Overview[]
The T-55 «Molniya» (Object 139) is a prototype Soviet main battle tank developed in the 1950s.
Development[]
The Object 139 entered development sometime in the mid 1950s. The design was based on the T-54-3 (Object 137-III), with the D-54TS cannon with a two-plane stabilizer with accompanying periscopic sight. The turret was modified to fit the changes.
Three examples were completed by the end of February 1956 by KhZTM plant no. 183. These vehicles entered factory tests in March 1956. During the tests it was found that the gun sight would vibrate, and that there was a number of defects with individual stabilizer units. These issues would be resolved by December 1956, where they were then handed over for field testing.
In January through April 1957, field tests were undertaken with the three Object 139 prototypes. The stabilizer presented issues again however, and the vehicles were sent back for revisions.
In February through April 1959, two Object 139 were used to perform firing trials at GNIAP GAU. One vehicle fired 771 rounds, while the other fired 591. The gun barrels had warped so the trial was considered a failure.
In November through December 1959, one Object 139 was modified with additional fuel tanks. These fuel tanks were fitted low on the vehicle so the gun traverse was not affected even at minimum elevation. Trials were not undertaken however, and their use was abandoned.
Ultimately the Object 139 was not adopted for service.
Survivor[]
One surviving prototype is confirmed to exist (serial number 5612V001M), it is currently installed on a pedestal in the city of Kozel'sk.
This vehicle is thought to have been transferred from Kubinka in the early 2000s, as the monument is relatively new, and there are photographs of a Object 139 at Kubinka in the 1990s, but the vehicle had disappeared from Kubinka in the early 2000s.
The other two tanks' fate are unknown. The most likely outcome is that they were scrapped following the firing trials in 1959 due to their damaged gun barrels.
| Flag of the Russian Federation (1993 to present) Russian Federation Land Vehicles Modern Period (1991 — Present) |
|---|
| Tracked Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Light Tanks | Light Tank | 2S25 (M) |
| Light Tank, Amphibious | 685 • 906 • PT-76 (A, B, M) • PT-85 • PT-90 | |
| Light Tank, Amphibious Command | PT-76K | |
| IFV | 19 • 911 • 914 • B-10 • B-19 • BMP-64 • BMPT • BMPV-64 • T-15 | |
| IFV, Amphibious | 764 • 765 • 911 • BMP-1 (P) • BMP-2 (D • M) • BMP-3 (F • FK • Fr • K • M • M-3) | |
| Medium Tanks | MBT | 139 • 140 • 167 (T) • 430 (U, 435) • 640 • 785 • T-14 • T-62 (1960, 1972, 1975, D, D-1, K, KN, M, M-1, M1, M1-1, M1-2, M1-2-1, M1V, M1V-1, MD, MD-1, MK, MK-1, MV-1) • T-64 (A, AK, B, B1, B1M, BM2, BV, R, T, U) • T-67 • T-72 (A 1979 • A 1984 • AK • AV • B • B 1989 • B 1990 • B1 • B2 • B3 2011 • B3 2014 • B3 2016 • T-72B3M • BA • BU • BV • M • M1 • M1M • M1V • S • V) • T-74 • T-80 (A 1982 • A 1984 • AK • AKV • B 1978 • B 1980 • BK • BV 1985 • BVK • BVM 2017 • M-1 • U 1986 • U 1992 • UE 1999 • UK • UM 1995 • UM-1 1997 • UM-2 • UM2) • T-90 (1992 • A 2006 • AK • AM • K • M 2017 • MS • S • SK) • T-95 • T-99 |
| Command Tanks | 446B • T-64B1K • T-64BK • T-72 (AK • B1K • BK • K • M1K • MK) • T-90 (K) | |
| SPG | ATGMV | [[]] |
| SPAA | 2S6 (M • M1) • 2S38 • 9K35 • 9K37 • 9K330 | |
| SPATG | 120 • 2S15 • 2S25 (M1) • 2S28 • 2S29 • 2S37BTR-50P | |
| SPG | 2S1M • 2S5 (M • M1) • 2S7 (M) • 2S9 (-1 • 1M) • 2S11 • 2S13 • 2S17 (-2) • 2S22 • 2S23 (M) • 2S31 (Ye • M) • 2S34 (-1 • M) • 2S36 • 2S39 • 2S40 • 2S42 • 2S43 • ISU-152 • Obzhimka • T-62/160 | |
| SPH | 924 • 2A3 • 2A4 • 2S1 (M1) • 2S2 • 2S3 (M • M1, M2 • M2-155 • M3) • 2S18 • 2S19 (M • M1 • M1-155 • M2) • 2S21 • 2S26 • 2S27 • 2S30 • 2S33 • S-103 | |
| Self-Propelled Laser | 1K17 Szhatie | |
| SPM | 2S4 • 2S8 • 2S10 • 2S12 (A • B) • 2S24 • 2S41 | |
| SPRA | 2P16 • 9P139 • BM-24T • Object 280 • Object 634 (B) • TOS-1 • TOS-1M (A) | |
| Explosive Related | Mine Laying | GMZ-3 |
| Mine Clearing / Sweeping | BMR-3 • BMR-3M (A) • UR-07 • UR-67 • UR-77 | |
| Misc Tanks | Ammunition Carrier | TZM-T |
| APC | B-11 • BTR-50 • BTR-50PA • BTR-50PM • BTRV-64 | |
| ARV | BREM-1 (M) • BREM-64 • BREM-72 • BREM-L • Object 447T • BTS-4V • T-62T | |
| Bridge Laying | MTU-72 • MTU-90 | |
| Command | BTR-50PN • BTR-50PU • BTR-50PU-2 • BTR-50PUM • BTR-50PUM-1 | |
| Engineering & Maintenance | BAT-2 • BMT-3 • BTM-4 • IMR-2 • IMR-3M • IRM • MDK-3 • MTP-1 • ZSU-57-2 BTS-55 | |
| Firefighting | SPM | |
| Observation, Spotting & Survey | [[]] | |
| Reconnaissance | PT-76RKh | |
| Transport & Towing | BMO-T • IT-1T | |
| Wheeled Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Offensive / Defensive | IFV | BMPT-K-64 • VPK-7829 • Object 19 |
| SPAA | 9P31 • BTR-40A • BTR-141A | |
| SPATGM | 2P27 • 2P32 • 9P110 • 9P122 • 9P124 • 9P133 • 9P137 • 9P148 | |
| SPBM | 9P71 • 9P117 • 9P120 | |
| SPH | 2S27 • A-222 | |
| SPRA | 2B5 • 2B17 • 2B26 | |
| Other | APC | BTR-40 (V • B • B (RKh) • ZhD) • BTR-60 (P • PA • PB • PBM) • BTR-70 • BTR-80 • BTR-90 • BTR-141 • BTR-7829 • GAZ-3937-11 |
| ARV | BREM-K | |
| Bridge Laying | PP-2005 • PPS-84 • TMM-3 • TMM-6 | |
| Cargo | GAZ-33097 • KamAZ-5350 • KamAZ-6350 • KamAZ-43501 • MAZ-4370 • MAZ-4570 • MAZ-5336 • MAZ-5337 • MAZ-5432 • MAZ-5433 • MAZ-5434 • MAZ-5442 • MAZ-5516 • MAZ-5551 • MAZ-6303 • MAZ-6317 • MAZ-6417 • MAZ-6422 • MAZ-6425 • MAZ-6430 • Ural-4320 • Ural-5323 • Ural-43206 • ZiL-4334 | |
| CP | GA-39371 | |
| Crane | KS-5571 • KS-5573 • KS-5576 • KS-6571 | |
| Decontamination Vehicle | ARS-14KM • TMS-65 • USSO | |
| Dump Truck | MAZ-7510 | |
| Engineering | EOV-3521 • EOV-3523 • KamAZ-65225 • KS-3574M3 • MAZ-205 • MAZ-500 (A, SH) • MAZ-501 • MAZ-503 (A) • MAZ-509A • MAZ-510 • MAZ-511 • MAZ-516B • MAZ-525 • MAZ-529 • MAZ-530 • MAZ-5335 • MAZ-5334 • MAZ-5549 • MAZ-53352 • PBU-100 | |
| Firefighting Vehicle | AA-60(543)-160 • AA-70(543)-172 • AA-60(7310)-160.01 • AA-60(7313) (160.01 • AA-60(7313)-220) | |
| IMV | GAZ-2975 • GAZ-3937 • GAZ-3937-10 • GAZ-233034 • GAZ-233036 • Iveco LMV | |
| Medical | BMM-80 | |
| RV | BPM-97 • BRDM-1 (RKh • U) • BRDM-2 (RKh • RKhA • RKhB • U) | |
| Security | Lavina-M | |
| Smoke Generating Vehicle | TDA-2K • TDA-3 | |
| Transport & Towing | 9T254 • MAZ-200 (V) • MAZ-502 • MAZ-504 (A • B • G, S • V) • MAZ-508B • MAZ-520 • MAZ-535 (A) • MAZ-5429 • MAZ-7310 • MAZ-7904 • MAZ-7906 • MAZ-79221 • NAMI-020 • NAMI-021 • Ural-375 • ZiL-131 | |
| Utility | MAZ-543 (A, M, P) • MAZ-547 • MAZ-7907 • MAZ-7910 • MAZ-7912 • MAZ-7917 • MAZ-74106 • UAZ-452 • UAZ-469 • UAZ-3132 • UAZ-3163 | |
| Sources | ||
|---|---|---|
| Books | Online | Documents |
| • https://tankist-31.livejournal.com/54014.html | ||