Семьдесять Двойка T-72: The “Unwanted” Soviet Tank

Presented by Stephen L. “Cookie” Sewell • Overview • Dramatis Personae • History of the T-72 – Development – Modification • Modeling the T-72 Today

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 2 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Notes on this presentation – Presentation focuses on the Russian T-72 variants only, not export or license built tanks – Primary focus of construction section is on 1/35 scale kits and offerings only – Reason: this is a 50 minute seminar , not a 40 hour “block of instruction”!

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 3 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Aleksandr Morozov – Chief Designer, KhPZ – Designer of the T-44 and T-54 medium tanks – Goal is to be the chief designer of a “revolutionary” next generation tank

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 4 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Zhosef Kotin – Chief Designer, LKZ – Designer of heavy tanks (KV, IS-2, IS-3) – Wants to ensure the future of heavy tanks

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 5 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Leonid Kartsev – Chief designer, UVZ – Designer of the T-55 and T-62 tanks – Convinced route to the future is by evolution of designs, not revolutionary designs

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 6 Fredericksburg, Virginia Task – Design the Next Medium Tank – Given in 1953 – Morozov convinced he can do it best – UVZ still basically producing T-54 tanks – LKZ tied up with the IS-8 (later T-10) design • Task is assigned to the KhPZ in Kharkov (later the Malyshev factory)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 7 Fredericksburg, Virginia • First design concepts seen in 1958 – Tank must mount the 100mm D-54TS gun – Tank must have better armor protection than the T-54 – Tank must meet future needs of the Red Army against NATO tanks

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 8 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Kharkov offers the Article 430…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 9 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …But Kartsev counters with Article 140

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 10 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Results – Both tanks fail, but Morozov’s offering is held to have promise – Change of plans – UK announces the development of the 105mm L7 gun • Standard NATO weapon for US, UK, FRG • Soviets not happy to lose “size” advantage to NATO

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 11 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Marshal Chuykov (head of Ground Forces) – Can we make a bigger gun? • Answer – D-54TS can be bored out to 115mm but will then be a smoothbore using new design ammunition (APFSDS) • Response: “I don’t care if you have to strap it on the back of pig, GET THAT GUN TO THE FIELD!”

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 12 Fredericksburg, Virginia • 1961 – New efforts ready for offer – New tank designs both mount the 115mm “Molot’” cannon firing APFSDS – Rounds redesigned to permit use of a human loader in the turret (shorter and more compact that those for the D-54TS gun) – Accuracy down but penetration power way up

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 13 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Morozov offers Article 432…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 14 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …Kartsev counters with the T-62…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 15 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …and the more polished Article 167

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 16 Fredericksburg, Virginia • MO sees Article 432 as best option – Three man crew with mechanical loader vice four man crew – More powerful engine (on paper!) of 700 HP – More advanced armor protection • T-62 is accepted for service as a “tank destroyer” • Article 167 rejected out of hand

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 17 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Dmitriy Ustinov – Head of the Scientific Council of the CC CPSU from 1965 on – Made Minister of Defense to replace Grechko in 1976 – Always in favor of “new toys”

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 18 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Ustinov totally in favor of Article 432 – Most advanced – Military slowly realizing this is a mechanical nightmare and may never be fully perfected – No deviation from this path permitted by Ustinov – T-64 WILL be the new main battle tank of the Red Army

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 19 Fredericksburg, Virginia • 1966 – Article 432 accepted as the T-64 tank – Immediate problems with reliability – At one point nearly half of tanks are out of service – Redesign of key components unacceptable to Ustinov • “Make it work”

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 20 Fredericksburg, Virginia • 1969 – T-64A tank accepted for service – Biggest difference is the use of the 125mm D-81T gun vice 115mm • Ustinov orders both the UVZ and Omsk Tank Plant to stop their T-55 and T-62 production in favor of the T-64A • But in 1967 MO requests UVZ design what they call the “Mobilization Version” of the T-64A – This tank will use a V-2 based engine (faster and easier to build) vice the complicated and expensive 5TDF engine

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 21 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Kharkov transfers a T-64A to the UVZ • Kartsev starts design work on the new version • UVZ engineers unimpressed with the “super tank” and want to make changes • Kartsev starts making plans…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 22 Fredericksburg, Virginia • 1968 -Article 172 built with V-45 diesel engine

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 23 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Kartsev requests to make some changes… – Intention is “to make the tank easier to produce in mass numbers during mobilization”… – Actual changes made • New running gear • New engine • New autoloader (cassette design versus the open “stockade” design of the T-64A)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 24 Fredericksburg, Virginia • MO (and Ustinov) furious – “Overstepped your tasking orders!” – Military intrigued as design is what THEY wanted – Tank has none of the vices of the T-64A • Ustinov orders all work to cease on this tank, but…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 25 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …Kartsev makes an end run – Offers it to the military while Ustinov is on leave – Grechko and the relevant marshals eagerly sign off on the new tank – Tank is accepted on 12 May 1970 and with proposed production starting on 1 January 1973 if it passes all testing

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 26 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Vasiliy Venediktov – Lead designer for the UVZ on the Article 172M project – Designer of the remaining primary variants of the T-72 through 1990

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 27 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Article 172M (prototype T-72)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 28 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Article 172M from Fall 1970 vs. 172

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 29 Fredericksburg, Virginia • The Wrath of Ustinov – 1969 - Kartsev “promoted” to a dead-end position – 1970-71 - T-72 must “prove itself” by undergoing the most strenuous comparative testing in Soviet Army history – 1972 - To his chagin, the T-72 humiliates the T-64A at every turning

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 30 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72 Early Production (accepted August 1973)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 31 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72A Model 1978

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 32 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72A with extra radiation shielding

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 33 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72B Model 1985

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 34 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72BV with reactive armor (Kontakt-1)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 35 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72AV (retrofitted with Kontakt-1)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 36 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Vladimir Potkin • Took over from Venediktov in 1990 • Chief designer of the final T-72B models and also the T-90 series tanks • Died in 1997 while in India

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 37 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-72BM (BU) offered in 1991 but…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 38 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Desert Storm 1991 – T-72s obliterated by Coalition forces – No confirmed kills against Coalition tanks – T-72s become a drug on the market • Yeltsin comes to the rescue – T-72BM is redesignated the “T-90, the first Russian tank”

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 39 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-90 Model 1992 (with Kontakt-5)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 40 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Vladimir Domnin • Chief designer UVZ since 1997 • Designer of the T-90A and all current UVZ tank designs

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 41 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-90A Model 1999

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 42 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Main difference is new welded turret

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 43 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Rebuilds continue – here a rebuilt T-72…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 44 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …and the T-72BA (since 1989)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 45 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …and the T-72B Modified “Rogatka” (2005)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 46 Fredericksburg, Virginia • T-90M with “Burlak” type turret

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 47 Fredericksburg, Virginia • Modeling the T-72 – NO GOOD KITS of the T-72 are currently available in any scale! – Best efforts: • 1/72 scale Revell (Germany) kit • 1/35 scale Tamiya “T-72M1” kit – Translation: if you want a T-72, prepare to either work hard or go to the after-market boys

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 48 Fredericksburg, Virginia T-72 Kits – ESCI • 5019 – T-72 tank • 5024 – T-74 tank • 5031 – T-72 with Soviet assault troops – All are undersized with badly formed parts – Based on Airmodel resin kit from mid 1970s

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 49 Fredericksburg, Virginia T-72 Kits – Dragon • 3501 – T-72M2 (actually a T-72B1) • 3502 – T-72G/M (most likely a poor T-72A) • 3507 – T-72M2 with ERA • 3529 – T-72M1 “Iraq” (T-72M kit with new tracks and decals) • ? – T-72M1 Lion of Babylon (Kirin) (similar to 3529) – Hull bow angles wrong (38 vice 52 degrees) – Turret proportions wrong – Gun overscale – Wheels underscale and too thin – With work can be used for conversions

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 50 Fredericksburg, Virginia T-72 Kits – Trumpeter • Note: all Trumpeter and Hobbycraft T-72 kits are poor copies of the Tamiya T-72M1 kit (directions are Tamiya’s with new Trumpeter logos inserted via xerox before printing) • Not recommended due to poor fit, unusual choice of plastic, and outright theft of intellectual property

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 51 Fredericksburg, Virginia T-72 Kits – Tamiya • 35160 – Russian T-72M1 – Turret very poorly rendered (halfway between an M and M1) – Early model “eight bolt” wheels – Czech model fuel tanks used – Good details and hull is useful as a starting point for an accurate T-72 or T-90 model

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 52 Fredericksburg, Virginia Mandatory Replacement Parts – Turrets (many manufacturers) • MAY be reworked to M1 or A model with putty – Glacis details (Miniarm) – Wheels (six-bolt wheels or T-90 wide wheels - CMD, Miniarm among others) – Tracks (Fruil, Miniarm for “universal” tracks) – Guns (kit not too bad, but many manufacturers)

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 53 Fredericksburg, Virginia • This is a T-72M turret…

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 54 Fredericksburg, Virginia • …and this is a T-72M1 turret

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 55 Fredericksburg, Virginia The Engine Deck • Yes, it is off-center by about 30mm to the left • Replacing it most likely not worth the effort unless you REALLY want bragging rights • Rear air exhaust vent needs work and this is a must unlike the engine deck

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 56 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 57 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 58 Fredericksburg, Virginia T-90 Model 1992 from Tamiya kit – Miniarm Turret – Miniarm Glacis plate – Miniarm T-90 wheel set – Miniarm T-90 universal track set – Modified and converted parts

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 59 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 60 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 61 Fredericksburg, Virginia T-72B Modified “Rogatka” Model 2008 – Kitbashed turret – DML “T-72M2” front, Tamiya rear, scratch sight – CMD six-bolt wheels – “Universal track” from SKIF T-64 single link – Scratch APU and exhaust – Scratch reactive and bar armor arrays

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 62 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 63 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 64 Fredericksburg, Virginia BMO Flamethrower Vehicle – DML T-72M2 hull with lower glacis angles reversed – CMD six-bolt wheels – Scratch upper hull, fenders, rear area and details – Tamiya cementable vinyl tracks

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 65 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 66 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 67 Fredericksburg, Virginia • BTR-T Prototype Heavy APC – DML T-72M2 hull with reversed lower glacis angles – Stock Tamiya eight-bolt wheels – Scratch upper works and reactive armor – Tamiya cementable vinyl tracks

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 68 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 69 Fredericksburg, Virginia 9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 70 Fredericksburg, Virginia Questions?

9 April 2011 2011 AMPS International Convention, 71 Fredericksburg, Virginia