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T34-85 in Afghanistan (picture heavy)
rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:48 PM UTC
Spent most of yesterday photographing a T-34-85 that made it into Kabul sometime during the early part of the Russian invasion. First thing that stood out was the T-55 road wheels on such an old vehicle which drew me to her. There are many T34-85’s here in the Kabul area, but only two with T-55 road wheels and she is the only complete one. There is another T-34 that I will show pictures of in this thread that has a T-55 road wheel on one side and a T-34 on the other. I try to get out there are much as possible as the Chinese are dragging all the hulls and piling them up to be turned into scrap, so it has turned into a race against the shredder. For the rivet counters that like to PM me, i am sure this too has had some type of arsenal refit in its life time, hence the two types of interior colors, road wheels, etc. Anyways, the pictures are for your personal use only as a reference, if you need hi-res pictures just shoot me an email and I will get them to you asap, but they are all big pictures 4-5mb each and internet in Afghanistan is crap.
rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:48 PM UTC
This is the main T-34

Drivers Side Rear Sprocket

Drivers Side rear road wheels

Drivers side Rear final drive housing


rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:49 PM UTC
Turret

Crude cuts on back of turret



rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:50 PM UTC
Various Turret Pictures



rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:51 PM UTC
Turret Hatches





rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:52 PM UTC
Back deck
Standing on turret looking down.

Back deck looking left rear towards the front

rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:54 PM UTC
Fuel Cells

Data Plate on external fuel cell




rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:55 PM UTC
Under carriage, back hull and related areas

Exhaust Cut out on rear hull




rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:56 PM UTC
More rear hull
Some ugly welds

Rear hull area


rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:57 PM UTC
Engine compartment Interior
left rear

Right rear

rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:58 PM UTC
Bow Machinegun Port

Underside

Inside

rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 04:59 PM UTC
Various Interior Shots





rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 05:01 PM UTC
Main Gun Data plate, which is currently in my shop back home.

Spiderfrommars
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 05:34 PM UTC
I really thought that the oddest T-35-85 which I've seen were those used by the Croats during the war in former Yugoslavia...
Well, I was wrong....

Those pics are outstanding and incredibly interesting Mike

Thanks a million to share that reference photographs despite your quite uncomfortable circumstances
rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 06:04 PM UTC
oops forgot these, notice how crudely these fenders are welded to the hull.



4-BO-Green
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Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 06:17 PM UTC
Nice photoshoot!!

Big thanks for sharing

Remco
MCR
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Posted: Friday, August 26, 2011 - 11:18 AM UTC
Those, sir, are some fantastic photographs! Thank you very much for posting them.
Looks like a "fairly" early production tank from factory 174. Definitely built during WWII.
The wheels BTW aren't T-54/55 as such but purpose built for the T-34. Slightly different diameter and pattern.
Again, thanks for posting these and stay safe!

Mark
exer
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Posted: Friday, August 26, 2011 - 12:09 PM UTC
Terrific photos Mike. Thanks for sharing them
rcnpthfndr
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Posted: Friday, August 26, 2011 - 06:18 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Looks like a "fairly" early production tank from factory 174. Definitely built during WWII.
The wheels BTW aren't T-54/55 as such but purpose built for the T-34. Slightly different diameter and pattern.
Again, thanks for posting these and stay safe!

Mark


i did not know that about the roadwheels. another question since i dont know, what makes you think its from factory 174? i took some pictures of numerical markings that i can post if you want to see them.
Spiderfrommars
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Posted: Saturday, August 27, 2011 - 04:21 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Those, sir, are some fantastic photographs! Thank you very much for posting them.
Looks like a "fairly" early production tank from factory 174. Definitely built during WWII.
The wheels BTW aren't T-54/55 as such but purpose built for the T-34. Slightly different diameter and pattern.
Again, thanks for posting these and stay safe!

Mark


Interesting.
Do you have any references about that kind of wheels?
It seem to me most likely that the T-34 wheels were substituted with T54/55 wheels, which were easy available in that zone and which are compatible with T-34 tank.
The same think did Croats and Serbian with their t-34--85 tanks





Just my opinion anyway

Cheers
MCR
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Posted: Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 09:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Looks like a "fairly" early production tank from factory 174. Definitely built during WWII.
The wheels BTW aren't T-54/55 as such but purpose built for the T-34. Slightly different diameter and pattern.
Again, thanks for posting these and stay safe!

Mark


i did not know that about the roadwheels. another question since i dont know, what makes you think its from factory 174? i took some pictures of numerical markings that i can post if you want to see them.


It's a little iffy since so many of these tanks were completely rebuilt post war. BUT, the turret with the rolled plate cupola (as opposed to cast), the pattern of the bottom plate, and, most importantly, the large rear hinges are all 174.
The type of turret, some details of the hull construction, and the glacis MG shield with the smaller diameter sight aperture are all pre-1945 (I "think").

As for the roadwheels, I can't post a picture at the moment but from all my references mounting the T-54/55 wheels on a T-34 suspension is not as straight forward as most folks think. It isn't a simple swap.
The easiest was to recognize the purpose built T-34 wheel is to look at the perforation in the raised portion of the "star". It's way larger than those for the later tanks. Easy to spot when you have them side by side.

Mark
MCR
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Posted: Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 09:22 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I took some pictures of numerical markings that i can post if you want to see them.


Oh, and hells ya I'd like to see the markings!

Mark
Spiderfrommars
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Posted: Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 09:43 AM UTC
Hey Mark, I' ve found references about the wheels

http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/t3485bg_2.html


T-34 Wheel


T-55 wheel



You're right, thanks a million for information

zapper
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Posted: Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 10:33 AM UTC
@ Mike: Great pictures. Many thanks for taking the an posting them!

Regarding the T-34 starfish weels: the Dragon T-34/85M NVA (no. 3318?) comes with them.

Cheers,
/E
Spiderfrommars
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Posted: Sunday, August 28, 2011 - 11:13 AM UTC

Quoted Text


As for the roadwheels, I can't post a picture at the moment but from all my references mounting the T-54/55 wheels on a T-34 suspension is not as straight forward as most folks think. It isn't a simple swap.
The easiest was to recognize the purpose built T-34 wheel is to look at the perforation in the raised portion of the "star". It's way larger than those for the later tanks. Easy to spot when you have them side by side.

Mark


...so the same must be true for Su-100 Self propelled gun...



Thanks again
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