SPA Modeler

Looking good Carlos - well done on getting this one towards the finish line.

Why's the MG facing to the rear, is that so the commander can cover their retreat?

Thanks Stuart. On most Russian AFV, the turret hatched open forward to provide a sort of shield in that direction. As far as why they mounted the AA MG faint to the rear, that’s most likely due to the configuration of the TC’s cupola. It can be rotated so that the MG faces forward, but that configuration is not photographed too often. All of the three man crewed/auto loading main gun Soviet MBTs used the same configuration.

oopsie.....

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/r ... mfgFaPfBaA

Yup. The basic design is quite vulnerable, and no matter what extra systems and armor they put on them, they are nowhere near as survivable as western designs of the same timeframe. Add in the fact that they don’t show any sign of proper combined arms usage, and this is the end result- a lot of destroyed tanks, and I’d hate to think of their casualties amongst the crews.

Another good one!

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/f ... J7YRGPKwqA

I have seen that… there are some wickedly clever folks out there.

Stikpusher wrote:Thanks Stuart. On most Russian AFV, the turret hatched open forward to provide a sort of shield in that direction. As far as why they mounted the AA MG faint to the rear, that’s most likely due to the configuration of the TC’s cupola. It can be rotated so that the MG faces forward, but that configuration is not photographed too often. All of the three man crewed/auto loading main gun Soviet MBTs used the same configuration.

Yeah I noticed that. it's just a configuration that's never made a lot of sense to me. If you get into a situation where you actually need the MG, to have it facing the other way and then have to arse around traversing it seems like a bad idea, it gives the other guy a few more seconds to get his shots in.

Well, theoretically, the co ax machine gun should be able to engage any targets to the turret front. The heavy AA MG was meant more to engage tank hunter helicopters at a distance than anything else. On the T-54/55 and T-62, the Dshk AA MG faced forward, but was operated by the loader, who theoretically should have been inside tending to that duty, unless on a road movement.
Now the T-64 and it’s descendant the T-80 have their AA MG facing forward off the TC hatch, with a rear opening clamshell type hatch. So two of the design bureaus thought like you did on the matter.

Great information Carlos. I now have three of six Russian tanks under construction because of this thread.

Good man!