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Angolan T-55 colour and tank commander uniforms colour?


Anthony Kesterton

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Hi

 

I am part of the Africa GB and a bit stumped on the colour of the Angolan T-55's used in the "South African Border War" that ended in the late 80's.  I believe the tanks came from Cuba - and kept their original colours - a Dark Green.  Can anyone confirm this (and any suggestions on the Vallejo colour I could use).  This will be the starting point as I hope to do a bit of weathering. I am using the new(ish) Tamiya 1/48th kit which is a really nice build so far.

 

I m also interested in tank commander uniform colours.  So far I have seen references to Khaki or Olive Drab.  From some of the photos - the uniforms look like a solid colour, not the two/three tone camo. of the regular soldiers.

 

Any suggestions or pointers gratefully received.

 

thanks

 

anthony

 

 

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On 12/07/2021 at 23:39, Enzo Valentini said:

In the past lockdown months I built a few Cold War Soviet tanks, mostly heavy tanks prototypes and I used the new Gunze Lacquer Mr Color G-512. Green 4BO (1947).

Looks close to what my army friends call "warsaw pact" green.

Seems 511 is their "wartime" colour. I bet it is darker, less olive. I'ld say the 512 can be used for some early war vehicles as well.

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9 hours ago, Massimo Tessitori said:

I remember to have seen photos of Angolan T-34s painted in uniform dark brown and uniform ochra yellow. I don't know if this was the case of T-55s too. 

I'd really like to see them as this colour was not included in post-war Soviet Army arsenals. All export tanks included the T-55 seized by SouthAfricans and turned to Rhodesia were in the usual Medium Olive Green that we associate with post-war Soviet AFVs and softskins. 

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On 7/25/2021 at 9:42 PM, Massimo Tessitori said:

I've just googled now 'Angola tank' and many photos of yellow painted T-34/85 and T-54 emerged. I've not seen yellow T-55s till now.

You will excuse me if I am still a skeptic about this possibility. Most of the pictures obtained from the web show dark olive green vehicles, and the sand coloured ones are most likely heavily weathered standard Soviet green, as the pictures show invariably abandoned vehicles or in various stages of decay. 

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Hi,

I can't exclude, but I don't think it is so. On this photo, the difference of shade between the green wheels and the yellow armour is well evident. If it was due only to weathering, one would see gradual change between yellow and green depending on the angulation of the surfaces. Beside that shadow is visible only on Angolan tanks, not on old Afghan or other wrecks. 

 

t34angolamain.jpg?w=809&h=422

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There is a captured T34 in Military Museum at Saxonwold in Johannesburg https://ditsong.org.za/museum-of-military-history/.

Although it has been stripped and "refurbished", it is overall green - which is what I recall all Angolan forces vehicles being. There are a number of ex SADF members who were involved in the Angolan war who have organised tours and returned to the sites where the heaviest battles took place in the 87/88 period (Ops Modular and Ops Hooper). The video below shows one of the T55s knocked out by the SADF. Clearly green, and also take into account this has been standing "weathering ", fading and rusting since then in harsh sun (+35degrees C, heavy downpours of rain and even sandblasted). The garffiti on the tank would have been done by SA Forces. 

This period brings back mixed emotions for me but that is another story. I have a friend or two on FB that I could direct specific questions to. 

As reagrds the uniform, really not sure. I have seen pics of the standard Russian type headgear (let behind in a hurry) but that is all. 

 

Good luck, great to see someone doing stuff on this forgotten war (which incidentally went on from 1966 to 1989 - a lot longer than mnost people realise).   

 

 

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On 26/07/2021 at 07:42, Massimo Tessitori said:

I've just googled now 'Angola tank' and many photos of yellow painted T-34/85 and T-54 emerged. I've not seen yellow T-55s till now.

Hi Massimo, there were definitely no yellow tanks (or vehicles) used by the Angolans. That is the harsh African climate which has done a magnificent job of weathering. Bear in mind also that these tanks have been lying there since 1987 / 1988. The war ended in 1989 when SA forces withdrew under mutual agreement together with the Angolans, Cubans and Russians aided by the UN. The tanks you're seeing photos of are "recent-ish" photos taken by ex SADF members who have gone on trips to Cuito Cuanavale from Rundu on the Namibian side. This route up to Cuito was the main area of battle for the last year of the war. 

Edited by Wirestrike
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Hi, 

Photos show tanks of different colors in Angolan use. The one on the right is clearly dark green, while the one on the left seems brown. Nothing suggests that it is burnt or completely rusty, and they are likely lying there for the same time. 

Besides, yellow tanks don't show variations in shade according to the sun exposure of different surfaces. 

 

6470831.jpg

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3 hours ago, Massimo Tessitori said:

Hi, 

Photos show tanks of different colors in Angolan use. The one on the right is clearly dark green, while the one on the left seems brown. Nothing suggests that it is burnt or completely rusty, and they are likely lying there for the same time. 

Besides, yellow tanks don't show variations in shade according to the sun exposure of different surfaces. 

 

6470831.jpg

It would appear that way Massimo. The one on the left certainly is a T55. If you zoom in (and in my honest opinion) there are shades / remnants of green paint. The rest is yellow and rust. Remember you only need Blue and Yellow to make the colour green so yellow may well be the final colour showing.

My personal experience is that all military vehicles in Angola in use by Angolan and Cuban forces were green. The South African forces had various schemes over the years, including an all brown, Koevoet had green vehicles and then the SANDF introduced a three-tone pattern (type in G6 Howitzer or Olifant tank and go to images). I watched a video in which someone asked why the tanks were yellow. The response (by a soldier who was involved in the war) advised they had faded as they were all green at the time of the battle (1987 / 88 period). I will try track down that video. Anyhow, we may have to agree to respectfully disagree on this one. 

Anthony, from the photos and first-hand experience I have in the theatre, green is the way to go. 

 

 

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Some pics - green with fading starting to show the yellow and rust coming through. http://travel2unlimited.com/angola-ruined-tanks-on-the-roadsides/

 

Also a pic of a tank soldier - post SAs withdrawal; however equipment would not have changed once Russia and Cuba withdrew.

https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/news-photo/tank-soldier-poses-october-25-1993-in-menogue-angola-news-photo/745554

Edited by Wirestrike
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