Chicom Type 59 Tank

[Mike H.]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Chicom Type 59 Tank” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/chicom-type-59-tank/.

 

[Cedric]

I'm confused. It seem the Type 59 designation and the T-55 are interchangeable in the article. There were no Type 59s in Iraq, only T-55s.

 

[Will Dabbs]

I'm confused. It seem the Type 59 designation and the T-55 are interchangeable in the article. There were no Type 59s in Iraq, only T-55s.

I found a French language reference (Don't be impressed with that. I don't speak French. It was translated.) that claimed that the Chinese sold around 1,000 Type 59's to the Iraqis prior to the Iran-Iraq War. This source claimed that there were still some Type 59's in service in 1991 during the First Gulf War. I have no idea if any of them survived to see the 2003 invasion. I have since done a little Googling and found several other references to Chicom Type 59's and Type 69's in Iraqi service. Fair possibility they were attritted away by 2003.

Will
Will Dabbs MD

 

[Cedric]

I found a French language reference (Don't be impressed with that. I don't speak French. It was translated.) that claimed that the Chinese sold around 1,000 Type 59's to the Iraqis prior to the Iran-Iraq War. This source claimed that there were still some Type 59's in service in 1991 during the First Gulf War. I have no idea if any of them survived to see the 2003 invasion. I have since done a little Googling and found several other references to Chicom Type 59's and Type 69's in Iraqi service. Fair possibility they were attritted away by 2003.

Will
Will Dabbs MD

Thanks for the input. I noted that the type 59 had an L7 type gun as shown in your lead photo, but all T-55s we encountered in the Gulf War and later had the standard 100mm gun. I don't think I ever saw an L7 on a T-55 in Iraq. The Israelis put an L7 into captured T-55s and called it the TI-67 I think. These played the part of T-62s in the movie "The Beast."

 

[Will Dabbs]

Thanks for the input. I noted that the type 59 had an L7 type gun as shown in your lead photo, but all T-55s we encountered in the Gulf War and later had the standard 100mm gun. I don't think I ever saw an L7 on a T-55 in Iraq. The Israelis put an L7 into captured T-55s and called it the TI-67 I think. These played the part of T-62s in the movie "The Beast."

Fascinating. Thanks for the insights. I loved that movie.