The T-55 and T-54 medium tanks were the Soviet Union's replacements for the World War II era T-34 tank. The T-54 and T-55 tanks are very similar in construction.

Table of contents
1 Production History
2 Combat History

Production History

The first T-54 was produced 1947. It was redesigned in 1958 as the T-55. Production continued to 1981 in the Soviet Union. It was also produced in Czechoslovakia, Poland and in China as the Type 59.

Currently used in various countries too poor to afford anything better.

Variants

Combat History

Hungary in 1956.
Czechoslovakia in 1968.
Israel-Arab wars in 1967 and 1973.
Southeast Asia. (Vietnam, Cambodia)
"Brushfire Wars" (Angola, Congo)
Afghanistan
Chechnya
Iran-Iraq War
Gulf War.
(Fill in)

General Characteristics

  • Length: 6.20 m
  • Width: 3.60 m
  • Height: 2.32 m
  • Weight: 40.5 t
  • Speed: 35 km/h (offroad)
  • Range: 390 km
  • Crew: 4
  • Armament:
    • Primary: 100 mm rifled gun (late models have ability to fire AT-10 Stabber missiles)
    • Secondary: 7.62 mm Coax Machinegun, 12.7 mm AA Machinegun.
  • Power plant: 462-516 kW (620-690 hp) Diesel
  • Armour: Up to 300mm of armour. Some late models have reactive armour.

See also: List of tanks, List of Soviet tanks.