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Posted on 09/05/2005 10:11:15 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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(1915 - 1939)   Various projects for fully tracked armored vehicles were worked out in 1915-16 in Russia and elsewhere in the burning Europe. An early design was Mendelejev's "Armored land cruiser" finished in 1915. It had a shape similar to a submarine, and Mendelejav was a naval engineer. However, it never left the drawing board and the constructor beeing a naval architect proposed to use a submarine engine and a naval gun on a tractor chassis! The plans never left the drawing board (as far as we know). With a heavy gun like in the picture the blast would probably have killed or disabled the crew inside this unlikely combat vehicle.   The bizarre "Tzar-tank" was built in 1915. It was probably the largest (40 tons) tank ever made anywhere. Two huge wheels were driven by one 250 hp motor each. Two minor wheels were in the rear. The guns were probably placed outside the wheels. This photo and the drawings (link below) give different shapes and positiosn of the crew's cabin. Two prototypes were made but the insufficient trial (stuck in the mud) and heavy costs closed the project in 1916. The photo shows a wreck without wheels in the rear. The last of the two was dismateled for scrap in 1923.  This anonymous heavy armoured "cube" was sketched out in 1915, and probably never came off the dawing board. Despite the fact that it lacks a real turret, it looks much alike the land cruising "submaine" called "The land Cruiser" made by Mendelejev the same year. Notable is the small wheels keeping the preasure on the bands, just like on modern vehicles. The only facts known about it is the weight, said to be about twenty tons. If this figure is estimated or comes from a full scale unit is unknown. Built as a prototype or not, the heavy gun and its weight would have made it useless as a combat vehicle anyway.  In the summer of 1914, an engineer named Porokovskikov designed a smaller tracked vehicle with Pedrail-type tracks and small jockey wheels to assist steering. It was called Vezdekhod (He who goes anywhere), and was intended to be an infantry support vehicle when crossing open ground under fire. Fitted with a machinegun-turret, it performed well during trials in 1915 but never came into production. It was a forerunner of almost all tanks to come with its turret (rotateable?) and pointed up front.  This tank from 1919 was nicknamed "Russian Renault" because a French tank from WW2 was the prototype and French engineers assisted. The engine was a sample from the FIAT automobile. The first tank from August 1920 (picture) was called "Fighter for freedom - comrade Lenin". 15 vehicles were delivered until May 1921, and all had individual names. KS 10 made service in auto-armoured units 1921-1929 and went out of duty in April 1930. Note the floating block(!) at the side.  This first all Russian tank was developed in 1925. The project was recognized in September 1926. The special engine was developed by a A Mikulin, transmission - V Zaslavskij, the suspension was projected by a team under I Magdesiev. A group of units were constructed and passed the tests in March 1927, but they were not accepted for service (serial production). They were transferred to the Leningrad District as vehicles for educational purposes. At least two units have survived (in the Parola Museum in Finland and Kubinka Museum outside Moscow). T-16 was last mention about in the summer of 1933.  T-18 was a development from the T-16 and came into production in the spring of 1927. It was lengthened, one road wheel was added, and stronger engine. Production from 1928. Modernized in 1929-30 with better speed, mobility, arms and engine. In service from 1930. Production stop: end of 1931. End of service: 1938. Some units said to have been into battle in 1941-42.  The assignment to enginers to construct a new tank was given in 1927. The management of the project was carried out by a S.Shukalov with the chief designer V.Zaslavski. Leader of the group of engine and mechanic sector was A.Mikulin. The project of the tank with the label "T-1-12" was authorized in June 1928 and the assembly work begun on October 13 the same year. For simplification and cost reasons the hull of the tank was made of simple second class steel. The number of units produced is not known but it's reasonable to believe that it was quite a small figure.  Developed in early 1929 and ordered to be produced in the mid of September the same year. The task on T-19 was very inconsistent. The tank should have weight no more than 7 tons, had good armouring, strong fire power, high speed and mobility. The drawback was its price, which didn't allow production of 7000 units in two years as planned. After getting a Soviet version of Great Britain's "Vickers 6-ton" (T 26), the work with T 19 was stopped. The British tank had lower battle characteristics, but it was cheaper and accepted by the Red Army.
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You think the last words to
The Star Spangled Banner are
"Gentlemen, start your engines."
You might be a redneck.
You Might be a Minnesotan if...
Down south to you means Iowa
We had a busy day today, good night all, see you in the morning.
Snippy and Sam.
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