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Armor/AFV
For discussions on tanks, artillery, jeeps, etc.
Ever heard of or seen a TV-62 ?
bison126
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Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
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Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 04:31 AM UTC
OK, a quick google search led me to an oooold TV set not really related to our hobby !
Thus I ask to the Soviet stuff gurus if they ever heard of such an ARV variant of the T-62.
Some hints to help : it could be Bulgarian and not Soviet/Russian. I have seen only two pictures at Jedsite but nothing else even at PrimePortal.

Any help will be highly appreciated.
Olivier
marcb
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Overijssel, Netherlands
Joined: March 25, 2006
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Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 05:14 AM UTC
It could be the vehicle that appears in the images of WWII german afv's being recovered in Rumania. Pics appeared about two years ago.

See here:
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62429
mike0000
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Virginia, United States
Joined: May 13, 2008
KitMaker: 29 posts
Armorama: 23 posts
Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 05:16 AM UTC
The TV-62 and TV-62M are Bulgarian ARVs built from T-62 MBTs.

The following can be found on various user-loaded sites:

"TV-62M - T-62M main battle tank converted into an armoured recovery vehicle. This vehicle is composed of a T-62M hull with a modified T-55 or T-55A turret which was cut in half and it's the upper part was bolted onto the hull in the 6 o'clock position. There's a large winch and a snorkel mounted on the rear of the hull. In TV they were called "tractors for tanks"."

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/T-62

EDIT -
From a more 'reputable' source:

TV-62M ARV

In 1988, Bulgaria took delivery of 150 T-62M MBTs armed with a 115 mm gun from Russia. Due to a number of problems, understood to be concerned with the 115 mm weapon system, these were soon withdrawn from service.

Some of these T-62 MBTs were subsequently converted into the recovery role and designated the TV-62M.

The modifications included the removal of the three-person turret, which was replaced by the fixed upper half of a T-55 or T-55A tank turret which for this role had the 100 mm weapon removed and the turret facing the rear.

The two cupola hatch covers have been retained and a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun is mounted on the cupola. On the left rear of the hull, above the exhaust outlet, has been located a small winch. Tow bars and other equipment is carried.
Frenchy
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Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
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Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 05:41 AM UTC
Salut Olivier
I think this is the beast you're talking about :














A few more pics on this forum :
http://www.airgroup2000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=224182&start=105

HTH
Frenchy
newfish
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England - West Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: June 23, 2008
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Posted: Monday, September 28, 2009 - 06:27 AM UTC
Frenchy you are indeed correct and the photos you have posted are of the TV 62 pulling all sorts of ww2 tanks from the Turkish border during the Warsaw pack/NATO frontier. There was a mad rush by Bulgaria to get them removed and stuck into museums as there was a keen intereast from collecters and they seem to be worth a pritty penny.

Zac Sex and David Coyne did a combined dio of a TV62 pulling a Panzer IV with an Su76 gun out of a ditch. It's on Missing lynx and in this months AFV Modeller.

HTH

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