Back Type 62 BS WZ132 German Tipo 62 Spanish Tüüp 62 Estonian Type 62 French 62-es típus Hungarian Տիպ 62 Armenian Type 62 Italian 62式軽戦車 Japanese 62식 경전차 Korean
| Type 62 | |
|---|---|
 Chinese Type 62 light tank at the China People's Revolution Military Museum | |
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1961 – 2013 (China) |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War Uganda–Tanzania War Sino-Vietnamese War Second Sudanese Civil War First Congo War Second Congo War Kivu conflict |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | 674 Factory (Harbin First Machinery Building Group Ltd) |
| Produced | 1963–1989 |
| No. built | about 1,500 |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 21 tonnes |
| Length | 7.9 m overall 5.6 m hull only |
| Width | 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) |
| Height | 2.3 m |
| Crew | 4 |
| Armor | 12.5 mm (roof and belly) to 50 mm turret (turret)[1] |
Main armament | 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled main gun (47 rounds)[2] |
Secondary armament | 7.62 mm Type 59T coaxial medium machine gun 7.62 mm Type 59T bow mounted medium machine gun 2,000 7.62 machine gun rounds[3] 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun (1,250 rounds) |
| Engine | 12150L-3 V-12 liquid-cooled diesel[4] 430 hp (321 kW) at 1,800 rpm[4] |
| Power/weight | 20.5 hp/tonne (15.3 kW/tonne) |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
Operational range | 500 km[1] |
| Maximum speed | 60 km/h (37 mph) on road[1] 35 km/h (22 mph) cross country[2] |
The Norinco Type 62 (Chinese: 62式; pinyin: Liù'èr shì) is a Chinese light tank developed in the early 1960s, based on the Chinese Type 59 with a reduced main gun calibre, lighter armour and a smaller suite of electronics and other equipment to help reduce weight. Bearing in mind that the Chinese Type 59 is essentially the Soviet T-54 (introduced 1947), its reduction the Type 62 with its 85 mm cannon and wedgy little turret is clearly reminiscent of the hull-predecessor of the T-54 which is T-44-85 (introduced 1944), which turret and gun are from the T-34-85 (introduced 1943). The Type 62 is retired from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Ground Forces, but is still in use with other nations. It had recently been upgraded to modern standards and to provide the PLA with a dedicated light tank. It is also known under its industrial designation, WZ-131.[4]
- ^ a b c Foss, Christopher F. (2005). "NORINCO Type 62 light tank". Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006. Jane's Information Group. pp. 177–178. ISBN 978-0710626868.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Global Securitywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Modern Tanks"
- ^ a b c "Sino Defence"