U-47

U-47 is one of the best assets on PLA topics we've had on this forum as you can see.
We have some others that are really good, they unfortunately aren't around much anymore though.

U-47, this is absolutely amazing. Thank you for posting these pictures and information!
And Levi, welcome to SH!

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.

1, There isn't too much info about Type 80 welded turret, the only thing we know about is it is a steel turret (without any kind of special armor) for test use only. So it is safe to say they made more than one  prototype turrets.
2, These tanks are in Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group Corporation (plant 617) 's museum, only who were invited may visit there.
Here are more photos of WZ122-6:



About WZ122-1, we call it "三液样车" (in English: 3-hydraulic prototype, meaning hydraulic control + hydraulic transmission + hydraulic suspension), here are its photos:


 
otvaga questions:
Storm-1 tank ( type85-I, and you all know type85-II which went to Pakistan service and PLA service) is not any kind of classified stuff in China, we know almost all of its common data, so, what they want to know ?
The turret is its original turret, I checked from  several sources. The gun isn't, this displayed vehicle didn't have any gun in the early years, the current gun is installed by the museum. BTW, Storm-1's original gun is 105mm.
I never heard of "type59 with  turbocharged engine and 1-piece cast turret", the only Chinese "1-piece cast turret" I know about is WZ122's turret. So could him upload some photos of it so I may know what tank he talk about?

The real "1st Chinese welded turret" ( built in 1979 or 1980. some parts are cast made, I think it means the hatchs and the part around mantlet) of type 80 tank, which is used as a ballistic test target, there is a project ( maybe a 122mm HE? ) right in front of it.

Plant 617's testing ground, there are 2 WZ122s in the right, and a T72 (T72B?) in the left.

 
You asked me about the different between 2 sets of photos of "Type80's welded turret" before, I just found out why:


This tank is not the "Type80 with test welded turret" at all, it is BK1851 as wrote on its turret. It's much later than "Type80 with test welded turret", it is a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.
Another unkown tank, maybe still BK1851:

I'll post BK1871 ( a early prototype of Type90-II tank, more like VK3601 to Tiger but not VK4501) 's photo later.

1, we built 3-hydraulic (WZ122-1) first, and it is a disaster, completely unreliable; that's why we turned back to mechanical (3-mechanical, WZ122-2 and WZ122-3), but they didn't work very well else, one of WZ122B (I don't whether it is WZ1222 or WZ1223) is in plant617's museum as the photo showed before, another one's turret is installed on a Type80 tank body and displaying in BeiJing tank museum (the photo below).

2, buddy, I don't know what pictures you've saw already, and since plant617's museum is not a pubilc museum (and these tanks may also be stored in the warehouse untill now), the photos I uploaded are the only new photos so far.
3, there are other Storm-1 and Storm-2 (they are almost identical except the engine and transmission part) displaying in Chinese North Industries Corp's park and plant617's park. I checked their photos and I found you're right.:








4, I havn't notice this special 59 tank before, I'll see to what I can find.

It is a mechanical vehicle, but not WZ122-2 or -3 or even WZ122s, it's a variant which designed and built by LuoYang plant (plant 704, that's why this tank is named as Product 704), you can take it as a improved WZ122 3-mechanical.

Thank you, that's part of the reason why I stay here, to share PLA info to these who like it.
Thank you.

The real "1st Chinese welded turret" ( built in 1979 or 1980. some parts are cast made, I think it means the hatchs and the part around mantlet) of type 80 tank, which is used as a ballistic test target, there is a project ( maybe a 122mm HE? ) right in front of it.

Plant 617's testing ground, there are 2 WZ122s in the right, and a T72 (T72B?) in the left.

 
You asked me about the different between 2 sets of photos of "Type80's welded turret" before, I just found out why:


This tank is not the "Type80 with test welded turret" at all, it is BK1851 as wrote on its turret. It's much later than "Type80 with test welded turret", it is a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.
Another unkown tank, maybe still BK1851:

I'll post BK1871 ( a early prototype of Type90-II tank, more like VK3601 to Tiger but not VK4501) 's photo later.

Thank you, that's part of the reason why I stay here, to share PLA info to these who like it.
Thank you.

The real "1st Chinese welded turret" ( built in 1979 or 1980. some parts are cast made, I think it means the hatchs and the part around mantlet) of type 80 tank, which is used as a ballistic test target, there is a project ( maybe a 122mm HE? ) right in front of it.

Plant 617's testing ground, there are 2 WZ122s in the right, and a T72 (T72B?) in the left.

 
You asked me about the different between 2 sets of photos of "Type80's welded turret" before, I just found out why:


This tank is not the "Type80 with test welded turret" at all, it is BK1851 as wrote on its turret. It's much later than "Type80 with test welded turret", it is a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.
Another unkown tank, maybe still BK1851:

I'll post BK1871 ( a early prototype of Type90-II tank, more like VK3601 to Tiger but not VK4501) 's photo later.

1, There isn't too much info about Type 80 welded turret, the only thing we know about is it is a steel turret (without any kind of special armor) for test use only. So it is safe to say they made more than one  prototype turrets.
2, These tanks are in Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group Corporation (plant 617) 's museum, only who were invited may visit there.
Here are more photos of WZ122-6:



About WZ122-1, we call it "三液样车" (in English: 3-hydraulic prototype, meaning hydraulic control + hydraulic transmission + hydraulic suspension), here are its photos:


 
otvaga questions:
Storm-1 tank ( type85-I, and you all know type85-II which went to Pakistan service and PLA service) is not any kind of classified stuff in China, we know almost all of its common data, so, what they want to know ?
The turret is its original turret, I checked from  several sources. The gun isn't, this displayed vehicle didn't have any gun in the early years, the current gun is installed by the museum. BTW, Storm-1's original gun is 105mm.
I never heard of "type59 with  turbocharged engine and 1-piece cast turret", the only Chinese "1-piece cast turret" I know about is WZ122's turret. So could him upload some photos of it so I may know what tank he talk about?

1, we built 3-hydraulic (WZ122-1) first, and it is a disaster, completely unreliable; that's why we turned back to mechanical (3-mechanical, WZ122-2 and WZ122-3), but they didn't work very well else, one of WZ122B (I don't whether it is WZ1222 or WZ1223) is in plant617's museum as the photo showed before, another one's turret is installed on a Type80 tank body and displaying in BeiJing tank museum (the photo below).

2, buddy, I don't know what pictures you've saw already, and since plant617's museum is not a pubilc museum (and these tanks may also be stored in the warehouse untill now), the photos I uploaded are the only new photos so far.
3, there are other Storm-1 and Storm-2 (they are almost identical except the engine and transmission part) displaying in Chinese North Industries Corp's park and plant617's park. I checked their photos and I found you're right.:








4, I havn't notice this special 59 tank before, I'll see to what I can find.

The RHA turret is Type80's stuff, not Storm-1 or Storm-2's. The photos above showed Storm tank turret's composite armor pack welded to the turret.
For other parts, yes, Storm-1 uses 730hp engine and planetary gearbox, Storm-2 uses 800hp engine (and the engine part is a little bigger in size) and hydraulic gearbox, basicly that's all the difference.

It is a mechanical vehicle, but not WZ122-2 or -3 or even WZ122s, it's a variant which designed and built by LuoYang plant (plant 704, that's why this tank is named as Product 704), you can take it as a improved WZ122 3-mechanical.

The real "1st Chinese welded turret" ( built in 1979 or 1980. some parts are cast made, I think it means the hatchs and the part around mantlet) of type 80 tank, which is used as a ballistic test target, there is a project ( maybe a 122mm HE? ) right in front of it.

Plant 617's testing ground, there are 2 WZ122s in the right, and a T72 (T72B?) in the left.

 
You asked me about the different between 2 sets of photos of "Type80's welded turret" before, I just found out why:


This tank is not the "Type80 with test welded turret" at all, it is BK1851 as wrote on its turret. It's much later than "Type80 with test welded turret", it is a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.
Another unkown tank, maybe still BK1851:

I'll post BK1871 ( a early prototype of Type90-II tank, more like VK3601 to Tiger but not VK4501) 's photo later.

It is a mechanical vehicle, but not WZ122-2 or -3 or even WZ122s, it's a variant which designed and built by LuoYang plant (plant 704, that's why this tank is named as Product 704), you can take it as a improved WZ122 3-mechanical.

1, we built 3-hydraulic (WZ122-1) first, and it is a disaster, completely unreliable; that's why we turned back to mechanical (3-mechanical, WZ122-2 and WZ122-3), but they didn't work very well else, one of WZ122B (I don't whether it is WZ1222 or WZ1223) is in plant617's museum as the photo showed before, another one's turret is installed on a Type80 tank body and displaying in BeiJing tank museum (the photo below).

2, buddy, I don't know what pictures you've saw already, and since plant617's museum is not a pubilc museum (and these tanks may also be stored in the warehouse untill now), the photos I uploaded are the only new photos so far.
3, there are other Storm-1 and Storm-2 (they are almost identical except the engine and transmission part) displaying in Chinese North Industries Corp's park and plant617's park. I checked their photos and I found you're right.:








4, I havn't notice this special 59 tank before, I'll see to what I can find.

1, There isn't too much info about Type 80 welded turret, the only thing we know about is it is a steel turret (without any kind of special armor) for test use only. So it is safe to say they made more than one  prototype turrets.
2, These tanks are in Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group Corporation (plant 617) 's museum, only who were invited may visit there.
Here are more photos of WZ122-6:



About WZ122-1, we call it "三液样车" (in English: 3-hydraulic prototype, meaning hydraulic control + hydraulic transmission + hydraulic suspension), here are its photos:


 
otvaga questions:
Storm-1 tank ( type85-I, and you all know type85-II which went to Pakistan service and PLA service) is not any kind of classified stuff in China, we know almost all of its common data, so, what they want to know ?
The turret is its original turret, I checked from  several sources. The gun isn't, this displayed vehicle didn't have any gun in the early years, the current gun is installed by the museum. BTW, Storm-1's original gun is 105mm.
I never heard of "type59 with  turbocharged engine and 1-piece cast turret", the only Chinese "1-piece cast turret" I know about is WZ122's turret. So could him upload some photos of it so I may know what tank he talk about?

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.

Where is the gallery now.....
OK, here are some Chinese cold-war prototype tank.
1980s, Type 80 tank with welded turret,this is one of the first Chinese welded tank turrets, as you can see its quality isn't very well:



1970s, WZ122-6 tank (the 6th prototype of WZ122), this tank's design is effected by M48 tank we got from Vietnam, and armred with a 120mm L/48 smooth gun (not the German L44 gun or any kind of its copy, but a local developed low pressure tank gun, never used in any Chinese mass- produced tanks).



WZ122-2 or WZ122-3 prototype:

WZ132, if you are a WOT player, I believe you surely heared it already:

BK1851 prototype tank, it's a project started in 1985 which meant to use steering wheel driving and western engine & transmission parts.