- Yes
- No
- History T-34-85 in Poland: As with any T-34 in European service, the history starts in WW2. T-34s first saw service with Polish regiments in the Soviet Union, where T-34 M1941, M1942, and T-34-85 M1943 and M1944 were used. The LWP also had T-34E STZ upgraded tanks. Alas after the war, the Polish inventory was pretty lackluster, with some 300 T-34-85, and other vehicles like IS-2 and ISU-152. To remedy this in 1951 after some time of begging, Poland acquired the license to manufacture T-34-85s. Production started in 1952 and was ridden with issues: metal contamination, faulty W-2-34 engines, etc. Eventually it got sorted out and tanks were produced. In 1954-55 research began on modernization of the T-34-85 in Polish service, as it was starting to become heavily outdated, and additionally to keep up with the new T-54A being brought into PRL service. The goals and trial systems were: a new motor heater, improved air filters for W-2-34, self entrenchment device, night/fog viewing system, napalm protection, gun stabilization, and a range-finder. Unfortunately, some of the more war thunder relevant features like gun stabilizer and rangefinder would be cancelled. Alas, two sets of upgrades would be carried out, the T-34-85M1 and the T-34-85M2. The M1 focused more on general upgrade, whilst the M2 focused on fording and river crossing capability. The tanks officially were both designated “czołg średni T-34-85M”, and a manual was written for them in 1962. After a long service, they were retired in the mid 1980s. As a side note, they are often compared to Soviet M1960 and M1969, which both came much later and although are similar to the Polish programs, had slightly different focus.
- Polish Production T-34-85
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Polish production of the T-34-85 had a very difficult start. To begin, just getting the license to produce was incredibly difficult, and the Polish government had to beg for years. Funnily, the Polish government also asked to produce the T-44, which the Soviets on denied on the basis of being too outdated, and a few years later in 1951 the Soviets gave Poland a license for the even more outdated T-34-85. Production started in 1952 to a large amount of problems, the engines were faulty, the armor wasn’t properly hardened and had to be discarded, and most tanks in 1952 had to be completely discarded. This resulted in a great production sum of only 5 tanks in 1952, with the first 10 Polish production tanks being given the the LWP in early 1953. In the end from the ambitious 3000 tanks a year and 6000 engines a year, only around 1380 tanks would be produced in Poland from 1952-1956. This really didnt matter anyway as the tanks were already becoming very obsolete, and Poland was starting to recieve T-54s. Poland would then go on quickly start upgrading their T-34s starting in 1958, which can be seen in my T-34-85M1 (Mid Service, Poland) and T-34-85M (Late service, Poland) suggestions.
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Visual Differences:
- Generally, the T-34-85 had very minimal differences, as most differences were on the interior. The appearance will look like a T-34-85 M1945 (very similiar to the T-34-85 STP, which is a M1946) The Polish one will have the spiderweb wheels and ventilators on the back of the turret.
- Polish built tanks have typically smooth turrets compared to Russian built tanks, all Polish manufacture ones have the turret bulge on the left side and a pistol port in the turret sides.
- They also all generally have the postwar version of the spiderweb roadwheels, unless changed during maintenance or for other reason.
- Different hull machine gun appearance.
- Upper and lower front plate directly welded instead of seperate connector welded ontop.
- Specifications:
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Armament:
- Primary: 85mm ZIS-S-53 (57 shells)
- Secondary: 1x 7.62mm DTM coaxial, 1x 7.62mm DTM hull-arrested. (2400 rounds)
- Sight: TSz-16, 4x zoom (Also TWN-1a could be used as a stretch to give 5x zoom)
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Ammunition:
- Can use any 85×629mmR round from USSR. I propose it just use the the same array of ammunition as the regular 5.7 T-34-85.
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Armor:
- Same as previous T-34-85s, 45mm on the hull and 90mm on the front turret.
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Drive:
- Engine: 500hp W-2-34 @ 1800 rpm
- Suspension: Christie suspension
- Max speed: 55 km/h
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Crew:
- Gunner
- Loader
- Driver
- Radioman (hull gunner)
- Commander
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Gadgets and Gizmos
- Sight TSz-16, 4x zoom
- 2x BDSz Smoke grenades
- Commander gun override
- Conclusion: Polish T-34-85 in the end saw long service and proved themselves as the backbone of the PRL in the 40s and 50s, and as a strong secondary from the 60s to 80s.
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Sources:
- PRODUKCJA I MODERNIZACJA CZOŁGU T-34-85 W POLSCE
- T-34-85M - Polska modernizacja radzieckiego klasyka.
- Instrukcja techniczna wojsk pancernych. Czołg T-34-85M. Opis i użytkowanie, (1962)
- Początki przemysłu czołgowego w Polsce Ludowej (cz. 2)
- Czołg średni T-34-85
- CIA document
- Pictures:
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