The Type 59 (Chinese: 59式; pinyin: Wǔ jiǔ shì; industrial designation: WZ-120) main battle tank is a Chinese-produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an early model of the ubiquitous T-54/55 series. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963.

For years, the Type 59 was the backbone of the Chinese Army. Not only it was the biggest PLA tank production so far, spanning until 1985 with nearly ten thousand models and many variants, but also the very basis of several other MBTs, like the light Type 62, the Type 69 and Type 79.

Feb 8, 2025 · The Type 59 Tank The principal armored vehicle used by the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) to put down the pro-democracy protestors in Beijing was the Type 59. First produced in 1958 and then accepted for service a year later, the Type 59 was a Chinese-made copy of the Soviet T-54A.

The Type 59 (Chinese: 59式; pinyin: Wǔjiǔ shì; industrial designation: WZ-120) main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, the earliest model of the ubiquitous T-54/55 series.

Jun 15, 2021 · For the majority of the Cold War, China’s primary front line tank was the Type 59, a variant of the T-54 first built on license from the Soviet Union. But how did this old workhorse evolve?

The Type 59G Durjoy, sometimes known as Type 59G, [1] is a highly modernized version of the Chinese Type 59 tank for the Bangladesh Army. The Bangladesh Army's old Type 59 tanks were upgraded similarly to Type 59G standard at 902 Central Workshop of the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory with Chinese assistance.

Mar 9, 2025 · What is the Type 59 tank? The Type 59 is a Chinese main battle tank, first produced in the late 1950s. It’s based on the Soviet T-54A design, making it a significant piece of military history. This tank played a crucial role in modernizing China’s armored forces.

Jun 6, 2015 · Both the Type 59 and Type 59-I tanks were capable of firing tungsten cored armor-piercing, high-explosive anti-tank, and high explosive rounds. The tungsten cored projectile velocity was...

Type 59 WZ120 MBT Main Battle Tank China technical data fact sheet pictures video

Apr 18, 2021 · The Type 59 subsequently became the backbone of the Chinese Army, and it was the longest PLA tank production to date, spanning all the way until 1985 when nearly 10,000 were produced in a...