Яusso-Soviэt Forum: Cold War Soviet Armor
For discussions related to cold war era Russo-Soviet armor.
How to model a T-55
aremark
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Arizona, United States
Joined: September 16, 2017
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Posted: Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 04:20 AM UTC
Thanks guys for the info. I am still learning a lot about this tank. After looking at this site and some of the modeling I am truly impressed at the details people are putting into the models.
MichalBT
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Województwo Kieleckie, Poland
Joined: July 03, 2002
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Posted: Sunday, September 17, 2017 - 09:59 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Andrew, an entire book could be written on what was produced in Poland concerning T-54/55's alone.



There are link1 and link2 to a very complex articles about Polish modifications of T-54/55- not only in Merida version.
Articles are in Polish- but You can try to use Google translator.

Hope it helps

Michal
JSSVIII
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Massachusetts, United States
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Posted: Monday, September 18, 2017 - 04:18 AM UTC
thanks for those links Michal, very helpful! (with the use of Google tranlate of course.)
aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Monday, September 18, 2017 - 08:37 AM UTC
I agree these links are great! Thanks Michal
aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 - 08:50 AM UTC
Does anybody know what the rectangular blocks on the upper glacias next to the tow points are for? They are only on some T55 tanks. They look like an attachment rest or something, but I cannot find any pictures of them being utilized or described.
JSSVIII
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Massachusetts, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 - 03:36 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Does anybody know what the rectangular blocks on the upper glacias next to the tow points are for? They are only on some T55 tanks. They look like an attachment rest or something, but I cannot find any pictures of them being utilized or described.



I'm by no means an expert, but off the top of my head, I believe those have to do with mounting a mine roller system, you might try searching in that direction.
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
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Posted: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 - 05:42 PM UTC
If you are talking about the ones near the top of the glacis, they are used to bolt on the hydraulic cylinders for the Mine Plow systems.

aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 10:53 AM UTC
These rectangle stops
MichalBT
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Województwo Kieleckie, Poland
Joined: July 03, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 09:35 PM UTC
These "rectangle stops" (together with "rectangular blocks") were used when tank was equipped with KMT-4/ KMT-5.
"Rectangle stops" were used to rescrict lift of mine roller. This time "rectangular blocks" were receiving handles to mount chains (which were connected with mine roller).

Hope this helps

Michal

MichalBT
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Województwo Kieleckie, Poland
Joined: July 03, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, September 21, 2017 - 09:46 PM UTC

aremark
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Arizona, United States
Joined: September 16, 2017
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Posted: Saturday, November 18, 2017 - 03:41 AM UTC

Wanted to show you my friend's tank in its current paint job. Thanks for your help with ID.

aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Saturday, November 18, 2017 - 03:48 AM UTC
I also wanted to show you an unusual part that you may care about if you ever want to set up a fording display. This is the fording exhaust valve. For fording, beyond putting on the snorkel and sealing the tank, this valve is bolted over the exhaust on the left side of the tank. The 2 circular doors can be locked open, but for fording they are closed with spring tension. When the engine is running the pressure from the exhaust opens the doors, provided the exhaust pressure is stronger than the spring and any water pressure against it. This way no water gets into the engine.

aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2017 - 04:12 AM UTC
Does anybody know what is stored in the vertical rectangular container between the smoke grenade launcher and the ammo cans? I only see this storage box on T-55AM2 and even then it is not on all of them.

Inside the container is a bracket that appears to be made to hold two cylinder like objects. The bracket holes for the cylinder like objects are also two different sizes. So it is not two of the same thing, they are two different sized (minorly different sized) cylinder like objects.

seanmcandrews
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: May 09, 2009
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2017 - 07:28 PM UTC
I always assumed it was storage for smoke grenades, would love to see a photo of the inside. Here's info on the grenades themselves, may provide some evidence if that's what it's for.
http://dezamet.com.pl/files/files/en/pliki_do_pobrania/Dezamet_81_eng.pdf

Sean
guni-kid
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: July 21, 2007
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2017 - 07:46 PM UTC
It's probably the storage container for the disassembled laser warning device... Correct me, if I'm wrong, because I'm also not 100% sure. (The laser warning device is the bar-shaped dome behind the commanders cupola)
seanmcandrews
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Pennsylvania, United States
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Posted: Monday, December 18, 2017 - 08:29 PM UTC
Another good guess, although I believe it's a meteorological sensor.

Sean
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, December 19, 2017 - 10:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I always assumed it was storage for smoke grenades, would love to see a photo of the inside. Here's info on the grenades themselves, may provide some evidence if that's what it's for.
http://dezamet.com.pl/files/files/en/pliki_do_pobrania/Dezamet_81_eng.pdf

Sean



We thought about smoke grenades but decided it was not quite right. I will get pictures of the inside this weekend.
guni-kid
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: July 21, 2007
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Posted: Tuesday, December 19, 2017 - 01:53 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Another good guess, although I believe it's a meteorological sensor.

Sean



You might be right... the laser warning device could also be installed at the upper mantlet. I assumed, though, that the laser device above the mantlet/barrel would be the active part, i.e. the laser range finder... Will have a look into my "Kampfpanzer der NVA" book in the evening and check if I can find out more
aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 - 07:50 AM UTC
Inside pics of the storage box.



guni-kid
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: July 21, 2007
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Posted: Friday, December 29, 2017 - 10:21 PM UTC
I checked my books and can say:The round device behind the cupola is the laser warning device. So my guess stands: The container might be the storage container for the disassembled laser warning device... since it's a rather fragile optical device (and therefor probably expensive) it might be in there when not in use...
aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Saturday, December 30, 2017 - 04:35 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I checked my books and can say:The round device behind the cupola is the laser warning device. So my guess stands: The container might be the storage container for the disassembled laser warning device... since it's a rather fragile optical device (and therefor probably expensive) it might be in there when not in use...



I'll check it out, but that tower is bolted together, no quick detach. And I forget if the electrical has an easy disconnect. I know it has a bracket that is screwed in and holding the electrcial line which prevent pulling on the electrical line. The tower does have a quick release to tilt it down and out of the way for low clearance. I'll post photos later.
aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Saturday, December 30, 2017 - 06:47 AM UTC
Here are some pictures with the laser detector down and up. I will have my friend look closer at the unit tomorrow.




aremark
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Sunday, December 31, 2017 - 01:07 PM UTC
We checked, the laser detector and wind sensor tower is too big in too many ways to fit in the box.
guni-kid
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: July 21, 2007
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Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 - 01:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

We checked, the laser detector and wind sensor tower is too big in too many ways to fit in the box.



Alright back to square one then, I guess Now I'm also quite interested in what the container is actually there for...
Removed by original poster on 02/27/18 - 22:53:16 (GMT).