T-55AM-1

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T-55AM-1
ussr_t_55_am.png
T-55AM-1
AB RB SB
8.7 8.7 8.7
Show in game
STORE

Description

GarageImage T-55AM-1.jpg


The T-55AM-1 is a premium gift rank VI Soviet medium tank with a battle rating of 8.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.81 "The Valkyries".

General info

Survivability and armour

The T-55, which this tank was based upon, used exclusively rolled homogeneous armour, which proved to useless against advanced chemical warheads. The Soviet Union, in an attempt to modernize and extend the service life of the T-55, conceived the AM-1 upgrade kit for the tank. The upgrade kit consists bolted-on blocks of metal-polymer plates, which are essentially plates of metal sandwiching polymer fillings. This solution was cheap and easy to implement, though its effectiveness was debatable. Compared to the original T-55A, the armour protection was greatly improved, but still prove to be insufficient against certain weapons.

The turret cheeks are fitted with the add-on metal-polymer blocks, which grants immunity to every HEAT warhead in-game except the HOT missiles. The Leopard's 120mm HEAT-FS occasionally penetrates the cheeks, and in that case, very minimal damage is caused. The turret armour against APDS is highly effective, given that the projectile impacts the add-on armour. However, the armour is mostly useless against APFSDS, and in case of penetration, will cause extensive damage. The add-on armour on the upper front plate is somewhat effective as it can nullify HEAT warheads with less than 450mm penetration. Most APFSDS will seamlessly penetrate the hull. Most APDS will bounce.

Do note that the gun breech area is very poorly protected by some 200mm of cast homogeneous armour, making its protection worth absolutely useless against everything. So do try to angle your turret by facing your cheeks. When doing so, use the right side of your turret to "catch" rounds, as even if it penetrates, only your loader will be knocked out, so no big deal.

Also note that the add-on armor block can be blown off your tank. For example, HOT missiles will have very high chance of taking off armor, and direct hit from artillery shell (assuming it hits the armor and doesn't destroy you) will take off the armor.

In regards to ammo storage, your ready rack is stored within your fuel tank. This wet ammo storage will prevent ammo detonation from HEAT, but a well placed APFSDS will nonetheless cause ammo cook-off.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Gun mantlet)
  • Structural steel (Stowage boxes, Track mud guards)
  • Rubber-fabric screens (Track sides)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 100* mm (59°) Front glacis 
100 mm (56°) Lower glacis
80 mm 45 mm (16°) Upper 
20 mm (71°) Lower
30 mm
20 mm Hatches
45 mm Engine grille
Turret 130-200* mm (0-75°) 90-160 mm (9-62°) 66 mm (4-41°) 30 mm
Cupola 100 mm (conical) Base
30 mm (spherical) Hatch
100 mm (conical) Base
30 mm (spherical) Hatch

Notes:

  • Suspensions wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick
  • Front belly armour is 20 + 20 mm thick, with the rest of the belly armour being just 20 mm thick.
  • * - Composite armour present

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 56 9 41.5 1,069 1,316 25.76 31.71
Realistic 51 8 610 690 14.7 16.63

The mobility is only bested by the XM-1. It will out-run most, if not all, its friendlies and adversaries. Its pivoting capabilities are comparable to the very capable neutral steering system on the Leopard L/44. The tank will reach around 30-40 km/h off-road, and -10 km/h in reverse. The so-called "stabilized" gun is only operable reliably under 35km/h.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: D-10T2S (100 mm)

The 100mm rifled gun seems like an oddity at this BR, not in its calibre or whatnot, but its unparalleled versatility. The gun can fire APDS, APFSDS, HEAT-FS, HE, APHE, ATGM and smoke. In fact, it can fire every type of munition available in-game with the exception of HESH. Though very versatile, it is quite useless as the APDS, APFSDS and HEAT-FS are terribly under-performing compared to its adversaries. The only offensive munition worth carrying is the APHE and ATGM. The APHE (APCBC) is extremely capable. It will destroy most bad guys your face with one shot, given proper shot placement and successful penetration. At this rank, most your opponents are poorly armoured, like the Leopard 1, MBT/KPz-70 and XM-1, so the 200mm penetration on the APHE will penetrate and will result in the instant destruction of your enemies.

100 mm D-10T2S Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 42 -5°/+16° ±180° Two-plane 14.28 19.76 24.00 26.55 28.24 11.05 9.78 9.01 8.50
Realistic 8.92 10.50 12.75 14.10 15.00

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
3BM-8 APDS 299 298 291 272 253 249
BR-412D APCBC 239 236 223 207 192 178
3BM25 APFSDS 335 330 307 290 275 260
3BK17M HEATFS 390 390 390 390 390 390
OF-412 HE 19 19 19 19 19 19
9M117 ATGM 600 600 600 600 600 600
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%
3BM-8 APDS 1,415 4.13 N/A N/A N/A 75° 78° 80°
BR-412D APCBC 887 15.9 1.2 19 93.94 48° 63° 71°
3BM25 APFSDS 1,430 3.4 N/A N/A N/A 76° 77° 80°
3BK17M HEATFS 1,085 9.96 0.05 1 1,440 65° 72° 77°
OF-412 HE 900 15.6 0.1 0.5 1,460 79° 80° 81°
9M117 ATGM 370 18.8 0 0.1 3,000 80° 82° 90°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen deploy time
(s)
Screen hold time
(s)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
3D3 880 15.6 20 5 25 272

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-55AM-1
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
42 41 (+1) 37 (+5) 33 (+9) 21 (+21) 19 (+23) (+41) No
  • Rack 6 is a first-stage ammo rack

Machine guns

12.7 mm DShK
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 300 (50) 600 -10°/+60° ±180°
7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 3,000 (250) 700 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The T-55AM-1 is a tank that T-55A users are familiar with, but now with extra features such as:

  • The ammo option of a gun-launched 9M117 missile
  • Composite armour added to the front of the hull and turret
  • More powerful engine
  • Smoke grenades availability

Aside from these differences, the usage of the T-55AM-1 will be quite similar to any T-54/55 tank models in the Soviet tech tree.

Offensive

Using the T-55AM-1 in the offensive role is ideal given the technical characteristics of the tank. The relatively low profile construction of the tank, plus the added composite armour at the front, can make the T-55AM-1 more likely to survive a contested battlefield. The stabilised 100 mm gun also gives a nice, steady field of view at selected enemy target to engage while moving. However, one should take care not to be hit as despite the composite armour additions to the tank, they only have significant effect against chemical rounds (with an effective protection of around 450 mm), and its effect on kinetic rounds is negligible enough that even APDS rounds on certain tanks can pierce the hull at closer ranges.

When moving towards the enemy, try to utilise the terrain for cover to protect the vulnerable parts of the hull. Only the front have the added composite armour so make sure these are presented so to maximize survival should the T-55AM-1 be hit. Avoid traveling over hills when moving, as the -5 degree gun depression restricts the T-55AM-1's firing arc. Focus on going around obstacles in a manner that the gun can be brought to bear while eliminating any possible exposure of the side armour. The gun should always be pointed where the enemy is expected to be coming, as the traverse speed is slow and can be detrimental when reacting to a surprise encounter.

For the attack, the T-55AM-1 should try not to be in the lead due to the spotty armour design, but it should follow a squad where a lead tank attracts the enemy gun fire, and the T-55AM-1 supports the lead tank by firing at its opposition while repositioning to a good firing angle. The higher mobility of the T-55AM-1 also means the tank could also attempt a wide flanking manoeuvre around the battlefield and hit the enemy's sides.

Defence

Defence can be done with the T-55AM-1, though the options are limited as it is difficult to take up ideal hull-down positions due to both the -5 degree gun depression and weaker turret armour even with the composite (although the gun mantlet may cause incoming shells to ricochet at the cost of the gun modules). The ideal way to use the T-55AM-1 in the defensive is to hide behind larger covers such as buildings and wait for the enemy to attempt to cross into the 100 mm gun's path. The variety of ammunition available allows the T-55AM-1 to deal with a variety of enemy threats, such as an APCBC-HE round to penetrate and explode behind delicate side armour, and the 9M117 missile for longer-ranged targets.

No matter the case, the most important aspect to consider when choosing a cover position to fire from is how fast the T-55AM-1 can acquire and fire at targets, as the turret's slow traverse rate and the gun's rather slow reload rate can mean a significant amount of down time if shot is missed and the enemy continues speeding down the firing line. Also be wary of enemies that are aware of the T-55AM-1's position and attempt to root it out via flanking or aerial attacks, so keep an exit strategy to quickly egress from the area.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts BR-412D Horizontal Drive NVD
II Suspension Brake System FPE 3BM25 Adjustment of Fire Laser rangefinder
III Filters Crew Replenishment 3BK17M Elevation Mechanism Smoke grenade
IV Transmission Engine ESS 3D3 9M117 Artillery Support
This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Access to APFSDS ammunition
  • Access to very good AGTM
  • One of the few top rank tanks with APHE, great for one shots.
  • Favourable matchmaking that won't face top rank tanks
  • Respectable mobility
  • Decent armour, especially vs chemical Munitions
  • Roof Mounted DShK 12.7 mm MG is great for taking out low flying Helicopters
  • Wet ammo storage in the front fuel tank may prevent ammo detonation from HEAT
  • Due to access to APHE, it can even one-shot Abrams given proper shot placement, making the vehicle an adequate back-up for a top-rank Soviet lineup

Cons:

  • Armour is completely ineffective against APFSDS and 120 mm APDS
  • Below average reload time, many enemies will have a faster reload
  • Poor reverse speed
  • The Rheinmetall 120mm's HEAT-FS and most high-penetration ATGM's will go clean through its armor
  • Ammo stored all around the Hull, a penetration will most likely result in an ammo detonation
  • Rather weak APFSDS
  • Doesn't have access to thermal optics

History

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: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins
Videos

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 series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


USSR medium tanks
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-55  TO-55 · T-55A · T-55AM-1 · T-55AMD-1
T-62  T-62 · T-62M-1
T-64  Object 435 · T-64A (1971) · T-64B
T-72  T-72A · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-72B · T-72B (1989) · T-72B3 · T-72M2 Moderna
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UD · T-80UK · T-80UM2 · T-80BVM · Object 292
T-90  Т-90А · T-90M
Trophies/Lend-Lease 
Germany  ▂T-III · ▂T-V
Great Britain  ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
USA  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2

USSR premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  BA-11 · RBT-5 · BT-7A (F-32) · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-126 · PT-76-57 · 2S38
Medium tanks  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34E · T-34-57 (1943) · T-34-85E · T-34-100 · T-44-122 · TO-55 · T-55AM-1 · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-80UD
  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2 · ▂T-III · ▂T-V · ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
Heavy tanks  SMK · T-35 · ▂MK-II "Matilda" · KV-1E · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) · KV-122 · KV-220 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 · IS-6 · T-10A
Tank destroyers  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
  SU-57 · SU-76D · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A · SU-100Y · SU-122P · Object 120
SPAA  ▂Phòng không T-34 · ZUT-37