About the photos: the top two photos are of a T-54 at Grafenwoehr, Germany. This vehicle was used for OPFOR training operations, especially crew vehicle ID training. This particular vehicle is an early production model, and does not have the bore evacuator on the gun tube. Note the rubber pieces at the edge of the fenders... this is probably a U.S. Army add-on (although it may be of Israeli origin), and not part of an original T-54. The photo on the left is of the same vehicle, and shows the commander's TPK-1 sighting system. Beyond that can be seen the breech of the main gun.
photo: Chap. Mike Klein
When introduced in the late 1940s, the T-54 medium tank was the most advanced combat tank in the world. Early versions had a wide gun mantel and rear turret overhang. By the mid-1950s the T-54 had been modified to its basic design as known today. Armed with a 100mm D-10T main gun, the T-54 is both fast and maneuverable, though its track design often led to thrown tracks. The inside is extremely cramped with the gunner and commander on the left, and the loader on the right (which means he loads left handed). The turret floor does not rotate, which can be a problem on later versions with electric traverse. When the gun is fired, it must be elevated to be reloaded, which is very time consuming. Crew: 4; main gun: 100mm D-10T; coax 7.62mm machine gun and 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
However, the gunnery technique for the T-54 (as well as for the later T-55 and 62 series) is unique. The commander uses his TPK-1 aiming sight to lay on a target, and estimates the range with a stadiametric rangefinder. In this system, the commander positions the enemy target in a graduated reticle until it "fits" between the sloped upper line and straight base line. Once done, he hits a switch which swings the turret onto the target, allowing the gunner to take over. The system is somewhat crude, but has the key advantage of allowing the commander to already search out and range another target while the gunner is attacking the first one. The problem with this system, however, is that the commander is no longer available to help "sense" where the rounds impact, and the gunner is often momentarily blinded by the flash of the gun.
The T-54 on the right has seen better days! This vehicle is part of a smashed armored column in Eretria, during the civil war between Eretria and Ethiopia, 1997. When tanks are hit, sometimes the ammunition explodes, causing a catastophic dismemberment of the vehicle.
In the early 1960s, Soviet engineers could clearly see that the potential of the T-54/55 series was running its course. Therefore, a new design would be needed to take a larger and more effective main gun. The result was the T-62 main battle tank. First shown publicly in 1965, the T-62 used many similar components of its successful predecessor. Many add-on concepts of the T-54/55 were purposely designed into the T-62. Among them is the deep-fording snorkel system, and the PAZ nuclear-chemical defense system. The latter creates an over pressure in the hull, keeping chemical and nuclear contaminants from entering the vehicle. The system is powerful enough to even allow the crew to have one hatch open without compromising protection. Crew: 4; main gun: 115mm U-5T; coax 7.62mm machine gun and 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
The T-62, like the T-54/55 series, has a few interesting features. Among them is the spent casing ejection port on the rear of the turret (this is the small closed hatch below the open hatch on the left). When the 115mm main gun is fired, the spent casing goes into a cradle, which then tilts up and back, ejecting the casing through this hatchway. However, during this time, the turret and main gun cannot be electrically traversed, meaning that tracking moving targets for a second shot is difficult.
About the photos: the T-62 above is an early production model, while the one to the left is the T-62A. The latter has redesigned hatches to accomodate the 12.7mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun, which is postioned at the loader's hatchway. The T-62 above was in an OPFOR motorpool at Grafenwoehr, Germany. In the background, to the right, is an M-74 Armored Recovery Vehicle... based on an M-4A3 Sherman tank chassis and still in operation as late as 1978! The T-62A on the left is part of the Patton Museum collection, at Ft. Knox, KY. A fuel cell can be seen on the right front fender. Contrary to popular belief, this is not as dangerous as it may seem, since Soviet tanks use a lower grade diesel fuel than NATO tanks, with a flashpoint considerably higher.
The vehicle at left is a T-54A. This vehicle has a bore evacuator at the front end of the main gun. The bore evacuator has several functions, one being to reduce recoil, another to reduce the amount of fumes which accumulate in the turret, and finally they provide counter balance on the trunions (the point where the main gun pivots inside the turret), especially if items have been added on to the breech area. The T-54, and its near twin-sister the T-55, are still in use by many countries, usually incorporating such upgrades as explosive reactive armor (ERA), a laser rangefinder, power plant improvements, as well as new types of tracks. The T-54/55 is the most heavily produced tank in the world, with over 100,000 produced over sixteen years.
The T-62 was not the most popular tank around. Although heavily exported, its lack of success in overseas conflicts has not inspired confidence. The major Warsaw Pact nations, such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary apprarently opted out of receiving the T-62, and for good reason. They were soon after equiped with the more effective T-72.
The T-62 has several key items to distinguish it from the T-54/55 series. The bore evacuator on the 115mm gun is 1/3 down the barrel. Also the road wheels are more evenly spaced, with a more pronounced gap at the nos. 4 and 5 wheel (compare this with the side photo of the T-54 above).
The T-62 has another unique feature. Its 115mm main gun is smoothbored, unlike the rifled 100mm on the T-54/55. Ammunition fired from the U-5T gun is fin stabilized. This allows more energy to be imparted to the round as it is fired, since there is less drag within the tube. To compensate for possible wind drift of the round in flight, the gun was designed specifically to fire with a high muzzle velocity (5,301 ft/sec). This high velocity ensures a near-certain first round hit capabilty on a non-moving target up to 1,000-1,200 meters, making it a deadly weapon.
