Difference between revisions of "PTZ89 (120 mm)"

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m (History: changed its decommission date back to 2015 to match PTZ89's main article)
(Fleshed out article, cleaned up some parts)
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[https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=PTZ89_(120_mm)&action=history View history]
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.'' -->
The 120 mm PTZ89 gun found is a L/52 smoothbore cannon produced by Factory 447. With its quick firing rate and high velocity, this gun can proves deadly to the enemies it might encounter and packs a real punch.
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The 120 mm PTZ89 gun is Chinese a L/52 smoothbore cannon produced by Factory 447 in Inner Mongolia. With its quick fire rate and high velocity, this gun can prove deadly to any enemy it may encounter and packs a real punch.
  
 
=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===
 
=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===
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=== Available ammunition ===
 
=== Available ammunition ===
 
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
The gun's ammunition is either a DYW1 APFSDS round or a DYS120 HE shell.
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* DYW1 - High penetration APFSDS round
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* DYS120 - HE round with subpar explosive mass for its calibre
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
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|-
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! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
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! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
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! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
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|-
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! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
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|-
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| DYW1 || APFSDS || 443 || 442 || 436 || 429 || 422 || 416
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|-
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| DTY120 || HE || 30 || 30 || 30 || 30 || 30 || 30
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|-
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|}
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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! colspan="10" | Shell details
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|-
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! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
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! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
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! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
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! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
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! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
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! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
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! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
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! colspan="3" | Ricochet
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|-
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! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
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|-
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| DYW1 || APFSDS || 1740 || 4.45 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
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|-
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| DTY120 || HE || 900 || 19.5 || 0 || 0.1 || 2 490 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 +
|-
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|}
  
 
=== Comparison with analogues ===
 
=== Comparison with analogues ===
 
<!-- ''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' -->
Comparing the 120 mm PTZ89 gun to its main analogues, NATO [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|Rh120 L/44]], Warsaw Pact's [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|2A46M]] and its domestic competitor [[Type 88C (125 mm)|Type 88C]], it shines over the velocity (thanks to its larger chamber) at 1,740 m/s, it just lagged behind the newer [[Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)|Rh120 L/55]] by a mere 10 m/s, making PTZ89 a surprising powerful gun at its tier.
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* [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|Rh120 L/44]], [[OTO Breda 120/44 (120 mm)|OTO Breda 120/44]], [[Type 90 L/44 (120 mm)|Type 90 L/44]], etc. - Similar 120mm guns found on many MBTs that fire the same ammunition, rounds are typically lower velocity, but the DM33 round has higher penetration.
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* [[Ordnance BL Tk. L11 (120 mm)|Ordnance BL Tk. L11]] and [[L11A5 (120 mm)|L11A5]] - British rifled 120mm guns that fire inferior APFSDS rounds, but have access to HESH rounds that are superior to DYW120, and smoke rounds for versatility.
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* [[2A26 (125 mm)|2A26]], [[2A46M (125 mm)|2A46M]], [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|2A46M-1]] - Soviet 125mm guns, fires inferior APFSDS rounds with similar velocities, with the exception of the 3BM42 round. Has superior HE rounds and access to ATGMs.
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Comparing the 120 mm PTZ89 gun to its main analogues, the NATO [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|Rh120 L/44]], the British [[L11A5 (120 mm)|L11A5]], and the Warsaw Pact's [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|2A46M]], it shines over them in velocity (thanks to its larger chamber) at 1,740 m/s,  which contributes to its high penetration. However, it lacks the versatility of the other guns, lacking HESH, ATGM, or smoke rounds.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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The main feature of 120 mm PTZ89 gun is its raw firepower: it was designed to handle masses of MBTs from range. So the ammunition found on this cannon is filled with lots of propellant, sending its projectile at a whopping 1,740 m/s, making it lethal even at longer ranges. A good way to play with the 120 mm PTZ89 gun is to stay at range and unleash your DYW1 APFSDS at the rate of 5 second between shots. In case of brawling, since it comes with an autoloader, it can also unleash hell to the enemies as well.
 
The main feature of 120 mm PTZ89 gun is its raw firepower: it was designed to handle masses of MBTs from range. So the ammunition found on this cannon is filled with lots of propellant, sending its projectile at a whopping 1,740 m/s, making it lethal even at longer ranges. A good way to play with the 120 mm PTZ89 gun is to stay at range and unleash your DYW1 APFSDS at the rate of 5 second between shots. In case of brawling, since it comes with an autoloader, it can also unleash hell to the enemies as well.
  
But do keep in mind that just like most Mainland Chinese vehicles, the depression angle is poor and the autoloader short reload time increases after all 10 rounds in the tray are fired away, so keep your ammo count in check and at best plan the shots beforehand: it will be embarrassing if you run out of autoloader shots in heat of battle.
+
But do keep in mind that just like most Mainland Chinese vehicles, the depression angle is poor and the autoloader short reload time increases after all 10 rounds in the tray are fired away, so keep your ammo count in check and at best plan the shots beforehand: it will be embarrassing if you run out of autoloader shots in the heat of battle.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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* Above average shell velocity at 1,740 m/s that gives it flat trajectory
 
* Above average shell velocity at 1,740 m/s that gives it flat trajectory
 
* 5-second autoloader with 10 rounds on it.
 
* 5-second autoloader with 10 rounds on it.
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* High penetration APFSDS, the highest at its BR
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
 
* Traverse rate, both vertical and horizontal, is rather slow
 
* Traverse rate, both vertical and horizontal, is rather slow
* Depression angle is mediocre
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* Depression angle is poor
 
* If the player is trigger-happy, 10 rounds might not sufficient in the heat of battle
 
* If the player is trigger-happy, 10 rounds might not sufficient in the heat of battle
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' -->
In the late 1960s, Mainland China started their development a new MBT for the possible war with USSR and even WWIII. A key compnent of this new tank (the WZ1224) was a 120 mm smoothbore gun. But due to technological limits, the cannon didn't start development until PLA had captured a [[T-62 545 (China)|Soviet T-62]] and bridged the huge gap between Mainland China and mainstream tanks.
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In the late 1960s, Mainland China started their development of a new MBT for a possible war with the USSR or the West. A key component of this new tank (the WZ1224) was to be a 120 mm smoothbore gun. But due to technological limits, the cannon didn't start development until the PLA had captured a [[T-62 545 (China)|Soviet T-62]] and reverse-engineered some of its more modern features.
  
Later, when the new MBT had finally been developed, this PTP73 100 mm smoothbore AT gun based 120 mm gun was not chosen The WZ1224 didn't make it into the national budget and was abandoned, [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|L7]] was chosen for the new ZTZ79 and ZTZ80 instead and PLAGF acquired the [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|2A46M]] gun from Romania which they reverse-engineered successfully. The attempt to acquire a [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|Rh120 L/44]] cannon wasn't quite successful either. But in an attempt to keep this gun, Factory 447 at Batou, Inner Mongolia (the same city where the famous Factory 617 is) put this gun onto a WZ321 chassis. Luckily, this gun made it through state certification at 1986 and was backed by the funding from PRC's 7th 5-year plan. Eventually the cannon made its way into service on the [[PTZ89]].
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When a new MBT had been developed, the smoothbore 120 mm gun developed was not chosen for use, and the prototype WZ1224 didn't make it into production and was abandoned. For the newer ZTZ79 and ZTZ80 tanks, a licensed variant of the NATO 105mm [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|L7]] was used, and the PLAGF later acquired a [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|2A46M]] gun from Romania which they reverse-engineered for use in their modern MBTs. In an attempt to not abandon years of development, Factory 447 in Batou, Inner Mongolia mounted this gun onto a WZ321 chassis as a tank destroyer. Luckily, this gun made it through state certification in 1986 and was backed by the funding from PRC's 7th 5-year plan. Eventually, the cannon made its way into service on the [[PTZ89]], an almost anachronistic gun-based tank destroyer in an age of ATGM carriers.
  
After around 3 decades in service, the PTZ89 and its 120 mm gun peacefully ended its service in 2015 with the last batches of them decommissioned from 39th Group Army (currently named 79th) in November.
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After around 3 decades in service, the PTZ89 and its 120 mm gun ended its service in 2015 with the last batches of them decommissioned from 39th Group Army (currently named 79th) in November.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==

Revision as of 22:34, 28 June 2021

View history

Description

The 120 mm PTZ89 gun is Chinese a L/52 smoothbore cannon produced by Factory 447 in Inner Mongolia. With its quick fire rate and high velocity, this gun can prove deadly to any enemy it may encounter and packs a real punch.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

General info

Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.

Available ammunition

  • DYW1 - High penetration APFSDS round
  • DYS120 - HE round with subpar explosive mass for its calibre
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
DYW1 APFSDS 443 442 436 429 422 416
DTY120 HE 30 30 30 30 30 30
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
DYW1 APFSDS 1740 4.45 N/A N/A N/A 78° 80° 81°
DTY120 HE 900 19.5 0 0.1 2 490 79° 80° 81°

Comparison with analogues

  • Rh120 L/44, OTO Breda 120/44, Type 90 L/44, etc. - Similar 120mm guns found on many MBTs that fire the same ammunition, rounds are typically lower velocity, but the DM33 round has higher penetration.
  • Ordnance BL Tk. L11 and L11A5 - British rifled 120mm guns that fire inferior APFSDS rounds, but have access to HESH rounds that are superior to DYW120, and smoke rounds for versatility.
  • 2A26, 2A46M, 2A46M-1 - Soviet 125mm guns, fires inferior APFSDS rounds with similar velocities, with the exception of the 3BM42 round. Has superior HE rounds and access to ATGMs.

Comparing the 120 mm PTZ89 gun to its main analogues, the NATO Rh120 L/44, the British L11A5, and the Warsaw Pact's 2A46M, it shines over them in velocity (thanks to its larger chamber) at 1,740 m/s, which contributes to its high penetration. However, it lacks the versatility of the other guns, lacking HESH, ATGM, or smoke rounds.

Usage in battles

The main feature of 120 mm PTZ89 gun is its raw firepower: it was designed to handle masses of MBTs from range. So the ammunition found on this cannon is filled with lots of propellant, sending its projectile at a whopping 1,740 m/s, making it lethal even at longer ranges. A good way to play with the 120 mm PTZ89 gun is to stay at range and unleash your DYW1 APFSDS at the rate of 5 second between shots. In case of brawling, since it comes with an autoloader, it can also unleash hell to the enemies as well.

But do keep in mind that just like most Mainland Chinese vehicles, the depression angle is poor and the autoloader short reload time increases after all 10 rounds in the tray are fired away, so keep your ammo count in check and at best plan the shots beforehand: it will be embarrassing if you run out of autoloader shots in the heat of battle.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Above average shell velocity at 1,740 m/s that gives it flat trajectory
  • 5-second autoloader with 10 rounds on it.
  • High penetration APFSDS, the highest at its BR

Cons:

  • Traverse rate, both vertical and horizontal, is rather slow
  • Depression angle is poor
  • If the player is trigger-happy, 10 rounds might not sufficient in the heat of battle

History

In the late 1960s, Mainland China started their development of a new MBT for a possible war with the USSR or the West. A key component of this new tank (the WZ1224) was to be a 120 mm smoothbore gun. But due to technological limits, the cannon didn't start development until the PLA had captured a Soviet T-62 and reverse-engineered some of its more modern features.

When a new MBT had been developed, the smoothbore 120 mm gun developed was not chosen for use, and the prototype WZ1224 didn't make it into production and was abandoned. For the newer ZTZ79 and ZTZ80 tanks, a licensed variant of the NATO 105mm L7 was used, and the PLAGF later acquired a 2A46M gun from Romania which they reverse-engineered for use in their modern MBTs. In an attempt to not abandon years of development, Factory 447 in Batou, Inner Mongolia mounted this gun onto a WZ321 chassis as a tank destroyer. Luckily, this gun made it through state certification in 1986 and was backed by the funding from PRC's 7th 5-year plan. Eventually, the cannon made its way into service on the PTZ89, an almost anachronistic gun-based tank destroyer in an age of ATGM carriers.

After around 3 decades in service, the PTZ89 and its 120 mm gun ended its service in 2015 with the last batches of them decommissioned from 39th Group Army (currently named 79th) in November.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
  • references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


China tank cannons
30 mm  ZPL02 · ZPZ02
73 mm  Type 86
76 mm  M32K1
85 mm  Type 56 · Type 63
100 mm  PTP86 · Type 59 · Type 69 · Type 69-II · ZPL04
105 mm  88B-105T · Type 83 · WMA301 · ZPL94 · ZPL98A
120 mm  122TM · PTZ89
125 mm  Type 88C · Type 99A · ZPT98
130 mm  PL59A Gai
152 mm  PL66 Gai
  Foreign:
20 mm  KwK30 (Germany)
37 mm  M6 (USA)
45 mm  20-K (USSR)
47 mm  Type 1 (Japan)
57 mm  Type 97 (Japan) · ZIS-2 (USSR)
75 mm  M2 Howitzer (USA) · M3 (USA) · M6 (USA)
76 mm  D-56T (USSR) · F-34 (USSR) · M1 (USA) · M7 (USA) · ZIS-3 (USSR)
85 mm  ZIS-S-53 (USSR)
90 mm  M3 (USA) · M41 (USA)
100 mm  D-10S (USSR)
105 mm  M68 (USA) · M68A1 (USA)
115 mm  U-5TS (USSR)
122 mm  A-19 (USSR) · D-25T (USSR)
152 mm  ML-20S (USSR)