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Armor/AFV: Modern Armor
Modern armor in general.
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Iraqi T-55 questions
Ranger626
Joined: January 27, 2006
KitMaker: 8 posts
Armorama: 8 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2020 - 04:27 AM UTC
I'm an aircraft modeler so these might seem bonehead questions for armor guys, but I've hit a dead end on my research. I'm looking to build an Tamiya's 1/48 T-55 as an Iraqi tank to display with my Desert Storm aircraft and need help with the following: 1) did they typically carry the rear mounted fuel drums. I found NO photos showing them. 2) same for the un-ditching beam. 3) same for the cylindrical container mounted on the turret (?snorkel?).

Any advice on questions I did not think to ask?

I greatly appreciate anyone willing to share their knowledge. Thanks. (...or tanks a lot!)
stikpusher
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Arizona, United States
Joined: June 16, 2005
KitMaker: 83 posts
Armorama: 79 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2020 - 11:42 AM UTC
Follow the reference photos. The Iraqis had T-54’s, T-55’s, Type-59’s and Type-69’s. Find a photo of an Iraqi T-55 that you prefer, and work from that.
Khouli
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England - South West, United Kingdom
Joined: March 13, 2020
KitMaker: 68 posts
Armorama: 68 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2020 - 06:29 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm an aircraft modeler so these might seem bonehead questions for armor guys, but I've hit a dead end on my research. I'm looking to build an Tamiya's 1/48 T-55 as an Iraqi tank to display with my Desert Storm aircraft and need help with the following: 1) did they typically carry the rear mounted fuel drums. I found NO photos showing them. 2) same for the un-ditching beam. 3) same for the cylindrical container mounted on the turret (?snorkel?).

Any advice on questions I did not think to ask?

I greatly appreciate anyone willing to share their knowledge. Thanks. (...or tanks a lot!)


Tamiya actually produce a 1/35 Iraqi T55.

From my experience, the Iraqi T55 were quite bespoke - in the sense that they had unusual appliqué armour.

Anyway, no snorkel (not many rivers to wade in the desert) but yes to the fuel tanks. Not sure about the ditching beam. Check out this link.

https://www.scalemodellingnow.com/armour-tamiya-iraqi-tank-t55-enigma-build-review
Frenchy
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Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2020 - 08:24 PM UTC
Judging by the pics I've seen, I'd vote for "no snorkel, no ditching beam, and optional fuel drums". Like Carlos said, pick up a period picture and stick to it (the problem is that most of the available pics usually show wrecks...)

In this one the fuel drums appear to be fitted :



the 1/35 one from Miniart :



H.P.
marcb
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Overijssel, Netherlands
Joined: March 25, 2006
KitMaker: 1,244 posts
Armorama: 1,226 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2020 - 08:24 PM UTC
They do a regular T-55 in 1/48:
https://www.tamiya.com/english/products/32598/index.htm

They were mostly just overall sand.

Here's a variant with some more color.

From Osprey NV T-54/55.

Overall color is a bit too grey...
DickJones
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Donegal, Ireland
Joined: November 12, 2014
KitMaker: 44 posts
Armorama: 44 posts
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2020 - 10:34 PM UTC
The drums are removed in combat because they interfere with gun depression, should you be aiming at something with the turret facing backwards. A full traverse means elevating the gun to get past them.

The most common Iraqi tank used in '91 was the Type 69. And in 2003 the T-72M1.
Frenchy
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Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Monday, October 05, 2020 - 01:27 AM UTC
See what you mean....



H.P.
TopSmith
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Washington, United States
Joined: August 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,742 posts
Armorama: 1,658 posts
Posted: Monday, October 05, 2020 - 02:21 AM UTC
There were a few comoflaged T55's(?) I saw in Kuwait City a Dark green and dark tan. Drums on the rear were optional. The number of drums varried. Some of the drums stored water. These tanks were for the most part static and sat there for months. In the desert there was often a bunker dug out in the sand close by for the crew to hang out.
marcb
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Overijssel, Netherlands
Joined: March 25, 2006
KitMaker: 1,244 posts
Armorama: 1,226 posts
Posted: Tuesday, October 06, 2020 - 09:53 AM UTC
T-72's also used civilian fuel drums, which were fe blue or red.
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