisting on continuous ineffective solutions for the region. Despite these obstacles, the Somalilanders have somehow managed to construct a functioning state. Of course, it still has a long way to go, but what they’ve accomplished so far is nothing short of amazing. Currently, they wish to be recognized as a separate country, but the people I spoke to overwhelming hope for the day when their “brothers” from Puntland and the South finally find peace so that they can reunite under a single flag.
If you want to go, Somaliland Travel and Tourism Agency makes it very easy.
The T-51 made it's first appearance in 1961 at the parade in Moscow to mark the anniversary of the 'October Revolution'. At the time it was a considerable development in tank design. Indeed it has never been altered and retains the original 100mm gun.
The majority of T-55's are fitted a full range of night vision equipment and additional fuel tanks can be fitted to the rear of the hull to increase operational range. It can also lay it's own smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust system. A snorkel can be fitted allowing it to ford water to a depth of 18ft.
T-55's were extensively exported and have seen combat in most major conflicts. Whilst being no match for later better developed tanks, the sheer quantity of them made them a formidable opponent, 100,000 of them were produced making them the largest number of tanks ever built !
They can be found in many different variants including flame-throwers, bulldozers, snowploughs and also with mine clearing rollers. There is also a bridge layer version which can be seen here at Muckleburgh Tank Museum.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: V-54 12 cylinder diesel developing 520bhp
▪︎Armament: 1 x 100mm gun
▪︎Armament: 1 x 7.62mm machine gun
▪︎Range: 174 miles
▪︎Top Speed: 30mph
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Weight: 33 tons
▪︎Origin: Soviet Union.
Information from the Muckleburgh Military Collection.
The T-51 made it's first appearance in 1961 at the parade in Moscow to mark the anniversary of the 'October Revolution'. At the time it was a considerable development in tank design. Indeed it has never been altered and retains the original 100mm gun.
The majority of T-55's are fitted a full range of night vision equipment and additional fuel tanks can be fitted to the rear of the hull to increase operational range. It can also lay it's own smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust system. A snorkel can be fitted allowing it to ford water to a depth of 18ft.
T-55's were extensively exported and have seen combat in most major conflicts. Whilst being no match for later better developed tanks, the sheer quantity of them made them a formidable opponent, 100,000 of them were produced making them the largest number of tanks ever built !
They can be found in many different variants including flame-throwers, bulldozers, snowploughs and also with mine clearing rollers. There is also a bridge layer version which can be seen here at Muckleburgh Tank Museum.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: V-54 12 cylinder diesel developing 520bhp
▪︎Armament: 1 x 100mm gun
▪︎Armament: 1 x 7.62mm machine gun
▪︎Range: 174 miles
▪︎Top Speed: 30mph
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Weight: 33 tons
▪︎Origin: Soviet Union.
Information from the Muckleburgh Military Collection.
The Soviet PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank was introduced in the early 1950's and soon became the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact Armed Forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. The Light Tank's full name is ''Floating Tank-76'' (плавающий танк, plavayushchiy tank, or ПТ-76) 76 stands for the caliber of the Main Armament: the 76.2mm D-56T series Rifled Tank Gun. The PT-76 is used in the Reconnaissance and Fire-Support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 Armored Personnel Carrier, the ZSU-4 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ASU-85 Airborne Self-Propelled Gun and the 2K12 Kub Anti-Aircraft Missile Launch vehicle
About 5,000 PT-76's were produced, of which some 2,000 were exported, over 25 countries employed the vehicle, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, North Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. The PT-76 was used as the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact Armies. It was also intended for water obstacle fording operations and Naval Infantry landings. It served in the Reconnaissance Subunits of Tank Divisions and Mechanized Divisions of the Red Army and Soviet Marines Divisions. Although it has been replaced in front line service by the BMP-1, it may still be found in the Reconnaissance Companies and Battalions of some Motorized Rifle and Tank Regiments and Divisions, as well as in Naval Infantry Units. Asideтанк from its Reconnaissance role, it is also used for crossing water obstacles in the first wave of an attack and for Artillery support during the establishment of a beachhead. The main disadvantage of the BMP-1 and the BRM-1 when compared to the PT-76 is the absence of a powerful Main Armament. However, the BRM-1 is fitted with more modern Reconnaissance Equipment. Also, both vehicles have stronger front armour and superior mobility features and the BMP-1 can carry up to 8 fully equipped Troops inside. The PT-76 is still on active service in a number of countries mainly in the third world. The Russian Army is reported to have used PT-76 units in the ongoing war in Chechnya.
After World War Two, the concept of Light Tanks was resurrected in the U.S.S.R, they were to be used in Reconnaissance Units and therefore an amphibious ability was essential. The requirements stated that the vehicle should be able to cross water obstacles with little preparation. Many prototypes of such Light Tanks were built in the late 1940's. The most successful was "объект 740" (Object 740) designed by the engineer N. Shashmurin working at the VNII-100 institute in Leningrad (a research institute of Chelyabinsk Tank Factory ChTZ) in 1949 to 1950, under an initial supervision of Josef Kotin from Kirov Plant. The vehicle was successful because it had a simple design, good navigational traits and a good cross country capability. At the time, its water-jet design was innovative.
A prototype was built at Kirov Plant in 1950 and the Tank was officially adopted on 6th August 1951 with the designation PT-76. Production started at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (STZ). The Tank was subsequently modified. In 1957, the D-56T Gun was replaced with the D-56TM with double-baffle muzzle brake and fume extractor, and the hull was raised by 5in, additionally the Tank was equipped with new Vision and Communications Devices. First series Tanks were subsequently modified, receiving the D-56TM Gun and new equipment. In 1959 an improved variant, the PT-76B, was adopted and remained in production until 1967 (main improvements were: D-56TS Gun with stabilization and CBRN protection). In 1964 the United States obtained a PT-76 by undisclosed means, which was evaluated by the Tank-Automotive Center in February, and was deemed inferior to American Tanks !
▪︎Type: Amphibious Light Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 6th August 1951 to present
▪︎Designer: N. Shashmurin and Zh.Y. Kotin
▪︎Designed: 1949 to 1951
▪︎Manufacturer: VTZ, Kirov Factory
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1969
▪︎Number Built: ~12,000
▪︎Mass: 14.6 ton / Length: 25ft (gun forward) - 22ft 8in (hull) / Width: 10ft 4in / Height: 7ft 7.5in
▪︎Crew: 3 (Driver, Commander / Gunner, Loader)
▪︎Armour: RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armour) 0.98in (turret front) / 0.78in (turret sides) / 0.5in (turret rear) / 0.31in (turret top) / 0.55in (hull sides) / 0.27in (hull rear)
▪︎Main Armament: 76.2mm D-56T Rifled Tank Gun (40 rounds) or AU-220M Baikal Turret with 57mm BM-57 Autocannon
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) 7.62mm PKT ▪︎Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) since 1967
▪︎Powerplant: V-6 Type diesel, straight-six engine, 240hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 16.4hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: torsion-bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.6in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 55 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 230–250 miles with external fuel
▪︎Maximum Speed: 27mph on road / 6.3mph swimming.
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-76
The Soviet T-54 and T-55 Tanks are a series of Main Battle Tanks introduced in the years following World War Two. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945, from the late 1950's, the T-54 eventually became the Main Tank for Armoured Units of the Soviet Army, Armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and many others. T-54's and T-55's have been involved in many of the world's Armed Conflicts since their introduction in last half of the 20th century.
The T-54 / T-55 series is the most-produced Tank in history, estimated production numbers for the series range from 96,500 to 100,000. They were replaced by the T-62, T-64, T-72, T-80 and T-90 Tanks in the Soviet and Russian Armies, but remain in use by up to 50 other Armies worldwide, some having received sophisticated retrofitting.
During the Cold War, Soviet Tanks never directly faced their NATO adversaries in combat in Europe, however, the T-54 / T-55's first appearance in the West around the period of the 1950's (then the beginning of the Cold War) spurred the United Kingdom to develop a new Tank Gun, the Royal Ordnance L7, and the United States to develop the M60 Patton.
Trials with Nuclear Weapons showed that a T-54 could survive a 2 to 15 kt Nuclear Charge at a range of more than 980ft from the epicentre, but the Crew had a chance of surviving at a minimum of 2,300ft. It was decided to create an NBC (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical) Protection System which would start working 0.3 seconds after detecting gamma radiation.
The task of creating a basic PAZ (Protivoatomnaya Zashchita) NBC Protection System offering protection against the blast of a Nuclear Weapon and (radioactive) particulate filtration, but not against external gamma radiation or gas, was given to the KB-60 design bureau in Kharkiv and was completed in 1956. The documentation was sent to Uralvagonzavod. It was decided to increase the Tank's battle capabilities by changing the it's construction and introducing new production technologies. Many of those changes were initially tested on the T-54M (Ob'yekt 139)
The Tank was fitted with the new V-55 12-cylinder four-stroke one-chamber, 38.88-litre water-cooled diesel engine developing 581hp, greater engine power was accomplished by increasing the pressure of the fuel delivery and charging degree. The designers planned to introduce a heating system for the engine compartment and MC-1 diesel fuel filter. The engine was to be started pneumatically with the use of an AK-150S charger and an electric starter. This eliminated the need for the Tank to carry a tank filled with air. To allow easier access during maintenance and repairs, it was decided to change hatches over the engine compartment. To increase the operational range, 66 Imperial gallon fuel tanks were added to the front of the hull, increasing the overall fuel capacity to 150 Imperial gallons.
▪︎Type: T-54 – Medium Tank / T-55 – Main Battle Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1947 to present
▪︎Designer: KMDB (T-54) / OKB-520 (T-54A and later)
▪︎Designed: 1945 to 1958
▪︎Manufacturer: KhPZ, UVZ (Soviet Union) / Bumar-Łabędy (Poland) / ZTS Martin (Czechoslovakia)
▪︎Unit Cost: US$200,000 (export price to Egypt, 1956 to 1972)
▪︎Produced: 1946 to 1981 (Soviet Union) / 1956 to 1979 (Poland) / 1957 to 1983 (Czechoslovakia)
▪︎Number Built: 96,500 to 100,000+ est, inculding: 35,000 T-54 and 27,500 T-55 (by Soviet) / 13,000 Type-59/69/79 (by China) / 11,000 T-54/55 (by Czechslovakia) / 10,000 T-54/55 (by Poland)
▪︎Mass: 36 tonnes (T-55)
▪︎Length: 29ft 6in (with Gun forward) / Width: 11ft 0.5in / Height: 7ft 10in
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Armour: 205mm Turret front / 130mm Turret sides / 60mm Turret rear / 30mm Turret roof / 120mm Hull front at 60° (100mm after 1949) / 79mm Hull upper sides / 20mm Hull lower sides / 60mm at 0° Hull rear / 20mm Hull bottom / 33 to 16mm Hull roof
▪︎Main Armament: D-10T 100mm Rifled Gun (43 rounds)
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (12.7mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun)
▪︎Powerplant: Model V-55 (V-54) V-12 water-cooled. 38.88 litre diesel 500hp up to 800hp (later versions)
▪︎Power / Weight: 14.6hp / tonne
▪︎Transmission: Mechanical (synchromesh) 5 forward, 1 reverse gears
▪︎Suspension: Torsion bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 4.7in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 127.5 gallons internal / 70.3 gallons external (less on early T54) 87.9 gallons jettisonable rear drums
▪︎Maximum Speed: 31.6mph.
One of my favourite tanks. The tank's gun doesn't appear to be the standard T-55 100 mm; I believe it could be the 105 mm gun from the Vickers MBT. What are your thoughts on this?
The IS Tanks (Russian: ИС) were a series of Heavy Tanks developed as a successor to the KV-series by the Soviet Union during World War Two, the IS acronym is the anglicized initialism of Joseph Stalin (Ио́сиф Ста́лин, Iosif Stalin) The Heavy Tanks were designed with thick armour to counter German 88mm Guns and carried a Main Gun capable of defeating Panzer IV Tanks. They were mainly designed as ''Breakthrough Tanks'' firing a heavy High-Explosive Shell that was useful against Entrenchments and Bunkers. The IS-2 went into service in April 1944 and was used as a spearhead by the Red Army in the final stage of the Battle of Berlin. The IS-3 served on the Chinese-Soviet border, the Hungarian Revolution, the Prague Spring and on both sides of the Six-Day War. The series eventually culminated in the T-10 Heavy Tank.
The KV-85 Heavy Tank was a modification of the KV-1's Heavy Tank. which was a result of the USSR's Tank design bureau being torn in two, one half focusing on the KV-85 and its variants, and the other working on the later IS series. The IS-85 was soon finished and it combined the hull of the KV-13, and the new Turret from the KV-85, and the same D-5T Gun as both Tanks. In December 1943, the IS-85 was up gunned with the 100mm BS-3 gun, creating the IS-100, and the IS-122, armed with the A19 Gun (later adopted and renamed as the D-25T) The IS-122 was found to be better in trials, and the IS-100 was dropped. The IS-122 was renamed to IS-2 and production started with the 1943 model using a KV-13 chassis. The 1944 model was produced with a revised front slope that was better from an armour point of view while still saving weight. The first few KV-85 Tanks were produced in 1943 as a stopgap while the IS-1's development cycle was wrapped up. Production in bulk of the IS series started in February 1944 and ended nearing the end of World War Two, by the wars end, 3,854 IS-2 model 1943 and model 1944's combined were produced.
The IS-2 entered Combat during World War Two in the first months of 1944, the Soviets produced significant numbers of the type (close to 4,000) and deployed them against the most advanced German designs of the time, notably the Tiger I, Tiger II, and Panther, as well as against Elefant Tank Destroyers. The IS-2 was best used for 'Bbunker Assault' using its High-Explosive Ammunition, as its reload rate, just 2 rounds per minute, made it ineffective as a Tank Destroyer. The IS-3 saw service on the Chinese-Soviet border, the Soviet invasion of Hungary, the Prague Spring and on both sides of the Six-Day War. However the mobility and firepower of Medium Tanks and the evolution of the Main Battle Tank rendered Heavy Tanks obsolete.
▪︎Type: Heavy Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎Used By: Soviet Union / China / Cuba / Czechoslovakia / East Germany / Hungary / Egypt / Poland / North Korea
▪︎Wars: World War Two / Korean War / Hungarian Revolution of 1956 / Six-Day War / Prague ▪︎Spring / War in Donbas
▪︎Designer: Zhozef Kotin / Nikolay Dukhov
▪︎Designed: IS-2 (1943) / IS-3 (1944) / (IS-4 (1944 to 45)
▪︎Manufacturer: Kirov Factory / UZTM
▪︎Unit Cost: IS-2 264,400 rubles
▪︎Produced: IS-1 (1943 to 1944) / IS-2 (1944 to 1945) / IS-3 (1945 to 1947) / IS-4 (1947 to 1949)
▪︎No. Built: IS-1 (207) / IS-2 (3,854) / IS-3 (2,311) / IS-4 (250) / IS-7 (6 prototypes)
▪︎Mass: (IS-2 Model 1944) 46 tonnes
▪︎Length: 32ft 6in / Width: 10ft 2in / Height: 8ft 11in
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Armour - IS-2 Model 1943: Hull front 120mm / Lower glacis 100mm at 30° angle / Turret front 100mm (rounded) / Mantlet 155mm (rounded) / Hull side 90 to 130mm at 9 to 25° / Turret side 90mm at 20° angle
▪︎Main Armament: D-25T 122mm Gun (28 rounds)
▪︎Secondary Armament: 1 x DShK, 3 x DT (2,079 rounds)
▪︎Powerplant: 12-cyl. diesel model V-2 600hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 13hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: Torsion bar
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 180 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Rrange: 183 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 23mph.
The Soviet PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank was introduced in the early 1950's and soon became the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact Armed Forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. The Light Tank's full name is ''Floating Tank-76'' (плавающий танк, plavayushchiy tank, or ПТ-76) 76 stands for the caliber of the Main Armament: the 76.2 mm D-56T series Rifled Tank Gun. The PT-76 is used in the Reconnaissance and Fire-Support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 Armored Personnel Carrier, the ZSU-4 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ASU-85 Airborne Self-Propelled Gun and the 2K12 Kub Anti-Aircraft Missile Launch vehicle
About 5,000 PT-76's were produced, of which some 2,000 were exported, over 25 countries employed the vehicle, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, North Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. The PT-76 was used as the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact Armies. It was also intended for water obstacle fording operations and Naval Infantry landings. It served in the Reconnaissance Subunits of Tank Divisions and Mechanized Divisions of the Red Army and Soviet Marines Divisions. Although it has been replaced in front line service by the BMP-1, it may still be found in the Reconnaissance Companies and Battalions of some Motorized Rifle and Tank Regiments and Divisions, as well as in Naval Infantry Units. Aside from its reconnaissance role, it is also used for crossing water obstacles in the first wave of an attack and for artillery support during the establishment of a beachhead. The main disadvantage of the BMP-1 and the BRM-1 when compared to the PT-76 is the absence of a powerful Main Armament. However, the BRM-1 is fitted with more modern Reconnaissance Equipment. Also, both vehicles have stronger front armour and superior mobility features and the BMP-1 can carry up to 8 fully equipped Troops inside. The PT-76 is still on active service in a number of countries mainly in the third world. The Russian Army is reported to have used PT-76 units in the ongoing war in Chechnya.
After World War Two, the concept of Light Tanks was resurrected in the U.S.S.R, they were to be used in Reconnaissance Units and therefore an amphibious ability was essential. The requirements stated that the vehicle should be able to cross water obstacles with little preparation. Many prototypes of such Light Tanks were built in the late 1940's. The most successful was ''объект 740'' (Object 740) designed by the engineer N. Shashmurin working at the VNII-100 institute in Leningrad (a research institute of Chelyabinsk Tank Factory ChTZ) in 1949 to 1950, under an initial supervision of Josef Kotin from Kirov Plant. The vehicle was successful because it had a simple design, good navigational traits and a good cross country capability. At the time, its water-jet design was innovative.
A prototype was built at Kirov Plant in 1950 and the Tank was officially adopted on 6th August 1951 with the designation PT-76. Production started at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (STZ). The Tank was subsequently modified. In 1957, the D-56T Gun was replaced with the D-56TM with double-baffle muzzle brake and fume extractor, and the hull was raised by 5in, additionally the Tank was equipped with new Vision and Communications Devices. First series Tanks were subsequently modified, receiving the D-56TM Gun and new equipment. In 1959 an improved variant, the PT-76B, was adopted and remained in production until 1967 (main improvements were: D-56TS Gun with stabilization and CBRN protection). In 1964 the United States obtained a PT-76 by undisclosed means, which was evaluated by the Tank-Automotive Center in February, and was deemed inferior to American Tanks !
▪︎Type: Amphibious Light Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 6th August 1951 to present
▪︎Designer: N. Shashmurin and Zh.Y. Kotin
▪︎Designed: 1949 to 1951
▪︎Manufacturer: VTZ, Kirov Factory
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1969
▪︎Number Built: ~12,000
▪︎Mass: 14.6 ton / Length: 25ft (gun forward) - 22ft 8in (hull) / Width: 10ft 4in / Height: 7ft 7.5in
▪︎Crew: 3 (Driver, Commander / Gunner, Loader)
▪︎Armour: RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armour) 0.98in (turret front) / 0.78in (turret sides) / 0.5in (turret rear) / 0.31in (turret top) / 0.55in (hull sides) / 0.27in (hull rear)
▪︎Main Armament: 76.2mm D-56T Rifled Tank Gun (40 rounds) or AU-220M Baikal Turret with 57mm BM-57 Autocannon
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) 7.62mm PKT ▪︎Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) since 1967
▪︎Powerplant: V-6 Type diesel, straight-six engine, 240hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 16.4hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: torsion-bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.6in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 55 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 230–250 miles with external fuel
▪︎Maximum Speed: 27 mph on road / 6.3 mph swimming.
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-76
The Soviet T-34 with a 76mm gun first saw service in 1940 on the Eastern Front where it proved itself to be the best tank in the world at the time. It could defeat all German tanks until the Panther and Tiger were introduced although initially they were unreliable.
The T-34 was fast, well armoured and due to its low ground pressure very manoeuvrable. Its diesel engine could be started in very cold weather using compressed air which gave it a great advantage over the German petrol tanks that required batteries. Later models were fitted with a 85mm gun which was capable of penetrating 95mm of armour at ranges of up to a 1,000 yards. It's finest achievement was the battle of Kursk in 1943 when some 5,000 Soviet tanks defeated 3,000 German tanks, making it the greatest tank battle of all time.
The T-34 was in production until 1958 with over 40,000 made, a record only exceeded by the American Sherman tank and eventually the Soviet T-55. The Museum's example was built in the Soviet Union in 1944 and was obtained by the Museum in 1989 from Czechoslovakia. It is fully equipped, in fine working order and has not been repainted. A broken track tension arm casting has been the only repair required over 70 years.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: V-12 diesel, 500 bhp
▪︎Speed: 33 mph
▪︎Range: 250 miles
▪︎Armament: 1 x 85mm gun
▪︎Armament: 2 x 7.62mm machine guns
▪︎Crew: 5
▪︎Weight: 32 tons.
Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.
Part II :-
The 2S3 Akatsiya is armed with a 152.4mm Howitzer Gun based on the Soviet 152.4 mm D-20 Howitzer and is sometimes confused with the American M109 Self-Propelled Artillery (Designated M1973 by the U.S Army) The Artillery system was developed at the design bureau No.9 of Sverdlovsk, the factory designation of the Howitzer is D-22 and the GRAU designation, 2A33, the chassis was developed by Uraltransmash.
The Driver's and engine-transmission compartments are located in the front part of the hull, the fighting compartment with rotatory turret is in middle and rear parts of the hull. The armour is welded rolled steel. The 2S3 Akatsiya is equipped with an R-123 Radio Set, an R-124 Intercom, an automatic CBRN Defence System with filtration unit and fire-fighting equipment. The V-59 12-cylinder four-stroke water-cooled diesel engine connects to a mechanical two-gear transmission. The gearbox is combined into one block with a planetary steering gear. The 2S3 has self-entrenching equipment which allows it to prepare a trench within 20 to 40 minutes. The Crew consists of 4 to 6 men, a Driver, Gunner, Loader, Commander, and two Ammunition Handlers, which are positioned to the rear of the vehicle feeding rounds through two hatches in the rear hull when in masked firing position.
▪︎Type: Self-Propelled Artillery
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1971 to present
▪︎Used By: Algeria - (10 in 1995, originally 40 were purchased) / Angola - 48 / Armenia - 28 / Azerbaijan - 16 bought from Ukraine / Belarus - 168 (Under modernization) / Cuba / Democratic Republic of the Congo - 10 / Ethiopia - 10 were bought from Russia in 1999 / Georgia - 32 in 2012 / Kazakhstan - 150 / Libya -55 in 1995 / Russia - 931 in active service, more than 1,600 in storage in 2007 / Syria -100 in 1995 and in 2006 / Turkmenistan - 16, in service as of 2016 / Ukraine - 501 / Uzbekistan - 17 / Vietnam - 30 (former operators) Bulgaria - 20 / East Germany - 95 / Hungary - 5 in 1995 / Iraq - 35 / Soviet Union - units were passed to the CIS member states / United States - (4 were transferred from Germany in 1993, 3 were transferred from Ukraine in 2000,
▪︎Conflicts: Soviet–Afghan War / Iran–Iraq War / Gulf War / Civil War in Tajikistan / First Chechen War / Second Chechen War / South Ossetia War / First Libyan Civil War / Second Libyan Civil War / Syrian Civil War / War in Donbass / 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict / 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
▪︎Designer: Petrov Design Bureau
▪︎Designed: 1967
▪︎Manufacturer: Uraltransmash
▪︎Produced: 1967 to 1993 (2S3, 2S3M and 2S3M1)
▪︎Mass: Maximum: 27.5 metric tons / Length: 27ft 7 in / Width: 10ft / Height: 10ft or 8ft 7in without a Machine Gun
▪︎Crew: 4 Driver / Gunner / Loader / Commander / two Ammunition Handlers
▪︎Main Armament: 152.4mm D-22 Howitzer L/27 Gun (46 rounds, maximum)
▪︎Breech: Semi-Automatic vertical wedge / Elevation: −4° to +60° / Traverse: 360°
▪︎Rate of Fire: Sustained - 1 rpm / maximum - 4 rpm
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm Remotely "ontrolled PKT Tank Machine Gun (1,500 rounds)
▪︎Maximum Firing Range: Conventional - 11.5 miles / RAP - 15 miles
▪︎Armour: 0.59in (hull) / 1.18in (turret and hull front)
▪︎Powerplant: V-59 12-cylinder 4-stroke V-shaped water-cooled diesel engine, 520hp at 2,000rpm
▪︎Power / Weight: 18.9hp / tonne
▪︎Transmission: Mechanical double-flow, planetary gear-gearbox unit
▪︎Suspensionin: Dependent torsion bars with hydraulic shock absorbers of 1st and 6th road wheels
Ground Clearance: 1ft 6in
Fuel Capacity: 182.5 Imperial gallons
Operational Range: 310 miles
Maximum Speed: On-road - 39mph / Off-road - 28mph.
Link to part I :- flic.kr/p/2i33bAL
Sources from - www.military-today.com/artillery/2s3_akatsiya.htm and en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2S3_Akatsiya
The Soviet BMP-1 is an Amphibious Tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle, BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pjehoty 1 (Russian: Боевая Машина Пехоты 1; БМП-1) meaning "Infantry Fighting Vehicle, 1st serial model". The BMP-1 was the first mass-produced Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) of the Soviet Union, It was called the M-1967, BMP and BMP-76PB by NATO before its correct designation was known.
The Soviet Military leadership saw any future Wars as being conducted with Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons and a new design, like the BMP, combining the properties of an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and a Light Tank would allow Infantry to operate from the relative safety of its Armoured, Radiation-Shielded Interior in contaminated areas and to fight alongside it in uncontaminated areas. It would increase Infantry Squad Mobility, provide Fire Support to them, and also be able to fight alongside Main Battle Tanks (MTB).
The BMP-1 was first tested in Combat in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where it was used by Egyptian and Syrian Forces, based on lessons learned from this conflict, and early experiences in the Soviet – Afghan War, a version with improved fighting qualities was developed, called the BMP-2. It was accepted into service in August 1980, in 1987, the BMP-3, a radically redesigned vehicle with a completely new Weapon System, entered service in limited numbers with the Soviet Army.
Soviet Union and Russia:-
The BMP-1 entered service with the Soviet Army in 1966, and was first seen by Westerners during the 7th November 1967 Military Parade in Moscow, its appearance created a stir in the West, where Lightly Armed Armoured Personnel Carriers were still the norm for transportation and Infantry support on the Battlefield. In the Soviet Army, BMP-1's were typically issued to Motorized Rifle Divisions and the Motorized Rifle Regiments of Tank Divisions, where they replaced the BTR-152, BTR-50P and some BTR-60P APC's. Currently, BMP-1's and Vehicles based on it are used by the Russian Army and Internal Security Troops of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD).
Afghanistan:-
BMP-1s were widely used in Afghanistan by Motorized Rifle and Tank units, they were also operated by some Special Forces. In 1982, as a result of Combat Experience, a version with 'Aapplique Aarmuor' was introduced, called BMP-1D (D='desantnaya'=paratroopers) this version did not have Amphibious Capability (not necessary in Afghanistan environment) many field modifications were made to their BMP-1's by various units.
Syria:-
The BMP-1 has seen wide use by all factions fighting in the Syrian Civil War due to large numbers being in stock. Since 2017 Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have been using captured BMP-1's as ''Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices'' in suicide attacks. The vehicle's advantages in this role are the large amount of explosives it can carry, the off-road capability afforded by tracks and the armour that both protects the driver from fire and amplifies the effect of the explosion.
Other BMP operators have included Poland, Egypt, Syria, the People's Republic of China, Afghanistan, India, Iraq, North Korea, East Germany, Greece, Slovakia, Sweden, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
▪︎Type: Infantry Fighting Vehicle / Armored Personnel Carrier
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In service: 1966 to present
▪︎Designer: Pavel Isakov (Design Bureau of the ChTZ)
▪︎Designed: 1961 to 1965
▪︎Manufacturer: Kurganmashzavod (Soviet Union) / ZTS Detva (Czechoslovakia)
▪︎Produced: 1966 to 1982 (Soviet Union) still produced (Romania)
▪︎Number Built: More than 20,000 of all variants (Soviet Union) / More than 3,000 of all variants (PRC) / 18,000 (Czechoslovakia) / 800 (India)
▪︎Variants: BMP-1 / BMP-2 / MLI-84, Boragh
▪︎Mass: 13.2 tonnes
▪︎Length: 22ft 1.2in
▪︎Width: 9ft 8in
▪︎Height: 6ft 9.4in / 6ft 2.1in to Turret Top
▪︎Crew: 3 (Commander / Driver / Gunner) + 8 Personnel
▪︎Armour: 0.24 to 1.30in Welded Rolled Steel
Primary Armament: 73mm 2A28 Grom Low Pressure Smoothbore Short-Recoil Semi-Automatic Gun (40 rounds) with ATGM Launcher for 9M14 Malyutka (4 rounds) or other Turrets with 2A42 or 2A72 Autocannons
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm PKT Coaxial Machine Gun (2,000 rounds)
▪︎Powerplant: UTD-20, 6-cylinder 4-stroke V-shaped airless-injection water-cooled multifuel 15.8 liter diesel 300hp at 2,600rpm
▪︎Power / Weight: 22.7hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: Individual torsion bar with hydraulic shock absorbers on the 1st and 6th road wheels
▪︎Ground Clearance: 15in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 102 imp gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 370 miles road / 310 miles off-road
▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph road / 28mph off-road / 4.3 to 5.0mph on water.
After improved German Panzer IV's with the high-velocity 7.5cm KwK 40 Gun were encountered in combat in 1942, a project to design an entirely new Soviet Tank was begun, with the goals of increasing Armour Protection while adding modern features like a torsion-bar suspension and a three-man turret. The new Tank, the T-43, was intended to be a universal model to replace both the T-34 and the KV-1 Heavy Tank. However, the T-43 prototype's armour, though heavier, was not capable against German 88mm Guns, while its mobility was found to be inferior to the T-34. Finally, although the T-43 shared over 70% of its components with the T-34, manufacturing it would still have required a significant slow-down in production, so consequently, the T-43 was cancelled.
Not only were the weapons of German Tanks improving, so was their armour. Soviet firing tests against a captured Tiger I Heavy Tank in April 1943 showed that the T-34's 76mm Gun could not penetrate the front of the Tiger I at all, and the side only at very close range. A Soviet 85mm Anti-Aircraft Gun, the M1939 (52-K) was found capable of doing the job, and so derivatives of it were developed for Tanks. One of the resulting Guns used on the original T-34 85 model (the D-5T) was capable of penetrating the Tiger I's upper hull armour at 3,280ft It was still not enough to match the Tiger, which could destroy the T-34 from a distance of 4,900ft to 6,600ft but it was a noticeable improvement.
With the T-43 canceled, Soviet Command made the decision to retool the factories to produce an improved version of the T-34. Its Turret ring was enlarged from 56in to 63in, allowing a larger Turret to be fitted supporting the larger 85mm Gun. The prototype T-43's Turret design was hurriedly adopted by Vyacheslav Kerichev at the Krasnoye Sormovo Factory to fit the T-34. This was a larger Three-Man Turret, with Radio (previously in the hull) and Observation Cupola in the roof. Now the Tank Commander needed only to command (aided by Cupola and Radio Systems) leaving the operation of the Gun to the Gunner and the Loader. The Turret was bigger and less sloped than the original T-34 Turret, making it a bigger target (due to the Three-Man Crew and bigger Gun) but with thicker 3in Armour, making it more resistant to Enemy Fire. The Shells were 50% heavier 19.8lb and were much better in the Anti-Armour Role, and reasonable in a general purpose role, though only 55–60 could be carried, instead of 90–100 of the earlier Shells. The resulting new Tank, the T-34-85, was seen as a compromise between advocates for the T-43 and others who wanted to continue to build as many 76mm-Armed T-34's as possible without interruption.
Production of the T-34/85 began in January 1944 at Factory No.112, first using the D-5T 88mm Gun. Parallel to the production of the T-34/85 with the D-5T Gun, production of the T-34/85 using the S-53 Gun (later to be modified and redesignated as the ZIS-S-53 Gun) began in February 1944 at Factory No.112. The improved T-34/85 became the standard Soviet Medium Tank, with an uninterrupted production run until the end of the war. A T-34/85 initially cost about 30% more to produce than a Model 1943, at 164,000 rubles, by 1945 this had been reduced to 142,000 rubles, during the course of World War Two the cost of a T-34 Tank had almost halved, from 270,000 rubles in 1941, while its top speed remained about the same, and its main Gun's Armour penetration and Turret Frontal Armour thickness both nearly doubled.
The T-34/85 gave the Red Army a Tank with better Armour and mobility than the German Panzer IV Tank and StuG III Assault Gun. While it could not match the Armour or Weapons of the heavier Panther and Tiger Tanks, its improved firepower made it much more effective than earlier models, and overall it was more cost-effective than the heaviest German Tanks. In comparison with the T-34/85 program, the Germans instead chose an upgrade path based on the introduction of completely new, expensive, heavier, and more complex Tanks, greatly slowing the growth of their Tank production and helping the Soviets to maintain a substantial numerical superiority in Tanks. By May 1944, T-34/85 production had reached 1,200 Tanks per month. In the entire war, production figures for all Panther types reached no more than 6,557, and for all Tiger types (including the Tiger I and Tiger II) 2,027, production figures for the T-34/85 alone reached 22,559.
On 12th January 1945, a column of Tiger II Tanks and other Tanks from 424th Heavy Panzer Battalion were involved in a 'Short-Range Engagement' with T-34/85 Tanks near the village of Lisow. Forty T-34/85 Tanks commanded by Colonel N. Zhukov were attacked by the 424th Heavy Panzer Battalion, which had been reinforced by 13 Panthers. The Germans permanently lost five Tiger II's, seven Tiger I's and five Panthers for the loss of four T-34/85 Tanks burnt out.
▪︎Type: Medium Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎Manufacturer: State Factories in Soviet Union / Czechoslovakia / Poland / China
▪︎Production: 55,000
▪︎In Service: 1943
▪︎Crew: 5
▪︎Weight: 35.3 tons
▪︎Length: 19ft 7in / Width: 9ft 1in / Height: 8ft
▪︎Track Width: 1ft 18in
Armour: 1.18in to 3.15in
▪︎Primary Armament: 85mm D-5T or ZiS-S-53 Anti-Tank Gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm Coaxial DT Machine Gun / 7.62mm Bow Mounted DT Machine Gun
▪︎Powerplant: W-2-34 12-cylinder Diesel Engine 493hp
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph
▪︎Range: 85.7 miles.
Part I :-
Development of the 2S3 Akatsiya (''Acacia'') 152mm Self-Propelled Howitzer began in 1967, it was a response to the appearance of the U.S M109 Self-Propelled Howitzer. The first prototypes were completed in 1968, and the type entered service with the Soviet Army in 1971. A first significant batch of 70 Artillery Systems was delivered in 1973. It was produced in large numbers until production ceased in 1993, and also was widely exported. The 2S3 Akatsiya is currently in service with a number of countries, including Russia.
The 2S3 Akatsiya is fitted with the D-22 152mm/L27 Howitzer, which is a modified variant of the D-20 Towed Gun Howitzer. The 2S3 Akatsiya is fitted with a load assisting system, with a maximum rate of fire at only 3-4 rounds per minute. This Howitzer can fire 30 rounds in 10 minutes or 75 rounds per hour. The 2S3 Akatsiya is compatible with all 152mm Munitions developed for the D-20, ML-20 and D-1 Towed Artillery Systems. These include HE-FRAG (High Explosive Fragmentation Fin Stabalised) HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) AP-Tracer (Armour Piercing-Tracer) Ilumination and Nuclear Projectiles. Maximum range of fire with standard HE-FRAG Projectile is 10.8 miles and maximum range of direct fire is 2.4 miles. Usually a total of 40 rounds are carried, which includes 36 HE-FRAG rounds and 4 HEAT rounds. The upgraded variant, the 2S3M is also capable of firing Krasnopol Precision Guided Projectiles with Laser Guidance, and have a range of up to 12.4 miles.
Secondary armament consists of a Remotely Controlled 7.62mm Machine Gun, mounted on top of the roof. The 2S3 Akatsiya has a Crew of four, including Commander, Gunner, Loader and Driver, a further two Ammunition Handlers are attached, when firing ground ammunition. The all-welded steel armour of the 2S3 Akatsiya provides protection against Small Arms fire and Artillery Shell splinters. The vehicle is fitted with Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) protection and has an automatic fire suppression systems. The 2S3 Akatsiya uses a modified tracked chassis of the Krug (SA-4 Ganef) Surface-to-Air Missile System, propulsion comes from a V-59 diesel engine, developing 520hp. Two 2S3 Akatsiya Self-Propelled Howitzers of this type can be airlifted by the Antonov An-22 Military Cargo Aircraft. It is planned that in Russian Army service older 2S3 Akatsiya Artillery Systems will be replaced by new 2S35 Koalitsyja-SV Self-Propelled Howitzers.
Variants :-
**2S3 (SO-152) – Basic variant, developed in 1968, produced between 1970 to 1975. Two modifications used the D-11 and D-11M Howitzer Gun.
**2S3M (SO-152M) – Equipped with a mechanized drum-type stowage for 12 rounds, the amount of hatches in rear armoured plates of the hull and the turret was reduced, the configuration of those hatches was changed, antenna of R-123 Radio Set was transferred on a turret top. Ammunition was increased from 40 to 46 rounds (usually consists of 42 OF-540 and OF-25 HE-Frag Projectiles, and of 4 BP-540 HEAT-FS Projectiles). Much more powerful OF-29 HE-Frag Projectiles and OF-38 Krasnopol Laser-Guided Rocket-Assisted Projectiles were developed for SO-152M. The modernized Howitzer has a designator 2A33, produced between 1975 to 1987.
**2S3M1 (SO-152M1) – Equipped with a Command Data Acquisition and Display Equipment, and with a new SP-538 Sight. OF-38 Krasnopol Laser-Guided Rocket-Assisted Projectiles were added to standard ammunition. Produced between 1987 to 1993. All 2S3s and 2S3M's were modernized to 2S3M1 level.
**2S3M2 (SO-152M2) – Modernized variant equipped with an Automatic Fire Control System, a Satellite Navigational System, and Smoke Grenade Launchers, developed in 2000.
**2S3M2-155 – An export-oriented variant of 2S3M2 equipped with a new 155mm M-385 Howitzer Gun, developed in 2000.
**2S3M3 – An experimental variant of 2S3M2 equipped with a further improved Fire Control System and a modernized Howitzer Gun 2A33M that can fire ordnance of a more powerful 2A65 Howitzer Gun that equips the 2S19.
Link to part II :- flic.kr/p/2i2YGUf
Sources from - www.military-today.com/artillery/2s3_akatsiya.htm and en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2S3_Akatsiya
Part II :-
Russian Variants :-
**ZSU-23-4V ''Shilka'' (1968) modernized variant with enhanced reliability of some details, ventilation system case located on the right side of the hull, Commander Vision Device was added.
**ZSU-23-4V1 ''Shilka'' (1970) modernized variant with enhanced reliability of Radar System and other details, ventilation system cases located on front bilges of the turret. Guidance-System Computer was improved (as well as accuracy and efficiency of Anti-Aircraft Fire on the move at 25mph, its is fitted with a slightly improved V-6R-1 diesel engine.
**ZSU-23-4M ''Biryusa'' (1973) armed with modernized Autocannons 2A7M, pneumatic loading was replaced with pyrotechnic loading (unreliable compressor was removed) welded tubes of coolant outlet were replaced with flexible pipes which increased Autocannon Barrel life from 3,500 rounds to 4,500 rounds.
**ZSU-23-4MZ ''Biryusa'' (1977) the Z stands for ''zaproschik'' - inquirer, equipped with Identification Friend-or-Foe System ''Luk'' all ZSU-23-4M were upgraded to ZSU-23-4MZ level during scheduled repairs. It should be noted that Army unofficially continued to use the name ''Shilka'' for all variants of ZSU-23-4.
**ZSU-23-4M2 (1978) so called ''Afghan'' variant, re-equipment performed during the Soviet War in Afghanistan for mountain combats. Radar System was removed and night-sight was added. Ammunition increased from 2,000 rounds to 4,000 rounds.
**ZSU-23-4M4 (1999) modernized variant developed by Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant, the vehicle was armed with two additional paired Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems ''Igla'' (on each side of the turret) and equipped with laser emission sensors, electron-optical vision devices (including television system for Driver) and improved Weapon Radar System. Mechanical transmission was replaced on hydrostatic transmission, hydraulic boosters were installed. Mobility increased to the level of Main Battle Tanks. First shown to the public during exhibition MAKS-99 exhibition in Zhukovsky and was carried out by the Minotor Service Enterprise and Peleng Joint Stock Company from the Republic of Belarus, and the Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant of Russia. The Ulyanovsk Mechancial Plant is also offering ZSU-23-4 upgrade packages independently.
▪︎Type: Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1960 to present
▪︎Designed: 1957 to 1960
▪︎Manufacturer: Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant (UMZ) / Mytishchi Machine-Building Plant (MMZ)
▪︎Unit Cost: U.S $357,000 (export price to Libya, 1972/73)
▪︎Produced: 1964 to 1982
▪︎Number Built: About 6,500
▪︎Mass: 19 tonnes / Length: 21ft 5.3in / Width: 10ft 3in / Height: 8ft 5.4in - 11ft 8.6in) with Radar elevated
▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander / Driver / Gunner / Radar Operator
▪︎Armour: Welded steel - 0.36in turret / up to 0.59in hull
▪︎Main Armament: 4 x 23mm 2A7 Autocannons (AZP-23 ''Amur'' Quad Automatic Anti-Aircraft Gun) 2,000 rounds
▪︎Powerplant: V-6R, 6-cylinder 4-stroke airless-injection water-cooled 20-litre diesel engine, 280hp 2,000rpm
▪︎Power / Weight: 14.7hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: Individual torsion bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.8in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 11.2 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 280 miles (road) / 186 miles (off-road)
▪︎Maximum Speed: 31mph (road) / 19mph (off-road).
Link to Part I :- flic.kr/p/2i33bjU
This MT-55 Bridgelayer is a variant of the widely used Soviet Union T-55 Tank. It has no weapons, is manned by a crew of two and was intended to be used by tanks and other vehicles to cross steep sided canals and narrow rivers during the Cold War.
The bridge is hydraulically operated and launched over the front of the vehicle by an electro-hydraulic control system but can be operated manually using the tank's integral batteries should the engine fail. The launch process involves raising the bridge from the horizontal travelling position, lowering the foot to the ground and then opening the bridge, scissor like, before placing it across the gap. The MT-55 could then cross the bridge itself and then recover it before proceeding.
It takes only two minutes to lay the bridge and six to retrieve. It can span a gap of 78 feet and carry a weight of 49 tons. The vehicle was made in Czechoslovakia, to a Soviet design, and has never been used by the Museum because all the instructions are in Czech and have not been interpreted.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: V-12 water cooled diesel, 580 bhp
▪︎Speed: 30mph
▪︎Range: 310 miles
▪︎Armour: 20-100mm
▪︎Weight: 35 tons
▪︎Length: 32 feet.
Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.
After improved German Panzer IV's with the high-velocity 7.5cm KwK 40 Gun were encountered in combat in 1942, a project to design an entirely new Soviet Tank was begun, with the goals of increasing Armour Protection while adding modern features like a torsion-bar suspension and a three-man turret. The new Tank, the T-43, was intended to be a universal model to replace both the T-34 and the KV-1 Heavy Tank. However, the T-43 prototype's armour, though heavier, was not capable against German 88mm Guns, while its mobility was found to be inferior to the T-34. Finally, although the T-43 shared over 70% of its components with the T-34, manufacturing it would still have required a significant slow-down in production, so consequently, the T-43 was cancelled.
Not only were the weapons of German Tanks improving, so was their armour. Soviet firing tests against a captured Tiger I Heavy Tank in April 1943 showed that the T-34's 76mm Gun could not penetrate the front of the Tiger I at all, and the side only at very close range. A Soviet 85mm Anti-Aircraft Gun, the M1939 (52-K) was found capable of doing the job, and so derivatives of it were developed for Tanks. One of the resulting Guns used on the original T-34 85 model (the D-5T) was capable of penetrating the Tiger I's upper hull armour at 3,280ft It was still not enough to match the Tiger, which could destroy the T-34 from a distance of 4,900ft to 6,600ft but it was a noticeable improvement.
With the T-43 canceled, Soviet Command made the decision to retool the factories to produce an improved version of the T-34. Its Turret ring was enlarged from 56in to 63in, allowing a larger Turret to be fitted supporting the larger 85mm Gun. The prototype T-43's Turret design was hurriedly adopted by Vyacheslav Kerichev at the Krasnoye Sormovo Factory to fit the T-34. This was a larger Three-Man Turret, with Radio (previously in the hull) and Observation Cupola in the roof. Now the Tank Commander needed only to command (aided by Cupola and Radio Systems) leaving the operation of the Gun to the Gunner and the Loader. The Turret was bigger and less sloped than the original T-34 Turret, making it a bigger target (due to the Three-Man Crew and bigger Gun) but with thicker 3in Armour, making it more resistant to Enemy Fire. The Shells were 50% heavier 19.8lb and were much better in the Anti-Armour Role, and reasonable in a general purpose role, though only 55–60 could be carried, instead of 90–100 of the earlier Shells. The resulting new Tank, the T-34-85, was seen as a compromise between advocates for the T-43 and others who wanted to continue to build as many 76mm-Armed T-34's as possible without interruption.
Production of the T-34/85 began in January 1944 at Factory No.112, first using the D-5T 88mm Gun. Parallel to the production of the T-34/85 with the D-5T Gun, production of the T-34/85 using the S-53 Gun (later to be modified and redesignated as the ZIS-S-53 Gun) began in February 1944 at Factory No.112. The improved T-34/85 became the standard Soviet Medium Tank, with an uninterrupted production run until the end of the war. A T-34/85 initially cost about 30% more to produce than a Model 1943, at 164,000 rubles, by 1945 this had been reduced to 142,000 rubles, during the course of World War Two the cost of a T-34 Tank had almost halved, from 270,000 rubles in 1941, while its top speed remained about the same, and its main Gun's Armour penetration and Turret Frontal Armour thickness both nearly doubled.
The T-34/85 gave the Red Army a Tank with better Armour and mobility than the German Panzer IV Tank and StuG III Assault Gun. While it could not match the Armour or Weapons of the heavier Panther and Tiger Tanks, its improved firepower made it much more effective than earlier models, and overall it was more cost-effective than the heaviest German Tanks. In comparison with the T-34/85 program, the Germans instead chose an upgrade path based on the introduction of completely new, expensive, heavier, and more complex Tanks, greatly slowing the growth of their Tank production and helping the Soviets to maintain a substantial numerical superiority in Tanks. By May 1944, T-34/85 production had reached 1,200 Tanks per month. In the entire war, production figures for all Panther types reached no more than 6,557, and for all Tiger types (including the Tiger I and Tiger II) 2,027, production figures for the T-34/85 alone reached 22,559.
On 12th January 1945, a column of Tiger II Tanks and other Tanks from 424th Heavy Panzer Battalion were involved in a 'Short-Range Engagement' with T-34/85 Tanks near the village of Lisow. Forty T-34/85 Tanks commanded by Colonel N. Zhukov were attacked by the 424th Heavy Panzer Battalion, which had been reinforced by 13 Panthers. The Germans permanently lost five Tiger II's, seven Tiger I's and five Panthers for the loss of four T-34/85 Tanks burnt out.
▪︎Type: Medium Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎Manufacturer: State Factories in Soviet Union / Czechoslovakia / Poland / China
▪︎Production: 55,000
▪︎In Service: 1943
▪︎Crew: 5
▪︎Weight: 35.3 tons
▪︎Length: 19ft 7in / Width: 9ft 1in / Height: 8ft
▪︎Track Width: 1ft 18in
Armour: 1.18in to 3.15in
▪︎Primary Armament: 85mm D-5T or ZiS-S-53 Anti-Tank Gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm Coaxial DT Machine Gun / 7.62mm Bow Mounted DT Machine Gun
▪︎Powerplant: W-2-34 12-cylinder Diesel Engine 493hp
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph
▪︎Range: 85.7 miles.
The T-51 made it's first appearance in 1961 at the parade in Moscow to mark the anniversary of the 'October Revolution'. At the time it was a considerable development in tank design. Indeed it has never been altered and retains the original 100mm gun.
The majority of T-55's are fitted a full range of night vision equipment and additional fuel tanks can be fitted to the rear of the hull to increase operational range. It can also lay it's own smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust system. A snorkel can be fitted allowing it to ford water to a depth of 18ft.
T-55's were extensively exported and have seen combat in most major conflicts. Whilst being no match for later better developed tanks, the sheer quantity of them made them a formidable opponent, 100,000 of them were produced making them the largest number of tanks ever built !
They can be found in many different variants including flame-throwers, bulldozers, snowploughs and also with mine clearing rollers. There is also a bridge layer version which can be seen here at Muckleburgh Tank Museum.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: V-54 12 cylinder diesel developing 520bhp
▪︎Armament: 1 x 100mm gun
▪︎Armament: 1 x 7.62mm machine gun
▪︎Range: 174 miles
▪︎Top Speed: 30mph
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Weight: 33 tons
▪︎Origin: Soviet Union.
Information from the Muckleburgh Military Collection.
Seen in the Battleship Park
580Hp V-12 Diesel
One 100mm Canon
Two 7,62mm Machine Guns
39,7Tons
Max Speed 31Mi/hours
Crew 4
To see the rest of my photos from Russia please click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/28095414@N02/sets/72157605883738629/
The five-turreted T-35 was produced in small numbers in late 1930s and was one of the heaviest tanks to ever reach production. Unfortunately, it didn't prove effective during WW II.
Kubinka is one of the largest tank collections in the world. The museum not only displays virtually every tank ever produced in Soviet Union, but it also features a large collection of foreign tanks, particularly from the WW II period: from trophy German and Japanese tanks to American and British tanks.
Getting here does require quite a bit of effort, and the guards on premises are rather surly, but nonetheless you will find the visit very rewarding and interesting. I have a lot more photos from Kubinka, and will add them later.
The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of main battle tank introduced just as the Second World War ended. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945 and entered full production in 1947. It became the main tank for armoured units of the Soviet Army, armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and many others. T-54s and T-55s were involved in many of the world's armed conflicts during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
The T-54/55 series eventually became the most-produced tank in history. Estimated production numbers for the series range from 86,000 to 100,000. They were replaced by the T-62, T-64, T-72, T-80, and T-90 in the Soviet and Russian armies, but remain in use by up to 50 other armies worldwide, some having received sophisticated retrofitting.
During the Cold War Soviet tanks never directly faced their NATO adversaries in Europe. However, the T-54/55's first appearance in the West in the 1950s spurred the United Kingdom to develop a new tank gun, the Royal Ordnance L7, and the United States to develop the M60 Patton.
Specifications, T-55:
Weight: 36 tonnes (39.7 ST)
Length: 6.45 m
Width: 3.37 m
Height: 2.40 m
Crew: 4
Armor: hull front 120, after 1949 100 mm at 60° angle, turret front 205 mm (rounded), hull side 80 mm at 0° angle, lower hull side 20 mm at 0° angle, turret side 130 mm (rounded), hull rear 60 mm at 0° angle, turret rear 60 mm (rounded), hull top 33–16 mm, turret top 30 mm, hull floor 20 mm
Main
armament:
D-10T 100 mm rifled gun
Secondary
armament:
7.62 mm SGMT coaxial machine gun, (12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun)
Engine: Model V-55(V-54) V-12 water-cooled. 38.88-l diesel
500 hp (373 kW) up to 800hp (597 kW) (late versions)
Power/weight: 14.6 hp/tonne
Transmission: Mechanical synchromesh, 5 forward, 1 reverse gears
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground clearance: 0.425 m
Fuel capacity: 580 l internal, 320 l external (less on early T54), 400 l jettisonable rear drums
Speed: 48 km/h (30 mph) (wiki)
Photo Credit's: I believe our C.O. took this 35mm print at Fort Hood
in the early 1990's.
To see the rest of my photos from Russia please click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/28095414@N02/sets/72157605883738629/
T-26 was based on the British Vickers design and was the mainstay of the Red Army in 1930s. The tank had two versions: single turret or twin turrets with machine guns. The type's production stopped in 1941, but it was used in action throughout WW II. Many units were given to the Republican army fighting in the Spanish Civil War.
Kubinka is one of the largest tank collections in the world. The museum not only displays virtually every tank ever produced in Soviet Union, but it also features a large collection of foreign tanks, particularly from the WW II period: from trophy German and Japanese tanks to American and British tanks.
Getting here does require quite a bit of effort, and the guards on premises are rather surly, but nonetheless you will find the visit very rewarding and interesting. I have a lot more photos from Kubinka, and will add them later.
The Soviet War Memorial near the Brandenburg Gate was erected in what was to be the British Sector of the city shortly after the fall of berlin the Red Army. The fact that it was in the British Sector led to there always being Soviet Army contingent, albeit small, in the Western part of the city to guard the Memorial. That arrangment continued until the re-unification of Berlin.