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Supervisor -> (9/14/2001 7:43:00 AM)
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Here is the only info I could find about the T-54 Tanks:
T-54 / T-55 Main Battle Tank
The T-55 medium tank has a fully tracked, five-road-wheeled chassis. This chassis has a space between the first and second road wheels and no return rollers. The T-55 has a low-silhouetted hull with a dome shaped turret mounted over the third road wheel. It is armed with a 100-mm rifled gun, which has a bore evacuator at the muzzle. The T-55 also mounts a 7.62-mm coaxial machine-gun. Early versions also mounted a bow-mounted 7.62-mm machine-gun. The T-55 differs from the older T-54 models because it lacks the right-hand cupola and the turret dome ventilator, which is located in front of that cupola on the T-54. Most T-55’s also lack the turret-mounted 12.7-mm antiaircraft machine-gun of the T-54. All T-55’s mount an infrared gunner’s searchlight above, and to the right of the main gun. This searchlight, however, is not a distinguishing feature since it has been retrofitted to many T-54 and T-54A tanks. The T-55 combines a high velocity gun with a highly mobile chassis, a low silhouette, and exceptional long-range endurance. Improvements over the T-54 include a larger V-12 water-cooled diesel engine with 580 rather than 520 hp, and an increased cruising range of 500 rather than 400 kilometers (600 kilometers with auxiliary tanks). The increased cruising range can go up to 715 kilometers with two 200-liter auxiliary fuel tanks which can be carried on the rear. The T-55 has two-plane stabilization of the main gun rather than vertical stabilization only. It also has a basic load for the main gun of 43 rather than 34 rounds. The T-55 can ford depths of 1.4 meters without preparation. It has snorkel equipment which enables it to cross depths of up to 5.5 meters at a speed of 2 kilometers per hour. This equipment takes about 30 minutes' preparation, but can be jettisoned immediately on leaving the water. All T-55’s have the PAZ radiation detection system; the T-55A also has an anti-radiation liner. Injecting vaporized diesel fuel onto the exhaust system can generate a dense smoke screen.
VARIANTS:
T-54A Same as the T-54 but introduced the D-10TG gun with a new fume evacuator, and vertical plane stabilization system. Internal improvements included a new multi-stage air cleaner and radiator controls for improved engine performance. China manufactured this variant under license as the Type 59.
T-54B This version introduced the OU-3 Infrared searchlight on the commander’s cupola, and a TPN-1 gunner’s day/night sight in place of the earlier MK-4 periscope. This version also introduced a two-axis stabilization system and the improved D-10T2S 100-mm rifled gun. This was the first version to be regularly equipped with a snorkel to allow deep fording of rivers.
T-54K This is the command version of the T-54A. It incorporates an additional radio by reducing the ammunition storage.
T-54AD This is a Polish-built command version of the T-54 that incorporates a slight extension of the turret that provides space for the additional radios.
OT-54 This flame-thrower tank substituted a ATO-1 automatic flame-thrower for the 7.62-mm coaxial machine-gun. The bow ammunition storage was modified to permit carrying 460-liters of flammable liquid using compressed gas for propulsion. Maximum range was 160 meters and the system could fire 15-20 bursts per minute.
And before you ask where I dug up this info go here: USSR Armored Fighting Vehicles
[ September 13, 2001: Message edited by: gmenfan ]
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