T-55A Obr. 1965

[PT-76]

Hello, Everyone! I’m new in here this forum.
I’m currently building the Miniart’s T-55A kit.

[PT-76]

[tankerken]

Welcome! So far you are off to a great looking start.
Ken

[Robert_Goldman]

I’m highly impressed… great job

[PT-76]

Thanks!

[Uncle-Heavy]

Welcome aboard!
Impressive building and painting.

[PT-76]

Finally I made tracks. Originally, This kit contains workable track. But It was too much time consuming work, so I decided to omit the workable track pin.

By the way, I think this AK11159 russian green color is too dark. Aren’t you think, guys?

[mech]

Welcome. The interior looks great.

[PT-76]

I made inside of turret.

1. AKS-47 (for loader)

2. Wrench. This wrench has two purposes.
   When a tank gun fired, It can sometimes happen that an empty casing shell gets stuck in the chamber. then, loader took this wrench, open the chamber, and pull out the empty casing by manually. Second, disassembling the gun breech for maintenance or repair.
   next to the some small tool kit box.

3. Loaders foldable chair

4. Ventilator for Coax Machine gun.

5. It is a part of STP-2 циклон(Cyclone) two-bore axis gun stabiliser.

6. Pistol holster and R-113 Radio.

7. BP-2A power supply unit for R series Radio.

1. Tank gun azimuth indicator. Above, a traversing handle located.
2. Turret traversing motor
   next to it, A black square is cushion for gunner.
   It is used when the gunner leans his shoulder to the side to stretch in cramped gunner’s seat.

[PT-76]

Finally, I completed this kit.
I started building this kit in Mar.24, and finished today. It took me 2 months. man, That was long.

[PT-76]

[PT-76]

[PT-76]

You can see very cramped gunner and commander positions.

Well detailed of gunner scope and controller, gun cradles etc.

[PT-76]

For those who wondered what the boxes on the T-54/55 and T-62 are, Also I was curious and decided to look into it.

1. Track tension adjuster, track disassembly/installation equipment, steel pipe, sledgehammer, and other big tools are included.
2. 100mm gun bore cleaner and cleaning rods storage box.
3. L-2 Luna searchlight Storage box. When it first appeared in 1959, the box was designed to be safely stored if not in use. However, by the 1970s, L-2 searchlights had become so common that there was no need to go through the hassle of removing them from the tank. As a result, the box transformed into a miscellaneous storage container, it used to hold spare L-2 searchlights or store snacks, supplies(or vodka), and combat rations.
4. Ratchet wrench, driver like small tool box.
   
   
   
   image of T-62. You can see the large L-2 Luna IR Searchlight.

1. Heater for tank crews. used it when it’s too cold.
2. Air tank for starter. If a motor starter cannot work or frozen, the driver opened the valve of air tank, and then manually startup the tank. This feature was from T-34 tanks.
3. MM-1 Gas mask container for tank crews.
4. TKN-1 Night vision device for commander. In commander’s cupola, there is a daytime observation equipment ‘TPKU’. In night battles, the commander can swap these.
5. spare TPN-1-22-11 Night vision sight for gunner. when the night vision device was destroyed by enemy fire or malfunction, The gunner can be replaced with this spare part.
6. Ventilator for tank gun fume.

image of T-62. you can see the gunner’s night vision device. If this equipment is broken, then gunner can be replace of new one inside of tank.

Image of TKN-1 Night vision sight.

Done.