T-55TK

The T-55TK was a crane and armored recovery vehicle of the East German NVA (also called an armored tractor or tug), which was based on the chassis of the Soviet T-55 tank and was a further development of the Czechoslovakian armored recovery vehicle T-55T .

technology

The hull, motor and drive technology, drive, electrical system, radio and observation equipment and NBC protection equipment were identical takeovers from the T-55.

Like the T-55, the T-55TK armored recovery vehicle was equipped with GMG tracks. He carried a set of recovery equipment with him, which consisted of steel cables and steel cables of different lengths and corresponding shackles . Its main electric winch had a pulling force of 25 or 30Mp, allowed the use of several pulleys and had a rope length of 200 m.

At the rear of the vehicle there was a ground spur to anchor the T-55TK when using the main winch. There was also a transport box in which z. B. tank spare parts up to a weight of 3 tons could be carried. Oxy-fuel welding equipment, as well as tools and devices for repair and assembly work on tank technology, completed the equipment. At the front of the vehicle there was a lowerable dozer and sliding blade and a hydraulic crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 20 t. During crane operation with lifting loads over 7 t, landing gear supports had to be installed and the sliding plate lowered for stabilization. In addition to 2 strong tow hooks, there was an extra tow coupling at the rear of the vehicle.

The crew of the T-55TK usually consisted of two men, a commander (at the same time a crane operator) and a driver, but a specialized mechanic could be added if necessary. The armament consisted of a 7.62 mm PKB machine gun for combating air and ground targets as well as the personal armament of the crew, one Makarow pistol each .

Web links

T-55TK crane armor. panzerregiment4.de, accessed on May 8, 2019 .
Determination book. www.militaertechnik-der-nva.de, accessed on May 8, 2019 .
Missile and Weapons Technical Service (RWD) - T-55TK crane tank. www.rwd-mb3.de, accessed on May 8, 2019 .
Armored crane / armored recovery vehicle T55TK. zivilundwehrtechnik.de, accessed on May 8, 2019 .

Individual evidence

^ Jörg Siegert : Type compass tanks of the NVA: 1956–1990 . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02954-5 ( limited preview in Google book search).

[typenkompass-1] Jörg Siegert : Type compass tanks of the NVA: 1956–1990 . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-613-02954-5 ( limited preview in Google book search).