Hi Guys,

I have just got the T-64B Mod 1975 from Trumpeter and I cant seem to find any T-64B Mod 1975 photographs of this tank without smoke dischargers... the "B" model seems to have them in all photographs I have... Am I missing something here or can it be built straight out of the box?

Anto

The gill armor is earlier, the full side skirts are for rebuilds later.

The full length rubber skirts started to be fitted from January 1980. Obviously they were installed on older vehicles during periodic rebuilds, along with other updates that were current at that time. Therefore it would be very unusual (I'm not saying impossible) to see one with side skirts but no thermal sleeve (1975) or gill armour and ERA (1985).

Well it would be nice if manufacturers provided accurate information in their instructions but that assumes that they have access to it at the time. T-64 is not exactly well covered in non-Russian sources (in this sort of detail anyway) and had it not been for Sayenko and Chobitok's work I would be having to guess at it myself.

I'm happy if they provide accurate parts as working out which of the ones provided to use for my project is generally easier than making them from scratch, particularly if I don't have a real one available to measure first.

Lets see if I can breath some life into this subject. I am working on the Trumpie T-64B 1975. Question is rear facing spot light on turret, yes or no? Instructions dont call for it, not that that means anything. I've seen photos with and without but am fuzzy as to if they are As or Bs. Also, if mounted are they white or IR. (I'd think white. I'd think they were more of a work light.)

Your top picture is one of the prototypes, so no AAMG.

The other two pictures are museum pieces. No AAMG's on them as they are museum pieces.

Just so we get this correct, because you have a point, the initial T-64 produced in 1961-66 was based on Obiekt 432 with a 115mm main gun and no AAMG. About 600 of these were produced, but they were only considered in limited production, mainly to work out the bugs in production. In 1967 serial production of the T-64A, based on Obiekt 434 with the 125mm main gun, started. In 1979-81 ALL T-64's, regardless of production time, were rebuilt to T-64A specifications which included adding the AAMG to the initial T-64 batch, as well as unifying the storage design on the fenders, among other things. I am not sure how many 115mm armed T-64 were rebuilt and how many scrapped at this point but enough were rebuilt that they were renamed T-64R to differentiate them from the 125mm armed versions. As the initial batch of T-64's came up for need of overhaul after 1981, they were retired, as their need for 115mm ammo complicated the supply system for T-64 units.

And that is why the 115mm armed T-64 can have, and not have, an AAMG. However, I was not thinking about the 115mm version as I am not sure how much use it got in field as the initial production T-64's were very unreliable.