T-55 Iraq W.I.P Planning

Eoin6661 wrote:

I think as HA says Iraqi T-55s would be quite haphazard with regards to colour, insignia etc.  I re-painted an old T-62 in Syrian colours (dark yellow and green) and then just hand painted some arabic numerals. Consider doing a knocked out version.......that way you might not need that useless Sprue D!!.....only joking

LMAO thanks for that .. hard week at work.. needed that laugh LOL

I found two possible sets on Ebay...Pre Size Model Specialties #1121 Arabic Tank Numbers. These are dry erase markings. Tamiya used to sell #66518 Gulf War Operations Decal Sheet which includes a section of Arabic numerals. Verlinden has a set #288, also dry erase, for the T-34/85 which has a small section of Arabic numerals and some unit plates. You could find a set of Arab numbers online, print them, and make masks out of them. I believe the Squadron book Ground War Desert Storm had some photos, though the Concord books would probably be a better value. Most Arab armor is very drab in terms of markings, sometimes just carrying the unit symbols on the front hull. If you don't want out of the box builds, there are some AEF Designs aftermarket conversion sets: #KM-23 is an early, unmodified T-62; #KM-17 has a modified early turret with a T-55 cupola for the DShK machine gun, etc. You may want to get an AM turret, as that is the Tamiya's main failing: Verlinden made one, and so did AEF, possibly Chesapeake Model Designs as well.

I think as HA says Iraqi T-55s would be quite haphazard with regards to colour, insignia etc.  I re-painted an old T-62 in Syrian colours (dark yellow and green) and then just hand painted some arabic numerals.

Consider doing a knocked out version.......that way you might not need that useless Sprue D!!.....only joking 

Thanks Heavy your pics are helpful....Would be cool to have it knocked out , but going for a nice weathered build this time .

Yes, Iraq used mainly T54 and T55 tanks (and their Chinese copies, type 59s & 69s) up through the US invasion in '03.  They still have quite a few today for th enew Iraqi Army as well.  Only the "elite" Republican Guard units had T72s.  There was no standard color.  They varried from a light sand to a dark sandy-gray color.  I don't know of any AM decals for them.  They had very few, basic markings.  Mainly some numbers in arabic on them and maybe a unit symbol.  You can see some of the markings below.

 

They usually ended up looking like this though.

 

Good luck.