The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - T-34 Medium Tank - Jan. 27th, 2004

http://www.expage.com/tanksrus2 ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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T-34 Medium Tank
T-34/76 - T-34/85

The T-34 tank was the standard Soviet medium battle tank throughout the war years and, in the opinion of most experts, was probably the best tank design of the war. After some ten years of experimenting and designing, in 1939 the Soviets laid down a specification for their '1940-41 Tank Program' for a medium tank which was to be fitted with a powerful diesel engine, provided with sloped armour to deflect shot, welded armour instead of riveted, and with a high-velocity 76mm gun as the main armament. And, of course, the whole design had to be done with an eye to simple mass production and simple maintenance in the field.

In August 1939 the 'Medium Tank Design Group' set to work to synthesize all their past experience and produce the ideal medium tank. Their work was completed by December, and two prototypes were immediately built by the Kharkov Tank Factory. After a long traveling trial to test the suspension and engine, followed by firing trials, these two prototypes were sent to be tried in combat to the war in Finland. By the time they arrived in March 1940, the war was over, but it was so obvious that the design was sound that production began at the Kirov Tank Factory in Leningrad in May, the first production model coming from the line in June.


The very first T-34 and it's not armed yet. The Kharkov Factory. 1940

In the next 12 months about 1,200 tanks were produced, though there were some initial teething troubles to be overcome; the production of the new diesel engine could not keep pace with the production of hulls, and some tanks were fitted with older gasoline engines; transmission failure was a common fault, so that it was not unusual to see a T-34 going into action with a spare transmission lashed to the engine covers.

The existence of the T-34 was a closely guarded secret (though, unaccountably, some visiting American pressmen were allowed to see some T-34s at the Stalin Tank School in May 1941) and its appearance in battle after the German invasion in June 1941 was a severe shock to the Panzers. The Germans complained that their shells simply bounced off the T-34. The first one to be met by the 17th Panzer Division tore through the German front and left a nine-mile swathe of destruction in its wake before it was stopped by a field artillery howitzer at short range.


One of the first production T-34. 1940.

Since the total strength of serviceable T-34s at the start of the Russian campaign was about 1,100, the first priority was production; the initial German advance had overrun or at least threatened most of the tank plants, and they were hurriedly moved east and reorganized. A combination of evacuated works was brought together at Nizhni-Tagil to form the 'Uralmashzavod' which became one of the principal producers of T-34 tanks. By the end of the war, an estimated 40,000 had been produced.

After their initial shock, the Germans concentrated on producing more powerful anti-tank guns and tanks, and the Soviets in their turn began to make improvements to the T-34. The first move was to improve its firepower by fitting a longer-barreled 76mm gun, improving the armour-piercing performance.


A T-34s with additional armor fitted by factory #27 are going to front. Leningrad area. 1942.

Then the turret was redesigned to do away with the rear overhang, which the Germans had found to be a weak spot in the design; a skillfully thrown Tellermine could be lodged beneath this overhang, so that on detonation it would wreck the turret; moreover it acted as a shot trap. Other improvements included increased fuel capacity and improved welding techniques in the assembly. Next came a larger turret mounting an 85mm gun derived from an anti-aircraft gun. This turret had, in fact, been developed for the KV series of heavy tanks and allowed three men to occupy it, which made life easier for the tank commander who could now concentrate on commanding instead of having to divide his time between command and gunnery. Armour thickness was increased to 110mm on the front and 90mm on the turret, and a new five speed gearbox was installed.



In addition to the battle tanks, the T-34 hull and chasis were used as a basis for a variety of specialist vehicles, such as flame-throwing tanks, mine-rollers, and recovery tanks, and for the SU-85 and SU-100 self-propelled guns. It continued in production after the war and was supplied to many satellite countries.

[SAMWolf]

The T-34 was a direct development of the BT light tanks serie, using Christie-type suspensions, thick sloped armor, heavy fire power and superior mobility, thanks to its 500hp diesel engine and 48cm wide tracks. Designed by Mikail Koskin in the Harkov "Komintern" industrial plant the tank was vastly superior to any contemporary tank in its class and was accepted as model for all future medium tanks.


The T-34-76 model 1942 of the major P.Ya.Roy. 25th Guards Tank Regiment, 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps. July 1943.

Although the design team was not sure about its tank but finally enjoyed its creature when knowing about the particularities of the German Panzer III, which was the best German AT tank in the early war. Infact, as offshoot of the German-Soviet pact of 1939 some Panzer IIIs were given to the Russians for evaluation. In the Kubinka proving center this took place. Koshkin's team was relieved to prove that the German tank was inferior in armor protection, mobility and fire-power. It was ultimately derised as a pretty toy, overengineered and needless comfortable for the crew(!).

The design parties found several faulties in the design: the Christie suspensions were judged not good as they subtracted to much internal room and planned to be replaced with a torsion bar type, scuh as that on the KV, which proved much more efficient; front armor had to be raised to 60 mm and side armor reduced to 40 mm; turret ring has to be enlarged enough to fit a new three men turret with a commander's cupola. Main gun had to be the new F-32 76.2 mm L41,2 gun. This new tank was named T-34M and did not go over the prototype stage because before mass production could be executed the urgent and desperate need of tanks took the "old" T-34 to be maintained in production.

As for the KV-1 heavy tank, Soviet dispersal use of this tank proved to be wrong but the advanced design gave them a technological edge over the Germans permitting the Russians to sustain the invasion:

• sloped platings which gave optimal ballistical performances
• powerful anti-tank gun capable of taking out any German tank
• large tracks suitable for the Russian climate high all-terrains speed thanks to the Christie-type suspensions
• the powerful engine provided a design, that, joined to the pragmatic (and huge) Russian tank production was going to make the difference in the days ahead on the Eastern Front.

The real drawback in the first series was the mechanical unreliability as both modern KV and T-34 sufferend teething problems with transmission and engine, many carried spare tracks over the hull to provide fast repairs (but also because Soviet logistics was unable to ship them in time). In addition, many of the technical 'details' of the T-34 proved to be ill-manufactured: the air cleaners were too poor and pushed dirt inside the engine, rapidly wearing it down. 4-speed gear-boxes were prone to breaking down and clutches were weak: maximum teorethical speed was rarely archievable under normal conditions. Tanks required a major engine overhaul after less than (max) 100 hours of use. Things became better when a new 5-speed gearbox and new transmission came in 1943.

First tanks (or T-34 model 1940) used short barreled L-11 guns (armed with the 76.2mm L30,5, muzzle speed of around 612 m/s). These was because the more modern F-32 gun (length of 39 calibres) had been delayed by Marschal Kulik's bureau inept adminastration. In addition 76.2 ammunition production was also dealyed as only 12 percent of theunits had their ammo supply. Kharkov T-34 factory started on its own to manufacture an improved model 1941 with, at first, an F-32 gun and shortly after with longer barreled F-34 gun (muzzle speed of about 660 m/s capable of piercing a 65mm thick plates at 30º on a 457 meters range).

On October 5th 1941, in the Kamenewo area, the Russians launched their first counter-attack mass using KV and T34 tanks, stopping the 4th Panzerdivision in its drive to capture Mtsensk. Although this engagement decisively delayed the German advance towards Tula the German offensive against Moscow (operation "Taifun") was in full swing and the Soviets continued to evacuate their more important plants in Volga and Urals areas: 42 factories were moved there and produced thousands T-34s in the months to come.

With the standard BR-350A round it was capable to pierce 69mm of armor on the common battle range of 500 metres, sufficient to deal with German Panzer IV Ausf. Gs. When more powerfull armored German tanks appeared, a new BR-350P round, capable to penetrate a 92 mm steel plate on the same range, was used.

Because of the many factories involved in the T-34's production there were many variants in its layout: at Stalingrad the rear turret plate was a simply welded flat plate; interlocking glacis plates were used at Leningrad and several complexes used slightly various thickeness (such as 47mm) in their platings. Some tanks were re-build with additional welded plates. Fuel tanks also evolved during the war and, of course, in every factory. As one of the more big defects of the T-34 layout a new hexagonal turret entered in production: depending on the factory involved it was full cast, full welded or a mix of the two. New turret had more room but still only two crewmen and no commander's cupola (but some factory added this latter on their vehicles).

In mid 1942 factories begun to run out of rubber: as a temporarly measure all-steel roadwheels were designed and employed. This resulted in the tanks being very uncompfortable for crews because of vibrations and noisy. As rubber supplies in the beginning of 1943 increased again, first and last roadwheels where replaced with rubber-cushioned ones as a measure to reduce in acceptable way the problem. Bye mid-late 1943 tanks had no more steel-only wheels. A short summary may be this (information provided by Valera Potapov):

• T-34/76 model 1940 (first serial model)
• T-34/76 model 1941 (upgraded and upgunned model)
• T-34/76 model 1941/42 (various changes)
• T-34/76 model 1942 (various changes)
• T-34/76 model 1943 (many changes, re-designed turret)

In late 1942 a new up-armored 32 tons T-34 (called T-43) with 70mm front hull armor and 100mm front and 90mm side turret armor was produced in small quantities: it was aborted because the Russians decided to switch on the "fire power and mobility" rather than "fire power and armor" doctrine. The result of this technical quest was the T-34/85.

The assault guns based on the T-34

After the German Sturmgeschutze's successes the Soviet State Defence Commitee ordered an effort to design a medium assault gun using the T-34 chassis. The assault gun was designated SU-35 and consisted of a modified M-30 Model 1930 122mm howitzer mounted in a fully enclosed casemate on the front of a modified T-34 model 1943 chassis. The simple mantlet permitted an elevation of -3 degrees to +26 degrees and the gun could be traversed of ten degrees to either side. Total ammunition payload was 40 rounds and no Mg was mounted.

A SU-85 tank destroyer enters in the town of Bacau, near Budapest, on August 31st 1944

First regiments were ready in December 1943 and consisted of four batteries of SU-76 light assault guns (17 vehicles) and two batteries of SU-122s (eight vehicles). The first two were commited in January 1943 on the Leningrad front. Additional two others were employed in March. The Red Army reactions to this units were mixed. The design was plauded but the the performances of the early SU-76 was disappointing. By the appearance of the improved SU-76M the regiments had been reconfigured in more homogenous light and medium assault gun regiments. The medium regiments consisted of four batteries (16 SU-122s) and a T-34 command tank. By Summer 1944 over 1,100 tanks had been built.


This SU-122 is going to battle. Prokhorovka, 14 July 1943.

The appearance of the German Tiger tank speeded up the design of a tank destroyed capable of dealing with its heavy armor. Trials on a captured Tiger proved that the front plate could be penetrated by the 122mm A-18 Army corps gun and the 85mm AA gun. The design bureau under Gen. Petrov was encharged of designing a new tank destroyer armed with a modified D-5S-85 gun. An experimental version mounted the gun upon a SU-122 chassis but this proved to have poor aiming systems for direct fire. A new ball mantlet was designed with a telescopic sight.

The internal sowage permitted the allocation of fourty-nine 85mm rounds.In August 1943 the SU-85 entered in production and was destined in two organizations. The separate SP battalions were equipped with 12 tanks and assigned to Army and Front level commanders while the larger regiments were formed on the same fashion of the SU-122s. The regiments were first deployed with the mechanized army corps to provide them with additional AT fire.

A SU-100 tank destroyer showing its commander's cupola

The first time for the employement of the SU-85 was the late Summer 1943 campaign in the Dnepr basin. The TD soon became popular because it was among the few armored vehicles which could deal with Panther tank. For example, the 1021st SP regiments claimed the destrusction of nearly 100 German armored vehcicles while supporting various infantry actions in the Summer 1944. By September 1944 the production halted after 2,050 SP guns had been manufactured. Some of the late exemplaries were based upon the improved chassis used for the more deadly SU-100.

[SAMWolf]

The T-34-85 medium tank of the 36th Tank Brigade of the 11th Tank Corps. Berlin. April 30, 1945.

In late 1942 a T-34 with superior armor protection (and same weaponry) was built but for the medium tanks the Russians were searching for a superior fire power rather than more armor protection to counter the new German machines



A new turret, similar to that designed for the KV-85, was manufactured to fit on the standard T-34's chassis resulting in a vehicle which had a far superior gun with and shape and armor's thickness improved 3-men turret (with the useful commander's cupola), mobility comparable with that of the other T-34s and the same hull's armor. While first vehicles were equipped with the D-5T gun, the most were built by using the ZIS-S-53 gun capable of piercing a 95mm plate at 30º on a 914m range.


The T-34-85 crew savors the victory in front of Branderburg Gates. Despite all western claims, the Russians did not use bedsprings as protection against German Panzerfausts and Panzerschrecks. The Soviet industry manufactured various shields instead. On this photo you can see a kind of shield made of 8-mm wire.

When new T-34/85 came out (late '43) this assault gun was obsolete and, from August 1944, it was replaced by the the more powerful and suitable 31 tons SU-100 (100mm L60 gun and a side commander's cupola on the T-34/85 chassis) in the Red Army's AT battalions: this gun was capable to pierce a vertical 160mm thick plate on a 914m range.


A Russian-made T-34 tank of the North Korean army bearing the message "Knocked Out 20 July 50 Under The Supervision of Maj Gen W.F. Dean."

All of them were not equipped with MGs so close combat had to be avoided or supported by strong infantry but because they were used mostly for attacking difficult armored targets such the Tiger heavy tanks or pillboxes this was not seen as a problem: from 1,500 metres, its 34 pounds projectiles was able to pierce Tiger's front plate.


North Korean T-34/85

The limited quantity of ammos carried inside did common experience for the crew to store more ammunitions on the rear deck, a dangerous practice when used in battle zones: this was an usual Russian way because, due to their shortage of trucks (Soviet industry was headed towards heavy mechanical production: trucks and other vehicles were got mainly from the Western Allies) and poor transport and communication ways. Their fighting units used to carry as more supplies as they could with them, to cover up to five days of continous offensive.

The story of a Serbian T-34/85

The T-34/85 medium tank took part in a battle in about 1994, during the Croatian invasion during "Operation Storm". The vehicle is located on route 'Poker' about 15km northwest of Drvar (where the riots in the Canadian sector took place in April of 1998). The tank belonged to the Bosnian-Serb army and was in a defensive position.


The T-34-85 and its Serbian crew.
Bosnia, 1995.

The position was located on a bend in the mountain road and over-looked a plateau which was approx. 2 km long by 400-900m wide and was a sure route of advance. According to my information, the vehicle was in a hull down position with the turret over the back deck. The crew could drive down the road to their next dug-in about 500m further down the road with continued observation on the northern half of the plateau and good coverage of the road corners to this position. Also in the area were two BMP-2 infantry vehicles and fire positions for six M-76 76mm mountain guns.


This picture was actually taken between January 18-22 of 1998, before the area received snow. The access engine panel and rear panels were open and everything was stripped of working parts. The hill in the background was the one they attempted to climb.

The Croatian assault developed much quicker than the Serbs anticipated and was preceded by a short but intense artillery bombardment (anyone looking at a map would peg this as an obvious position for defense). The Croats also sent Mountain Shock troops over the mountain on the side that the tank was dug in. Serb FOO's failed to report this and were quickly over run. As the bombardment reached its climax (smashing four of the M-76 guns in the process), a group of 20-65? Mountain troops (panic report) rushed down the close side and destroyed one BMP-2 with an Armburst 300 (AT rocket) and caused the other BMP (rear-most position) to flee.

The tank crew was already buttoned up because of the artillery. When the first BMP exploded the driver must have panicked and tromped on the gas. Either he wasn't paying attention or the artillery was obstructing his view because he missed his turn and crashed into the muddy embankment, spinning out and not being able to climb due to the mud and trees (and probably too high a gear). The crew then tried to bring their gun to bear (facing the wrong direction! (more panic)). Another AT rocket exploded beside the tank and by this time several of the mountain troops were swarming the tank. The entire crew was killed as they attempted to bail out.

Todd Wiwczor

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As of 1996, the T-34, mainly in it its 85mm variant was still in service with many nations including: Afghanistan, Albania (approx. 70), Angola (approx. 58), Guinea Bissau (approx. 10), Cuba (approx. 400), Mali (approx. 18), Romania (approx. 1000), Slovenia, Hungary (approx. 5), Vietnam, Bosnia and other nations.

Additional Sources:

www.battlefield.ru
www.trumanlibrary.org
www.expage.com
www.geocities.com/pentagon/quarters/4635
www.fischers-design.de
mailer.fsu.edu
homepage.tinet.ie/~steven
www.paulnoll.com/Korea/581-Sig
www.wwiivehicles.com
www.linux-penguin.org

[SAMWolf]

When the T-34 made its first apearance in 1940, it was quite a shock and nasty surprise to the Germans. The T-34, one of the most revolutionary tank designs of its time, combined well sloped armor, high mobility and a very effective medium velocity 76mm gun.


The damaged and stuck T-34 of "Krasnoye Sormovo" Factory. The "Viksunskiy metallurg" slogan is painted at the rear of the turret.

Dispite its early faults, like its cramped turret, and mechanical reliability, its overall fighting efficiency shattered the Germans belief in their technical superiority for the first time of the war.


T-34/76s and 76.2mm AT guns, 1943

The T-34 was almost invulnerable to the standard anti-tank guns of the Germans. Often the T-34's could only be knocked out by mines, 88 AA Guns or by attaching Grenade bundles to their rear deck - none of which were apropirate solutions for the German Army. Only the short training time of their crews and their, initially, dispersed fielding saved the experienced German tank crews, which were often able to outmanouver the T-34 and utilize their superior tactics to eliminate the T-34s threat.



Within the following years the T-34 was upgunned seveal times, until its final version with a 85mm Gun was produced by mid 1943. The Germans countered the T-34 with the introduction of the Panther and Tiger tanks. The T-34 M40 was built 1,000 times, while 35,000 T-34 M43 and 29,000 T-34/85 were built.

T34/76 model 1940

Weight	26.5 tons
Crew	4
Weapons	76mm L30,5 L11 gun with 77 rounds, 2 7.62mm DT MG with 2890 rounds
Armor	hull 20-47mm (nose, sloped plate [@60º], sides and rear 45-47mm, top and bottom 20mm); turret 16-46mm (front, sides and rear 45mm, top 16mm)
Engine	500hp diesel V2, 12-cylinders on V, liquid cooled
Speed	53Km/h
Range	300Km
Length (max)	5.92m
Width	3.00m
Height	2.41m

Advantages: armor protection, mobility (autonomy, diesel engine, speed, large tracks), powerful gun (more than adequate against any PzKpfw III and IV), easy to build (about 40 hours)

Disadvantages: lack of commander cupola, 2-men turret and tiny turret, "raw" construction (the counterweight of the low cost and manufacturing speed!)


North Korean T34/85 Destroyed at Inchon

T34/85 (1943-45)

Weight	32 tons
Crew	5
Weapons	85mm L51,5 M43 or M44 gun with 55 rounds, 2 7.62mm DT MG with 2394 rounds
Armor	hull 20-47mm (nose, sloped plate, sides and rear 47mm, top and bottom 20mm); turret 20-75mm (front, sides and rear 75mm, top 20mm)
Engine	500hp diesel V2, 12-cylinders on V, liquid cooled
Speed	51Km/h
Range	354Km (with extra fuel supplies)
Length (max)	8.15m
Width	2.98m
Height	2.65m

Advantages: armor protection, mobility (autonomy, diesel engine, speed, large tracks), powerful gun (adequate against the Tigers and Panthers)

Disadvantages: none?

'It was the most excellent example of the offensive weapon of Second World War.'

General Mellentin

'Their T-34 was the best in the world.'

Field Marshal Kleist

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

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Tribute to a Generation - The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

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Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

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[snippy_about_it]

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!



It's TreadHead Tuesday! Good Morning Everyone



If you would like added to our ping list let us know.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Aeronaut.

Thanks for inadvertently reminding me the Foxhole needs to Profile Captain Glenn Edwards.

[archy]

There's still a T-34 or two still in use here and there, though mostly relegated to museums or sometimes, for initial training of tank drivers. But one or two lucky old survivors are receiving restoration attention of the sort more usually directed toward the old aircraft of those earlier days. Here's a story of one particular town's much-cared-for T34 in Finland- Joensuu's Scaup:

T-34 Tank: The Scaup Is At It Again

One of the Continuation War's Soviet tanks rolled into the Eastern Finland town of Joensuu according to the original plan - though in a somewhat unforeseen way and considerably behind schedule - in 1994. We went for a test drive in this T-34 tank and after the smoke quite literally cleared we sat down to write this article.

During the Continuation War the Finns made good use of war-booty Soviet tanks. The most famous of them, the T-34 was the top of the line at the time; it was admired or cursed, and distinguished or feared, depending on which side of the large caliber gun you happened to be sitting. Finnish tankers were justifiably proud of their own. One of them, in civilian life a sailor on a tug, painted his vessel's name on the side of the tank: SOTKA (The Pochard or Scaup, i.e. a duck). Soon the name "Sotka" was used for all captured T-34s and later it was used on the front for all tanks of this type, including those used by "Ivan", the not-so-friendly neighbor. So for us too, this is the Scaup.

This Scaup tank, which found itself at a summer fair in central Joensuu in 1994, is now owned by the Northern Carelia War Veterans' Remembrance Trust and maintained by the Northern Carelia Weapons History Guild. It arrived in Finland for the shooting of the German war film Stalingrad, for which it was bought from the Czechoslovakian Army. And to that country it in turn had arrived as a "liberator" during the 1968 uprising.

Strictly speaking this Scaup is the so-called 'heavy T-34'. The additional weight is mostly due to the modified turret and its longer, larger caliber gun. Arriving at Joensuu, the Scaup was in weathered Czech paint, the red star and the "Za Stalina" text having been added for the film. Inside, it was all sooty because a fire had been lit inside for one of the scenes in the film. The electrical wiring and equipment had mostly been burnt and the tank had not yet been refurbished into running order.

When purchased the tank was intended to be used as a monument. However a permanent place could not be found and in fact this turned out to be a stroke of luck. The Trust had a backup plan and this was put into operation - the tank was given into the daycare of the Weapons History Guild, the members of which were so excited that they spent countless evenings renovating the tank. Today the Scaup is fully functional, renovated and painted and resides in a hall near Joensuu. The tank's equipment is mostly functional. She moves, belches smoke and gives out loud bangs. While waiting for her next role on the silver screen she performs at various public displays. The Scaup is also paying her old dues, part of the income she generates goes to a war veterans' fund.

Introducing the T-34

[The Mayor]

The Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

God uses our difficulties to make us better—not bitter.

[Darksheare]

UGH.
Spun out in panic and slid.
That'll do it any day in any vehicle.

[CholeraJoe]

Pass the vodka and caviar, Comrade!

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone in The FOXHOLE.

[Valin]

One This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on January 27:
1546 Joachim III Frederick elector (Brandenburg)
1556 Abbas I "the Great", shah of Persia (1587-1629)

1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Austria, musical prodigy/composer (Figaro)

1808 David F Strauss Germany, theologist (Jesus' Life)
1822 Thomas Leiper Kane Brevet Major General (Union volunteers),died in 1883
1826 Richard Taylor Lieutenant-General (Confederate Army), died in 1879
1828 Samuel Allen Rice Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
1830 William Henry Fitzhugh Payne Brigadier General (Confederate Army)
1832 Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], author (Alice in Wonderland)
1834 Robert Sanford Foster Brevet Major General (Union volunteers)
1850 Samuel Gompers (labor union leader: 1st president of the American Federation of Labor [AFL])
1859 Kaiser Wilhelm II Potsdam, German emperor (1888-1918)
1885 Jerome Kern New York City NY, Broadway composer (Showboat, Roberta)
1900 Hyman G Rickover US Admiral (father of modern nuclear navy)
1901 Art Rooney NFL team owner (Pittsburgh Steelers)
1908 William Randolph Hearst Jr newspaper publisher (Hearst Publishing)
1918 Elmore James musician (Dust My Broom)
1919 David Seville [Ross Bagdasarian], Fresno CA, (Alvin & Chipmunks)
1921 Donna Reed Denison IA, actress (From Here to Eternity, Wonderful Life)
1925 Geoffrey Tucker British political consultant
1930 Bobby "Blue" Bland Rosemark TN, blues singer
1931 Mordecai Richler Montréal, author (Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz)
1934 Julian Ogilvie Thompson CEO (De Beers)
1936 Troy Donahue New York City NY, actor (Surfside Six, Cockfighter, Hawaiian Eye)
1940 Brian T O'Leary Boston MA, astronaut
1945 Mairead Corrigan-Maguire North Irish peace activist (Nobel 1976)
1961 Karen Velez Rockville Center NY, playmate (December 1984)
1964 Bridget Fonda Los Angeles CA, actress (Scandal, Single White Female)
1981 Jon Lang Fargo ND, blues musician

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Deaths which occurred on January 27:
0098 Marius Cocceius Nerva Emperor of Rome (96-98), dies at about 67
0672 Vitalianus pope (657-72)/saint, dies
0847 Sergius II pope (844-47), dies
1164 Abraham ibn Ezra poet/philosopher, dies
1731 Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori Italian piano builder, dies at 75
1816 Samuel Hood 1st Viscount Hood/admiral, dies
1851 John James Audubon conservationist (Audubon Society), dies at 65
1901 Giuseppe Verdi Italian composer (Rigoletto/Traviata/Aïda), dies in Milano at 87
1954 Paul-Marie Masson composer, dies at 71

1967 Roger B Chaffee astronaut, dies at 31 in Apollo I fire
1967 Virgil I (Gus) Grissom astronaut, dies at 41 in Apollo I fire
1967 Edward Higgins White II Lieutenant-Colonel USAF/astronaut (Gemini 4), dies in Apollo I fire at 36

1972 Mahalia Jackson gospel singer (He Got the Whole World), dies at 60
1983 Paul "Bear" Bryant US football coach (Alabama), dies at 69
1986 L Ron Hubbard novelist/founder (Church of Scientology), dies at 74
1993 Andre "the Giant" Roussimoff WWF wrestler, dies of heart attack at 49
1994 Claude Akins actor (Rio Bravo, Lobo), dies of cancer at 75
1994 Eddie Calhoun jazz Bassist, dies at 72

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION

1968 CORDOVA ROBERT J.---BOYS TOWN NE.
1969 CONGER JOHN E.---LEBANON OH.
1973 HALL HARLEY H.---VANCOUVER WA.
[KIENTZLER TOLD HALL KILLED REMAINS RETURNED 6/95]
1973 KIENTZLER PHILLIP A.---POWAY CA
[03/27/73 RELEASED BY PRG]
1973 MORRIS GEORGE W. JR.---ALHAMBRA CA.
["GOOD CHUTE, POSS VOICE CONTACT"]
1973 PETERSON MARK A.---CANTON OH.
["GOOD CHUTE, POSS VOICE CONTACT"]

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

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On this day...
0672 St Vitalian ends his reign as Catholic Pope
0847 Sergius II ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1302 Dante becomes a Florentine political exile
1593 Vatican opens 7 year trial against scholar Giordano Bruno
1662 1st American lime kiln begins operation (Providence RI)
1671 Pirate Henry Morgen lands at Panama City
1785 1st US state university chartered, Athens GA
1823 President Monroe appoints 1st US ambassadors to South America
1864 Battle of Fair Gardens, Tennessee
1870 1st sorority (Kappa Alpha Theta) (DePauw University in Greencastle IN)
1880 Thomas Edison patents electric incandescent lamp
1888 National Geographic Society organizes (Washington DC)
1891 Mine explosion kills 109 at Mount Pleasant PA
1894 1st college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11
1900 Social Democrat Party of America (Debs' party) holds 1st convention
1902 5 workers killed on explosion during IRT subway construction (New York City NY)
1915 US Marines occupy Haiti
1916 Communist party "Spartacus Letters" 1st published in Berlin
1918 "Tarzan of the Apes", 1st Tarzan film, premieres at Broadway Theater
1924 Lenin placed in Mausoleum in Red Square
1926 US Senate agrees to join World Court
1927 Harlem Globetrotters play their 1st game
1940 -17ºF (-27ºC), CCC Camp F-16, Georgia (state record)
1941 Peruvian agent Rivera-Schreibér warns of Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor
1942 -19ºF (-27.4ºC), Netherlands' coldest day since 1850
1943 1st US air attack on Germany (Wilhelmshafen)
1944 Leningrad liberated from Germany in 880 days with 600,000 killed
1945 Russia liberates Auschwitz & Birkenau Concentration Camp (Poland)
1948 1st tape recorder sold
1951 US begins 126 nuclear tests at Nevada Test Site
1961 "Sing Along with Mitch" [Miller] premieres on NBC TV
1963 Sam Rice, Eppa Rixey, Elmer Flick, & John Clarkson elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
1964 "Introducing the Beatles" album released in US
1964 Margaret Chase Smith (Senator-R-ME) tries for Republican Presidential bid
1965 1st ground station-to-aircraft radio communication via satellite
1967 Apollo 1 fire kills astronauts Grissom, White & Chaffee
1967 Treaty banning military use of nuclear weapons in space, signed
1969 14 spies hung in Baghdad
1969 9 Jews publicly executed in Damascus Syria
1973 US & Vietnam sign cease-fire, ending longest US war
1976 Morocco-Algeria battles in Westerly Sahara
1976 Viv Richards scores his 1st Test century against Australia
1985 15th Space Shuttle (51-C) Mission-Discovery 3 returns to Earth
1988 Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approves nomination of Judge Anthony M Kennedy to US Supreme Court
1990 Dissolution of Polish communist party
1991 Nadine Strossen is 1st female president of the ACLU
1992 Mike Tyson goes on trial for rape (he is found guilty)
1992 Presidential candidate Bill Clinton (D) & Genifer Flowers accuse each other of lying over her assertion they had a 12-year affair
1996 Germany celebrates its 1st Holocaust Remembrance Day

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"
Mauritius : Cavadee
Vietnam : Vietnam Peace Day (1973)
Scotland : Up Helly Aa'
US : "Weird Al" Yankovic Day
National Retail Bakers Month

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Religious Observances
Buddhist-Laos : Buddhist Holiday
Christian : Devote of Monte Carlo
Lutheran : Commemoration of Lydia, Dorcas & Phoebe
Roman Catholic : Feast of St Julian
Anglican, Old Roman Catholic : Commemoration of John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople
Roman Catholic : Memorial of St Angela Merici, virgin (opt)
Moslem : A Night of Remembrance (Sha'ban 14, 1414 AH)

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Religious History
1343 Clement VI's bull "Unigenitus" officially ratified the belief that Indulgences owed their potency to the Pope's dispensation of the accumulated merit of the Church. (In 1518 Cardinal Thomas Cajetan accused German reformer Martin Luther, 32, of challenging the validity of this Catholic doctrine.)
1774 Pioneer American Methodist bishop Francis Asbury wrote in his journal: 'If my labours should be in vain for the people, the Lord gives me a gracious reward in my own soul.'
1839 Birth of John Julian, famed English authority on sacred music. His undoubted masterwork is the monumental "Dictionary of Hymnology" which he published in 1892 (later revised, updated and reissued in 1957).
1842 Scottish clergyman Robert Murray McCheyne wrote in a letter: 'Call upon the name of the Lord. Your time may be short... The longest lifetime is short enough. It is all that is given you to be converted in. They are the happiest who are brought soonest to the bosom of Jesus."
1972 In Columbia, the white and black United Methodist conferences of South Carolina -- separated since the Civil War -- voted in their respective meetings to adopt a plan of union.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality."

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Question of the day...
What is the diameter of a square?

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Murphys Law of the day...(Murphy's Law of the Open Road)
When there is a very long road upon which there is a one-way bridge placed at random, and there are only two cars on that road, it follows that:
(1) the two cars are going in opposite directions, and
(2) they will always meet at the bridge.

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Astounding Fact # 67,105...
Hang On Sloopy is the official rock song of Ohio.

[snippy_about_it]

I love Tread Head Tuesdays!

Christie suspension

The suspension designed by J. Walter Christie in the 1920s involved independently springing a vehicle's road wheels on tall vertical helical springs. The wheels were attached to swing arms which then connected to the springs. The springs required a tall double-walled hull, and they were placed in between the two hull layers. Many vehicles with Christie's suspension could drive on or off of their tracks, wheeled motion being powered by chains running from the sprockets or final drives. Among vehicles using variants of Christie's suspension were many British World War II-era cruiser tanks, and the Soviet BT series and T-34.

****

Mr. J. Walter Christie’s major contributions to the OrdnanceCorps were the combat vehicle concepts he designed.

By 1912 he was manufacturing a line of wheeled fire engine tractors, but this soon died away from lack of sales.

During World War I, he built theforerunners of modern self-propelled artillery, mounting 75mm, 3-inch, and 5-inch guns on four-wheel-drivechassis. He built the first “convertible” vehicle, using tracks for cross-country mobility and rubber tires forhigh-speed travel on roads.

In 1916 he tried his luck at developing a prototype 4-wheeled gun carriage for the military ordnance branch. (He devel-oped a four-wheel-drive truck for General Pershing and his staff in 1916.) This would be the beginning of continuous running battles between Christie and the military. The Army Ordnance Depart had by now set up strict guidelines for their weaponry, and Christie was not one for revising his designs to suit their requirements. The USA would evaluate and test his vehicles from 1916 to 1942, but he was close to impossible to reason with and eventually his design ideas would end up nuturing Russia and England, and not the USA.

After the end of World War I, he continued his work on the design and prototypingof advanced combat vehicles, demonstrating the first amphibious tank, which swam across the Hudson River in1923. Although the U. S. Army never adopted any of Mr. Christie’s designs as standard, it did buy several ofhis prototypes and the rights to their design. As a result, many of his design features, such as his trailing armroad-wheel suspension system, large road-wheel excursion, and high power-to-weight ratio have been incorpo-rated into several subsequent generations of U. S. tanks.

The vehicles developed by the american-born inventor J. Walter Christie were a lasting contribution to armor history, and although many of his designs never saw fruition, they still impacted on the armor development of that period.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning EGC. We are to get another light ice storm today.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning archy. Thanks for the great story on the Finn's T-34. It looks great.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Morning Darksheare. I fine it's rarely a good idea to step on the gas when panicked.