Canadian T72 tanks

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Jim

Thanks for that. Good times. I see your Sherman in the background too. I also see Kevin Thody and his Dad Dick in that 1st pic. Dick was a Korea Tanker and had some great stories about shooting Commies off his Tp Ldrs tank with canister. Apparently the worst part was having to replace all the AMUs and episcopes!!

Dick has passed on but a great fellow to be sure. Kevin and I met in basic and served VIII CH, RCD and LdSH together before he released in 1995. Of course, you know that, Jim!!

Re the Gagetown T-72s, isn't Gord Pringle a member here? I believe him and "Dauber" we crews of that OpFor troop. Gord? anything to add?

regards
Darrell

[Bob Phillips]

Can anyone tell us whether the T72 ? at Camp Borden is one of this lot of vehicles - or if not where it came from and under what circumstances. It looks fairly complete but neglected surely it could be a runner with some help?? B.P.

[maple_leaf_eh]

@ Bob, why don't you ask the original poster over on Canadian Gun Nutz? There is chatter there, which I have not followed closely, and the suggestion that there were a few batches of WP vehicles imported.

BTW, if anyone maintains a website of Canadian vehicles and modern military history, these conversations represent a good foundation for a webpage. There are photos and captions with first person narratives of using T72 vehicles as trainers and OPFOR against Canadian Leopards. Snag things while they are available. Never know when the host sites will go down ...

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Bob

This link may help answer your question although some of the info appears dated.

http://preservedtanks.com/Locations....ategoryId=8000

regards
Darrell

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi John

Did you check the fuel tanks for gold bars?

I can't help with T-72 bits, sorry. Everything in the basement at the Gagetown Museum went into a landfill two summers ago.

regards
Darrell

[James P]

Answering Post 6 above.

Can anyone tell us whether the T72 ? at Camp Borden is one of this lot of vehicles - or if not where it came from and under what circumstances. It looks fairly complete but neglected surely it could be a runner with some help?? B.P.

Nope, after the reunification the German government had a huge problem disposing of unwanted armour, vehicles, weapons, aircraft of all sorts and in various conditions. One expediant was to gift equipment to various nations so Canada received a number of tanks that where all Ex-East German. The Borden Museum received a T34, T54-55 and T72 then did something rather bizarre they painted a big red Soviet star on the T34 that caused the staff from the German Embassy to have kittens when they went to visit the gifted vehicles. Like really what a outright stupid thing to do.......but there is more. In 1998 I was in Borden for training and noted the museum had painted some HUGE markings on the tanks like T-54 and T72 that just looked so painfully wrong. Today the former East German T72 is wearing some odd cam paint scheme which makes me ask (again) why do CF museums go out of their way to paint things wrong ?? or apply bizzare and fictitious markings ??

So just to clarify, there where two batches of Ex-East German vehicles sent to Canada. Batch One is the gift of tanks, vehicles and aircraft (MIG21 at Trenton, BTR 152 and BRDM2 to Gagetown and Borden the tanks) that went to museums and where never part of the CF in the early 1990s. Then later (mid 1990s) the Canadian Forces received a second batch of T72 and a few BMP2 for Trials and Evaluations, dynamic testing of ammunition, use as EnFor and umpteen dog and ponies and familiarization training .

John, you will also need the small (about ten inch long) "key" that has a oval on one end for cranking the drivers hatch open and closing and locking the turret hatches. Honestly the wrench you show in the post, the "key" wrench and the 1M long dip stick is about all this anvil tough tank needs to keep running in the field.

[James P]

^ I just get a mental picture of you thumb typing like there is no tomorrow instructions trying to talk it through on how to get the hatches open. Besides the handful of tools for the hull panniers source a canvass cover for the NSVT, the rubber track skirts and the front fenders. Find a nice open piece of land you can get it up into seventh gear and you will feel like you are the lead tank in a Operational Maneuver Group (OMG) rolling up NATO and racing for the English Channel .

Oh by the way, Vladimir and Kirill say hi and Merry Christmas to you.