Thursday, October 1

Preview: We Czech out MiniArt's new T55A...

The Czech produced T55A was an important variant in this tank's history - plenty was made and sold to many countries. Miniart has captured the essentials of this variant in their new T55A boxing that is coming soon, we have some information and pictures of the kit in our preview...


Preview: We Czech out MiniArt's new T55A - Coming Soon:

T-55A Czechoslovak Production
Kit No #37084
1/35th scale
The Subject: Czech Produced T-55A's
The T-55A tank is a  medium weight tracked combat vehicle equipped with a 100 mm gun, an anti-aircraft machine gun of 12.7 mm calibre and two light machine guns of 7.62 mm calibre.
The Czech Produced T55A was made in many variants, they upgraded the T-55A with a Czechoslovakian-produced laser rangefinder, fire control system and wind sensor mast with thickened centre section mounted on the rear of the turret roof.

Czech built tanks retained the deep wading features of the other T55 family
1,700 T-55s were ordered in 1963 and produced under license between 1964 and 1973. Overall 8,300 T-55s and T-55As between 1964 and 1983 (T-55A was probably produced since 1968) (most for export). These tanks were passed on to the Czech Republic & Slovakian Armies.
There were many variants after this original T55A, the Horseshoe shape turret armour upgrade. This release has the standard shaped turret of the earlier vehicles in the series before they were up-armoured.
A walk around of a museum T55A, this one showing the rear turret which captured most of the add-ons in this kit.
An early T55A on maneuvers with infantry
T55A's with blades on the front of the tanks (not included in this release alas) look pretty fearsome...
 
T55A Basic technical data
Weight 41,500 kg
Engine type V-55 AM2, 12 cylinders in "V" system
Engine output 456 kW
Max. firing speed 50 km / h
Main gun 100 mm (type D 10-T2S calibre)
Firing maximum speed 7 rounds/minute
Here you can see the "Cover Girl" (for want of a better word) of this boxing - the Yugoslav 15th armoured brigade belonged to the Priština corps. The brigade consisted of T-55A tanks in its entirety while all M-84 tanks in Kosovo belonged to the 211th and 252nd armoured brigades
This new kit from MiniArt
this kit features the Early model T55A produced in (then) Czechoslovakia in the '60s & '70s. The kit is "sans" interior which means a quick build, and it features individual track links and clear parts. All of the hatches can be posed open or closed, however.

There are marking choices for four T55A Czech produced tanks in the box

15th Armoured Brigade, Yugoslav Army Kosovo, June1999
Armed Forces of Yugoslavia Pristina, January 1999
103rd Tank Regiment, 13th Armoured Division, Czechoslovak People's Army, 1970's
Czechoslovak People's Army, Vltava manoeuvres, 1978