I have some questions about the Russian Tank Biathlon - I'd like to depict one of the funky schemes on my Meng T72B3:

1. Are the tanks provided by the Russians 'pre-painted' or do the competing nations bring their own with them? The colour schemes don't seem to match the national schemes in most cases.

2. Do the crews switch between tanks during the competition? Many of the pics I've seen state a particular nation, but then another picture of the same tank states a different nation.

3. I'm interested in the lime green/black/olive drab scheme - any good walkarounds out there of this scheme?

Thanks in advance, Ian.

3. Not really a walkaround, but here are some photos of said machine on our favourite Russian walkaround site:

http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow.htm?p=3404&np=all

1- As of 2014, the tanks provided by the Russians are all T-72 B3's produced by UralVagonZavod) and are pre-painted in various colourful schemes. I understand any competing nation can bring their own tanks, but very few do. This year it seems only China did (using their Type 96B tank - http://gurkhan.blogspot.fr/2016/08/96-723.html - http://gurkhan.blogspot.fr/2016/07/ztz-96b.html ) and Belarus (T-72B1M - http://gurkhan.blogspot.fr/2016/08/721.html )
NB : in 2014 the Russian team used a T-72 B3M (T-72B4), in 2015 a T-72 B3 and in 2016 a T-72B3 as well as a T-72 B3M(B4).



2- Again my understanding is that each nation uses one scheme only (there's a draw just before the competition starts).

NB 1 : in the Tank Biathlon this year Russia began the competition with a T-72B3 painted in a grey/black scheme but later switched to a T-72B3M (or T-72B4) in the lime green/ olive green / black scheme :

T-72B3 (Russia, 2016)

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/russias-t72b3-tank-in-the-individual-race-event-of-the-tank-biathlon-picture-id585137450


T-72B3M (Russia, 2016)

https://photos.smugmug.com/Military/ARMYGAMES-2016-Opening-and/i-q7BT3mC/0/O/TankBiathlon2016opening-18.jpg

NB 2 : be aware that the colour schemes used in the Tank Biathon competitions are pretty much the same schemes from one year to the next. Therefore you have to be careful with photos and dates and check the flags whenever they are visible.
In 2015, at least India and Mongolia used the lime green / Olive green / black scheme.
In 2016, I think only Armenia and Tajikistan used this scheme.


Tajikistan (2016) :

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/TankBiathlon2016opening-23.jpg

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/tajikistans-t72b3-tank-in-the-individual-race-event-of-the-tank-at-picture-id585137460

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/crew-member-of-tajikistans-t72b3-tank-in-the-individual-race-event-of-picture-id585136922

also in this vid :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLt94MRfO-s


India (2015) :

http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow.htm?mode=P&vmode=T&p=3404&id=213781&tp=w

http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow.htm?mode=P&vmode=T&p=3404&id=213780&tp=w

http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow.htm?mode=P&vmode=T&p=3404&id=213767&tp=w

http://www.dishmodels.ru/wshow.htm?mode=P&vmode=T&p=3404&id=213735&tp=w



Armenia (2016) :

https://photos.smugmug.com/Military/ARMYGAMES-2016-Opening-and/i-n9d5XLS/0/O/TankBiathlon2016opening-28.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Military/ARMYGAMES-2016-Opening-and/i-dJr8fjh/0/O/TankBiathlon2016opening-30.jpg

http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2016/08/10/%E2%80%9CTank-Biathlon-2016%E2%80%9D/1625612


Mongolia (2015) :

http://fr.depositphotos.com/79831006/stock-photo-tank-biathlonarmy-games-international-2015.html


3- See above.
I'm not aware of a complete walkaround of one single Tank in that scheme,but there shouldn't be too many discrepancies between tanks sporting the same scheme. Some markings may differ though.

If you google "Tank Biathlon" + "(year)" + / or "(country" you will get more results...
but be careful as if you type "Tank Biathlon 2016", Google will turn up photos of 2016 as well as 2015, 2014 etc...

HTH
Yann

If you search on "Tank Biathlon kuwait roll video", you'll get a link to a short video clip of one of the Kuwaiti tanks hitting a turn a little too aggressively and demonstrating that it is possible to not only drift a T-72 but roll one on a flat surface.

Fantastic responses - thanks all.

Thank you Yann, very informative.

Anyone know what the differences are between the B3 and B3M/B4?

Commander's TIS.

Olaf

Colors are chosen by sortation
http://мультимедиа.минобороны.рф/multimedia/photo/gallery.htm?id=31032@cmsPhotoGallery

For 2016 colors check official page http://eng.armygames2016.mil.ru/page190577.html

Quick answer :

most visible differences are :

T-72B3M (B4) :

- the commander's independent panoramic sight (as noted above) + additional cabling on turret roof.

but also :
- the different wheels and tracks (same types as fitted to the T-90MS and some BMPTs)

- different (more powerful) engine (V-92S2F)

- rear view camera + cabling > unditching log relocated to the right hand side of the hull

More details here :

http://www.armyrecognition.com/russia_russian_army_tank_heavy_armoured_vehicles_u/t-72b3m_t-72b4_main_battle_tank_technical_data_sheet_specifications_pictures_video_12003163.html


Yann

Yann and Dmitry thank you, very informative, lot more nations than I thought take part.

Wonder how a 'western' tank would compare around the same courses?