Greetings,

I am looking for a painting scheme of Soviet T-72 tanks used during the Soviet-Afghan war. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any photos or drawings from the net. It is impossible, for me, to find them. Could anyone help me?

Thanks in advance.

Whistler

All of the references I have seen show them in some version of a sand color overall. The sand color was painted over the factory/depot applied dark green, and often wore through. This left high points, edges, and wear areas scuffed through to the dark green beneath. Also, adhesion problems could cause the sand color to peel or flake off, and the sun faded the sand paint pretty badly. I would say that depending on the age/'experience" of the tank you model, your sand color could be about any reasonably sandy color. Weathering and such will tend to obscure the original color on anything but a newly painted tank. As far as camouflage patterns, I can't recall what or if any were used, or what they were used at all. I do know that there tended to be a lot of 'household good' (the posessions and living accoutrements of the crew) on the outside of most AFVs there. Interior space is at a premium in the T72, and virtually all of the crew's personal equipment was stored outside.

Good Luck. Try "google" with "russian Tank afghanistan" to start your search.

I may be totally wrong here, but I don't think the soviets sent any of the T72's to Afghanistan. I've got loads of pictures of T62's and 55 variants in service with the Afghan army, but no pics of the 72.

Concord makes (made?) a couple of books about the amror of the afghan war and there is an Osprey title as well. None of them mention the use of the T72.

Did you maybe mean T-62 and mistyped T-72?
Mike