PLA Type 64 Tank Tractor

Location: Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Changping County, Beijing, China

Date: June 2006

This series of images was taken in June 2006 at the Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Chang Ping County, Peoples Republic of China.

According to the accompanying plaque, the Type 64 Tank Tractor was based on the T59 chassis and is a “transient” engineering vehicle intended for emergency use. Continue reading

PLA Type 63 Tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier

Location: Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Changping County, Beijing, China

Date: June 2006

This series of images was taken in June 2006 at the Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Chang Ping County, Peoples Republic of China.

According to the accompanying plaque, the Type 63 Tracked APC was a product of the 1960’s and equipped the mechanised infantry components of armoured units. Exported to parts of Asia and Africa, it was superceded by the Type 85 and ceased production in 1985. Continue reading

PLA Type 63 Light Amphibious Tank

Location: Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Changping County, Beijing, China

Date: June 2006

This series of images was taken in June 2006 at the Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Chang Ping County, Peoples Republic of China.

According to the accompanying plaque, the Type 63 Light Amphibious Tank entered service in 1963 and was designed to operate in inland waterways, lakes and rice fields. It was used in the 1979 border clash between China and Vietnam. Continue reading

PLA Type 59 Medium Tank

Location: Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Changping County, Beijing, China

Date: June 2006

This series of images was taken in June 2006 at the Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Chang Ping County, Peoples Republic of China.

According to the accompanying plaque, the Type 59 was China’s first MBT (introduced in the late 1950’s) and is the longest serving and most produced tank in China’s inventory. Continue reading

PLA Type 85 Tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier

Location: Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Changping County, Beijing, China

Date: June 2006

This series of images was taken in June 2006 at the Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Chang Ping County, Peoples Republic of China.

According to the accompanying plaque, the Type 85 Tracked APC (1984) is the basis for the development of a family of over 10 variants. The Type 85 supercedes the Type 63 APC.

Main features are:

  • Crew: 2 + 13.
  • Main Armament: 1 X 12.7mm AA MG.
  • Maximum Road Speed: 65kph.
  • Maximum Range: 500km. Continue reading

PLA Type 80 Main Battle Tank

Location: Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Changping County, Beijing, China

Date: June 2006

This series of images was taken in June 2006 at the Tank Museum of the People’s Liberation Army, Chang Ping County, Peoples Republic of China.

According to the accompanying plaque, the Type 80 was a second generation Chinese design produced in the 1980’s, with major improvements in firepower, protection and mobility. Continue reading

Modelling on the Move

Our resident Iberian Expert (Ibericist??), Senor Ley Reynolds (Leo Reynaldo?) ponders the subject of modelling on the move, and comes up with some useful suggestions.

My current occupation leads me to be away from home about one week each month, added to which our holidays for the past few years have involved overseas flights of 12 to 24 hour duration. This adds up to a fair amount of time to be away from the workbench, so I always carry a project or two with me – but these must be carefully selected and size is important! Continue reading