What perks to download type 59. War machine of the Middle Kingdom

Type 59 is a Chinese tier 8 medium tank in World of Tanks. The legendary vehicle, one of the very first to receive the status of a premium vehicle, also has a preferential level of battles. Over its many years in the game, the tank has gone through more than one series of changes. Read on to learn how Type 59 plays in 2019 and how its gameplay has changed.

The last time the characteristics of the tank were changed was in patch 1.2, during which a global upgrade of preferential vehicles was made.

At the moment, the full performance characteristics look like this:

Firepower

One-time damage is 250 units, the average for level 8 ST. But armor penetration is quite weak and the rate of fire is also low, as a result the average damage per minute is about 1800. Aiming time and accuracy are quite acceptable, vertical guidance angles -7...+20°.

Characteristics of ammunition

The projectiles have a good flight speed, which allows you to effectively shoot at moving targets.

Vitality

The HP is 1300 units, which is the norm for a medium tank, but for comparison, the T26E4 SuperPershing has 1500 units. Moreover, they both have a preferential level of battles.

In patch 1.2, the Type 59's armor was improved:

A more complete picture of the armor now looks like this:

The frontal armor of the tank is 100 mm, but it has rational angles of inclination of the armor, which significantly increases the chance of a ricochet from enemies of levels 6-7, and sometimes even from level 8 under successful circumstances. The protection along the side is weak, only 80 mm and you shouldn’t count on it.

The turret is more protected and has a ricochet shape, and in the frontal projection the armor indicators vary from 250 to 400 mm. The gun mantlet is protected by a screen. The turret will help even against most Tier 8 tanks, with the exception of tank destroyers with high penetration.

Don't forget about the vulnerable hatches on the turret, which are not a problem to target on a stationary tank.

Module location

The fuel tanks are located immediately behind the frontal armor, which increases the likelihood of the tank being set on fire. The second unpleasant point is that there is also an ammunition rack located in front, which is also often criticized.

Other indicators

The tank weighs 36 tons with a specific engine power of 650 hp. allows you to dial maximum speed up to 56 km/h. The Type 59 struggles on soft ground and is slow to reach top speed. But it is quite capable of spinning the enemy’s heavy tank or supporting a breakthrough along the flank, that is, it copes with the role of a medium tank.

A visibility of 380 meters is quite enough for level 8, but the low communication range of only 600 meters is depressing.

Advantages and disadvantages

Having familiarized yourself with the technical and tactical characteristics of the Type 59, you can highlight its strengths and weaknesses:

Advantages:

• preferential level of battles;
• due to the low silhouette there is a good stealth factor;
• strong tower;
• good UVN.

Flaws:

• mediocre dynamics;
• weak hull armor;
• low armor penetration;
• long mixing;
• long recharge;
• Frequent damage to ammunition racks and tanks due to their location in the frontal part of the tank.

Equipment

The equipment package for the Type 59 will enhance the tank's effectiveness on the battlefield and help it fulfill its role more fully. This machine provides two assembly options.

Team player with review bet:

• coated optics- will add 38 meters to the basic visibility of the vehicle, which is extremely important for an active medium tank;
• - the accuracy of this CT is mediocre, so it will be extremely useful to reduce the spread and the required time for convergence.

Damage Maverick:

• vertical stabilizer;
• improved ventilation Class 2- will give a 5% bonus to all crew skills, thereby slightly increasing all the characteristics of the vehicle.

The choice of the third slot is the same in both options:

• medium caliber gun rammer- speeds up the long reload of the tank and thereby increases the average damage per minute.

Crew training for Type 59

The tank's crew consists of four people, and the loader has a mixed specialization with the radio operator.


Consider the importance and relevance of the selected skills.

The first perk we learn is repair, and at the second level we reset the skill of the commander to the sixth sense and the loader to non-contact ammunition rack to reduce her crit chance.

Then we study the skills depicted at the third level, after which we reset the skills of all four tankers in order to study the Brotherhood of Battle, the effect of which only works if all crew members have 100% proficiency in the skill.

Repair is an indispensable perk for active ST. If you prefer to stand more on the sidelines, then the order of study can be changed with camouflage, which well complements the basic stealth coefficient.

Smooth rotation of the tower will allow you to shoot more accurately and aim faster. The sniper will sometimes delight you by setting the enemy on fire or exploding the ammunition.

This technique does not have good dynamics, so the combination off-road king and Virtuoso will help you reach maximum speed more quickly by improving cross-country ability on medium and soft soils, and will make the tank more maneuverable.

If you like to rush in and fire while moving, then the “Virtuoso” skill can be replaced with “Smooth Move”.

Eagle eye combined with radio interception will increase the visibility of the tank by 19 meters.

Equipment

The choice of consumables depends solely on the task you set for the battle: farming credits or higher combat effectiveness and survivability. The equipment set has a standard appearance:

• repair kit;
• first aid kit;
• automatic fire extinguisher(necessarily improved, as it will reduce the likelihood of a fire and save more precious hit points).

For the bravest and most desperate, there is a national dish available. Improved diet, but its usefulness is questionable given the high fire susceptibility of the Type 59.

How to play Type 59

Having understood all the features and characteristics of the equipment, it’s time to move on to tactics. Based on the far from best armor and a very mediocre gun, we come to the conclusion that the best role on the battlefield for the Type 59 is support from the second line.

The tank has good stealth, as for a CT, which will allow you to stay out of sight longer and shoot damage. At the same time, after the upgrade in patch 1.2, the vehicle has improved in dynamics and now plays much more cheerfully, which allows you to more actively support allied heavy tanks or go into a breakthrough along the flank with the rest of the medium tanks. At the same time, it is important not to lose your head and not get carried away in the chase, because a long reload and vulnerable modules in the frontal projection can lead to defeat in a duel.

Attention! You need to take care of the starboard side, because there is an ammunition rack between the second and third rollers. Therefore, it is extremely undesirable to travel this side to the enemy.

Taking into account the small ammunition load - 50 shells, it is necessary to take a serious approach to filling it before the battle. The Type 59 does not fall into the "tens", but still the armor penetration of the basic projectile is not enough for many "nines" and some "eights". Therefore, it is optimal to load 24 armor-piercing, 24 sub-caliber and 2 land mines in case you urgently need to disrupt the capture of the base. Such an arsenal will allow you to farm while at the top of the list and drag you in when the situation is difficult.

As for Chinese equipment, this CT has good UVN, which allows you to play off the terrain in some situations.

In close encounters with the enemy, try to maneuver; nevertheless, the armor has good angles of inclination and there is always a chance of a ricochet, especially from level 6-7 vehicles. And regardless of your position on the list, don't forget to keep an eye on the map, as the medium tank can change flank if necessary to provide support to its allies.

Brief summary

With the performance improvements in Patch 1.2, the legendary Type 59's combat effectiveness is now more in line with its status. Now he can again take full part in battles and influence their outcome. A comprehensive increase in firepower, aiming and armor made the Chinese premium ST more relevant under modern conditions random.

On this moment The Type 59 is not available for purchase and has been reclassified as a promotional vehicle, so you can expect it to appear in honor of some event or receive it through a bonus code.

Today we will look at the Type59 tank.

Type 59, as it is

The type is a representative of the Chinese branch of Tier 8 medium tanks. Good dynamics, excellent turret armor. Also has a good 100mm gun

Perks

Desirable equipment

Rammer - for faster CD

Stabilizer - for a narrower range of mixing

Valve - for better performance of the entire tank, the crew in particular

Desirable ammunition

This is quite enough, but it’s better to spend shells wisely; in a good, dynamic, dragging battle, they may not be enough (This happened to me)

Equipment

First aid kit - for repairing shell-shocked crew members

Repair - for repairing tank modules

Fire extinguisher - for extinguishing a fire.

It is best to install everything automatic and large.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

• High profitability of the machine;
• Excellent frontal armor;
• A strong tower that provides ricochets;
• Good rate of fire;
• Good DPM;
• High performance in the game;
• Highest competitiveness;

Flaws:

• • Insufficient dynamics;
  • Low speed
  • Weak forehead protection from landmines;
  • Long repairs and low strength of tracks;
  • A small amount of ammunition;
  • Frequent damage to the ammunition rack;
  • Weak armor on the stern and sides;
  • Frequent critical damage to tanks from a frontal hit;
  • Frequent critical damage when hit by a landmine.

History of tank building

After the end of the civil war in 1949, it was regular, but most of the weapons were or were in urgent need of repair. This also applies to the World War II tanks that were available in China, produced by the Americans or the Japanese. Soon a large quantity was supplied military equipment, including 100 mm and armored personnel carriers and. More deliveries followed in the early 1950s large quantity equipment, this time - mainly tanks, the production of which was later launched by China under the designation "Type 59". The first tanks produced in China at the Baotou plant were poorly equipped - there were no 100 mm guns and . However, later these tanks were equipped with a complete set for the commander, gunner and driver, as well as a gun stabilization system. The 7.62 mm machine guns installed in the bow of the tank and coaxial with the cannon were designated Type 59T, and the 12.7 mm Soviet machine gun installed in the hatch area received the designation . A British company supplied a small number of night vision devices for the Type 59 tank, including the driver and sights for the commander and gunner. Later, many such tanks were seen with the gun mounted outside, above the gun mantlet - extremely vulnerable to small arms and fragments in place. (Taken from Wikipedia!!!)

Battle tactics

When playing the Type 59, you should remember that it is a close-range vehicle, and it is at this distance that it is most effective. When meeting enemies more high level, or in a battle with heavy tanks, adhere to side clinch tactics, that is, position yourself on the side and roll back and forth to make it difficult for the enemy to hit you. If you are at a long distance, then there is a chance to hit, but it is better not to tempt fate and simply not waste the shells!

Videos from YouTube (the best and hardcore ones)

The successful design of the T-55 has led to the fact that tanks created on its basis and modernized using new technologies still represent a very impressive force, especially if they do not have to meet with the latest generation of enemy equipment

After the end of World War II fighting have not ended in China. Until 1950, there was a fire here. Soviet Union supported his ideological allies different ways– including supplying them with armored vehicles. In particular, the USSR transferred captured Japanese tanks to the communists in exchange for food supplies from Manchuria to the Soviet Far East.

After the end of the war, China began to receive Soviet-made armored vehicles - heavy tanks IS-2, medium T-34–85, self-propelled guns SU-100, etc. In 1956, the USSR supplied its new Far Eastern ally with several copies of the newest T-54A tank and technical documentation for its production.

How the T-54 tank became “Chinese”

The T-54 was a very successful innovative machine. In total, it was in service with tank units of the USSR for more than thirty years, and at the time of the transfer of rights to its production to China, it was the main tank.

Decontamination of Type 59 tanks during exercises
Source - china-defense-mushup.com

The leadership of the People's Republic of China launched its own tank production in the urban district of Baotou in the province of Inner Mongolia, assigning the newly built enterprise No. 617. Today this enterprise is the state-owned “First engineering corporation Inner Mongolia" is the only manufacturer of battle tanks in China. The corporation is part of the state-owned industrial group CNGC Norinco Group (China North Industries Corporation), a key Chinese manufacturing association engaged in both the production of military equipment and engineering products aimed at meeting civilian needs.

The construction of the plant in Baotou and the launch of the tank into production were carried out with the participation of Soviet specialists simultaneously with 156 other key industrial facilities built in the PRC during the first five-year plan. Initially, it was planned to produce up to a thousand licensed T-54A tanks per year. In addition, a specialized research institute-201 was created in Beijing, which was engaged in the design development of armored vehicles.

Chinese workers assembled the first tank in 1958 from Soviet components. The vehicle was assigned the production index WZ-120, and when put into service, the tank received the index “Type 59” (Type 59). The first 32 Type 59 vehicles took part in the Beijing parade on October 1, 1959, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. In subsequent years, these tanks became permanent and mandatory participants in such events. The cars of the starting series completely repeated the design Soviet tank T-54A, and in subsequent modifications, Chinese engineers began to make some changes that better adapted the vehicle to climatic conditions South-East Asia.

Removing the turret from a Type 59 tank using a Type 84 BREM crane
Source - armyrecognition.com

In 1960, due to insults exchanged between the heads of China and the USSR, Mao Zedong and N.S. Khrushchev, there was a rupture in relations between the two countries. First of all, it affected military-industrial cooperation, so the Baotou plant soon faced a shortage of components, many of which at that time were supplied from the USSR. As a result, the production plan of 1,000 tanks per month was not fulfilled, and the Chinese urgently had to resolve the issue of establishing production of units previously supplied from outside.

By 1967, the plant reached a capacity of 600 cars per year and subsequently only increased its productivity. In turn, NII-201 intensified work to improve the Type 59 design. Over the next years, the Chinese followed the path of gradual improvement of the technology they had already mastered and its deep modernization, up to the creation of new types of equipment. However, soon the “Cultural Revolution” began in China, the most destructive period of which, resulting in mass arrests of the intelligentsia, including technical ones, occurred in 1966–69. This had a negative impact on both the development of Chinese industry in general and tank building in particular.

Design of the Type 59 tank

Like the T-54, the Type 59 has a classic layout - the control compartment is located in front, followed by the fighting compartment, and the engine and transmission compartment is located in the stern. The tank hull is welded from rolled homogeneous steel armor plates. The thickness of the frontal armor is 97 mm, the slope of the upper part is 60°, the lower part is 55°. The thickness of the sides is 79 mm, the stern is 40–45 mm, the bottom is 20 mm, the hull roof is 30 mm. The thickness of the front wall of the cast tower reaches a thickness of 203 mm, the side walls – 80 mm, and the rear wall – 65 mm. Thanks to the hemispherical shape, the walls of the tower are located at rational, varying angles of inclination. The weight of the tank is 36.5 tons. Crew - 4 people: commander, driver, gunner, loader.

"Type 59" during exercises during the day

In the engine and transmission compartment of the tank under the symbol 12150L, ​​a Chinese copy of the Soviet diesel engine B-54, which had a power of 520 hp. With. at 2000 rpm. The Type 59 transmission, identical to the T-54A, was used to transmit power from the engine to a parallel gearbox (hereinafter referred to as the gearbox), new element- “guitar”. It is a gearbox with a gear ratio of 0.7. Thanks to this, the gearbox was designed to be compact and simple (five-speed manual). The chassis of the Type 59 tank used the principle of an individual torsion bar suspension. The support rollers were installed with a large diameter, five per side. The tracks were made 580 mm wide, fine-linked with an open metal hinge and lantern engagement with the drive wheel. Each of them consisted of 90 tracks.

The fuel supply of 532 liters is located in three external and three internal tanks, in addition, at the rear of the hull there is a mount for a two-hundred-liter external tank.

Initially, the Type 59 was equipped with a 100-mm rifled gun "69", which was a licensed version of the Soviet D-10TG gun installed on the T-54A. Almost right next to the muzzle of the gun there is an ejector necessary for purging the barrel bore of powder gases. Initially, the gun was equipped with a single-plane stabilizer, which stabilized the gun in a vertical position and increased the tank's firing accuracy on the move. However, due to the breakdown of relations with the USSR, the installation of stabilizers on guns ceased, and the installation of night vision devices also ceased (tanks left the assembly shop without them).

The pointing angles of the D-10TG gun were −5°...+18°, which in combat conditions in mountainous or hilly terrain could create certain inconveniences, especially when firing from a hill. The effective firing range varied between 700–1200 m. To fire the cannon, a Chinese-made telescopic articulated sight with variable 3.5- and 7-fold magnification was used, which was a copy of the Soviet TSh-2A-22.

"Type 59" during exercises at night
Source – china-defense-mushup.com

The tank's ammunition consisted of 34 unitary rounds, 20 of which were in the rack to the right of the driver's seat, and another 14 in the fighting compartment. To the right of the gun was mounted a coaxial 7.62-mm Type 59T machine gun, a licensed version of the Soviet SGMT. A second similar front-mounted machine gun was rigidly mounted in the front plate of the tank. The ammunition load of both machine guns was 3,500 rounds. A large-caliber 12.7-mm Type 54 machine gun, which was a licensed copy of the Soviet DShKM, was mounted on the roof of the turret above the loader's hatch. Its ammunition capacity was 200 rounds.

Type 59-I

In the early 1960s, the Type 59 tank was modernized in China. The characteristics of the new modification “Type 59-I” (production index - WZ120A) brought this tank closer to the Soviet T-54B. The vehicle was equipped with a two-plane weapons stabilizer (analogous to the Soviet Cyclone), as well as active night vision devices. The ammunition load of the 69-II cannon (analogous to the Soviet D-10T2S) has increased to 44 unitary shells. For the tank, the Chinese began to produce a new armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile (hereinafter referred to as BPS) AR100-2 with an elongated core, developed by one of the companies belonging to the NORINCO group. The tank gun received a new ejector design, independently developed in China.

The British company MEL supplied China with tank night vision devices, which began to be installed on Type 59-I tanks. Now the commander and gunner were provided with infrared sights, and the driver was provided with a night observation device. These tanks could be easily distinguished by their Type 82 or Type 83-II laser rangefinders from the Chinese company CELEC, mounted above the gun mantlet - in a place extremely vulnerable to small arms fire and shrapnel. They began to be installed on tanks in the late 1970s, so during the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979, some of the equipment participating in the fighting was already equipped with them. The Type 82 made it possible to measure the distance to a target at ranges of 300–3000 meters with an accuracy of 10 m. In addition, the vehicles began to be equipped with analog ballistic computers. Data was entered into them manually using a push-button control panel.

Medium tank"Type 59-I"
Source - armor.kiev.ua

All Type 59 tanks in service with the PLA were upgraded to Type 59-I.

Modernized Type 59AP vehicles were produced especially for Pakistan, distinguished by the presence of a lattice basket welded to the rear of the turret and smoke grenade launchers on its sides. These tanks were also produced in significant quantities in Pakistan by the local company Heavy Defense Industries in cooperation with NORINCO, and in the early 2000s, Pakistan developed a modernized version called Al-Zarrar. They are still in service with the Pakistani armed forces and take part in combat operations against Islamic extremists.

Type 59-II

In the early 1980s, the gun of the Type 59-I tank was replaced by an Israeli-made 105-mm rifled gun "81", which was a copy of the American M68 tank gun (the Israelis armed their Shot and Merkava tanks with these guns Mk.1 and Mk.2). The Americans, in turn, when creating the M68, copied the design of the British-made 105-mm Royal Ordnance L7, purchasing the appropriate license. They installed their guns on M48A5, M60 and M1 Abrams tanks of the early series. These guns performed well in the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War, where the main opponents of the Israelis were the T-54/55 and T-62, the design of which is also very similar to the Type 59. In China, the tanks and guns that fired at them in the Middle East were combined into one vehicle, designated Type 59-II (WZ-120B).

At that time, the Israelis already had experience in rearming captured Egyptian and Syrian T-54s with 105 mm guns. Such tanks entered service with the Israel Defense Forces under the designation “Tiran-4Sh” - “Sh” (in Hebrew, the letter “shin”) means “sharir” (strong). So special problems The Chinese did not have any problems with modernizing their vehicles, especially since the dimensions of the new guns almost completely corresponded to the 100-mm “69-II”. The weapon stabilizer remained the same as that used on the Type 59-I. For the new gun, NORINCO created a 105-mm feathered BPS with a uranium alloy core of increased penetration power. The 100-mm gun's BPS had an initial speed of 1,480 m/s and an armor penetration of 150 mm at a range of 2,400 meters at an angle of 65°, and a 105-mm OBPS with a uranium alloy core was capable of penetrating 150 mm thick armor at a range of 2,500 m at an angle of 60° . The tank's ammunition also included high-explosive and cumulative shells, the production of which was established in China using Israeli technology. The Type 59-II's ammunition load remained the same as that of the "59-I" - 44 rounds.

Type 59-II tanks in service
Source - vooruzenie.ru

Externally, the Type 59-II differs from the Type 59-I by the ejector, which was moved much closer to the turret and increased in size. The Type 59-II also featured non-illuminated night vision devices, rubberized side screens and smoke grenade launchers. The laser rangefinder was moved from the platform above the gun to the commander's cupola. Tanks equipped with such equipment received the “Type 59-IIA” index.

Type 59-IID

In the 1990s, China began to modernize its Type 59-II - new car received the index “Type 59-IID” (WZ-120C). The latest fire control system (hereinafter referred to as the FCS) was installed, including new combined (day/night) passive sights for the commander and gunner, an auxiliary telescopic sight, a built-in laser rangefinder, an improved two-plane weapon stabilizer and a digital ballistic computer. Instead of a periscope sight, the gunner could be provided with a thermal imager.

The 105 mm gun was modernized and received a new designation “Type 83-I” (83A).

The tank was equipped with FY dynamic protection elements, which are box-shaped containers with explosives. 13 containers protect the frontal part of the hull, and another 30 are placed on the cheekbones of the turret (15 on each side). Also, four smoke grenade launchers were installed on the sides of the turret, and in the rear part there was a basket for the crew’s property, which at the same time serves as an additional anti-cumulative screen. On top of that, the tank was equipped with thermal smoke equipment that uses fuel as a reagent.

Medium tank "Type 59-IID"
Source - armor.kiev.ua

The engine of the car was boosted by increasing the fuel supply and compression ratio, which made it possible to increase the power of the 12-cylinder diesel engine 12150L7 to 580 hp. With. The speed of the tank when driving on the highway reached 50 km/h, off-road - 25, and the cruising range increased from 360 to 440 kilometers (with additional tanks reaching 600). The steel track joints were replaced with rubber-metal ones, and the torsion bar shafts were strengthened. A new A-220A radio station was installed on the tank, allowing communication at distances of up to 16 kilometers.

Type 59 for sale

For foreign buyers, a special modification of the tank was developed - “Type 59-IID1” (WZ120C1). The 105-mm "79" gun was equipped with an aluminum-composite heat-insulating casing. A guided weapon system was installed on the tank, allowing anti-tank fire to be fired through the barrel. guided missiles(ATGM) with a maximum firing range of up to 5.2 kilometers and armor penetration of up to 700 millimeters. It is also possible that the possibility of installing the Soviet-developed 9K116-1 “Bastion” complex, designed to fire from 100-mm rifled guns of T-54 and T-55 tanks, was envisaged. In addition to ground targets, such systems can also destroy low-flying air targets (for example, helicopters).

In the 1980s, export versions of the Type 59 tank were produced in small batches:

• “Type 59R” - with a new control system, anti-nuclear protection system, steel bulwarks, “Type 79” gun;
• “Type 59P” – with reinforced armor for the turret and frontal part of the hull, “Type 79” gun;
• “Type 59G” (“Type 59–125/59–120”) – with a new turret, a new fire control system, 580/1200 hp engine, 120/125 mm smoothbore gun Rh-120-L44 (unlicensed copy of the Soviet 2A46 ).

Production of Type 59 tanks was carried out in China until 1987. It was produced in parallel with the less popular Type 69 tank, and then they were replaced by the Type 79 and other second-generation tanks. There are at least two known attempts by the Celestial Empire to increase the number of production sites where tanks would be assembled. The so-called “branch No. 704”, built at the Luoyang Tractor Plant in 1970, was able to produce only 100 tanks in ten years. Most likely, Luoyang encountered problems related to product quality (technological level of production, labor qualifications, etc.). In the early 1970s, there was a project to build a second full-fledged tank plant (“base No. 541”), but it was not implemented.

The total production volumes of the Type 59 tank are not precisely known. In the 1970s, China produced 500–700 cars per year, in 1979 – 1000, in 1980 – 500, in 1981 – 600, in 1982 –1200, in 1983 – 1500–1700 units. After 1980, almost all production was exported. The estimated number of manufactured tanks of this model of all modifications is 10 thousand units.

"Type 59-120" with 120 mm gun
Source - armor.kiev.ua

A significant number of Type 59 tanks were exported to the following countries: Albania (470), Bangladesh (about 100), Iran (500), Iraq (about 700, mostly modernized versions), Congo (15), Cambodia (about 50) , North Korea(175), Pakistan (1200 – including those produced under license), Vietnam (350), Zimbabwe (35), Tanzania (30), Sudan (50). Most of these countries still operate Chinese tanks or are considering the possibility of repairing and modernizing them.

According to Western sources, as of 2012, there were 4.3 thousand Type 59 tanks in service and storage in China.

Based on the Type 59, other vehicle models were created, which, according to the Chinese classification, belong to the first generation of tanks:

• “Type 62” (WZ-131) was a tank lighter by 15.5 tons due to thinner armor, a lighter chassis and a smaller caliber gun (85 mm). Produced until 1989;
• “Type 69” (WZ-121) - was distinguished mainly by a 100-mm smoothbore gun, developed in China based on data obtained from the study of the Soviet T-62 captured on Damansky Island. Produced until 1987 in small batches, mainly for export.

"Type 59" in battles

Type 59 tanks received their baptism of fire in the Third Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. During the Second War of 1965, the Pakistani military leadership lost confidence in American tanks, since only at Assal-Uttar in a battle with the Indian Centurions did the Pakistani armed forces They lost about a hundred M48 Patton vehicles, which is why the battle site was called “Patton Nager” - the Patton cemetery. In the second half of the 1960s, Pakistan began to closely cooperate with China, and by 1971 its army was armed with 700 Type 59 tanks.

On the night of March 25, 1971, Operation Searchlight was launched by the Pakistani army against the Bangladeshi rebels from the Mukti Bahini movement, who advocated the secession of East Pakistan and the creation of an independent state of Bangladesh. As a result, a civil war broke out, in which the Indian army entered on the side of Bangladesh in December 1971. The problem arose of distinguishing the Indian T-54/55 purchased from the USSR from the Pakistani Type 59. The Indians installed false additional ejectors of increased size on their tanks at a distance of 2/3 of the barrel length from the turret. Thanks to this, the D-10 cannon from a distance began to resemble the English L7, which was armed with the Indian Centurions and Vijayats. Thus, the Indian T-54/T-55 were different from the Pakistani Type 59 even from a great distance. The Pakistanis marked their Type 59s with horizontal white stripes about 25 cm wide around the turret with a break on the left and right sides for the number, as well as a white stripe on the gun ejector.

Tank "Type 59-AR" of the Pakistani army
Source - otvaga.narod.ru

China began supplying tanks to the North Vietnamese government quite late, at the end of 1971. On March 30, 1972, Hanoi carried out a massive offensive operation against the troops of South Vietnam, nicknamed by Western media the “Easter Offensive,” in which for the first time the infantry of the Vietnamese People's Army was supported by tank units - the 201st, 202nd and 203rd regiments, which were armed with and Chinese Type 59. Subsequently, these and other tank units took part in battles in South Vietnam until the complete victory of the DRV troops over the enemy.

The next time Vietnam encountered Type 59 tanks was during the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. Due to the expulsion of the Chinese diaspora from the territory of North Vietnam and the political confrontation that arose in Laos, on February 17, 1979, PLA units invaded Vietnamese territory. China's offensive used Type 59 tanks, lightweight Type 62 tanks, and Type 63 amphibious tanks. In Vietnam, most of the tank units were concentrated in Laos and on the border with it, so mainly outdated T-34-85 took part in the fighting. After a month of fighting, PLA units returned to Chinese territory. In total, the PLA lost up to 260 armored vehicles in combat, including armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

Soldiers of the South Vietnamese army on the armor of a captured Type 59 tank, captured during the Easter Offensive by their opponents.
Source - adamalla.com

Chinese tanks were readily purchased by Iran, which lost the opportunity to purchase armored vehicles in Europe and the United States after the 1979 revolution and the expulsion of the Shah from the country. In the early 1980s, 750 Type 59 tanks were purchased from the PRC, which took part in battles with the Iraqi army in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980–88. Due to the repression carried out against members Communist Party, Iraq for some time in the 1980s lost the opportunity to purchase equipment from the USSR. Therefore, in 1980, Saddam Hussein concluded a deal to supply the Iraqi army with seven hundred Type 59 tanks and thousands of Type 69 tanks, of which China supplied about 600 vehicles before the end of the war.

Iraq's remaining Type 59 and Type 69 tanks were completely destroyed by the US Army and allied countries as a result of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Saber in 1991, as well as the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces in 2003 year. These outdated tanks were unable to provide any noticeable resistance to the enemy.

Abandoned Iraqi Type 59 tank
Source - en.academic.ru

About the participation of tanks in civil war practically nothing is known in Sudan, since both sides do not welcome the dissemination of information about the progress of the fighting. In general, it can be stated that the successful design of the T-54 has led to the fact that tanks created on its basis and modernized using new technologies still represent a very impressive force, especially if they do not have to meet with the latest generation of enemy equipment. In this regard, the countries of the Third World still actively use this technology, constantly modernizing it.