Author: Rainbow Kursk
A recent video of a phoenix TV reporter driving was circulated online. News reports said that Chinese reporters were on their way to Russian-controlled Donetsk when suddenly the vehicles in front of them stopped, followed by a large explosion and a turret was flipped into the air. It is clear from the video that this is the turret of a T-72B3 main battle tank commonly used by the Russian army.
Although everyone knows that the T-72 series tanks are easily hit and then explode the flying turret, this is the first time that the turret of the T-72B3 tank has been photographed on the spot flying so high into the air, and the explosion yield is obviously very impressive.
The reporter also had palpitations, saying that if the vehicle did not stop but continued to move forward, it was likely to be affected by the explosion.
Image: Turret of a T-72B3 main battle tank flying into the air.
The turret of the T-72 tank weighs 12 tons, and the explosive power required to throw such a huge object into the air is astonishing.
According to news reports, Chinese reporters identified the location of the attack, and the tank location did not belong to the front line, but to the rear. Based on this intelligence and publicly available detailed information on the relative location of Russian and Ukrainian forces, it is estimated that it is still nearly 100 kilometers from the front line in the region.
Of course, the front line of any conflict is highly unstable, and we do not know the exact location of the Ukrainian army, but it is still strange for the Ukrainian army to launch an attack in the rear of the Russian army. Chinese journalists also said in the news that the area had been hit by the Ukrainian army's "Dot" U short-range ballistic missile, but the video looked at it, and it was obvious that this large missile would not hit the tank.
Pictured: Below the central battle chamber of the T-72 tank is an autoloader filled with ammunition.
The biggest problem with the T-72 turret is the autoloader at the bottom of the hull.
The loader of the T-72 tank is located in the middle of the hull, just below the feet of the commander and gun commander, and consists of a rotary bomb loader, a chain elevator, a chain pusher, a gun locker, an automatic shell thrower, a control box and a control console. The so-called "rotary ball loader" is like a revolver's nest, where the ammunition for tank guns is stored. Because the T-72 does not use one-piece shells like Western tanks, in order to accommodate separate warheads and launchers, this "bullet nest" is double-layered.
Photo: Design and construction of the T-72 tank loader.
Picture: The T-72/90 operates differently from the T-64/80 tank loader.
The T-72 main battle tank has an automatic loader, and the rate of fire of the gun is increased to 8 rounds per minute, but the price is that it is impossible to achieve the separation of human bombs, which is very easy to explode.
In addition to being hit, the reloader located under the hull is also easily detonated by mines, roadside bombs, etc., which also multiplies the danger. For example, this time, if there is no fighting in the surrounding area, and the tank is not hit by weapons such as anti-tank missiles, it is likely to be destroyed by the infiltrated Ukrainian special forces using roadside bombs and other methods, after all, such a large explosion is not caused by a missile, but more like the result of the explosion of a large-yield bomb.
Of course, if this is the case, not only the T-72, but even Western tanks such as the M1 Abrams and leopard 2 tanks can fly turrets.
Image: T-72 tank turret smashed into the pavement.
Image: Turk-made Leopard 2A4 main battle tank flying turret.
Image: Iraqi-made American M1A1 Abrams main battle tank flying turret.