"East German T55" Topic

So the BF Volks Armee book says that 300 of the 2100 NVA T55s were upgraded to T55AM2. So that means 1800 were not upgraded. So would the T55s from their Arab Israeli War set be the same as the non upgraded ones?

Interesting question, I don't have an answer, but I suspect they were not. I did a google image search & it looks like at least a few were Czech built machines with the stowage box on the turret.

Damon.

As far as my research has gone, they seemed to have had T-55, T-55A, T-55AM2 and T-55AM2B. I suspect they also had T-55AM but I am not positive yet. Of course, they also had all manner of bridging and engineering variants as well as many T-54 types besides. I think the tanks were all of USSR, Czech or Polish manufacture.

The T-55AM and T-55AM2 are upgrades of the T-55A which appeared during the late 1970s and early 1980s to address the need for additional protection and firepower against the threat of man-portable ATGMs and more powerful RPG type weaponry, along with extending the service life of a numerous but increasingly obsolete design.

The modeled T-55AM is of Russian origin, equipped with the "Volna" fire control system and 1K13 BOM guidance system allowing use of the 9K116-1 "Bastion" ATGM; KTD-2 LRF fitted over the main gun; an upgraded suspension and T-72 style RMSh tracks; more powerful V-55U engine; "Tucha" smoke grenade launchers; rubber full-length side skirts; and additional armor protection in the form of applique "BDD" modules (also know as "brow" or "horseshoe" armor) on the turret cheeks and hull front.

Although easily identified as hailing from the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (East Germany) by the large bin mounted on the left-rear of the turret, the modeled T-55AM2 is the Czechoslovakian produced version. Similar to the AM model in respect to mobility and general armor protection, the AM2 version uses the Czech equivalent of the Soviet "Volna" FCS along with the locally designed Kladivo LRF and a wind sensor mounted centrally on the turret rear. Lacking the 1K13 BOM guidance system, the base T-55AM2 cannot fire AT-10 "Stabber/Bastion" missile, but both Poland and Czechoslovakia produced small numbers of T-55s with that capability (T-55AM2P and T-55AM2B respectively).

Outside of Warsaw Pact nations, Soviet manufactured T-55AMs were rarely exported as complete vehicles, although both Polish and Czechoslovakian AM and particularly AM2s were moderately exported during that period. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the T-55AM2 saw extensive proliferation throughout Africa and the Middle-East as Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic divested their T-55 stocks and these countries, along with Russia, continue to offer the T-55AM package (or something similar) as an upgrade for existing T-55 tanks. A note for scenario designers: the T-55AM2 makes a good stand in for late model Chinese Type-69 (100mm) or, when equipped with BM-20 or BM-25 APFSDS ammo, 105mm armed Type-80II tanks.

Source can be found here:

link

Not convinced Steel Beasts is really a viable source. 🙈 Where did they get the data.

Don't know for certain, but I'd have no problem pitting them in battle against NATO opponents from various genres.

I suspect over the years, they probably did get fire control, and/or optics upgrades, but imagine a lot of them were very similar to the originals. Perhaps some minor armor upgrades as well, and some rad shielding, just in case the war went nuclear.

I've got some T-54s that I'm using for T-55s in 1/144th scale, since they were available, and relatively inexpensive. In a pinch, they might also be designated as T-62s, if pressed into a corner.

Made me curious.

Here's what Wikipedia says (usually a pretty decent resource):

"East Germany – 202 T-54s were ordered in 1956 from the Soviet Union and delivered between 1956 and 1957. 488 T-54As and T-54AMs were ordered from Poland and delivered between 1959 and 1964.

1766 T-55s and T-55As were ordered in 1964 from the Czechoslovakia and delivered between 1964 and 1980.

333 T-55s and T-55A(P)s were ordered from Poland and delivered between 1965 and 1973.

362 VT-55s were ordered in 1964 from the Czechoslovakia and delivered between 1965 and 1969.[7] Passed on to the unified German state".

Near the end of the page, the following is provided for East Germany, from here:

link

East Germany

T-54Z (Z for Zusatzausrüstung – additional equipment) – East German modernization of T-54 similar to T-54AM.

T-54AZ (Z for Zusatzausrüstung – additional equipment) – East German modernization of T-54 similar to T-54AM.

T-54AMZ (Z for Zusatzausrüstung – additional equipment) – East German modernization of T-54 similar to T-54AM.

T-54T (Panzerzugmaschine ohne Bergesatz) – East German development with recovery and welding equipment. 10 made on Polish-made T-54A chassis. NATO code: T-54(A).[119]

T-54TB (Panzerzugmaschine mit Bergesatz) – similar to
T-54T, but with 140-t winch. 10 made on Polish-made T-54A chassis. NATO code: T-54(B).[119]

T-55AM2B with bin on left-hand-side of turret.[37]

T-55 NAL NRD – East-German modernization of T-55. It wasn't finished because of the political changes in 1990.

T-55T – Modified VT-55A with push bar and splashboard across glacis plate in service with the NVA.[37] T-55T with towing unit on the glacis plate with a mount that protrudes over front of vehicle. Front towing unit also has a flexible 'eye' permanently fitted. NATO code: T-55T.[37][119]

Minenräumfahrzeug (Pz) – Prototype mine clearing vehicle developed by the East Germany. Two Versions: equipped with KMT-6 M2, EMT-5 electronic mine clearer and an lane clearer WLWD.[37][120]
equipped with KMT-5[120]

T-54 M1975/1 – Experimental East German roller/flail combination mine clearing vehicle.[37] T-54 M1975/2 – Flail only variant of the M1975/1.[37]

T-55TK – East-Germany received 119 Czechoslovakian JVBT-55A's between 1968 and 1979 and called them Kranpanzer T-55TK.

BLG-60 (Brückenlegegerät) – East German/Polish scissors-type bridge layer.[37] Development started in 1965 (one year after the BLG-34 project was cancelled [121]) and the first vehicle was delivered in 1967. Almost 200 BLG-60's were built by STAG Genthin and SKET Magdeburg. BLG-60 trainer – Modified training bridge.[37]

BLG-60M – Improved BLG-60 that makes it possible to attach 3 bridges together to bridge gaps of up to 52 m. Entered service from 1973.[121] BLG-60M2 – Because of the introduction of the bigger T-72 tank, some 30 BLG-60's had to be widened by 20 cm.

It doesn't list the number of T-55AM2Bs, but you've got that mentioned above.

As you can see above, some T-55s, and/or T-55As were delivered as late as 1980, which I find rather remarkable, given the age of the vehicle design. No doubt, it probably had some upgrades, as I mentioned just above, to make them a bit more effective in combat than those delivered back in the 1960s.

Here's some useful info on variants and upgrades over the years, for both the T-54 and T-55:

link

Here's what Wikipedia says (usually a pretty decent resource):

I'm hoping that's sarcasm. Follow the links it reference back to the primary source

Interesting, I hadn't heard about the T-55A(P) previously. Another online discussions that might shed more light… link

According to this Axis History forum thread, the first post-war tanks were delivered to the DDR in the following years:

- T-54 (year 1957)
- T-54A (year 1959)
- T-54AM (year 1962)
- T-55 (year 1964)
- T-55A (year 1967)
- T-54AZ (year 1978, planned modernization, not implemented in large scale)
- T-54AMZ (year 1978, planned modernization, not implemented in large scale)
- T-55AM2 (year 1985, modernization of existing tanks)
- T-55AM2P (year 1986, modernization of existing tanks)
- T-55AM2PB (year 1988, modernization of existing tanks)
- T-72 (year 1978)
- T-72M (year 1982)
- T-72M1 (year 1987)

The linked file at the bottom of that thread claims that by 1988/1989, the NVA still had in service…

120 PT-76
601 T-54
1562 T-55 (319 of which were either AM2 or AM2B variants… perhaps he means AM2P?)
549 T-72

So the most numerous tank by far was still some variant of the T-55.