Hi - my 1st post here! I am researching the T-55 as used in the 6-day and the Yom Kippur wars, and was wondering if/where I can get decals and or references ti Egyptian and Syrian tanks?

Howdy Bruce, a really good reference is Osprey Vanguard 19 "Armor of the Middle East Wars" by some guy named Steven J. Zaloga. It has some nice color plates for vehicles and typical unit marking/numbering from the time frame you are interested in. It is out of print but I have seen used copies for sale at model shows. Also try and hunt down some old issues of "Born in Battle" books/ magazines. They have some issues that have color photos of KOed Arab equipment with some markings visible. You might also check out the photo gallerys of different Internet modeling websites to look at other modelers work for examples. Edit: Most of the markings are easily painted by hand(like the real deal) or by using a stencil and airbrush. Outta here, Mike sends . . .

There is a company that produced dry transfers of all of those markings rather than decals. I have them, but it may take a day or two of digging around the garage to find out who made them.

Bruce,
My company, Decalcomaniacs!, makes the decals you need. Drop by the website and see if there's anything else you need.
Regards,
Georg Eyerman
Decalcomaniacs!

Hello

Well, just be carefully with Egyptian Army in Yom Kippur!!!

Of course, you can use as base the Decalmaniac set for Egyptians, specially for the numbers and British style divisional simbols (rectangles in two colors)

But in Yom Kippur the Egyptians used mainly stripps of identification for the two involved armies, and you must paint that:

the 1th and 3th Armies was used in the battle, when the 2th Army was in the reserve. Now I cannot remember well, ...I am not sure if the 1th was in the north and 3th in south...but...what is sure is that the NORTH army used white strippes in the turrets and sides in WHITE color and the SOuth army used the RED color.

This aerial identification was common to all vehicles....well, the frist line ones...in AFVs and APCs.

The horizontal lines was divided in 3...and sometimes was only one around the turret.
2 lines in the sides and 1 line in the back of the turret for the friend fire.
Because the main battles were in the north (in the channel).. most of the pictures show the white versions, and there are few evidences of the shouth ones.
If you want go for the sure one, paint it in white.

Also, the egiptian license plates was not painted , but was metal licnese plates over fenders. Usually was painted averall sand color....and some of them was sand color with black numbers and red color "army" word.

I am making also a T55 mineroller in Yom Kippur and is a fanstastic subject!

Keep in touch

MIG

MIG,
Actually, my set includes the stripes in red. We figured the average modeler could come up with either painted or decal white/black stripes.
Regards,
Georg Eyerman
Decalcomaniacs!

Hello

Well, I have check again your site...and I have seen the 1/72 set wich is very complete and as you say it inlcude many kind of strippes.

But not the ARAB set!!!

You have a Arab Set P2...but without the photo. Maybe this is the one which inlcude it???
Can you show us a picture of these sheet , please??? Could be nice!!

Thank you

Mig Jimenez

Since I have those references I took a look for you. Born in Battle Number 3 is dedicated solely to the October War. It has one color photo of a Syrian T-55 in three tone with 616 in Arabic numerals on the turret. No other markings are visible. The only other color photo is of a T-62 also with three tone, with no markings or numbers visible at all.

Born in Battle No. 5 on Airborne and Commando raids has nine pages on the October War, with no Syrian equipment pictured at all. There's a Concord book out as well, that I have not had the time to dig up, that may have some markings pictured in it.