Question on Chinese tank ZTZ-88

Armor/AFV
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1

Hi all,
I am starting to build a model of the Chinese tank ZTZ-88 A, currently in servce with the PLA and evolution of the Type 80.
A kit of Type 80 indeed exists from Trumpeter and I’ve bought one, but I will use the turret only and few other pieces, while the hull will be adapted from a ZTZ-96 of Hobbyboss that is vastly superior.
Now I’m adapting the turret of the Type 80, but I would build a model of ZTZ-88 A version that has a very long gun barrel, the ZPL 94 62x105; I would know how much longer it is compared to the previous version ZPL-83A that looks similar to the barrel of the British L7 gun from which it derives.
My perception is that the difference in length should be about 1 m. I know that thelonger barrel is 62 x 105, but I don’t know the length factor of the earlier type.
Eventually, if anyone has a good kit of Type 59 or 69 with the Chinese 105 mm gun, could measure the barrel and let me know some measures ?

Thank you for any help
Massimo

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2

The old L7 is a 52-calibre gun. The one used in China isn’t an L7, but it’s more or less an M68, which is the American version of the gun. So the difference is 10 calibres = 1050mm.

3

Thank you, this looks consistent enough with proportions I have obtained from the photo, that shows the gun to protrude from the shield of about 4830 mm.
After having checked my spare parts boxes and the barrel of the T-80 of Trumpeter, I’ve decided to make a 3D model of the barrel and to print it.

About the model, it will be made coupling the hull of a ZTZ-96 of Hobbyboss, with few modifications on the frontal and rear plate and particulary on the fenders, with the turret from the Type 80 of Trumpeter, that is an awful kit and can be used only for the turret and few bits.

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