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T-54



Overview

T-54B

A T-54 as identified by the dome shaped ventilator on the turret roof.
Source: www.geocities.com - © copyright lies with original owner

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Main battle tank
Entered service
Early 1950's
Status
Obsolete
Development
Mid to late 1940's
Developer
Soviet Union - Morozov design bureau
Production
1946 - 1952 (trials models)
1952 - 1955 (T-54 in USSR)
1955 - 1957 (T-54A in USSR)
1957 - 1958 (T-54B in USSR)
Producer
Soviet Union - UVZ, Nizhny Tagil
Soviet Union - KhZTM, Kharkov
Soviet Union - OZTM, Omsk
Poland - Bumar-Labedy
T-54 & T-54A: 1956 - 1964
Czechoslovakia - ZTS Martin
T-54A: 1957 - 1966
North Korea - (300 assembled from kits)
Number produced
~16.500 in USSR
~1.500 in Poland
~1.800 in Czechoslovakia
Designations
Obyekt 137 (GABTU index)

Variants

Variants of the T-54

T-54
Also known as T-54 obr 1946. About 700 produced in the USSR from 1947 to 1949. This has a distinct turret with reverse slope bottom at all sides. Two forward firing SG-43 machine guns are fitted on the fenders. An older type DShK machine gun is fitted on the roof. Features narrow tracks, open ended at the drive sprocket.
T-54-2
Also known as T-54 obr 1947. Over 2.500 produced in USSR from 1949 to 1951. Various engine and transmission upgrades applied. Only the turret rear retains return slope at the bottom. Features wider tracks and reduced weight by having a more angles 97mm hull front opposed to the earlier 120mm. A single fixed forward firing machine gun is mounted in the hull.
T-54-3
Also known as T-54 obr 1952, or just "T-54". About 7.000 produced from 1952 to 1955. Also produced in Poland.
T-54A
T-54 with horizontal stabilization for D-10TG cannon, adds night sight for the driver, new sights and radio and automotive improvements. GABTU index is Obyekt 137G. About 4.600 produced in the USSR, plus about 3.000 more in Poland and Czechoslovakia.
T-54AK
T-54AK is the command version of the T-54A. Developed in 1955, with 100 produced from 1955 to 1956. Fitted with additional radio R-113 radio and RSB or R-112 longer range radios. A TNA-2 navigation system is fitted, as well as a AB-1P/30 auxiliary power unit. Ammunition load is reduced.
T-54B
T-54A with stabilization in both planes for D-10TS cannon, new sights and later-on an L-2 Luna infrared searchlight next to barrel. Over 1.500 produced in the USSR from 1957 to 1959.
T-54BK
T-54BK is the command version of T-54B. Fitted with additional radios R-113 and R-112 radios, TNA-2 navigation system and AB-1P/30 auxiliary power unit. Ammunition load is reduced. About 180 produced from 1957 to 1958.
T-54M
Upgrade applied to existing stocks of T-54 in the 1960's to late 1970's to unify parts with T-55. Consists of various improvements to bring it up to T-55 standards. These include the more powerful 580hp V-55 engine, RMSh tracks, NBC equipment, STP-2M two-plane stabilizer, KDT-1 laser range finder and stabilized gunner sight.

Details

Facts T-54 obr 1952 (T-54-3) T-54A
General
Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Main battle tank
Crew
4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
Dimensions
Weight
36 t combat load
34 t empty
Length
6.04 m (hull)
9 m (gun forward)
Width
3.27 m
Height
2.4 m (cupola)
2.75 m (overall)
Main armament
Type
100mm D-10T rifled cannon
Mount
Main gun in turret
Ammunition
34 rounds
Elevation
-5 to +17°, powered
Traverse
360°, powered at 17°/s
Stabilizer
No
Coaxial armament
Type
7.62mm SGMT machine gun
Mount
Coaxial with main armament
Ammunition
3.000 rounds in total
Traverse
Elevation and traverse as main armament
Stabilizer
No
Bow armament
Type
7.62mm SGMT machine gun
Mount
Bow mount
Ammunition
3.000 rounds in total
Traverse
Fires over frontal arc
Stabilizer
No
Secondary armament
Type
12.7mm DShKM heavy machine gun
Mount
Pintle mount on turret roof
Ammunition
500 rounds, 50 ready to fire (some sources indicate 200 or 300 rounds in total)
Traverse
Manual traverse and elevation
Stabilizer
No
Chassis
Chassis type
Tracked chassis, five roadwheels
Chassis layout
Idler front, drive sprocket rear
Tread
2.64 m
Track width
0.58 m
Track on ground
3.84 m
Ground pressure
0.81 kg/cm²
Suspension
Torsion bar
Automotive
Engine model
ChTZ V-54
Engine type
38.9-liter liquid-cooled V12 diesel
Power output
520 hp at 2.000 rpm
Torque
2.254 Nm at 1.300 rpm
Transmission
Manual, 5 forward, 1 reverse
Fuel
812 L
Mobility
Speed
50 km/h on road
20 - 25 km/h offroad
Range
510 km
720 km with fuel tanks
Power to weight ratio
14.4 hp/t
Obstacle crossing
Ground clearance
0.43 m
Wall
0.8 m
Trench
2.7 m
Gradient
60 %
Fording
1.4 m unprepared
5 m with snorkel
Protection
Armor type
Steel
Armor thickness
203 mm turret front
150 mm turret sides
64 mm turret rear
39 mm turret roof
97 mm hull front
79 mm upper hull sides
20 mm lower hull sides
46 mm hull rear
NBC system
Yes
Smoke system
Exhaust diesel injection
Equipment
Night vision
No
Gun sight
TSh-2-22, 3.5x and 7x magnification

Subcomponents

100mm D-10T rifled gun

The 100mm D-10T rifled gun is the main armament of the T-54. The T-54A was fitted with the D-10TG and the T-54B with the D-10TS.

Read more about 100mm D-10

12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun

The 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun is fitted to the commander's cupola on various T-54 variants. The earliest model used the World War 2 era DShK, while the majority was fitted with the modernized DShKM.

Read more about DShK

7.62mm SGMT machine gun

The 7.62mm SGMT machine gun was fitted as coaxial armament on most T-54. Early models also had one or two SGMT as fixed forward firing machine guns.

Read more about Goryunov SG-43

Related articles

T-55

The T-55 is the successor of the T-54 on the production line. The T-55 was made ready for the nuclear battlefield with its NBC protection system. It also features many updates such as more powerful engine and stabilized armament.

Read more about T-55

ZSU-57-2 Sparka

The ZSU-57-2 is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. It is based on a modified T-54 chassis with four roadwheels.

Read more about ZSU-57-2 Sparka

Type 59

The Chinese Type 59 main battle tank is a local production version of the Soviet T-54 main battle tank. It has features of both the earlier T-54-3 and T-54A tanks. Over 9.500 have been produced in their original configuration close to the T-54.

Read more about Type 59