The Type 59 (also known as WZ120 in its manufacturer name) is the licensed copy of the Soviet T-54A, co-produced by the CNGC’s 617 Factory (now First Inner Mongolia Machinery Factory) in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. The Type 59 was the first PRC-built tank, with a significant number still in service with the PLA today. A modernised variant known as Type 59D was introduced in the 1990s, possibly by upgrading existing Type 59s with improved armament and fire-control (see main article: Type 59D Main Battle Tank).
As agreed in the 1959 Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance, Moscow agreed to help the PRC to develop its own armament industry. Part of the plan involved building a tank manufacturing facility to produce the Soviet T-54A tank locally in China. The 617 Factory was completed with the Soviet assistance in 1956. The first Chinese-built T-54A using Soviet-supplied kits rolled out in 1958. By 1959 the factory had produced a small number of the T-54A using Chinese components. However, the Chinese copy lacked the infrared searchlight found on the original T-54A.
Type 59-I armed with a 100mm rifled gun, with the fume extractor located near the muzzle (Source: Chinese Internet)
The Type 59 was certified for design finalisation in 1959. By the time the production finally stopped in the late 1980s, a total of 10,000 examples were produced in a number of variants. About 6,000 of them were delivered to the PLA, with the rest export to many third-world countries in Asia, Africa, and Middle East. The tank took part in the 1979 Sino-Vietnam border conflict, and was operated by the Iraqi Army in the 1980s Iran-Iraq War and the 1990’s Gulf War. Plan to replace these tanks was postponed due to air and naval forces being given priority in the defence budgets. As a result, a significant number of the Type 59 tank is still in service with the PLA today, serving for training role and as “mobile artillery” in some second-line units.
The PLA has been steadily improved the Type 59 tank since the late 1970s. The Type 59-I introduced in 1979 featured a laser rangefinder, power-assisted steering, automatic fire suppression system, and track skirt. The Type 59-II introduced in 1984 was based on the Type 59-I but fitted with a 105mm rifled gun based on the British L7 technology and an improved radio. The Type 59-IIA fitted with 105mm rifled gun with thermal sleeve and a primitive fire-control was introduced in 1985.
The Type 59 features the Soviet-style half-egg shape cast turret with conventional four crew arrangement. The tank has a crew of four. The driver sits left in the hull and forward of the turret, while the loader, gunner and tank commander occupy the turret, with the loader situated to the right of the main gun and the gunner and tank commander sitting in tandem on the left side. The loader is also responsible for operating the 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on turret roof.
Type 59-II armed with a 105mm rifled gun with the fume extractor located in the middle of the gun barrel (Source: Chinese Internet)
Type 59-IIA fitted with a 105mm rifled gun with thermal sleeve (Source: Chinese Internet)
Variants
Tyep 59 - Basic variant based on the Soviet T-54A, but without the IR searchlight
Type 59-I - Improved variant fitted with a Type 69-II 100mm 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
Type 59-II - Manufacturer designation WZ-120B. Upgraded to the 105mm Type 79 (copy of the British L5) rifled gun. 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
Type 59-IIA - Improved variant of the Type 59-II with 105mm rifled gun with thermal sleeve
Type 59 Gai - 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 120mm smoothbore gun comparable in general performance to the U.S. M256
Crew: 4 Dimension: Length: 6.04m; Height: 2.59m; Width: 3.27m Weight: 36.5~37 tons Engine: 520hp 12150L diesel (Type 59) or 580hp 12150L7 (Type 59-II) Power/weight ratio: 10.6kW/t Transmission: Mechanical, planetary Track: Metallic Suspension: Torsion bar Ground pressure: 0.8kg/cm 2 Cruising range: 440km, or 600km with external tanks Speed: Max road 50km/h; average road speed: 30~33km/h; max off-road 25km/h Fording depths: 1.4m (unprepared); 4.8m (with snorkel) Main armament: Type 59 100mm rifled gun (34 rounds, for Type 59) with vertical stabilisation; Type 69-II 100mm rifled gun with dual way stabilisation (44 rounds, for Type 59-I), Type 79 105mm rifled gun with dual way stabilisation (for Type 59II and Type 59D1), or Type 83-I 105mm rifled gun with dual way stabilisation (44 rounds, for Type 59-IIA, Type 59D) Gun elevation/depression: +18/-5 degree Gun stabilisation: Vertical (Type 59-I/59-II/59-IIA); Dual way (Type 59D/D1) Auxiliary weapon: One coaxial 7.62mm machine gun; One 7.62mm driver machine gun; one Type 59 12.7mm air-defence machine gun (500 rounds) Fire control: Primitive fire-control (Type 59-II); Type 37A fire control system (Type 59D/D1) Radio: A-220 receive/transmit radio with rod antenna, max range 16km, frequency 20~22.375MHz; or A-220A radio's frequency is 20~27.175MHz; A-221 telephone
