T-62 | |
|---|---|
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Role | Main Battle Tank |
| In service | 1961–present |
| Built | 20000+ |
The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced 1961. As a further development of the T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low profile and thick turret armor. In contrast with previous tanks, which were armed with rifled tank guns, the T-62 was the first tank armed with a smoothbore tank gun that could fire APFSDS rounds at higher velocities. While the T-62 became the standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, it did not fully replace the T-55 in export markets due to its higher manufacturing costs and maintenance requirements compared to its predecessor. Although the T-62 was replaced in Russia and the successor states of the Soviet Union, it is still used in some countries and its design features became standardized in subsequent Soviet and Russian mass-produced tanks.
Source: T-62 on Wikipedia
| T-62 Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Unknow |
| Localisation | Unknow |
| Photos | 195 |
| T-62 Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Unknow |
| Localisation | School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton |
| Photos | 82 |
| T-62 Main Battle Tank Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Bill Maloney |
| Localisation | Allegheny Arms & Armor Museum |
| Photos | 17 |
See also:
General Characteristics and Role
The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that entered production in 1961 as a direct successor to the T-55. While it shared much of its mobility and chassis design with the T-55, the T-62’s primary innovation was the introduction of the first smoothbore tank gun in service, the 115 mm U-5TS “Molot” (Hammer). This weapon was developed to counter the increasing armor protection of new NATO tanks like the American M60 Patton and the British Chieftain. The T-62 served as the backbone of the Soviet tank forces alongside the T-55 and was widely exported globally, seeing extensive combat in conflicts across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
| Property | Typical Value (T-62) |
|---|---|
| Role | Main Battle Tank (MBT) |
| National Origin | Soviet Union (USSR) |
| Manufacturer | Uralvagonzavod and others |
| Service Entry | 1961 |
| Crew | 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) |
| Configuration | Conventional, Turreted Medium Tank |
| Length (Gun Forward) | 9.34 m (30 ft 8 in) |
| Width | 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Combat Weight | 40.0 tonnes (44.1 short tons) |
Powerplant and Mobility
- Engine: 1 x V-55V 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine.
- Power Output: 580 hp (432 kW).
- Maximum Speed (Road): 50 km/h (31 mph).
- Suspension: Torsion bar suspension, retaining the robust, simple design of the T-54/55 series.
- Key Feature: Like its predecessors, the T-62 had full NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protection capability.
Armament and Armor
- Primary Armament: 1 x 115 mm U-5TS smoothbore tank gun. This was the first smoothbore gun to equip a production tank, offering a higher muzzle velocity and better penetration with discarding sabot rounds.
- Ammunition Capacity: 40 rounds (APFSDS, HEAT, HE-FRAG).
- Secondary Armament: 1 x 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun; 1 x 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun on the loader’s cupola (often replaced by the NSVT on later models).
- Armor (Max): Approx. 242 mm (9.5 in) RHA equivalent on the turret front (cast armor), 102 mm on the glacis plate.
- Drawback: The T-62 suffered from a long spent casing ejection time and a very slow rate of fire (4 rounds per minute) due to the difficult manual loading process of the large 115 mm rounds.
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