Яusso-Soviэt Forum: Cold War Soviet Armor
For discussions related to cold war era Russo-Soviet armor.
How to model a T-55
Northern_Lad
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United Kingdom
Joined: September 17, 2012
KitMaker: 462 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 12:02 PM UTC
In February this year the Serbian Ministry of Defence announced it was selling off some 282 T55 tanks and other bits of kit. Here are some pictures…







Cheers

Matthew
vettejack
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Florida, United States
Joined: November 23, 2012
KitMaker: 1,277 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 11:16 PM UTC
OMG...if I only had the money, and space, and transportation, to get one of the Serbian T55 beauties in my backyard...

Hollywood, or some millionaire, needs to buy up a few of these goobers and restore them to a point where they are operational enough to rent to movie sets. Then you could have Brad Pitt in a M48 fighting off T55s in Fury II during the 67 War or Yom Kippur.
long123
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Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Joined: August 12, 2015
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 - 02:03 PM UTC
Detailed discussion will still remain in the thread itself. All contributions welcome.
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
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Posted: Saturday, April 09, 2016 - 01:46 AM UTC
Can anyone help identify the parts on the rear of an Enigma? I'm 99% certain it's a Polish built vehicle, but would like to know what the 4 studs at the centre bottom of the rear plate, the retangular plate on the upper left and the pipe on the top on the right...



Many thanks

Gary
gastec
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Saturday, April 09, 2016 - 01:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Years ago, when the Tamiya T55 first came out, I posted on ML asking if anyone had a quick fix for the grooves in the roadwheel tires. I've never seen such vitriol as was generated by that simple question but I have still, to this day, never seen a photo of a T55 with grooves in the tires .
That was my last ever post on ML.... Maybe the same will happen here........



Heat stretched sprue...





Gary
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
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Posted: Saturday, April 09, 2016 - 07:55 AM UTC
Hmmm...no idea on the Rear of the T-55.

Nice roadwheel save.
HP_FiSH
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Alabama, United States
Joined: April 10, 2016
KitMaker: 1 posts
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Posted: Sunday, April 10, 2016 - 02:40 AM UTC
Ok, so I'm thinking of buying the Tamiya T-55. Can I get some exact specs for the width of the tank in mm for those who have it? I would like the width of the hull not counting the tracks, and the length of the hull would also be nice.

Thank You!
Jennings
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Virginia, United States
Joined: April 30, 2016
KitMaker: 73 posts
Armorama: 69 posts
Posted: Tuesday, May 24, 2016 - 04:54 AM UTC
I have a Tamiya T-55 with a bunch of goodies in the box if you're interested. I'll do you a good deal.

[email protected]
Removed by original poster on 03/08/18 - 21:07:03 (GMT).
stephane
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Hauts-de-Seine, France
Joined: October 10, 2005
KitMaker: 432 posts
Armorama: 429 posts
Posted: Friday, September 02, 2016 - 08:03 PM UTC
Hello T55 fans!
I don't want to put the fire but i did a quick comparison between Tamiya and Takom (T55AM) turrets and two differents 1/35 blueprints i found in magazines (one in a Military Modelling Mag and the other in a russian language magazine).
The blue prints are différents but the basic shapes and dimension are the same.

Well , the two turrets are way différents in size at its bases.
The Takom one is larger by 2/3 mm at its sides and the front part is really longer Vs Tamiya's one.

And the fire will come when i'll say that Takom turret looks to match the two drawing when the Tamiya one looks really smaller...

Takom T55 AM and AMV turrets have some inaccuracies like for example: the gun cover goes far to away on the Turret roof (by 4/5mm) but looks far better in term of overall dimensions.
So i don't thinks that Tamiya's T55A turret is as accurate as we used to thinks.
Could it be a T54 or 55 early turret that is perhaps different from a T55A one!?

Or perhaps the two différents blue prints are wrong both...
stephane
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Hauts-de-Seine, France
Joined: October 10, 2005
KitMaker: 432 posts
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Posted: Friday, September 02, 2016 - 09:50 PM UTC
Just a point to add, i found a photo on a russian site of the T55AMV turret roof where the mantlet cover looks close to be the same as Takom turret. I discovers that this T55AM turret is a bit different as the T55AM (Czech) ones.

Another good point for Takom.
fromSalekhard
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Russia
Joined: October 27, 2016
KitMaker: 1 posts
Armorama: 1 posts
Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2016 - 11:58 AM UTC
I offer a full kitografia models of tanks T-54 and T-55 in 1/35 scale
Link for download: link
cherry
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Slovakia
Joined: November 03, 2016
KitMaker: 2 posts
Armorama: 2 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 02, 2016 - 11:41 PM UTC
Hi guys, I'm just building T-55A from Tamiya and I really like pictures you posted. But I have to correct one thing. T-55 has NEVER been produced in Czech republic. It is great missunderstanding. It that times it was one country Czechoslovakia and the tanks (t-54, t-55, t-72...) have been produced in Martin, small city in Slovakia, company name ZTS Martin. In 1993 Czechoslovakia separated to Czech republic and Slovakia. Thatswhy many people things it was done by Czechs, but it was build in Slovakia by Slovak people.
I'm sorry for this but my heart is bleeding when I hear it was build by Czechs...
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
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Posted: Thursday, November 03, 2016 - 05:11 AM UTC
Juraj, One note is that many Westerners shorten Czechoslovakia into just Czech. "It was built by the Czech's" when they mean in Czechoslovakia. And I understand why that can be bothersome (I know of the velvet revolution) to Czech's. Thank you for your note and understanding. Just don't be too upset if we "make a slip" on this from time to time.
jasegreene
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Florida, United States
Joined: October 21, 2013
KitMaker: 751 posts
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Posted: Thursday, November 03, 2016 - 06:14 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Can anyone help identify the parts on the rear of an Enigma? I'm 99% certain it's a Polish built vehicle, but would like to know what the 4 studs at the centre bottom of the rear plate, the retangular plate on the upper left and the pipe on the top on the right...



Many thanks

Gary



i know this might sound like a long shot but that rear plate kind of looks like it could be for a license plate.
cherry
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Slovakia
Joined: November 03, 2016
KitMaker: 2 posts
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Posted: Thursday, November 03, 2016 - 11:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Juraj, One note is that many Westerners shorten Czechoslovakia into just Czech. "It was built by the Czech's" when they mean in Czechoslovakia. And I understand why that can be bothersome (I know of the velvet revolution) to Czech's. Thank you for your note and understanding. Just don't be too upset if we "make a slip" on this from time to time.



Thanks for explanation and understanding...

If anyone wants to build a Czechoslovak version, Eduard makes PE parts of engine deck.
scubatwo
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Alabama, United States
Joined: January 07, 2017
KitMaker: 83 posts
Armorama: 73 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 07:02 PM UTC
?



I have an Aber metal barrel for a T-55. The Aber doesn't have the metal ridge as shown in this photo. What is the purpose of the metal ridge? Any suggestions on how to recreate it? Would it be correct to have T-55AM or T-55 AMV without the ridge?

DerGeist
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Ohio, United States
Joined: January 21, 2008
KitMaker: 735 posts
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Posted: Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 08:40 PM UTC
The fins on top of the barrel? Its for the thermal jacket. Not all AM's had them installed and they are removable.
scubatwo
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Alabama, United States
Joined: January 07, 2017
KitMaker: 83 posts
Armorama: 73 posts
Posted: Saturday, January 28, 2017 - 09:45 PM UTC
Erik,

Thanks so much for the information. I thought they were for the thermal jacket but I wasn't any information. Lots of photos but no explanation.
spongya
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODELGEEK
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Budapest, Hungary
Joined: February 01, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, August 06, 2017 - 05:47 PM UTC
Dear all,

I'm building Tamiya's T-55 with a CMK interior, and trying to figure out what a certain part is in real life. It's on the left side of the fighting compartment, under the extractor fan, with part number pp85. A long, tubular object lying on its side next to the wall.



Thank you
seanmcandrews
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: May 09, 2009
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Posted: Sunday, August 06, 2017 - 06:40 PM UTC
I think it's part of the compressed air setup for starting the engine.

Sean
Removed by original poster on 03/08/18 - 21:07:32 (GMT).
aremark
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Arizona, United States
Joined: September 16, 2017
KitMaker: 18 posts
Armorama: 18 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 16, 2017 - 12:07 PM UTC
You all have me really confused. I cannot tell what you are seeing as different between Czech and Polish turrets/mantlets. The reason I am asking is not for modeling, but instead it is about a friend's new tank. He bought a East German T55AM2 which looks like it was upgraded in 1987 due to several interior accessories having a 1987 date. I just cannot tell where or when it was originally manufactured. Any help would be great. I can get any pictures to show any areas needed.

The tank was part of Jacques Littlefield's collection at MVTF. Here is a link of some pictures someone took of it. However, it has been sitting outside for several years since the pictures were taken so it has some more weathering now. http://svsm.org/gallery/T-55AM2/IMGP1082
MichalBT
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Województwo Kieleckie, Poland
Joined: July 03, 2002
KitMaker: 326 posts
Armorama: 275 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 16, 2017 - 12:40 PM UTC
Andrew,
For sure this is not a tank produced in Labedy factory, Poland. This is Czechoslovak Kladivo (main difference between it and Soviet Wolna was wind sensor). Polish People's Army was using completely different weapon control system (called SKO-1 Merida) which was the easiest way to recognize this version. Other differencies: different wind sensor and lack of Bobrawa laser detection sensors.
Hull of this tank wasn't produced in Poland, too.

Hope it helps,

Michal
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
KitMaker: 4,630 posts
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Posted: Saturday, September 16, 2017 - 09:47 PM UTC
Andrew, an entire book could be written on what was produced in Poland concerning T-54/55's alone. If you feel it is a bit complicated, it is because it really is. Now, how to tell a Polish T-55 from a Czechoslovakian T-55 from a Russian T-55 (not to mention any others). I think the first thing to understand is that each factory, not just each country, wanted to make "the best T-55" and did not agree with everything done at another factory. Sometimes the country producing the tanks wanted to make them cheaper, or easier to market with a different feature. And sometimes they just wanted to put their own unique design on a tank just to be different.

Can anyone write out the physical differences (not the electronic ones)of the T-55 mantlet (and maybe the turret) between the Polish/Czech/Russian versions for easy ID beyond just pictures? I will not be able to get to it for a while. Maybe point out the differences in a photo with pointers? If not, I will try to get to it eventually.


Quoted Text

You all have me really confused. I cannot tell what you are seeing as different between Czech and Polish turrets/mantlets. The reason I am asking is not for modeling, but instead it is about a friend's new tank. He bought a East German T55AM2 which looks like it was upgraded in 1987 due to several interior accessories having a 1987 date. I just cannot tell where or when it was originally manufactured. Any help would be great. I can get any pictures to show any areas needed.

The tank was part of Jacques Littlefield's collection at MVTF. Here is a link of some pictures someone took of it. However, it has been sitting outside for several years since the pictures were taken so it has some more weathering now. http://svsm.org/gallery/T-55AM2/IMGP1082