T-72 Main Battle Tank

T-72 Main Battle Tank.

The T-72 main battle tank entered service with the Soviet Army in 1972 as the successor to the T-64. Built at Uralvagonzavod, the T-72 was based on a planned modification of the T-62 that had originally been abandoned in favor of further developing the T-64. The T-72 now was to combine the best features of the T-62 with the armament of the T-64A.

Available Models

  • T-72 Ural, 1:35 Trumpeter 09601
  • T-72B with Reactive Armour, 1:35 Revell 03077
  • T-72B with Reactive Armour, 1:35 Zvezda 3551
  • T-72M, 1:35 Trumpeter 09603
  • T-72M1, 1:35 Tamiya 35160
  • T-72B3, 1:35 Meng Model TS-028
  • T-72, 1:72 ACE
  • T-72, Iraq 2003, 1:72 Forces of Valor (Unimax) 85015
  • T-72B, 1:72 Zvezda 5050
  • T-72M1, 1:72 ACE 72119
  • T-72M1, 1:72 Revell 03149
  • T-72, 1:76 Skytrex FF706
  • T-72, 1:87 ROCO 800
  • T72B1 Main Battle Tank, 1:87 World Tanks Depot 34
  • T-72 Tank Company (T-72, T-72B, T-72M), 1:100 Flames of War TSBX29
  • T-72, 1:100 Zvezda 927400
  • T-72 with KMT-7 Mine Rollers, 1:285 GHQ Models W138
  • T-72M1 (India), 1:285 GHQ Models N587
  • T-72M1, 1:285 GHQ Models W81
  • T-72M1 with Reactive Armour, 1:285 GHQ Models W85
  • T-72B3, 1:285 GHQ Models W101
  • T-72B3M, 1:285 GHQ Models W107
  • T-72, 1:300 Heroics & Ros SM04
  • T-72 with Reactive Armour, 1:300 Heroics & Ros SM62
  • T-72M, 1:300 Heroics & Ros SM03

In the course of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, it has became apparent that the FGM-148 Javelin man-portable anti-tank system frequently triggers a catastrophic ammunition explosion inside the Russian T-72 main battle tank when the turret is penetrated, separating the multi-ton turret from the hull and hurling it through the air. This jack-in-the-box effect stems from the fact that 44 rounds of 125 mm ammunition are stored virtually unprotected in the fighting compartment of the T-72 main battle tank.

According to the Dutch military blog Oryx, the Russian army lost 1,200 T-72 main battle tanks in the first year of its war of aggression against Ukraine. A total of 4,000 Russian T-72s are reported to have been destroyed by 2026.

Cold War Miniatures