The T-72, which entered production in 1971, was first seen in public in 1977. It was not intended as a further development of the T-64, but rather a parallel design chosen as a high-production tank complementing the T-64. The T-72 retains the low silhouette of the T-54/55/62 series, featuring a conventional layout with integrated fuel cells and stowage containers which give a streamlined appearance to the fenders. While the T-64 was deployed only in forward-deployed Soviet units, the T-72 was deployed within the USSR and exported to non-Soviet Warsaw Pact armies and several other countries. In addition to production in the USSR it has been built under license in Czechoslovakia, India, Poland and former Yugoslavia. The T-72A/M1 represents the export version of the basic T-72 tank.

This particular T-72 main battle tank served with the Republican Guard 1st Hammurabi Armored Division during Operation Desert Storm. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 11 inches
Width: 4 inches
Height: 3.5 inches

Historical Account: "Hammurabi" - The Iraqi Republican Guard formed the core of the Iraqi military from the 1980s through 2003. It was originally formed to be Saddam Hussein's bodyguard but was expanded into a large military force. It was disbanded during the Second Gulf War.

There were between 80,000 and 100,000 troops in the Republican Guard itself, and an additional 15,000-20,000 troops in the Special Republican Guard (SRG). Not counting troops of the SRG, the Republican Guard fielded 2 Corps, consisting of one infantry division, a Special Forces Division, two mechanized divisions, and three armored divisions. The Special Republican Guard consisted of four brigades and two commands.

The Republican Guard were regular, uniformed troops, unlike the paramilitary Fedayeen Saddam. They were easily recognizable because they had red boots instead of the ordinary black.

In 2002, it was reported that the Republican Guard and the Fedayeen Saddam were both training in urban street fighting and in guerrilla warfare. It is largely believed that some of the former Republican Guard forces loyal to Saddam Hussein are still fighting on the ground as guerrilla insurgents after the 2003 invasion of Iraq.