First supply of Soviet armour to Romanian army

Does anyone know the approximate date of the first supply of soviet armour to the Romanian army?

Which type(s) were supplied, and did these ever serve alongside the old German armour left over from WWII?

I am particularly interested in the camo/paint for these vehicles and matriculation/insignia.

The "Dorobantul" book gives details to 1947, but nothing on the early communist period (48-53). The English language sources I looked at seem to start around 1955 and only give general indications at best.

Any help most welcome.

Brian

As far as I know,romanian army started using soviet armour in the early 50's,when T 34 were supplied.

Thanks. I assume T34/85. Did they re-equip the existing armour regiments completely, or did the old Panthers and others keep going longer? Any ideas on the numbers/regiments?

I was particularly interested in any photos of the two nations tanks alongside each other. My Romanian isn't good enough to ask the staff in the Army Museum what I am looking for (not that I get to Romania more than once or twice a year!).

I know that the last documented combat use of the Pz IV (T-4 in Romania) was in 1967 in the Golan Heights by Syria. I wondered how long the old German tanks lasted in Romanian service. Were these ex-Romanian tanks in Syria?

The Sirian PZ 4 were from the Vichy goverment days.
Nothing to do with the romanian panzers.
As far as I know,soviets didn't accept german equipment along side their own.
When T 34 arrived,pa4 had to go.
That's the same thing that happened with the flak 88.

Thanks for the info. Seems like the chances for seeing a photo of soviet and german armour on operations together in Romanian colours is nil

Apparently the first T34's were purchased in 49. I still hold out a minor hope that someone took a picture during re-equipment of the armoured units.

In an article by Cornel Scafes from the old "Top Gun" magazine it is said that the Panthers we had in the
Tudor Vladimirescu-Debretin Tank Division (G,A and D versions) were replaced by T-34/85 in 1954.
Considering that the first T-34s arrived in 1949, it is not impossible that they were seen (and maybe photographed) together.

As for the camo, it was almost certainly the well known dark green - I've never seen a Romanian tank (or army vehicle) wearing anything else until after 1989.

Hallo everybody,
I found on a czech military site http://armada.vojenstvi.cz -only in czech language - that czech armor -especially T-34-85 tanks -300 pieces - have been delivered to Romania from 1952. Until that year (1952) about 200 T-34-85 and 50 T-34-76 (something new, isn't it?) were delivered from SU to Romania, which has equipped part of his forces (one mechanised and one armoured division) with this new type of tank. I will return with new information as soon as I get them...

My source states that 250 t-34/85 were delivered between 1952 to '54 and 66 Su-100 from '55 to 1956.

This post has been edited by osutacincizecisidoi on January 11, 2010 02:22 pm

Good. And your source is?

Maybe you can enlight us about first/and total no. of SU-76 in Ro.

and also about number of ISU -152.

For the one who can translate this from czech language, confirm or not that there is written - 310 czechoslovak made T-34-85 tanks were exported to Romania from 1952 to 1954.
This information is from another internet source, also czech, www.militaryvehicles.cz and also a interesting photo from the '50s - RUMUNSKO - útok pechoty za podpory tanku T-34/85 (Romanian T-34/85 with infantry -old foto with soviet-like uniforms and vehicle markings). So I write from a open source, without commenting it!

And something new:
until 1952 we receive (from SU probably -is not written) in addition to the T-34 tanks, 21 artillery tractors on the T-34 chassis, 82 light SPG SU-76M, 20 heavy JSU-152 and 5 heavy artillery tractors on JSU chassis. No other informations there. Until 1952 -attention, not after....

For the one who can translate this from czech language, confirm or not that there is written - 310 czechoslovak made T-34-85 tanks were exported to Romania from 1952 to 1954.
This information is from another internet source, also czech, www.militaryvehicles.cz and also a interesting photo from the '50s - RUMUNSKO - útok pechoty za podpory tanku T-34/85 (Romanian T-34/85 with infantry -old foto with soviet-like uniforms and vehicle markings). So I write from a open source, without commenting it!

You mised the punctuation.

(Tancuri) Cehoslovace T-34-85 a fost, de asemenea, exportate, în principal armatelor din Egipt şi Siria.

Între ani 1952-54 , au fost exportate 310 vehicule în România şi 120 bucăţi in Bulgaria.

This post has been edited by osutacincizecisidoi on February 10, 2010 10:34 am

Yes osutacincizecisidoi,
you are probably right! I translated only the part about Romania... So you confirm the information written there, about Romania!