The magnificant T-55

[dpabrams]

Arguably the T-55 in Pro PE is the best looking and skinned tank in the sim. Still I thought she needed some work. There was a tool box that wasn’t textured and the side hull slabs of armor were miss-colored when they met the glacis plate. I added glass to the vision blocks and sights, replaced the drive sprocket and road wheels, darkened intake grates, recolored the ammo boxes and lightened some parts. I am working on a camo model but it may be awhile.

Pete

[Crusty]

Looks really good

I have to agree the T55 model is exceptionally well done.

[mp96]

How do you do it?

[Tacbat]

Cool.

[Fabfire]

Excellent!

[john.gear]

Very nice:gun:

[dpabrams]

There will be a 2 color camo version. I found a walk around of a T-54B that had a 2 tone gray and green scheme. Many Soviet units used the paint available to camoflauge their vehicles.

Pete

[mp96]

Good work.

[dpabrams]

Three versions to be uploaded, all with new decals. WARNING-the decals are on the skins so the t55decals.dds will have to be replaced with the TIS folder's t55decals.dds. Numerous details have been added, such as new glass for sights and vision blocks, entirely new running gear, driver hatch, recolored ammo boxes, 12.7mm rounds and other finer details.

Pete

[Captain_Colossus]

Good job.

I hope eSim brings in more variants of the T-55. It's a good model, the fording tube limits what can be done with the pattern a bit though. I'd still like to see models that have the fuel drums, such a cool profile.

[Ssnake]

Well, per doctrine the fuel drums are being discarded prior to an expected battle. They are, after all, a major fire hazard.

[Captain_Colossus]

I can appreciate the reasoning, it's not the highest thing on my wish list which functionally adds anything- just from the point of view of someone who finds the profile sleek and appealing I know that in itself it isn't the best reason to do that- but it's ironic that SB Pro's Challenger 2 model has them in light of that.

There are plenty of images out there with tanks engaged in combat with the fuel attachments- including destroyed vehicles, vehicles firing on targets. I suppose in some of these cases combat wasn't expected, in some, in others, I can only speculate why they didn't do this.

[dpabrams]

Good job.

I hope eSim brings in more variants of the T-55. It's a good model, the fording tube limits what can be done with the pattern a bit though. I'd still like to see models that have the fuel drums, such a cool profile.

Same here. The Soviet and other pact nations began updating the T-55's in the 1970's, with laser range finders for example. In the 1980's a more ambitious program took place and the T-55AM resulted. It had a new fire control system, applique armor, automotive improvements and much more. Remember that in 1988 the T-55 made up 36.5 of the Soviet tank inventory and the T-62 25.7 percent.

Pete

[GH_Lieste]

Well, per doctrine the fuel drums are being discarded prior to an expected battle. They are, after all, a major fire hazard.

I thought Soviet Diesel was considered relatively inert... to the extent that it is used as frontal armour behind the glacis (as is the fuel in the M1, which is more volatile), and the remaining fuel is also fairly 'external' being contained in tanks along the superstructure sides/track guards.

I suspect that they may have been intended to be dis-mounted when empty so they could be refilled from bulk fuel, and re-attached after a successful attack during a brief halt as much as any substantial increase in vulnerability... it also means that the actual 'attack' phase can start with full 'internal' fuel allowing maximum exploitation depth in the absence of refuelling rather than expending much of the vehicle range during the approach march.

[mp96]

Fire & wind of freedom in Libya NOW!

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