Actually the latest variatn of Chonma ho is V but that is older model than Songun- hos
latest version of Songun ho is recent:
What do we know about Pokpong -ho?
Pokpung-ho is the US DoD designation for the Ch’ŏnma-215 and -216. See my descriptions of them in the main post for more info.
Bruh
sane can be said for china tree and israek
Except it can’t, Chinese have a decently sized export tank market that they can get, Israel has sub variants of their merkavas, North Korea: T-62.
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North Korea has unique indigenous MBTs (sure, based on the T-62 but that doesn’t make them less unique tbh), light tanks, SPAA, and tank destroyers. They’re mostly an amalgam of different countries guns and chassis’ but most aren’t direct copies. Literally the only direct copy with virtually no modifications is the first Ch’ŏnma. That’s it, 1 tank.
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South Korean Chonma-Ho I supposedly only has 80mm thick hull, not 100mm thick
Whilst there is Chonma-Ho 215 and 216
They come in 4 different formats not just 2
You’ll find Chonma-Ho 216 initially without all the extra secondary armament like MANPADS etc, so it was easier to just call them Pokpung-Ho’s 1 to 4
And what sources is this from?
From what I have found, North Korea both imported Soviet-built T-62s and produced their own (identifiable by some extra bolts on the lower frontal plate and some extra turret handles iirc). Both were called Ch’ŏnma.
There’s conflicting sources on whether the NK-built Ch’ŏnma has either the same armour as the T-62, physically less steel (as you say) or just weaker-quality steel, but the same thickness. In 2/3 scenarios, it would have the same thickness in game because WT doesn’t model steel quality between nations.
But the bulk of good quality sources say the Ch’ŏnma is just identical to the T-62.
Yes, but Pokpung-Ho is still the wrong name. That’s why I just say Ch’ŏnma-215/216. But, like with a couple other MBTs in my list, you could just add the year at the end, e.g. Ch’ŏnma-216 (2014). That way you still have a correct name and can identify the variants.
Chonma-Ho I
is your first NK produced T-62, also comes with 14.5mm machine gun
Chonma-Ho II
gets the full armour of T-62 and a laser rangefinder
Chonma-Ho III
It’s the First version with laminated turret instead of the T-62 style cast turret. It is unclear if the turret has spaced or composite armour, or it is a simple replica of the cast turret made with welded plates. Supposedly a ballistic computer was added to the fire control suite, and the fire control suite has been integrated into a complete system rather than being a patchwork of upgrades. Gun stabilization has been improved. Radios are improved, and the suspension beefed up. The new engine is a 750-horsepower model which can lay a thick, oily smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust.
Chonma-Ho 92 (IV)
It’s later modification of Chonma-Ho IV, it gets extra ERA protection
Chonma-Ho V Early & Late
Chonma-Ho 98 (V Early) is ‘216’
Chonma-Ho 214 (V late) is ‘138’
Chonma-Ho VI Early & Late
This refers to the 6 wheel versions, Chonma-Ho 215 and Chonma-Ho 216.
People also call them under the unofficial names ‘Pokpung-Ho I’ and Pokpung-Ho II’
If you look at the image above
Chonma-Ho 215 is ‘404’
Chonma-Ho 216 is ‘909’
The only difference is their engines.
However since then especially in 2018, they were further upgraded with LWS, MANPADS, ATGMs etc
I like to call this one Pokpung-Ho III
Yes, but where is your source for this?
And also, no. The 216 uses the 115 as well, there is no substantial proof the 216 has the 125.
The turret has not been upgraded in size to fit it, all the images look the exact same as the 115 on the 215, etc. Considering the Seon’gun had a massively redesigned (and enlarged) turret and then also had the 125, it makes sense they needed to do that to fit the breech comfortably in the already cramped T-62-style turret.
In that case what’s the difference between 215 and 216 then.
I’d also like to add that 125mm gun was fitted to even T-55 turrets in the past and the new welded turret of Chonma-Ho’s is bigger.
216 probably has the 125mm gun but realised how extremely uncomfortable and tight it was which probably led to Songun-Ho which also improved on armour protection.
This source is good but a little outdated. And they also don’t say how they know this.
There are some theories regarding the Ch’ŏnma’s armor being different to the T-62. There is no supporting evidence to the claim that the armor of early production Ch’ŏnmas was made of thinner armored plates than on the Soviet T-62. As it was a copy, the armor should have had the same thicknesses, even though the quality of the steel it was made from was probably lower than the Soviet equivalent. It seems that no foreign nation that operated the Ch’ŏnmas ever complained about thinner armor, or in general, the quality of the armor.
I wouldn’t normally use TE that much but this new article of theirs is very detailed and well-researched.
In that case I’ll edit it
Your own source has a list of differences. They’re all fairly minor though, slightly different fenders, turret appliqué shape, etc.
But in the image you shared earlier, you can see the gun on the 215 and 216 looks identical. Why would NK produce a 125 copy that looks just like the 115?
The 115 is “smooth”, whereas the 2A46 has a few ridges along the barrel, easily seen in pictures of the T-64, -72, -80, etc. The T-62 (and all Chonma) don’t have this.
According to these guys research the Chonma-Ho V already recieved the 125mm gun + autoloader
In that case I wonder what the difference between 215 and 216 is
Actually it might be an engine difference
Look at the engine decks
Yeah, but their article is 8 years old, and there also seem to be a number of small mistakes that make the whole thing maybe not so trustworthy. For one, they say:
unlike the original T-62 however, the Chonma-ho I was missing the laser rangefinder
The original T-62 never had a LRF. Only the T-62 obr. 1975 had one (and subsequent variants of this, such as the T-62M(1)), but these were produced shortly after the first Chonma.
And again, they don’t really cite any other sources or how they know it’s the 125. It’s just “yeah it has the 125”. Later I will try and get some good photos to do some analysis on, maybe we can figure it out.
Chonma-Ho 215 and 216 have different engine decks take a look
I’ll just call the
215, Pokpung-Ho I
216, Pokpung-Ho II
2018 upgrade, Pokpung-Ho III