Com-Central.net

- Esa_Muikku

Bonus : This tank ( tanxheaven.com/zbc/t55...t55zbc.htm ) has started its life as a T-54 but has been rebuilt in Poland to be a T-55. It requires a lot of work!

Esa:

GREAT links !! So what else have you done on this Easter Weekend ...?

- Maple_Leaf_Eh

- Esa_Muikku

Bonus : This tank ( tanxheaven.com/zbc/t55...t55zbc.htm ) has started its life as a T-54 but has been rebuilt in Poland to be a T-55. It requires a lot of work!

Esa:

GREAT links !! So what else have you done on this Easter Weekend ...?

Hi!

You perhaps would not like to know and see it. I have been eating "mämmi" which is something we are used to eat here in Finland during Easter time. Some - or actually most people - think it looks like sh*t. Anyway it tastes good, with milk and sugar.

- Esa_Muikku

- Maple_Leaf_Eh

- Esa_Muikku

Bonus : This tank ( tanxheaven.com/zbc/t55...t55zbc.htm ) has started its life as a T-54 but has been rebuilt in Poland to be a T-55. It requires a lot of work!

Esa:

GREAT links !! So what else have you done on this Easter Weekend ...?

Hi!

You perhaps would not like to know and see it. I have been eating "mämmi" which is something we are used to eat here in Finland during Easter time. Some - or actually most people - think it looks like sh*t. Anyway it tastes good, with milk and sugar.

From Wikipedia....

"Originally mämmi was consumed during the whole lent period. Its laxative properties doubtless helped the purging of "poisons". Later it was a convenient food for Good Friday, when firing up the stove was against custom. In modern times it is purely a traditional seasonal delicacy.

Interest in it has risen even in non-Scandinavian settings, due to Finns' eager attempts to offer the idiosyncratic foodstuff to foreigners. Some have served it as an exotic specialty; others, a joky test (due to its superficially unappetizing appearance). The growing interest in reviving old recipes and the general enthusiasm for past ages may also play a part in this."

Yep, I'm stickin' with ice cream!

What can I say - what an interesting response

More info to follow soon on this tank !

This is a good example of why this is such a GREAT forum

Dirk

T55 evidence mounts
Photo 3 is a T54 final drive
Photo 2 is a T55 final drive

both photos copyright Tanxheaven

Photo 1is the final drive of the museum tank, courtesy/copyright of
Stephen Tegner, workshop supervisor at the museum, who kindly took this and other photos for me on 18th April this year.

.ignore

Here is part two to the identification guide. Clear differences without exceptions between T-54 and T-55 can be found (e.g.)
- in front fuel filling points (only one cap in T-54; two caps in T-55) on hull top plate in front of the turret and
- final drive housings (sharp edges and filling plug on the inner side in T-54: rounder shape and filling plug on top of the housing pointing rearwards in T-55).

T-54 hull front top plate (with one fuel filling point)
www.thetankmaster.com/...T54_10.jpg (*
www.thetankmaster.com/...-54-76.JPG (**
www.thetankmaster.com/...54B_02.jpg (***
*) With an original T-54 style armour cover.
**) The armour cover is missing, so the filling hole (through which you can reach the actual cap to the fuel tanks) and two M16 bolt holes are visible.
***) With a newer T-55 style armour cover.

T-55 hull front top plate (with two fuel filling points, with newer T-55 style armour covers, part nr. 155.29.436sb-D or -G). Notice the position of caps: not in line with longitudinal axle of the hull.
www.thetankmaster.com/...T55_11.jpg
www.thetankmaster.com/...55_012.jpg
gspo.ru/index.php?act=...st&id=5108

T-54 final drive housing:
www.boltonipms.co.uk/i...t54-10.jpg
www.thetankmaster.com/...54_019.jpg
tanxheaven.com/den/T-5...949/06.JPG
www.thetankmaster.com/...-54-32.JPG
www.thetankmaster.com/...T54_10.JPG
img203.imageshack.us/m...3596hg.jpg
tanksinmoscow.ru/Kreks...-55_23.jpg
tanksinmoscow.ru/T-34/...-54_19.jpg

T-55 final drive housing, standard:
data.primeportal.net/t...gma_14.jpg
tanksinmoscow.ru/T-34/...-55_26.jpg

The following two photos show the final drive housing with a track guide plate, which was added in AM2 modification.

T-55AM2 final drive housing, modified:
tanxheaven.com/max/t55...IM0501.JPG
data.primeportal.net/a.../10028.JPG


> > > > > >


Notice also, that there might be an additional armour cover on hull front top plate, which has nothing to do with fuel filling. This cover, part nr 54.29.460sb, is plugging the hole through which the cabling to BTU-55, KMT-5, KMT-6 or EMT-5 is led through. Some samples here:

T-54 hull front top plate (with one fuel filling point + BTU-55/KMT-5/KMT-6/EMT-5 cabling hole)
img202.imageshack.us/m...3657kx.jpg
img205.imageshack.us/m...3688bi.jpg

T-55 hull front top plate (with two fuel filling points + BTU-55/KMT-5/KMT-6/EMT-5 cabling hole)
tanksinmoscow.com/Pokl...-55_20.jpg

So I think you proved it is a T55 Esa!
Now if only we had the chassis nr!

Love this site,
A lurker could capture all this knowledge and write a very good book after a few years. I feel privilaged to observe and participate. I learned a lot over the last few years.

Joe D

does anyone want more pics of T54/55 all my copyright?

- Joe_D

A lurker could capture all this knowledge and write a very good book after a few years.

The T-54/T55 differences book is in hand..... Its why I have been so quiet!

- timroberts

does anyone want more pics of T54/55 all my copyright?

If you let me use them on my website... Free access for contributors BTW

- JimWeb

- Joe_D

A lurker could capture all this knowledge and write a very good book after a few years.

The T-54/T55 differences book is in hand..... Its why I have been so quiet!

That should be interesting Jim, I look forward to seing it, any idea when it will be ready?

- timroberts

That should be interesting Jim, I look forward to seing it, any idea when it will be ready?

As soon as I have been around and collected enough images... Sometime this autumn I suspect. There wont be much text as its a purely 'how to tell the differences illustrated by images' book.

Anybody have comments about these pics. I don't know much about Soviet block armor other than the basics. I'd like to do some sort of Iraqi armor one of these days, and right now I only know that the Tamiya T-55 is a super kit.





The first one is at Ft Lewis and the second one is at the air museum in Oregon, where they have the Spruce Goose.

Bob