T-54

The predecessor of the T-54 was the T-44 tank, created in 1943-1944. In the early stages of development in metal, the T-54 was a largely modernized version of the T-44. The first prototype of the T-54 was completed in January 1945 and was transferred for testing at the Kubinka test site. However, another document says that this was already the second prototype, the first one was completed at the end of 1944 and was tested directly at the factory. The first example of the tank, known as the "T-54 Model 1945", was still very similar to the T-44. The most noticeable external difference was a new, larger turret with a 100 mm cannon, whose frontal armor increased from 120 to 180 mm, and the side armor from 90 to 90-150 mm. The shape of the tower, however, did not undergo significant changes and the angles of inclination of its walls did not exceed 20 °. The frontal armor of the hull was also increased, up to 120 mm, but the thickness of the side armor increased by only 5 mm, and the stern was completely borrowed from the T-44 without changes. The gap of the driver's viewing device was eliminated in the frontal plate of the hull, as a result it became monolithic. Since the total mass of the tank inevitably increased compared to the T-44, the chassis was somewhat lengthened to increase the area of ​​​​the bearing surface of the tracks, and the width of the road wheels was also increased. The propulsion system and transmission were transferred from the T-44 practically unchanged, only the engine cooling system was noticeably modernized.

SERIAL MODIFICATIONS:

1. T-54-1 (object 137, T-54 model 1946) - the first production version. The hull is welded, with a sharp bow and vertical sides. The thickness of the monolithic frontal sheet is 120 mm. The tower is cast, with a welded roof and a reverse bevel from the bottom around the entire perimeter. Combat weight 36 tons. Dimensions 9000x3270x2400 mm. Armament: 100 mm D-10T cannon, three 7.62 mm SG-43 machine guns (one paired with the cannon, two forward mounted in armor boxes on the fenders), 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun on a turret above the loader's hatch ; ammunition 34 rounds, 3500 rounds of caliber 7.62 mm and 200-12.7 mm. V-54 engine with 520 hp Caterpillar 500 mm wide. Crew 4 people. Serial production from 1947 to 1949.
2. T-54-2 (T-54 mod. 1949) - a cast hemispherical turret with a narrow embrasure and with a reverse bevel only in the aft part, an SG-43 course machine gun in the frontal hull sheet (machine guns on the fenders were removed), new anti-aircraft machine gun turret, front hull plate 100 mm thick, changes in power plant and transmission units, caterpillar 580 mm wide. Combat weight 35.5 tons. Serial production from 1949 to 1951.
3. T-54-3 (T-54 mod. 1951) - cast hemispherical turret without reverse bevels, TSh-2-22 sight with variable 3.5 and 7x magnification, improved dust protection of tank units. Serial production from 1952 to 1954.
4. OT-54 (object 481, 1952) - flamethrower tank. Instead of a coaxial machine gun, an ATO-1 automatic powder flamethrower was installed. The stock of fire mixture is 460-470 l, the range of flame throwing is 160 m. The ammunition load of the gun is 19 shots, powder cartridges for the flamethrower-20, cartridges for machine guns: SGM-43 - 1500, DShK - 200. Combat weight 36.45 tons.
5. T-54A (object 137G, 1955) - electro-hydraulic stabilizer of the gun in the vertical plane STP-1 "Horizont", gun D-10TG with an ejection device for purging the barrel bore, an automated electric drive for turning the turret with duplicate control, sight TSh-2A- 22, TVN-1 driver's IR device, R-113 radio station, OPVT. Serial production from 1955 to 1956.
6. T-54B (object 137G2, 1956) - two-plane weapons stabilizer STP-2 "Cyclone", gun D-10T2S (or D-10T with a counterweight on the muzzle of the barrel), rotating floor of the fighting compartment, IR sight TPN-1 -22-11 (until April 1959, the IR illuminator of the L-2 sight was installed on the gun barrel, then on the turret), the TVN-2 driver's IR device. Serial production from 1956 to 1959. Later, during the modernization, the tank was equipped with a V-55 engine with a power of 580 hp, T-55 road wheels, RMSH guns, a TSh-2B-32 sight, an R-123 radio station, an ammunition rack for 43 shots, a KDT laser rangefinder -1 (on parts of cars). A number of vehicles were equipped for the installation of universal watercrafts PST-U and PST-63.
7. T-54M (object 137M, 1977) - a modernized version of the T-54 tank. STP-2 two-plane stabilizer, TPN-1 IR sight, TSh-2B-32 sight, R-123 radio station, V-55 engine, tracks with RMSH, OPVT, ammunition rack for 43 rounds, a KDT-1 laser rangefinder and track rollers from the T-55.
8. T-54AM is a modernized version of the T-54A tank under the same program as the T-54.

DRAWINGS