Difference between revisions of "Type 62 (USSR)"
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+ | {{About | ||
+ | | about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}''' | ||
+ | | usage = the Chinese version | ||
+ | | link = Type 62 | ||
+ | }} | ||
{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=ussr_type_62 | |code=ussr_type_62 | ||
+ | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}} | ||
|market=Type-62 | |market=Type-62 | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
− | <!--In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.--> | + | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> |
− | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]] as a reward vehicle for the [[wt:en/news/4416-special-war-thunder-winter-holiday-en|2016 "Winter Holiday"]] event. | |
− | |||
− | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the 2016 " | ||
− | While playing the Type | + | While playing the Type 62, it is important to stay hidden from your enemy at all times and avoid going head-to-head with enemies that have noticed your presence and are focusing on eliminating you. The paper-thin armour on the Type 62 cannot effectively stop any shell, and, unless you're facing the British, a hit will likely result in the HE filler of the shell knocking out most of your crew / detonating your ammo racks. So it is recommended to use flanking tactics on larger maps, while staying hidden behind terrain features such as hills, trees, even in ditches, while on smaller city maps it's recommended to stay behind piles of rubble, houses, even your teammates, to avoid the enemy seeing the Type 62 before it has the opportunity to disable their gun or destroy them. |
== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
− | <!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? | + | {{Specs-Tank-Armour}} |
− | + | <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | |
− | If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.--> | ||
'''Armour type:''' | '''Armour type:''' | ||
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| Turret || 50 mm (9-59°) ''Turret front'' <br> 50 mm (2-66°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm (11-44°) || 32 mm (11-46°) || 20 mm | | Turret || 50 mm (9-59°) ''Turret front'' <br> 50 mm (2-66°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm (11-44°) || 32 mm (11-46°) || 20 mm | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | + | | Cupola || 30 mm || 30 mm || 30 mm || 20 mm | |
− | | | ||
− | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
+ | {{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} | ||
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | ||
− | {{tankMobility|abMinHp= | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=666|rbMinHp=380}} |
+ | |||
+ | === Modifications and economy === | ||
+ | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
+ | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
− | <!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.--> | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} |
− | {{main|Type | + | <!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> |
+ | {{main|Type 63 (85 mm)}} | ||
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" |
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− | + | ! colspan="5" | [[Type 63 (85 mm)|85 mm Type 63]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds) | |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer |
+ | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
+ | ! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! ''Arcade'' |
− | + | | rowspan="2" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+22° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40 | |
− | |||
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|- | |- | ||
− | | 9. | + | ! ''Realistic'' |
+ | | 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | + | ==== Ammunition ==== | |
− | { | + | {{:Type 63 (85 mm)/Ammunition|Type 56 APBC, Type 56 APCBC, Type 56 HVAP, Type 56 HEAT-FS, Type 56 HE}} |
− | + | ||
− | + | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | |
− | + | [[File:Ammoracks_Type_62.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | |
− | + | <!-- '''Last updated:''' --> | |
− | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |
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− | ! | ||
− | '' | ||
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− | ! | + | ! Full<br>ammo |
− | ! | + | ! 1st<br>rack empty |
− | ! | + | ! 2nd<br>rack empty |
+ | ! 3rd<br>rack empty | ||
+ | ! 4th<br>rack empty | ||
+ | ! 5th<br>rack empty | ||
+ | ! 6th<br>rack empty | ||
+ | ! Visual<br>discrepancy | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | '''47''' || 45 ''(+2)'' || 37 ''(+10)'' || 31 ''(+16)'' || 23 ''(+24)'' || 21 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No |
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|} | |} | ||
+ | '''Note''': | ||
− | + | * Turret empty: 37 ''(+10)'' shells. | |
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=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
− | <!--Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.--> | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}} |
− | {{main| | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}} |
+ | <!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' --> | ||
+ | {{main|Type 54 (12.7 mm)|Type 59 (7.62 mm)}} | ||
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="5" | [[Type 54 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Type 54]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | | Pintle || 500 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180° | |
− | |||
− | |||
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
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|- | |- | ||
− | ! colspan="7 | + | ! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 59]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | ! | + | ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal |
− | ! | ||
− | ! | ||
− | ! | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 600 || - || - |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Usage in battles == | == Usage in battles == | ||
− | <!--Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).--> | + | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> |
− | With | + | With its excellent mobility, the Type 62 is great for getting from point to point and setting up ambushes. However, the reload rate is around the same or even slower than most enemy tanks, so making your first shot count is always going to determine whether you survive the engagement or not. Aiming for the turret or ammo racks of the enemy are great options, as they usually ensure ammo rack detonations or that the enemy won't be able to fire back at you if not. |
− | Also note that going on rough terrain and over piles of rubble is not recommended while at risk to be shot at by the enemy, as the gun takes a very long time to adjust in the vertical. With the | + | Also note that going on rough terrain and over piles of rubble is not recommended while at risk to be shot at by the enemy, as the gun takes a very long time to adjust in the vertical. With the HEATFS shell, staying at range is also possible, as it is much easier for you to hide your tank from the enemy while not losing accuracy and penetration of the HEATFS shell. |
− | When facing heavy and medium tanks of the enemy, try to knock out their gun to allow you to get a clear shot of their side, as the stock shells for the | + | When facing heavy and medium tanks of the enemy, try to knock out their gun to allow you to get a clear shot of their side, as the stock shells for the 85 mm gun on the Type 62 can't reliably penetrate tanks such as the [[T29]] and [[Tiger II (H)]] up front. However, with the HEATFS and APCR shells unlocked you'll be able to deal with heavily armoured tanks easier, so getting those early on is a must. |
− | The hardest tanks to destroy in the Type | + | The hardest tanks to destroy in the Type 62 will be the T29 and Tiger II (H), as APHEBC and APCBC shells cannot penetrate these tanks from the front. When facing against these tanks, your best option is to get their ammo racks or turret crew from the side while they're busy dealing with your teammates, or, if they see you, relocating without them seeing you and getting them unawares. With the HEATFS shell it is possible to even penetrate the King Tiger's upper front plate if they underestimate you and don't angle their hull. |
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
− | <!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".--> | + | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> |
+ | |||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
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* Small profile, smaller than the [[T-44]] | * Small profile, smaller than the [[T-44]] | ||
* 85 mm is similar to the one on T-44, with access to superior shells | * 85 mm is similar to the one on T-44, with access to superior shells | ||
− | * Access to | + | * Access to Type 56 HEAT-FS round, capable of penetrating 300 mm of armour |
− | * Pintle-mounted 12.7 mm MG can provide AA | + | * Pintle-mounted 12.7 mm MG can provide AA defences |
* Decent ammo reserve for its size, 47 shells | * Decent ammo reserve for its size, 47 shells | ||
− | * Looks like a [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]], | + | * Looks like a [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]], may cause opponents in RB and SB to take a pause to figure out what you really are |
+ | * Gun doesn't rock around a lot, can do a decent job at firing on the move | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
− | * Very thin armour - | + | * Very thin armour - 35 mm hull in front, 50 mm turret front armour |
* Slow turret traverse | * Slow turret traverse | ||
* Rather long reload | * Rather long reload | ||
* Cramped crew and scattered ammo all over ensures easy knock-outs if penetrated | * Cramped crew and scattered ammo all over ensures easy knock-outs if penetrated | ||
− | * Gun depression is - | + | * Gun depression is -5° |
* Gun is difficult to use in uneven terrain, as it takes a long time to depress / elevate the gun | * Gun is difficult to use in uneven terrain, as it takes a long time to depress / elevate the gun | ||
+ | * Will rarely reach more than 50 km/h off-road | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
− | <!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the | + | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle 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 vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> |
===Development=== | ===Development=== | ||
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===Combat usage=== | ===Combat usage=== | ||
− | The Type 62 light tank was primarily stationed with military units in Southern China where the infrastructure is not as sophisticated. However, the Type 62 would not see its first usage in Chinese hands. A number of them was supplied to the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War, which they used against America and South Vietnam until the end of the war in 1975. The Type 62 then saw use again in 1979 in Vietnam, but mostly in Chinese hands in the Sino-Vietnamese War. However, the Type 62 suffered due to anti-tank weapons such as the ubiquitous rocket launchers penetrating right through the thin armour. The overall consensus of their experiences in Vietnam was that the Type 62 not suitable to act around as a normal tank due to its light armour and armament, and was relegated to recon and fire support. | + | The Type 62 light tank was primarily stationed with military units in Southern China where the infrastructure is not as sophisticated. However, the Type 62 would not see its first usage in Chinese hands. A number of them was supplied to the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War, which they used against America and South Vietnam until the end of the war in 1975. The Type 62 then saw use again in 1979 in Vietnam, but mostly in Chinese hands in the Sino-Vietnamese War. However, the Type 62 suffered due to anti-tank weapons such as the ubiquitous rocket launchers penetrating right through the thin armour. The overall consensus of their experiences in Vietnam was that the Type 62 not suitable to act around as a normal tank due to its light armour and armament, and was relegated to recon and fire support. |
An upgrade program commenced on the Type 62 led to the ''Type 62-I'' variant. The program was based on the experiences in Vietnam, leading to many upgrades such as a laser range finder, a shield for the exterior-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun, and protection against HEAT rounds. The second modernization program began in 2000 to upgrade the Type 62-I into Type 62G which improved the armour layout and turret design of the tank, as well as adding smoke dischargers and a new 105 mm main armament with a modern stabilizer and fire-control system. The Type 62 stayed in the Chinese service up until early 2013. | An upgrade program commenced on the Type 62 led to the ''Type 62-I'' variant. The program was based on the experiences in Vietnam, leading to many upgrades such as a laser range finder, a shield for the exterior-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun, and protection against HEAT rounds. The second modernization program began in 2000 to upgrade the Type 62-I into Type 62G which improved the armour layout and turret design of the tank, as well as adding smoke dischargers and a new 105 mm main armament with a modern stabilizer and fire-control system. The Type 62 stayed in the Chinese service up until early 2013. | ||
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== Media == | == Media == | ||
− | ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
+ | |||
+ | ;Skins | ||
+ | |||
+ | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_type_62 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ;Videos | ||
+ | {{Youtube-gallery|9vNN4XEnm7M|'''My Favourite Rank 4 USSR Tank - Type 62 (RB Gameplay)''' - ''CyberDeath Gaming''|4IT29C1LK30|'''Type 62 (USSR) - The First Seconds''' - ''Napalmratte''}} | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
− | ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | + | <!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' |
+ | * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | ||
+ | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
− | + | ;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis | |
− | * | + | |
+ | * [[Type 62]] | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
− | ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | + | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' |
+ | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
+ | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
− | * | + | * [[wikipedia:Type_62|[Wikipedia] Type 62]] |
− | |||
− | |||
+ | {{TankManufacturer Norinco}} | ||
{{USSR light tanks}} | {{USSR light tanks}} | ||
{{Winter Event}} | {{Winter Event}} |
Latest revision as of 01:10, 3 June 2024
This page is about the light tank Type 62 (USSR). For the Chinese version, see Type 62. |
Contents
Description
The ▂Type 62 is a gift rank IV Soviet light tank with a battle rating of 6.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai" as a reward vehicle for the 2016 "Winter Holiday" event.
While playing the Type 62, it is important to stay hidden from your enemy at all times and avoid going head-to-head with enemies that have noticed your presence and are focusing on eliminating you. The paper-thin armour on the Type 62 cannot effectively stop any shell, and, unless you're facing the British, a hit will likely result in the HE filler of the shell knocking out most of your crew / detonating your ammo racks. So it is recommended to use flanking tactics on larger maps, while staying hidden behind terrain features such as hills, trees, even in ditches, while on smaller city maps it's recommended to stay behind piles of rubble, houses, even your teammates, to avoid the enemy seeing the Type 62 before it has the opportunity to disable their gun or destroy them.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
- Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)
Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hull | 35 mm (57°) Front glacis 25 mm (50°) Lower glacis |
25 mm | 15 mm (7-52°) | 20 mm Front 15 mm Engine deck 5 mm Engine grille |
Turret | 50 mm (9-59°) Turret front 50 mm (2-66°) Gun mantlet |
35 mm (11-44°) | 32 mm (11-46°) | 20 mm |
Cupola | 30 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm | 20 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
Mobility
Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
Arcade | 67 | 10 | 21 | 666 | 820 | 31.71 | 39.05 |
Realistic | 60 | 9 | 380 | 430 | 18.1 | 20.48 |
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Main armament
85 mm Type 63 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
Arcade | 47 | -5°/+22° | ±180° | N/A | 9.5 | 13.2 | 16.0 | 17.7 | 18.8 | 9.62 | 8.51 | 7.84 | 7.40 |
Realistic | 5.9 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 9.4 | 10.0 |
Ammunition
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 | ||
Type 56 APBC | APHEBC | 135 | 133 | 124 | 113 | 104 | 95 |
Type 56 APCBC | APCBC | 164 | 162 | 154 | 143 | 134 | 125 |
Type 56 HVAP | APCR | 208 | 201 | 176 | 148 | 125 | 106 |
Type 56 HEAT-FS | HEATFS | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
Type 56 HE | HE | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
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% | ||||||||||
Type 56 APBC | APHEBC | 792 | 9.2 | 1.2 | 14 | 164 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
Type 56 APCBC | APCBC | 792 | 9.2 | 1.2 | 14 | 77 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
Type 56 HVAP | APCR | 1,020 | 5.3 | - | - | - | 66° | 70° | 72° | |||
Type 56 HEAT-FS | HEATFS | 845 | 7 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 822.8 | 65° | 72° | 77° | |||
Type 56 HE | HE | 785 | 9.54 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 741 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
47 | 45 (+2) | 37 (+10) | 31 (+16) | 23 (+24) | 21 (+26) | 1 (+46) | No |
Note:
- Turret empty: 37 (+10) shells.
Machine guns
12.7 mm Type 54 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
Pintle | 500 (50) | 600 | -4°/+82° | ±180° |
7.62 mm Type 59 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
Coaxial | 2,000 (250) | 600 | - | - |
Usage in battles
With its excellent mobility, the Type 62 is great for getting from point to point and setting up ambushes. However, the reload rate is around the same or even slower than most enemy tanks, so making your first shot count is always going to determine whether you survive the engagement or not. Aiming for the turret or ammo racks of the enemy are great options, as they usually ensure ammo rack detonations or that the enemy won't be able to fire back at you if not.
Also note that going on rough terrain and over piles of rubble is not recommended while at risk to be shot at by the enemy, as the gun takes a very long time to adjust in the vertical. With the HEATFS shell, staying at range is also possible, as it is much easier for you to hide your tank from the enemy while not losing accuracy and penetration of the HEATFS shell.
When facing heavy and medium tanks of the enemy, try to knock out their gun to allow you to get a clear shot of their side, as the stock shells for the 85 mm gun on the Type 62 can't reliably penetrate tanks such as the T29 and Tiger II (H) up front. However, with the HEATFS and APCR shells unlocked you'll be able to deal with heavily armoured tanks easier, so getting those early on is a must.
The hardest tanks to destroy in the Type 62 will be the T29 and Tiger II (H), as APHEBC and APCBC shells cannot penetrate these tanks from the front. When facing against these tanks, your best option is to get their ammo racks or turret crew from the side while they're busy dealing with your teammates, or, if they see you, relocating without them seeing you and getting them unawares. With the HEATFS shell it is possible to even penetrate the King Tiger's upper front plate if they underestimate you and don't angle their hull.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good acceleration, can reach fast travel speed quickly
- Small profile, smaller than the T-44
- 85 mm is similar to the one on T-44, with access to superior shells
- Access to Type 56 HEAT-FS round, capable of penetrating 300 mm of armour
- Pintle-mounted 12.7 mm MG can provide AA defences
- Decent ammo reserve for its size, 47 shells
- Looks like a T-54, may cause opponents in RB and SB to take a pause to figure out what you really are
- Gun doesn't rock around a lot, can do a decent job at firing on the move
Cons:
- Very thin armour - 35 mm hull in front, 50 mm turret front armour
- Slow turret traverse
- Rather long reload
- Cramped crew and scattered ammo all over ensures easy knock-outs if penetrated
- Gun depression is -5°
- Gun is difficult to use in uneven terrain, as it takes a long time to depress / elevate the gun
- Will rarely reach more than 50 km/h off-road
History
Development
After World War II, China stayed in a state of conflict as part of the Chinese Civil War, pitting the Chinese Nationalists against the Communists. The Communist Party were victorious and they established the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 01 October 1949. In 14 February 1950, the Chinese signed an alliance treaty with the Soviet Union, which allowed the Soviet Union to support China economically and militarily, leading to many money loans and arms trade. One of the weapons given in arms trade was the Soviet's new main battle tank, the T-54. The tank became the basis of the Soviet's aid in building up China's tank manufacturing facility in 1956, starting with Soviet-made parts before transitioning to Chinese parts. The T-54 tank design was then accepted into the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1959 as the Type 59.
While accepted as the main tank of the PLA, the Type 59 was deemed too heavy for some of the terrain and infrastructure on China. A light tank design was requested in the late 1950s, leading to the formal development process in 1958. The first prototype was produced in 1960 as the Type 59-16, which was essentially a down-scaled Type 59 with an 85 mm armament, thinner armour, and smaller profile. Trials commenced until December 1962, when it was accepted as the Type 62, production name WZ 131. It was then put into production in 1963 with roughly 1,393 tank units produced until 1989.
Combat usage
The Type 62 light tank was primarily stationed with military units in Southern China where the infrastructure is not as sophisticated. However, the Type 62 would not see its first usage in Chinese hands. A number of them was supplied to the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War, which they used against America and South Vietnam until the end of the war in 1975. The Type 62 then saw use again in 1979 in Vietnam, but mostly in Chinese hands in the Sino-Vietnamese War. However, the Type 62 suffered due to anti-tank weapons such as the ubiquitous rocket launchers penetrating right through the thin armour. The overall consensus of their experiences in Vietnam was that the Type 62 not suitable to act around as a normal tank due to its light armour and armament, and was relegated to recon and fire support.
An upgrade program commenced on the Type 62 led to the Type 62-I variant. The program was based on the experiences in Vietnam, leading to many upgrades such as a laser range finder, a shield for the exterior-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun, and protection against HEAT rounds. The second modernization program began in 2000 to upgrade the Type 62-I into Type 62G which improved the armour layout and turret design of the tank, as well as adding smoke dischargers and a new 105 mm main armament with a modern stabilizer and fire-control system. The Type 62 stayed in the Chinese service up until early 2013.
The Type 62 also saw exportation to many countries, ranging from Albania, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Congo, Mali, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, North Korea, and Zaire. In some cases, such as in North Korea, this led to confusions between the Soviet's T-62 main battle tank due to the labeling of the Type 62 as simply "T-62". Information of the Type 62 in these countries are rather limited or unknown, though most of them seem to still have them in reserves today.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
External links
Norinco (China North Industries Corporation) | |
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Light AFV/IFV | |
WZ501 | ZBD86¹ |
WZ131 | ▂Type 62 · Type 62 |
WZ211 | Type 63 · ZTS63 |
WZ502 | ZBD04A |
MBT | |
WZ120 | Type 59¹ · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1 |
WZ121 | Type 69 |
WZ122 | ZTZ88B · ZTZ88A · ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P) |
WZ123 | ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III |
WZ1001 | WZ1001(E) LCT · ZTZ99A |
Tank Destroyers | AFT09 · PTL02 · PTZ89 · ZLT11 |
SPH | PLZ83 |
SPAA | ZSD63/PG87² · PGZ09 · PGZ04A |
Export | |
WZ121 | Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G |
MBT2000 | MBT-2000 · Al-Khalid-I |
MBT3000 | VT4A1 |
Other | WMA301 · WZ305 |
¹ License production / Reverse engineered · ² Field modifications |
USSR light tanks | |
---|---|
T-26 | T-26 · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26-4 · T-26E |
BT | BT-5 · RBT-5 · BT-7 · BT-7 TD · BT-7M · BT-7A (F-32) |
T-50 | T-126 · T-50 |
T-70 | T-70 · T-80 |
PT-76 | PT-76B · PT-76-57 · Object 906 |
BMP | BMP-1 · BMP-2 · BMP-2M · BMP-3 |
BMD | BMD-4 |
2S25 | 2S25 · 2S25M |
Wheeled | BA-11 · BTR-80A |
Other | T-60 · Object 685 · 2S38 |
China | ▂Type 62 |