Modern Russian Army in the photos.

[Tracer]

I hope I'm not going too far off topic but, since were are on the subject of the Battle of Stalingrad, and our hobby is Military Vehicles, I couldn't pass this up. This is the recovery of a Russian T-34/76 tank from the Don River, that's just a few miles from the City of Volgograd where the Battle of Stalingrad was fought. The tank was built at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory in 1942, and the battle lasted from mid 1942 to 1943. This tank could very well have fought in the Battle of Stalingrad! This vid is a little long at 11:04 minutes, but it's worth it.

 

[USSR]

I hope I'm not going too far off topic but, since were are on the subject of the Battle of Stalingrad, and our hobby is Military Vehicles, I couldn't pass this up. This is the recovery of a Russian T-34/76 tank from the Don River, that's just a few miles from the City of Volgograd where the Battle of Stalingrad was fought. The tank was built at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory in 1942, and the battle lasted from mid 1942 to 1943. This tank could very well have fought in the Battle of Stalingrad! This vid is a little long at 11:04 minutes, but it's worth it.

We launched a lot of steel soldiers.
This year, the Parade will have many T34 tanks. It will be a big Parade, soldiers and military equipment will go almost 90 minutes.

 

[Another Ahab]

We launched a lot of steel soldiers.
This year, the Parade will have many T34 tanks. It will be a big Parade, soldiers and military equipment will go almost 90 minutes.

I recall a grim passage from Beevor's book ("Stalingrad") that early in The Great Patriotic War (German Operation Barbarossa):

- Soviet T-34's that were knocked out by armor piercing shells in the fighting compartment, were cycled right back into combat after repairs

- First however the "pink smear" would be mopped off the inside of the compartment

A prayer for everybody over history tangled up in every war everywhere.

Later the Soviet industrial production could just push new armor into action, but that took a while. At one time, towards the war's end, there were more T-34's in the world than any other type, I think that was the statistic.

 

[USSR]

I recall a grim passage from Beevor's book ("Stalingrad") that early in The Great Patriotic War (German Operation Barbarossa):

- Soviet T-34's that were knocked out by armor piercing shells in the fighting compartment, were cycled right back into combat after repairs

- First however the "pink smear" would be mopped off the inside of the compartment

A prayer for everybody over history tangled up in every war everywhere.

Later the Soviet industrial production could just push new armor into action, but that took a while. At one time, towards the war's end, there were more T-34's in the world than any other type, I think that was the statistic.

We replaced the cannon, set the radio.
The Shermans who were walking through our lend-lease - they were called the “Mass Grave” (because of the armor)

 

[Tracer]

We replaced the cannon, set the radio.
The Shermans who were walking through our lend-lease - they were called the “Mass Grave” (because of the armor)

That is true. People forget that the M4 Sherman was a medium tank with a 75mm cannon. They were cheap and quick to manufacture with the idea being to flood the battlefield with them. But they were at a disadvantage in the open countryside against heavy tanks with 88mm cannons. I understand that one of the most gruesome jobs during the war was the job of repairing Sherman tanks, as the repair crews often had clean the body parts out before repair work on the tank could begin. On the other hand the Sherman's were successful in the Pacific theatre, as they were often up against Japanese light tanks.

 

[USSR]

That is true. People forget that the M4 Sherman was a medium tank with a 75mm cannon. They were cheap and quick to manufacture with the idea being to flood the battlefield with them. But they were at a disadvantage in the open countryside against heavy tanks with 88mm cannons. I understand that one of the most gruesome jobs during the war was the job of repairing Sherman tanks, as the repair crews often had clean the body parts out before repair work on the tank could begin. On the other hand the Sherman's were successful in the Pacific theatre, as they were often up against Japanese light tanks.

This is War.

 

[Tracer]

10-4.

 

[Another Ahab]

We replaced the cannon, set the radio.
The Shermans who were walking through our lend-lease - they were called the “Mass Grave” (because of the armor)

I read somewhere that the American tankers themselves gave the nickname "Ronsons" to their Shermans:

- They were gasoline-powered, and they were prone to burn when hit

Ronson was the name of a popular cigarette lighter of the time.

Tankers (Soviet and American both) apparently had a sense of humor (grim, but humor there none-the-less).

 

[Tracer]

I've heard the term Zippo's used as well.

 

[Tracer]

We launched a lot of steel soldiers.
This year, the Parade will have many T34 tanks. It will be a big Parade, soldiers and military equipment will go almost 90 minutes.

This is a parade I would love to attend, as I enjoy the ones here at home. I'll bring some Tito's Vodka. It's distilled in Austin Texas.

 

[Another Ahab]

That is true. People forget that the M4 Sherman was a medium tank with a 75mm cannon. They were cheap and quick to manufacture with the idea being to flood the battlefield with them.

I'll look, but if I remember right, that's the reason the M-34 Sherman was gasoline-powered:

- The engine was an off-the-shelf item, already engineered and U.S. manufacturing was also already tooled for the mass-production

The T-34 was put into production in kind of the same way. There's a great vid I ran across once about that, wonder if I can find it...

 

[Another Ahab]

I'll look, but if I remember right, that's the reason the M-34 Sherman was gasoline-powered:

Can't find the gasoline reference, but here's a "snip" about the Ronson story:

 

[Another Ahab]

The T-34 was put into production in kind of the same way. There's a great vid I ran across once about that, wonder if I can find it...

Can't find it, but now that I searched the algorithim will likely tag me with it now in a day or two...

 

[Tracer]

All of the Sherman tank engines were odd-ball gasoline engines. Here is the 1st engine, the 30 cylinder A57 radial engine. It had 5 banks of 6 cylinders each, it produced 400hp but was extremely heavy. Later engines were an Air Cooled Continental 7 cylinder radial, and a Ford V8 that was 2 thirds of a V12 engine Ford offered the USAF. I would go deeper into this subject but I don't want to Hi-Jack this thread further. USSR has been more than patient.

 

[Another Ahab]

I would go deeper into this subject but I don't want to Hi-Jack this thread further. USSR has been more than patient.

Hey, USSR, if Tracer ships you a bottle or two of the Texas "Titos", will you forgive us?

Please??!

 

[USSR]

Hey, USSR, if Tracer ships you a bottle or two of the Texas "Titos", will you forgive us?

Please??!

I can’t get this noble drink, unfortunately-). But I can find something similar in our store.

 

[Another Ahab]

I can’t get this noble drink, unfortunately-). But I can find something similar in our store.

Then I guess Tracer and I will just have to each drink a bottle oursleves:

- And when we do, we will be drinking to YOUR good health!!

 

[marchplumber]

Then I guess Tracer and I will just have to each drink a bottle oursleves:

- And when we do, we will be drinking to YOUR good health!!

Heck Ahab, ya could ship him a bottle, right?
LOL

 

[Another Ahab]

Heck Ahab, ya could ship him a bottle, right?
LOL

Good idea there, marchplumber!

Should I include a straw to go with the bottle, you think?

 

[marchplumber]

Good idea there, marchplumber!

Should I include a straw to go with the bottle, you think?

Good quality shot glass?

Not much of my "cup of joe" anymore......sometimes better just to ask....lol

Thx USSR for all the pics and info!