The Chinese Type 59 Main Battle Tank is a copy of the ubiquitous Russian T-55/54 medium tank. The Chinese based several later designs, such as the Type 69 and Type 79, on the Type 59. Other developments included a variant sporting a 120mm gun, and the scaled-down Type 62 with an 85 mm gun. The metre is the basic unit of length in the International System of Units (SI: Système International dUnités). ... The word ton or tonne is derived from the Old English tunne, and ultimately from the Old French tonne, and referred originally to a large cask with a capacity of 252 wine gallons, which holds approximately 2100 pounds of water. ... A fire-control system is a computer, often mechanical, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. ... The horsepower (hp) is the name of several non-metric units of power. ... The word mechanical can mean one of several things: A device or principle described as mechanical relates to a mechanism or machine, or the realm of Newtonian mechanics. ... Epicyclic gearing is used here to increase output speed. ... The US M1A1 Abrams tank is a typical modern main battle tank. ... The T-54 and T-55 main battle tanks were the Soviet Unions replacements for the World War II era T-34 tank. ... General characteristics Length 6. ... ...

Chinese Type 59 tanks approaching Beijing's Tiananmen Square during the 1989 protests
Jeff Widener (The Associated Press)

Image File history File links Tank man blocking a column of tanks heading east on Beijings Changan Boulevard (Avenue of Eternal Peace) near Tiananmen Square during the student uprising. ... Image File history File links Tank man blocking a column of tanks heading east on Beijings Changan Boulevard (Avenue of Eternal Peace) near Tiananmen Square during the student uprising. ... Beijing   listen? (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Pei-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Peking) is the capital city of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Tiananmen Square (Simplified Chinese: 天安门广场; Traditional Chinese: 天安門廣場; pinyin: ) is a very large plaza near the center of Beijing, China, named for the Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. ... The Unknown Rebel — This famous photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester whose actions halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour. ...

Variants

Type 59

The basic variant, a T-54A clone. Entered production in 1957.

Type 59-I

Improved variant fitted with a Type 69-II 100 mm rifled gun, as well as a laser rangefinder, hydraulic servo-system, primitive fire control, automatic fire suppression system, and rubber track skirt. The Type 59-I includes several versions with different armour and fire control configurations. Rifling is the means by which a firearm gyroscopically stabilizes a projectile. ... A laser range-finder, or LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging), is a device which uses a laser beam in order to determine the distance to an opaque object. ... Hydraulics is a branch of science and engineering concerned with the use of liquids to perform mechanical tasks. ... A fire-control system is a computer, often mechanical, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. ... A hoplite wearing a helmet, a breastplate and greaves (and nothing else). ...

Type 59-II

Manufacturer designation WZ-120B. Upgraded to the 105 mm Type 81 (copy of the L7) rifled gun design provided by Austria. The most distinctive feature of the Type 59-II is that its barrel fume extractor was removed from the front-end to the middle of the barrel. Other improvements include new radio and fire suppression system. The batch production began in 1982 and stopped in 1985. Used to crush the Tiananmen Demonstrations. 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Unknown Rebel — This famous photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester whose actions halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour. ...

Type 59-IIA

Fitted with thermal sleeve for 105 mm gun and some composite armor. Referred to as M-1984 by US Army. Variants include MBT, command tank, and mine-sweeper tank. Composite Armor is a type of armor consisting of layers of different material such as metals, plastics, ceramics or air. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

Type 59 Gai

This is an experimental variant to test various Western technologies integrated on the Chinese-made MBT. Variants include: B59G and BW120K. The BW120K is fitted with an indigenously developed 120 mm smoothbore gun comparable in general performance to the US M-256. The term Western world can have multiple meanings depending on its context. ... Smoothbore refers to a firearm which does not have a rifled barrel. ...

Type 59D

Also known as WZ-120C. The Type 59D was developed in the 1990s. Instead of replacing all ageing Type 59s in service with newer models, the PLA decided that they should be upgraded with new technologies to meet the requirements for future land battle. The Type 59D is fitted with explosive reactive armour, new tank gun, passive night vision, and new fire control. The 12150L diesel engine was also replaced by a 580 hp 12150L7 engine. Variants include Type 59D and Type 59D1. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section should be merged with Reactive armour Explosive Reactive Armour. ... Night-vision is seeing in the dark. ... A fire-control system is a computer, often mechanical, which is designed to assist a weapon system in hitting its target. ... The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, it is a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by being suddenly exposed to the high temperature and pressure of a compressed gas containing oxygen (usually atmospheric air), rather than a separate source of ignition...

Others

Other derivatives includes the Type 73 tank recovery vehicle.

Foreign variants

Heavy Industries Taxila of Pakistan has also introduced the Al-Zarar Main Battle Tank. Al-Zafar series was designed to improve and rebuild Pakistan army Type 59 tanks by way of most modern paraphernalia, armaments, fire control and protective covering etc.At hand are as rumor has it fifty four modifications ready in the unique design.The venture to improve these tanks to Al-Zafar prototype is passed out at Heavy Industries Taxila. several of its aspects are below. 125 mm Smooth Bore Gun, brilliant in firing APFSDS, HEAT-FS and HE-FS . 730 HP Engine in the company of enhanced conduction. Semi - Automatic loading method. Image Stabilized Fire Control and better Gun Control System. Superior suspension. Improved sentinel with Explosive Reactive shield and Anti-mine underneath cover. Al-Zafar series was designed to improve and rebuild Pakistan army Type 59 tanks by way of most modern paraphernalia, armaments, fire control and protective covering etc. ... A kinetic energy penetrator, long-rod penetrator, or APFSDS (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot) is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives, but uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

External links

• Type 59 Main Battle Tank - GlobalSecurity.org
• Type 59 Main Battle Tank - Chinese Defence Today