Type 63 anti-aircraft gun

• Is Vehicle — yes • Type — Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun • Origin — Vietnam • Wars — Vietnam War • Name — Type 63 • Crew — 6 • Length — 6.432 m • Width — 2.99 m • Height — 2.99 m • Weight — 32 tonnes (35.2 tons) • Suspension — Christie • Vehicle Range — 300 km • Speed — Road: 55 km/h • Primary Armament — Type 63 37 mm anti-aircraft gun • Caliber — 37 mm • Armour — 18 - • Engine — V-2-34 Diesel engine • Engine Power — 500 hp • Pw Ratio — 18.1 hp/tonne (13.5 kW/tonne)

The modification was made by bolting a steel plate over the opening in the hull for the turret with 27 bolts. The plate was reinforced with a vertical steel beam welded to the hull floor and the bottom of the roof plate. A 37mm Type 65 twin-barrels anti-aircraft gun was removed from its 4-wheeled carriage and it's traversing gearbox was bolted to the middle of the steel plate. A turret was made from welded sheet metal and bolted to the floor of the anti aircraft gun mount. The only ammunition stowage was two metal bins, one located on each side of the outside of the hull. A travel lock made from channel iron is located on the engine deck of the tank.

The Type 63/65 was part of a series of SPAAGs improvised by the NVA during the Vietnam War. The NVA was supplied with T-34-85 tank and SU-76 from Soviet Union and used them during the Vietnam War,. These vehicles were later proven inadequate in the later years of the war, so they were converted into self-propelled anti-aircraft guns due to a need for anti-aircraft equipment. It unknown how many conversion were made or when they were retired from service in People's Army of Vietnam. The only known Type 63/65 was captured by the ARVN 4th Infantry Regiment during the 1972 Easter Offensive. This vehicle was turned over to the United States military and shipped to Bayonne, New Jersey in the Summer of 1975. From there it was shipped to Aberdeen Proving Ground where it was evaluated. It was placed on display at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds where it remained until the early 2010s, when it was transferred to the Air Defense Artillery Museum in Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

There is disagreement over the origin of the tank. While many sources claim it is of Chinese manufacture, it may be a single Vietnamese improvised vehicle. It was crudely made, with basic materials which is common of improvised fighting vehicles, and little information on the vehicle exists in Chinese military archives, though recent studies indicate that such a vehicle was in service with the People's Liberation Army. The vehicle captured by the ARVN 4th Infantry Regiment is the only known example to exist. This vehicle did have the number "045" painted on at least the left and presumably both sides of the turret, which suggests there may have been more examples manufactured, but no other vehicles are currently known. Similar Vietnamese SPAAGs exist, including a T-34 hull with a 57mm anti-aircraft gun mounted in turret with a similar design, also missing the hull machine gun. However, recent studies have confirmed the existence of both Type 63 and Type 65. Many sources state that the armament are paired "Type 63" anti-aircraft guns, however the Type 65 is the more likely armament, as the Type 63 AA gun is not mentioned in any sources beyond references to this self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. This could be due to the limited information on Chinese military equipment available in the United States during the Cold War.

• North Vietnam - A single vehicle was made and later captured by ARVN during 1972 Easter Offensive. • South Vietnam - At least one captured from the Vietnamese People's Army. This single vehicle was later shipped to Aberdeen Proving Ground where it was evaluated.