- Yes!
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T-34B
History and Description
Following Stalin’s death in 1953, relations between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union gradually improved. This collaboration allowed the JNA to acquire new equipment throughout the 1960s. Though modern T-55 tanks and other combat vehicles were procured at the time, 600 improved T-34-85 tanks were also purchased in 1966. This 1960 version of the Soviet T-34-85 had several improvements compared to those already in service with the JNA. They were, among others, powered by an upgraded V-34 M-11 engine, had better sights and periscopes, strengthened suspension, used T-55 roadwheels, and had an improved communication system. The tanks arrived in three batches of 200 units each from 1966 to 1968. With them also arrived a supply of 24,380 BK-2M HEAT rounds. These newly acquired tanks were designated T-34B by Yugoslav officials. In 1966, it was noted that the condition of the old T-34-85 tanks in JNA was unsatisfactory. Two army technical overhaul plants (TRZ 1 Čačak and TRZ 3 Đorđe Petrov) concluded that older models could be brought up to the T-34B standard by replacing the engine and roadwheels. In addition, a decision was made to modernize all T-34Bs in hopes of closing the gap between them and T-55 tanks. The first such improvement came in 1971 with the addition of the M-68 driver’s NVD equipment (copy of Soviet TVN-2 found on T-55 tanks). Then, in the late seventies, T-34B tanks received M2HB Browning anti-aircraft machine guns, which were removed from the decommissioned Shermans. Finally, during the mid-1980s, Yugoslav RUT-1 radio systems (the same as those installed on the latest M-84 tanks) replaced the Soviet ones. Additionally, every third tank was supposed to receive PT-55 (KMT-5) mine-clearing equipment and every fifth M-67 dozer blade.
In short, modernization consisted of:
• M-68 NVD equipment,
• M2HB Browning machine gun,
• RUT-1 radio system,
• M-67 dozer blade
Specifications
- Essentials
- Length; 6.68 m
- Width; 3 m
- Height; 2.45 m
- Track; 2.5 m
- Mass; 32.2 t
- Crew; 5
- Protection
- Armor; 45-90 mm
- APS; N/A
- ERA; N/A
- Smoke; N/A
- Mobility
- Engine; V-34 M-11, >500 hp
- Power/weight; >15.5 hp/t
- Top speed; 60 kph
- Amphibious; No
- Firepower
- Main;
- 85 mm ZIS-S-53 cannon
- Vertical guidance; -5° / 22°
- Traverse; 360°
- Turret rotation speed; 25°/s
- Ammo in storage; 60 rounds
- Types of rounds;
- BR-365K APHE
- BR-365A APHEBC
- BR-365P APCR
- O-365K HE
- BK-2M HEAT
- 85 mm ZIS-S-53 cannon
- Main;
- Secondary;
- 7.62 mm DT machine gun
- Fire rate; 600 shots/min
- Belt capacity; 63 rounds
- Ammo in storage; unknown
- M2HB Browning 12.7x99mm
- Fire rate; 575 shots/min
- Belt capacity; 200 rounds
- Ammo in storage; unknown
- 7.62 mm DT machine gun
Gallery
Various M2HB machine gun placements and additional handrails
M2HB machine gun
T-34B with M-67 dozer blade
A rare example of T-34B with NVD for the gunner and the commander
RUT-1 radio system
Sources
Tenk T-34 u jugoslovenskoj upotrebi 1945–1997
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/t-34-85-in-yugoslav-service/
Projectile, 85mm HEAT-FS, BK-2M
T-34B | Wargame Wiki | Fandom
www.mycity-military.com
www.paluba.info
BOOK: Modernizacija i Intervencija Jugoslovenske Oklopne Jedinice 1945-2006 by B. B. Dimitrijević (2010)