How To Tell Soviet Tanks Apart
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
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Following my video on China's MBTs, I decided to delve into Soviet tanks. You know, the ones that all look exactly the same. In this video, using images from the Ukraine conflict as a reference, we learn how to distinguish the Soviet Union's tanks from eachother. The T-54, 55, 62, 64, 72, 80, 84, 90 and 14. How DO you tell them apart?
DISCORD: / discord
PATREON: / redwrenchfilms
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:44 The (Road) Wheels
05:11 The Exhausts
06:22 The Mental Health
07:33 The Heavy Machine Guns
09:05 Searchlights and Dazzlers
10:27 The T-84 problem
11:02 The T-80UK Exception
11:22 The Vision Ports
12:12 The Fording Tubes
13:55 The Engine Decks
15:15 The RECAP!
All content is presented in historical context for educational purposes. All footage is owned by its copyright holder and is used in this channel under "fair use".
Music by Epidemic Sound - Věda a technologie
Let BetterHelp connect you to a therapist who can support you - all from the comfort of your own home. Visit betterhelp.com/redwrenchfilms and enjoy a special discount on your first month. #advert
Fuck betterhelp, they're scammers and they sell your therapy records, never take a sponsorship from them again.
"certainly hasn't seen any combat"
That is a false statement. The T-14 was combat tested late 2022 and again early 2023. Two separate battalions were used on these occasions, probably most of the finished tanks were included.
They were not used in such a way that they could be permanently lost, but were involved in combat.
The leaks about their performance roughly said that they performed according to expectations.
"about 6 of these"
Uh, how about lolnope?
Add a zero at the end and you may be correct-ish. Some other sources claim up to a few hundred T-84s.
Sometime 2014 onwards, Ukraine finished up all their halfbuilt T-84s and possibly restarted the original production line until they ran out of parts no longer available.
"tendency"
Not the modernised Russian models, as they have added additional protections to the ammo storages. Also, as we saw not long ago, not even the Abrams turret bustle is a safe storage for ammunition. While it didn't blow the turret off, when the ammo bustle got hit by a drone, it caused the ammo to start burning very energetically, creating a blowtorch effect through the screen between it and the crew compartment, almost instantly burning through it INTO the crew compartment.
This also makes all the people laughing about Russian tanks throwing their turrets rather embarassing, as most of those videos are showing Ukrainian tanks, just with a minor photoshopping added to add a Z or something to pretend that it's Russian.
Extra embarassing when it's a T-64, as there were no Russian T-64s used, while Ukraine started 2022 with over 1800 of them.
Likewise, there were no Russian military T-54s or T-62s, only some used by the DPR/LPR militias, who also later 2022 got 200 extra T-62s from Russia as they had no training for any newer Russian tanks.
We also KNOW that all those turretthrowers were not Russian, because we know the rough numbers of total crewmember KIAs in Russian military. And they're less than 800. Which does not go well together with the number of thrown turrets claimed to be Russian.
Also, you forgot the Ukraine T-54 modernisation pack that they were going to sell commercially. I haven't looked at it on the basis of ID, but IIRC it is slightly different in looks from original.
I would recommend doing some research into betterhelp, since they have been involved in things like very intrusive data collection and making it terribly difficult to "unsubscribe" from their service and it would probably not be a great idea to take sponsorships from them in the future.
I'd be careful with betterhelp. they have a history of being scam-y.
Isn't betterhelp really shady or something?
I have greater depression than soviet tanks
Thats like saying you’re healthier than Mcdonalds
Update your script, westoid. The tank's depressions is almost completely irrelevant. No, there are not Leopards or Abrams using any tacticool video game strats of peaking out of hill, utilizing MUH GUN DEPRESSION. They just get drone bombed or struck by artillery, with drone spotting. You are clinging on to an outdated meme. Tank in 2024 are support units and mobile artillery. Either adapt to this fact, or keep being confused why every single piece of Westoid equipment sent to Ukraine doesn't do anything
That's like saying you're faster than a wardrobe
That's like saying you can jump higher than a house.
@@William_Bryantno you failex
American T-Series tanks: Who are you?
Soviet T-Series tanks: I'm you, but more confusing.
T29, T30, T34: hold our beers
@@virich3192 T1E1 and M6A1: We don't even have to have the same letter!
Ah yes, America.
Where during World War 2, M1 could mean a tank, an SMG, a rifle, a helmet, an AA-gun, a howitzer, a bazooka, a grenade, another howitzer, another AA-gun, an anti-tank gun, ANOTHER howitzer, ANOTHER AA-gun, a carbine, and a bayonet. Always very clear.
True
@@erloriel That's why you add "M1A1 carbine, M1 Garand, M1 Howtizer" at the end there
Honestly less confusing than the Soviet tank nomenclature.
Showed no mercy on the T-14
This burn made me chuckle for a minute😆
Which is funny because if you watch more than 30 seconds video of the parade, the T-14 was not towed away nor it was broke down. It actually continued on its own. The problem was that the driver was not familiar with a new electric handbreak which is engaged by pushing a button and pushed this button not knowing what the hell actually happened. You can find explanation here:
czcams.com/video/pidZMiU9tBM/video.htmlsi=hcrgvdb54tRzftwd
@@JakubPyrachewsky are you Russian by any chance?
@@liamadcock4963 You must be western, as you're allergic to facts.
@@liamadcock4963 with that name?
Hope this will help me in war thunder.
Yes war thunder...
I mean why not in war thunder? It won’t really help you all too much, but why not?
@@humbleopionist4366 to tell which one new player playing T-72 and sweaty player who play T-80 i guess on sims or something
@@humbleopionist4366 if you can identify the tank, it's easier to find weak spots on it.
Just rangefind the tanks, your crew will call out most T-series tanks, these being the T-64, T-72, T-80 and the T-90
Me, an intellectual:
- T-54/55: Upside down dome
- T-62: Lmao upside down frying pan
- T-64: Lmao uglier upside down frying pan
- T-72/80: T-72 lol
- T-90: crab with eyes
T14: I don't even know who you are.
You forget the T90 is T72 lol as well
@@apersondoingthings5689 nah T-90 had eyes which's pretty easy to tell from the T-72. T-90M does not have eyes but turret shape is very different
Ah, yes. A mentally-advanced intellectual.😄
Taking the 72 and 80 as basically the same thing is not great if you are genuinely trying to tell them apart, T-80 is vastly different in a lot of ways from T-72, including the autoloader, the gun, the general layout of the ERA, on-board systems and more.
Add to that they are on an entirely different chassis
Not trying to be annoying or anything im just saying
13:26 bahahahah putting the suicide hotline sponsor on the war thunder logo lmao
Bro it's not only about suicide💀
@@tplays6688 who cares, they are hacks
lol HAHAHAHA
The position of the exhausts became an even greater recognition pointer when we moved onto thermal imagry sights.
As a Syrian 🇸🇾, I find recognizing the Soviet and Russian tanks is extremely easy
Well of course, but you have an advantage already, you saw them daily when you had to climb over 4 or 5 of them just to get to your Damascus middle-school every day.
This will certainly make my Simulator Battle experience in Warthunder less painful
War thunder is not a simulator lol
@@rubiconnnSimulator Battles is a gamemode in war thunder, friendly fire is enabled so identifying tanks is pretty important.
Meanwhile, trophies and sold vehicles like shermans, which are present in any nation:
Hello there 👋
Covering the war thunder logo with betterhelp was a nice touch
?
He probably shouldn't do that due to that being a water mark
@@DefinitelyNotAnAddict nah he knew the most War Thunder Players genuinely need a Therapist.
alternative: play war thunder so much you just know at a glance.
this is a call for help
Yes! Thank you.
That was very much worth the wait.
And while roadwheels are a great way to tell the different variants apart - my favourite way is for sure the usage of mental health. :))
This brings back memories of long nights and days doing Vehicle Identification classes when I was an M1A1 Tank Commander and Gunner. Usually conducted by our Troop Master Gunner. We had to identify all NATO and Threat tank and armored vehicles from all over the world. Many non-aligned countries and newly joined NATO former Warsaw Pact countries still operated Soviet era tanks and armored vehicles back in the late 1990s and present. We also had to identify markings, camouflage patterns, and other modifications. Tactics, Training, and Practices were another interesting to learn about Soviet and Warsaw Pact tactics employed in combat to know what each formation indicates from defensive to offensive movements. Armor and Cavalry units can employ many battle drills and Courses Of Actions during an engagement.
So interesting - I’ve always wondered how much actual tankers know about enemy equipment.
I was in 5-15 on the other side of the road in the early oughts. I remember my time doing VID recognition.
Sadly, Iraq kicked off and it quickly became "Ur NoW iNfAnTrEe". As time went on VID still is cemented in the back of my brain and had been helpful.
It's very easy to tell if a tank is a T-64, the road wheels on the t-64 are smaller than the rest.
*DAMN! The T- series is my favorite of all tanks and I was so eager someone could've made a video exactly for this purpose! THANK YOU.*
Just Wow! Very informative and well done.
Thank you for posting this video I really needed this
Glad it was helpful!
I knew most of this already, but it's so nice to have it in one easy list! I mostly used the wheels to ID the biggest variations, because it's the most obvious difference. Then the gun and other turret features, as long as they're there to see at all. I never put too much thought into details like the exhaust and engine deck, or the IR spotlight. Now I'll be on the lookout for those too.
This also clears up a problem I've had for a long time, the T-54 and the T-55. I hated how everyone always talks about them as if they're the same exact tank, and every time I looked it up, I found very little information on it. It's specially difficult since so many were modernized in ways that made them look even more similar. I remembered the Chieftain talking about the roof vent on a video about the Chinese Type 59, but I was never able to find the video again, so I'd been wondering ever since.
Exactly what my last Wiki rabbit hole was about. After finishing the MBTs, I branched out to engineering and bridge laying vehicles. My head is full of tracked vehicles right now.
A one track mind?
Can’t you also tell T-54s and T-55s apart from the presence of a fume extractor on the T-55 but the lack of one on the T-54?
That’s not always the case as some later model T-54’s were given or refitted with later model 100mm guns with the fume extractor.
T-54As have a similar looking muzzle counterweight and in T-54Bs it was replaced with a fume extractor
There are T55’s without the fume extractor and T54’s with them
Surefire way is to look at the cupola, t55 have a beefier cupola than t54
Sincerely, someone who have commanded both
@juusolatva No, only the basic T-54s mod. 1949 and mod. 1951 with the D-10T gun that were upgraded to T-54B standard have a counterweight. The T-54A has the D-10TG gun, which does have a fume extractor / bore evacuator.
Nah bro, I just play war thunder.
Excellent video, please do more!
Good summary. Well done!
Another great red wrench video❤
9:59 T-90A has the "Essa" thermal imaging sight, not the "Sosna-U". Basic T-90 has the 3rd gen passive-active "Buran-M" IR sight.
The video we've all been waiting for
A guide on how to read east block tanks, neat! Well explained too!
Good luck with getting a hold on your anxiety, i don´t struggle with that but i heard how much it sucks.
Kind words, thanks man! I'd say I've got a hold on it for now anyway. Fingers crossed haha.
Amazing video! Well done 🙂
Thank you! Cheers!
This was very helpful, thanks!
Really enjoyed this thanks for sharing. Would love to see something on bmps btrs ect if this becomes a thing
Well, that was very detailed. Thank you.
Cant wait for part 2❤
Thanks, great video men!
Incredibly informative thank you
Glad it was helpful!
its quite easey to spot the difference of the manny soviet tanks. T-44 and T-54 and no where alike. T-54 and T-55 is tricky, T-55 and T-62 are quite recognizable by the turet shape and general layout, T-62 and T-64 are completely different, T-64 and T-72 are completely different (look at the wheels and turet shape),T-72 and T-80 can be tricky, but if ur viewing from the side and you see exause pipe that makes it a T-72, and if you don't its a T-80. If viewing the T-72 and T-80 from the front side by side are also very reconizeble. Another way to tell T-72 apart from T-80 is looking at the front driver view port. T-72 has a whole single peice, T-80 has it plit into 3 sections
Thank you, I am always amazed how people can identify every different variant
i would appreciate a part 2 covering, the different variants of T-series tanks, maybe teaching about different type of ERA used on tanks
Remember: the T-90 is just a T-72 with an identity crisis
I mean they're two entirely different tanks. They just share the same exact flaws so we all just pretend they're the same tank.
@@92HazelMochaT-90 is literally just an upgraded T-72 lol 🤣
M1a2 is a upgraded m1a1....shocking i know
@@robbob9273 Yeah, but we don't pretend it's a brand new tank lol 🤣
@@rexblade504 Ukrainians do with T-84. You can't retrofit half the T-90M shit to a T-72, plenty new for me.
Awesome vid!
Actually quite informative! I knew about the road wheels, but not about the headlights and the exhaust! Maybe you could also do a video telling how to tell apart the Western tanks of the conflict? It can sometimes be a bit difficult to tell the difference between the Abrams, the Leopard 2 and the Challenger 2, as they have a very similar design and have all popped up as casualties in the conflict.
The Leopard 2 is pretty distinct in its evolutionary designs so it's pretty easy to spot and identify (ie. composite wedges in the turret and the naked turret without them). Challenger 2 and M1 Abrams has their distinct ufp. Abrams has it pretty flat while the Chally 2 has a distinct middle in its ufp. Their turret is also quite different.
Great analysis overall.
Excellent video,
Wish you'd make more videos there so good
Чудова робота, дуже якісне відео. Дякую
Outstanding video.
Most T-84's do not have a large rear turret bussel. What you showed in side view was the prototype T-84-120 Ятаган. But T-84, T-84-120 Ятаган, and Ukraines most modern T-84БМ Оплот do have Варта dazzlers, which are a copy of the Russian Штора.
Funny because what I've been using to identify the more modern/ized T-series all this time is the disposition and placement of their ERA blocks, or some other elements on their chassis and turret, like the distinct diadem-shaped composite armor on the T-62M's turret cheeks, or the rubber "skirts" on the T80U's turret ERA blocks.
Can you do next a video about the t90M or just the T series
I need this to be a series
Excellente vidéo
Avec beaucoup de détails
Mais difficile à tous les retenir
Clicked off after the Better Help ad. Might want to look into their numberous lawsuits.
My dude over here. the literal 12 year old.
You want to pay his rent instead?
No?
Then stfu.
@@brentonherbert7775 You could justify literally any sponsorship with that logic, no matter how immoral or illegitimate. No need to be so aggressive to someone warning about shady sponsors.
@@Mr_Bunk Meanwhile. This other guy. "I ClICkEd OfF BeCaUse"
Get outta here with your self righteous bs.
@@brentonherbert7775 Since when was giving basic feedback ‘self-righteous’? If anything, _you_ fit that description better, _you’re_ the one shoehorning your morals with your “dO yOu wAnT tO pAy hiS rEnT iNsTeAd?”. Red Wrench deserves better than to be white-knighted by an arrogant pr1ck like you who likes your own comments.
mf above me liked his own comment
Well done
Excellent video, straight to the point and well put together. Will definetly kept it on the side if I ever ID a tank laying around!
Betterhelp is a very shady company. I wouldn't associate with them in the future..
Eh, are they though?
The only bad rap i've seen is that they're a health company that's... basically for profit. Which is normal in some countries (like the US)
But in Europe yeah - you can get a schedule with a psychologist for free at your local clinic
@@gae_wead_dad_6914They just dealt with several lawsuits a few years ago where they had to pay 7.8 million after the Federal Trade Commission caught them selling customer private personal/health data to companies like Facebook/Snapchat/etc despite them EXPLICITLY promising customers they wouldnt. Yeah they're a bit more than an "average shady health company".
@@gae_wead_dad_6914 They arent confidential with data. Thats the big one.
"very shady company... No i will not elaborate on this rather big thing i just said"
@@brentonherbert7775 I mean it was a big controversy a few uears ago on how they didnt hire real therapists or psychologists, and were mostly a scam. It was all over CZcams lol
Im more surprised theyre still around
Great video, but please take a look at better help background and their shady practices, if you want to be propagating their service.
Back in the 1990s, I had several exmilitary technical manuals. One was the antitank version. It had in the beginning, all major Counties APC, TANK, AND OTHER ARMORED VEHICLES BOTH WHEELED AND TRACKED. Then it should "ALL TYPES" of anti armor weapons and several improvised things that can be used. Then how to set up differentsim situations where there what can be done to stop Armour. And the was when we were worried about the WARSAW PACT Countries
We need a test video!!! Like where you test on all of them. Please!!
it would be interesting to see other t series tanks that are even older, for example, the t44 though whence you get that old it starts getting more obvious, i'd also be surprised if any destroyed tank hull is found with a pike nose, that would indicate it being a cold war heavy tank, such things would probably never show up but you never know
Another one for the T-54/55 is the running lights on the front of the hull. Akaik the T-54 never used low light illumination headlights, as is seen on the T-55 in the side by side picture you used.
Thank you. Sometimes it's hard to tell what kind of tank it was with upper half part of it missing.
Thank you 😊
Thank you so much
Please do cover the other unique variants and ERA layouts
yes i admit sometimes i overlooked these details even though i build 1/35 tank models 😮
Nice job 🤗it will be awesome to see videos like this about russian howitzers BMP's, BTR's and so on
13:31 I love how he covered the War Thunder Logo with a Better Help Logo. 😂
I really need help concerning my War Thunder Addiction.
Great video. It's actually funny for me cause a month ago I made a presentation to my unit about how to identify russian vehicles and I used a lot of the same photos you did. I do have a few pointers though. I'd argue that the only tank people should remember having a unique fording tube it the T80. I've see quite a few photos where the T64s tubes "bend" is not visible, or that whole tube is hidden behind another fording tube (sometimes the T64 has either 2 or maybe it's the same tube but disassembled. tbh idk, its a weird one as far as Russian tank fording tubes go). For other tanks (and this is a lesson i learnt from error) they all have almost identically looking tubes, and their place on the turret is not standard. Ive seen all of them have their tubes mounted on different parts of the turret. Now for the exhausts. The exhaust on the T90 *SOMETIMES* is a different shape than the T72. Most of the photos ive seen show the T90 having a more straight-boxy exhaust shape, while the T72s exhaust always extends out a bit more and and is bent down. Another thing you mightve wanted to mention are those meteorological poles that you can see in the photos on the T90 and the T80UK turrets. I'm pretty sure I've seen them on a T72 somewhere too but i might be missremembering. For the T55 and T62 ive never seen any newer tanks have those bent-upwards holding handles that you can see on the T55 and T64 turrets, but its a minor detail and some of the photos ive seen have them removed. I absolutely loved the video though, and i actually didnt even know about a few of those details that you listed myself, so great job!
Also if i remember correctly only T-80 has skirts on turret ERA which is very visible
great video! could you maybe do something similar with the german panzerIV and VI?
Possibly!
Very interesting.
11:02 TIL the UK is just the command variant of the U. Only took me 2 years! XD Thanks man.
T-54: Bubble turret on flat hull.
T-55: Bubble turret on flat hull. T-62: Bubble turret on flat hull. T-64: Ugly bubble turret on flat hull.
T-72: Bubble turret on flat hull. T-80: Great bubble turret on flat hull.
T-90: ERA turret on flat hull.
T-90M: Futuristic turret on flat hill.
very good video
LETS GOOOO
Red wrench upload
13:28 to 13:33 i like how he covered the War Thunder Logo with the Better Help Logo 😂
I always thought the T54/55 was just one tank lol.
Only real difference between the two is T-55 is rated for Nuclear threats
As a RUSSIAN military enthusiast
The way i identify soviet tanks are usually by the turret
Very helpful! Now make one with MiGs and Sukois 😂 (apologize if you already have)
Subbed btw.
Thanks for the sub!
Let's go!
ur the best tank youtuber i loev u
Interesting: the T-72B3 has characteristic cutouts under the cheekbones of the tower, which are usually not covered by anything.
Good to know
You should do a sequel for identifying BTR variants.
Best version of tank recce on CZcams! Thanks dude
3:58 Why Does The T-64 Have The Bundeswehr Roundel On It?
Ukrainian army often uses Wehrmacht/Nazi-inspired symbols on their vehicles and uniforms (Balkenkreutz, Nazi eagles, etc.).
@@Postoronniy Bundeswehr is not Nazi. The Nazi era Iron Cross looks different, too. Germany is now a democratic country with strict anti-fascist governance and has been for eight decades.
Ukrainians regularly train with Germans since the invasion of Crimea by Russia - many units adopt symbols of their hosts and the traditions of their trainers and partners.
This is common in military culture, especially in Europe and America. USA adopted the maroon beret for paratroopers from the British, for example.
@Dark-Mustang This is the white cross outline that Wehrmacht used on its vehicles in 1939-42. There were also badges with the Third Reich eagle, either with the original Nazi Swastika or Ukrainian trident instead of it. There were passport covers with "Reichskommissariat Ukraine" emblem on them. There were straight up Swastikas on uniforms or vehicles (one Bradley was caught on video with it recently), etc. Many Ukrainian soldiers are neonazis, and have been using such imagery long before the current war.
Great explanation video. Minor note - T14 wasnt towed. I know it became a meme but wasnt true. Towing vehicle came to pick it up. Then they realised driver messed up and it drove off by itself.
Minor note the driver somehow engaged the parking break and was stuck in the position how bad of a tank is it that the driver mistake the parking break for a gear and it took close to an hour to figure this out
@@AJ-vt6uh the driver was not familiar with this tank
@@user-ot7wh6mh7n did this driver just pass the test or some?
@@user-ot7wh6mh7n thankfully that is now a non-issue, nobody will need to hehehe
@@thomasnorge2245 maybe he didn't have much experience, got stuck, panicked and couldn't figure out the problem. Or he wasn't familiar with the controls of this exact tank. Because it was the manufacturer who was providing drivers to help during testing.
The easiest way to recognize russian tanks is by analysing the aerodynamics of the turret when it flies in the air and also test if a pebble can penetrate the armor, if it does, it's definitely a russian tank.
Another way to tell these and their variants apart is the ERA panels - for example, the T-90M's panels make its turret look like a coffin, whilst the T-72B3 has gaps in between its frontal kontakt-5 ERA. You can also tell from what type of ERA it is, like if it's Relict or Kontakt 5.
All T-72B3s have the Kontakt-5 on the turret front and UFP. Only T-90M and T-80BVM have Relikt there.
@@Postoronniy fixed, thanks - t-72b3m does have relict though, just not the normal b3
@@thebismark4830 It has Relikt on sides and rear, not the front. I guess T-72B frontal armor + Kontakt-5 is considered good enough.
YES USEFUL!
Covering the warthunder logo with betterhelp is so real
I hope you cover all variants of those tank too. It will help a lot of people out there. Keep up the good work
Can you make a video, tha tackles about all the TANKS in the T-Series and all of there Variants ( with pictures ).
Example:
T-64 has the T-64A, T-64B, T-64BV , T-64BV Obr. 2016 with pictures or photos of the said variants
Great video as always! Maybe a video on Ukrainian tank development in the future? There's a bunch of interesting designs.
Do one on the M48 vs M60 because they're two very similar looking tanks
Sweet, this will help me ID the Soviet tank right before it kills me in War Thunder.
10:32 Yes, T-84 how to recognize, just look for a huge commander's CITV that blocks the HMG! 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
i heard that the T-14 was brought in limited numbers near the contested areas in Ukraine for evaluation purposes, but it only got used for fire support from way behind the actual front line where it wouldn't receive any substantial return fire and then sent back.
They're still not in country.
I've read they were also used on test sites in Kazan. Clearly the project is far from being abandoned, but it's also isn't replacing T-90 any time soon.
really nice vid, i wish there was some sort of quiz at the end ^^
babe wake up, Red Wrench just uploaded a new video