T-62 MOD. 1962 MEDIUM TANK (IRAQI REGULAR ARMY) - 1991

Description

The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced 1961. As a further development of the T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low profile and thick turret armor. In contrast previous tanks, which were armed with rifled tank guns, the T-62 was the first tank armed with a smoothbore tank gun that could fire APFSDS rounds at higher velocities. While the T-62 became the standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, it did not fully replace the T-55 in export markets due to its higher manufacturing costs and maintenance requirements compared to its predecessor. Although T-62 was replaced in the Russia and successor states of the Soviet Union, it is still used in some countries and its design features became standardized in subsequent Soviet and Russian mass-produced tanks. The Iraqi T-62s performed well against opposing Iranian tanks such as M48s, M60A1s and Chieftains in the Iran–Iraq war. Iraqi T-62 participated in the biggest tank battle of the war in early 1981. Iran lost 200 Chieftain and M60A1 tanks during that battle with a loss of 50 T-62 and T-55/54 tanks on the Iraqi side. The remaining Iranian armor turned about and withdrew. During the first Gulf War in 1991, the T-62 tank was badly outperformed by the American M1 Abrams and the British Challenger tanks. The Iraqi 3rd Armored Division alone lost hundreds of T-62 tanks. (Scale : 1/35e)