Thanks

T-55

http://www.military.com/Resources/EQG/EQGmain?file=T55&cat=f&lev=2

Actually it is a T-54 and not the T-55. The reason I say this is because even though both the T-54 and T-55 look very much the same, there is one major difference between them. The T-54's turret has a Domed Ventilator on the right front (left looking at the front). THe Soviet's did away with it when they went to the T-55. This is a very easy mistake that many people make. I should know, I taught Armor ID for over 15 years in the US Army. Here's a link that shows bothhttp://tanxheaven.com/referencepictures.htm

hey Marc,

like Edward said it's a T-54.
one very easy way to tell a T-54 from a 55 is to look at the gun. the T-55 has a smoke extractor at the end of the gun where the 54's crew had to do away with smoke gradually filling the turret as they fired more and more rounds.

a common myth I heard in the army is that Syrian crews of T-54s have to wear gas masks when firing more than one series of rounds. probably some sort of joke but who knows.

There is more ways to see that it's a T-54.
If you look att the front of the hull you will see a hole, it is for the hull mounted MG placed to the right of the driver.
You can also tell by the armor plates beeing interlocked on the T-54. On the T-55 the plates are straight.

/Thord

1 number off, close enough you guys have a good eye, this is why i dont teach armor recognition haha :-)

Guys,

The T-54A and T-54B also have the bore evacuator, and early T-55s still had the driver's MG firing through the glacis, so those features cannot be used to distinguish the 54 from the 55.

Olaf

I guess I can never be an Armor reconition person either, cause I studied that picture over, and over, and I never did find that hole for the MG mount in the hull to the right of the driver with the interlocking plates.

I think I did find that dome ventilator though.

If you look at the center of the front glacis you can see a small black hole.
Thats the opening for the hull mounted MG.



The interlocked armour plates you can see if you look att the joint between the upper and lower glacis plates.

/Thord