They seem like T-72M2 or can be T-72B too… what are the diference between this two versions?.. The thing is that I have the T-72M2 from Dragon and I don’t want to paint it in overall green (that says n the instruction sheet: a field version and a parade version)… I want to try something different, but what colors are those?.. suggestion?.. another thing: If anyone knows something else about these tanks (year, operation teathre, etc.) please let me know… or maybe there are more photos of this color scheme?.. the road wheeles can’t be easily seen… Thanks in advance.
those are clearly parade tanks. highly doubtful they were used in any active combat role. I would say that those are T-72B’s. The M2 is a modernised M1 btw. That I believe, is not a desert scheme, but the standard camo scheme the Russian army uses on all of its tanks today. Perhaps the picture was taken in the late 80’s. If you had a T-72BM then you could definitely paint it in modern tri-color camo, but since you have these pics, go with what you feel you like. Have fun!
Actually, these look to be Iraqi tanks on parade sometime before we took them all out. The flag appears to be one that is flown by one of the Republican Guards units. The camo pattern is one that was typically used on Iraqi tanks as well.
I could be wrong though. There isn’t much detail to see so it is hard to confirm.
The T-72B designation is used by the russians. The T-72M designations were used by former Warsaw Pact countries and on the export market. The T-72M1 is the same as a T-72B and was exported to a number of countries, including Iraq where they were part of the Republican Guard divisions and were known as “Lion of Babylon”. The T-72M2 is known to the russians as the
T-72B1. This camo scheme has also been used on T-80’s, most notably on the tank that fired into the russian “white house” building during the attempted coup against Gorbachev. I have seen pictures of T-72 and T-80’s still in this camo scheme so I think it is still in use. Your best bet is to locate a copy of the Concord T-72/T-90 book to show this and other camo patterns. HTH
Kaleu, I have the T-72/T-90 book (for my conversion) and the only schemes for T-72’s and T-90’s is overall green and tri-color modern. However, there are exceptions. The T-90 I am going to paint mine as had a highly unusualy scheme- it was an exhibition tank in Omsk VTTV 2003. Several T-90’s also have alternate camo-mostly with they sand being replaced by yellow and a darker green being instituted. Search for Omsk VTTV on google- their website has great pics of T-80’s and T-90’s in alternate camo. As far as the T-72, the only countries to use a regular T-72M1 with alternate camo would probably be Czech Republic/ Slovakia/Poland. The Indians use a T-72M1 with ERA blocks with a highly interesting pointilist camo scheme- little squares comprised of 3 different colors over a tan base coat. The only other T-72 version outside the Soviet Union [in eastern europe] in use with different camo schemes today is probably the T-72M4CZ- not available in kit form, unless you shell out 90$ for the panzershop conversion. Unless you start getting into really modern Russian armor, most of them did use the boring overall dark green scheme.
