Hi all.....can you help me?!
I've some question about t55
Recently my build was published in "photos features"

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/2341

Now....on this base,a T55a with
- standard turret (three hook on the turret.chamfer on the lower edge of
the turret...ventilator hole)
- dshk (not mounted in my model)
- those turret hatches(I assume standard type for t55a),
- that engine deck...so not T54 engine deck
(Cause I'm not so able to explain exact configuration please see my model)
1) Can I depict an afghan version?!Did afghan force use this tank in this
configuration?
2)Did Afghan forces paint the tanks with other type of colour over the
russian green?I've noted in various photos a light green camo or is it
a sun effect that cooks the overall russian green?!
3)Snorkel,KMT and dozer blade are mounted in afghanistan?!any pics?!
(I've some doubts about the utilization of these equip...but why can't I
ask!?
4)Idea or info about the markings

5)links?!?

Sorry for the long post and the bad English

TIA

Ciro Riccio

Ciro,
First off, that's a nice build. I thought the T-55 expert was going to comment on it by now.
The only difference I see between yours and most of the operational T-55's is that for the most part they were missing the fender mounted fuel cells. Often they'd be missing the inspection cover for the fan bearings as well. In extreme cases I saw them with no rear engine deck. The hatch configuration is correct. Can't say on the engine deck.
One other minor point: Wooden pallets would not have been strewn about like that. The Afghans burned everything in sight as fuel for cooking.
They did use a multitude of camouflage schemes. I apologize for the quality of these photos - they are photos of photos. I went to Afghanistan in '02 with an old school film camera.
This T-54photo shows a typical scheme. Note the orange and yellow applied from a spray can:


While not a T-55, this photo shows it a little better, this time in yellow and black, but with sand colored splotches as well:


Several weeks ago, on "the other site" someone erroneously named this next scheme as the "Hashish cammo." It was in fact a scheme used by a warlord named Engineer Wazir. It had nothing to do with Hashish, or smoking it while painting it. Several warlords adopted a particular scheme to ID their own vehicles. He liked this scheme as he felt it looked more "modern." The post included a photo of a BRDM-2 in the scheme, and mentioned something about an SF advisor. Now, I don't know anything about the SF advisor in question, but here he is in front of one of the vehicles:


The above scheme was an exception. His vehicles usually were a little lighter on the squiggles:


Here's one of the very BRDM-2 pictured in the above mentioned post. The yellow amoeba shapes were common to most of Wazir's stable:

Hey
Many thanks for your help!!this is exactly the info that I need!Another good thing is to know the application mode of the camouglage...you write about spray can...it's a usefull info...and it's also intersting the hashish cammo.
About the pallets...they are on my model to represent a tank in a dismissed area...so the nature of their presence there.
Many thanks again for your reply 18Bravo

best regards

Ciro Riccio

Hi,
Ciro, what have you presented it is not T-55A but T-55. There are significant difference in a shape of turret hatches which were ecquiped with anti-radiation shields. The same with driver's hatch.
For afghanistan an ordinary T-55 could be. I am not sure but it could be that all versions were used there.

Cheers!

I think you're right!
when I built the model I hadn't much ability of identification...I think you understand,many many version of these tanks..lots of photos,field modifications and so on....
Now,after some books...I'm ,more or less, able to identify a version....
thank for your reply
Regards

Ciro Riccio

Here are some clearer shots I have found:









Hope that helps a little more!

What great pics! Three of them are mine.
That's me standing next to the T-54.

Hey many thanks Jacques..your photos are more clear than 18bravo..even if they are the same (right 18bravo ?!)
Intersting is the rubber side skirt....and the camo,with and without ameba.
Have you....18bravo or Jacques close up or better pictures of the side skirt?!
I think they are a field modification...or are they a standard production?!
Many thanks again
Regards
Ciro

Too easy.
The rubber sideskirts are a standard mod. Here are some close-ups:

Ok, so all know, the last three photos are Copyright 18Bravo. (I found them on the net about 3 years ago...source unknown, but definately not from you... ).

Don't sweat it. I'm not worried about it. I'm just glad that obviously you, and others, have found them useful references. They are from a Yahoo site I posted images to before they discontinued the service last year. I did digitize a lot of these photos at Wal-Mart, but can't find the CD any more.
This sort of thing has happened before. There was once a discussion about whether SF was using Hi-Lux's as gun trucks in Afghanistan, (they were Tacomas) and a few people linked to the same site using my photos as evidence that they were Hilux's, when they were indeed the very Tacomas we were using.

Hi guys....I want to ask a thing...
have you any pics with the mantlet dust cover broken?!
I've seen a lot of tanks...in Afghanistan or in Arab Nations,with the mantlet cover broken or removed,I'm trying to depict a tank with the mantlet removed using mig conversion....
I want to depict some pieces of the metal stripe where screw and bolts connect the dust cover with the main gun.....I've noted that without that stripe are visible seven holes around the structure that allow the elevation of main gun...I think that you understand.
I'll post photos of my work in these day...but what is your opinions?Could it be realistic?!

Regards

Ciro

I'll see if I can find the others. My best stuff was on video, but I haven't taken the time to learn how to take stills from it and post them:
(By the way, although MiG Productions makes this piece, it doesn't take long to carve it from a chunk of leftover resin.)