T-54/T-55 | |
|---|---|
| Land | Sovjet-Unie |
| Role | Medium tank – Hoofd gevechtstank |
| In gebruik | 1949-heden |
| Gebouwd | 100000+ |
De T-54 en T-55 tanks zijn een reeks Sovjet belangrijkste gevechtstanks geïntroduceerd in de jaren na de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het eerste T-54 prototype werd eind 1945 voltooid in Nizjni Tagil. De aanvankelijke productiehelling regelde voor 1947 in Nizjni Tagil, en 1948 voor Kharkov werden tegengehouden en ingeperkt aangezien vele problemen werden ontdekt; de T-34-85 was nog steeds goed voor 88 procent van de productie in de jaren 50. De T-54 werd uiteindelijk de belangrijkste tank voor pantsereenheden van het Sovjetleger, legers van de landen van het Warschaupact en vele anderen. T-54's en T-55's zijn sinds het latere deel van de 20e eeuw betrokken bij veel van 's werelds gewapende conflicten.
Bron: Tank T-55 op Wikipedia
| Tank T-55 | |
|---|---|
| Fotograaf | Onbewust |
| Lokalisatie | Onbewust |
| Foto 's | 117 |
Zie ook:
The T-55 is a Soviet-designed Main Battle Tank (MBT) that evolved directly from the T-54 series. Introduced into service around 1958, it is one of the most widely produced tanks in history and formed the armored backbone of the Soviet Army and the Warsaw Pact for decades.
Design Philosophy and Features
- Evolutionary Design: The T-55 is outwardly very similar to the T-54, being an improvement rather than a redesign. The most significant initial change was the removal of the loader’s cupola and the turret ventilator dome (present on the T-54) to improve armor protection and simplify the turret casting.
- Low Silhouette: Continuing Soviet design trends (dating back to the T-34), the T-55 has a low profile, making it a smaller and harder target to hit than its contemporary Western counterparts.
- NBC Protection: The T-55 was the first tank in the world to be equipped with a rudimentary full Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare protection system, including an automatic seal system to pressurize the crew compartment against radioactive dust and fallout.
- Motor: It was powered by a more potent V-55 V-12 liquid-cooled diesel engine, increasing horsepower and operational range compared to the T-54.
Key Specifications (T-55 Model)
| Characteristic | Waarde |
|---|---|
| Type | Main Battle Tank (MBT) / Medium Tank |
| Bemanning | 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) |
| Main Armament | 100 mm D-10T2S rifled gun (43 rounds) |
| Armour (Turret Front) | Up to 205 mm (cast steel) |
| Engine Power | 580 hp V-55 Diesel |
| Maximum Road Speed | 50 km/h |
| Suspensie | Torsion bar with five road wheels per side |
| Identifying Feature | A noticeable gap between the first and second road wheels. |
Service and Legacy
The T-55’s mechanical simplicity, durability, and ease of production led to its immense success globally:
- Mass Production: With over 100,000 units of the T-54/T-55 series built in the USSR and under license (e.g., in Poland and Czechoslovakia), it holds the record for the most-produced tank series in history.
- Widespread Use: It was exported to over 50 countries, serving in nearly every major conflict of the Cold War era and beyond, including the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, and the Iran-Iraq War.
- Modernization: Due to its robust and simple design, the T-55 has been subjected to countless modernization programs around the world, ranging from adding Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) and passive armor (T-55AM/M) to replacing the main gun with the NATO standard 105 mm L7.
- Current Status: Decades after its introduction, the T-55 remains in active reserve or limited frontline service with many nations, often used in roles such as fire support or protected artillery.
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