Busting Tank Myths: Soviet MBTs

I've made videos talking about and busting tank myths in the past, but there wasn't an overall theme. I've recently decided to do more topical myth videos. For this one, we're going to be focusing on main battle tanks originally created by the Soviet Union. These would include the T-64, T-72, T-80, and T-90 (sort of). The T-90 isn't technically a Soviet main battle tank since it was built after the fall of the Soviet Union, but it was originally conceived as a massive upgrade to the T-72, so I think it still technically counts.

Check the channel "About" section for the link to the creator of my profile picture.

Sources:
Arming the Two Koreas: State, Capital and Military Power by Taik-Young Hamm
T-80B Manual - Ministry of Defense of the USSR
Soviet Armor and Artillery Design Practices - Marine Corps Intelligence Activity
BMP-1 Soviet Armoured Fighting Vehicle in Detail - Jan Martinec, Jaroslav Spacek
BMP-1 (1964-2000) - Sergey Melyshev
Tank Battles of the Cold War, 1948-1991 - Anthony Tucker-Jones
Russian Main BattleTanks - Eriy Borisovich
Ural Factory, 80 Years - Library of Tankprom

Songs used (in order from first to last):
Subnautica - Into the Unknown
Halo 3: ODST - Rain (Deference for Darkness)

Sound mods:
Epic Thunder (Pre-release)

Reddit: /u/spookston
Discord: See my Patreon page.

#warthunder​​​​​​​​​​​​ #tanks​​​​​​​​​​​​ #tankhistory

[sethmiller]

Even with the AK comparison, they had teething issues initially, which was why almost all AK pattern rifles are called AKMs. The 'M' denotes the fact that the gun was made after they had sorted out the issues with stamped sheet metal receivers and were able to transition away from the vastly less efficient (though more robust) milled receivers.

Moving forward from there, AKMs are not a monolith even (or, perhaps, especially) today. There are models that are garbage and will fail at every price range and ones that are amazing and truly fit the reputation for being unkillable machines right alongside them.

As you said, a case-by-case basis is the best approach.

[Geniusinventor]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the new repair helping system? man, it's very useful 😃

[Predator]

Basically, Myths are formed due to a large group of people using a easy and simple answer instead of the long and complex one. Add heavy doses of Propaganda and now the M60 has no redeeming qualities but the NATO jets have no faults.

[Lo-tfqt]

I've never really thought of Soviet MBT's as being reliable in that "it'll work in any condition 29 hours a day 10 days a week" reliable but more of Soviet MBT's were designed to be stupid easy to repair. A lotta countries in conflicts buy old T-55's because there's a crap load of them and because you can literally fix one up and get it running with basic mechanical knowledge

[Decepti_Connor]

the jealousy i felt seeing you have the is-7 and Object 279 :')

[connordalton]

Also doesn't hurt to mention that blowout panels didn't really exist when the T-64 and T-72 were being designed. It was a foreign concept at the time.

[Phos]

So the AK’s reliability is somewhat exaggerated. If it gets mud or grit in it, it will stop working like any automatic rifle. The advantage to it is that it’s more tolerant of being improperly maintained than most western rifles.

And the way I’ve heard the T-72 auto loader described is that it will take your hand off… if you stick your hand into it while it’s operating

[boris]

Another myth is the ammo immediately blowing up if struck. Usually, in case of fire, they would have 1-3 minutes to either put it out or leave the tank. The popped-off turrets usually do so faaar after the crew has left to relative safety. Got this from a really old tanker, that's what they were told in training and in practice, it was remarkably true. In Chechnya most tank crew men died from being shot outside the tank and not from the ammunition fires

[andyfriederichsen]

I remember reading that the T-54 tank scared the shit out of NATO when a destroyed one was brought to the British embassy in Hungary, mainly because its armor and firepower was better that the most recent western tanks like the M47.

[johnyricco]

The survivability onion applies more closely to tank vs tank fighting than tank vs ATGM. It’s hard for tanks to avoid being seen by infantry anti-tank team in ambush position. I think Western 3rd generation tank’s focus on post penetration survivability was heavily influenced by the 1973 October War when Saggers destroyed huge numbers of Israeli tanks. Soviet tank designs go back to the T-64, which was intended for tank vs tank. It had enough frontal armor to stop the 105mm ammo of the time, so ammo safety was not of great concern.

The new German insensitive SCDB propellants may solve the problem, if the Russians can make it themselves.

[CMSirael]

During my time in the military (2019-2020) we used to have a safety day. Basically officers and sergeants would walk us through various hazards which we could encounter during our service. Long story short but the autoloader can hurt you. If you're dumb enough to push your head or hand in its way. Same with the cannon breech. There was a story about a sergeant in a T-80U who pressed fire but the gun didn't go off. He proceeded to look in to the breech and the gun went off. He survived but had an ugly scar due to how the breech literally torn some of his skin off. Yeah and reliability is always an issue with older tank, BMP and truck models since it requires service. I saw plenty of BMPs and KamAZ trucks catch on fire.

[connordalton]

Fun fact, the USSR was the first to adopt hunter killer systems for their tanks, where by the commander could take control of the turret rotation to quickly get the gunner aimed at a target that had been spotted.

[kfcroc]

A lot of these myths are probably do to the Lazerpig loop.

[atif]

there is one thing their tanks do have going for them: they look amazing

[cyrilli]

Feels a bit weird hearing spookston in his informative kind of voice lol

[superbrain]

the Autoloader on the T Series tanks are rather safe, you have a really small timeframe where you could get your hand infront of the projectile to be pushed with it into the breech, but even this is rather hard to accomplish. (there are also not really any reports about this aviable, and if it would be an issue, there will be reports, since its rather critical)
Also a lot of people say that Soviet tanks are super cramped and the crew has almost no space, this however is not entirely true, the tanks are designed with the average height of the people working in it. as example the driver on a T64 should be not taller than 1, 75m wich is fine since the average Russian is around this height.

[RoDe_]

Son of my neighbor was a t72 commander and he once told me that the crew didn't really care about the autoloader penetration/detonation, rather than that, he was strict about obeying those rules, since (as he was saying) "at commander academy, they've taught us, that abandoning a tank and giving up is considered as an undisciplined behavior, therefore we should fight till the last minute"

[ПавелНовиков-хб]

Honestly its amazing to see someone talking about our tanks with unbiased opinion, listing every pros and cons. Standing on neutral side is what I respect duing these days.
Thanks for the video.

[tomcarter]

Just a quick correction: The M60A3 TTS came out after the M1 came became operational in 1980. The M60 TTS was actually superior to the M1 Thermal Imaging System (TTS) due to the extra couple of years of development.

[shrekthecrusader]

Watching Spookston play the Object 279 is very cool