T-55 Question

Although it looks like they used the open top version and not the closed top BTR-152K

Fascinating. You are a wealth of knowledge.

That's a BTR-152 wheeled APC. Sort of an armored Deuce and a Half.

The helmets look to be standard Soviet steel pots. The Czech army was ordered to stay in their barracks at the beginning of Operation Danube. They sat out the invasion. Unlike the Hungarians in 1956, some of whom fought the Soviets until overwhelmed.

That's a good picture.

I would really want to know about that APC in the background with the big spare AT tire on it, and those guys in those weird helmets. Do you think those were Czecho's in something sort of post war Wehrmacht watching?

I know I sound stupid. I'll report later.

Of course now that I am nearly done with my project, I find a photo of a T-54 in Operation Danube with those fittings and some sort of mounting base attached....

The KMT4 mine rake had a hydraulic lowering system. I bet that the rods are actually the pipe for a hydraulic line that runs from inside the tank out to the hydraulic piston that actuates the rake. I'm guessing they fit the pipes on some of the tanks but only installed the hydraulics on certain tanks meant for mineclearing. A flexible high pressure hose runs from the end of the pipe to the piston. That's my guess. 

Hello!

Now that's good info! Thankd for sharing!

Paweł

I found a photo in Ospreys T55 book. It shows a T55 with the KMT4 mine rake attached. Those rods look like housing or shrouds for a hose or wire. There's something coming out of the middle of it. 

 

Guys keep up the fabulous research I'm learning a lot here .Enjoying every minute of it. 

Well Stik - this is intended! Those rods are officially military secret, and still about 40 years to go. You see, almost everything was military secret in the Soviet Union, and certainly everything that was painted olive drab!

Have a nice day

Paweł

CapnMac82

 

Wow, a google image serch shows about half with and half without the rod bits.  Go figure.

 

Damn those commies for not better photo documenting their add on bits... I had a look at the Trumpy T-55 kits. It looks like the KMT-5 mine rollers are out. The BTU-55 dozer blade appears to have somthing to do with the rods and upper glacis hardpoints. And the KMT-6 Mine Rake is a maybe... 

Dragon does not make a T-54/55. At least not in 1/35. And Trumpeter's... if they do happen to include those features on theirs, well their translator service that may label such items is often quite confusing... 

Well, has anyone thought to check Dragon or Trumpy instructions?
If Tamiya use one part, those guys will use 15 if they use any at all.

Wow, a google image serch shows about half with and half without the rod bits.  Go figure.

Hello!

I have asked around and I have come up with this drawing:

As you can see there's a line (two of them, actually) that hardpoins that are exactly where the upper glacis hardpoints are. That's by the book.

In praxis sometimes the soldiers take shorter lines and hook them up to the towing hooks - and the hardpoints remain unused, like here:

And I still have no idea what are those rods good for.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

The Soviets had a black leather tanker jacket from WWII. But those were probably on the way out by '68. All the takers coats I see in the photos during Danube look to be black cloth. Plus their black coveralls and padded helmets.

Those bolted anchor points on the front of the lower glacis are the main attachment points for mine rollers....

The 'dozer blade set ups I've found use hardpoints on the underside of the nose for the compression arms, and a single hydro cylinder on the top, in the middle.

The box art shows more of those D26 type things down there. Maybe they are equipment fastening points.

I seem to recall that in 1961 in Berlin the T55 crews wore black leather. Is that true in 1968?

Yes, the board across the width of the glacis is indeed a splash guard. I did plenty of water obstacle crossings myself once upon a time, but never any that were icy. That sounds pretty bad Pawel about that driver. 

Thanks for that little horror story...

GM, nearly every photo I can find of a T-54 or T-55 in Operation Danube does not have the hardpoints or those rods. I have only seen the rods on T-62s, and the one photo of a T-55 can not be dated for certain to that time and place. Later photos show those as common fittings on T-55's... but not August 1968...

Hello!

On good days my pops sometimes tells me about his military training. He was told a story when in training some AFV (might habe been a BMP) went fording in winter and while entering water the ice slid up the glacis and decapitated the driver who was driving with open hatch. So that's what the board is there for - to protect the driver from objects that could slide up the glacis and hurt him badly - like tree branches and the like.

As for the original question - I don't know yet, but I'll keep my eyes open. Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

STILL WORKING ON IT. tHEY SEEM TO OFTEN NOT BE THERE, OR JUST THE LUG LOOKING UPPER PARTS (Sorry, been working on CAD).

Quite a few have a plate added across the middle of the Glacis, perpendicular to the face of the hull, from fender to fender. Like a dirt deflector. Those are notched over those hinged (?) bars, making them stuck flat.

T-55's have been fitted with mine rollers and dozer blades. Part of the Soviet offensive doctrine. Yhey have also been fitted with all sorts of add on armor as well. 

Like I said above, I believe the items that I pointed out are associated with the dozer blade or mine roller, judging from photos. I was just hoping someone here would know for sure.

Though would the T-55 have been equipped with mine clearing equipment? Sorry Stik answering a question with a question is a party foul. Did the Russians experiment that early with ablative ( reactive?) armor? Could be mounts for a dozer blade.

I believe you already have the definitive answer.