Given the reliability and simplicity of Soviet equipment I wouldn't be surprised that they could change the oil and some fuel and start that big dog up.
A couple of the tanks that have been pulled out of ponds and swamps in videos and photos that I've come across have all been upside down It might be from not being level to begin with on entering the swamps, and then over tim slowly tipping over from the heaviest part of the tank with the most curved shape that is least resistant to rolling being the top. The bottom of the tank, being flat and wide, probably provides the most resistance to sinking into the soft bottoms of these wetlands, and maybe that's why they flip. I'd like to know why so many are underwater... did the crews send them into ponds to prevent them from being seized by the enemy? Just fire it up, engage the drive from a good distance, and then scramble out of the tank as it slowly drove itself into some swamp or pond?
Either that or they went through the ice in the winter because the drivers were inexperienced and had no clue how thick ice had to be to support the tons of weight of a tank. It's only guess work, maybe the drivers figured it was ice over solid ground instead of thin ice over deeper water and a soft bottom
Given the reliability and simplicity of Soviet equipment I wouldn't be surprised that they could change the oil and some fuel and start that big dog up.
ReplyDeleteHow the hell did it get upside down in the pond? That tank jockey had to be moving pretty damn fast to flip it like that.
ReplyDeleteA couple of the tanks that have been pulled out of ponds and swamps in videos and photos that I've come across have all been upside down
DeleteIt might be from not being level to begin with on entering the swamps, and then over tim slowly tipping over from the heaviest part of the tank with the most curved shape that is least resistant to rolling being the top.
The bottom of the tank, being flat and wide, probably provides the most resistance to sinking into the soft bottoms of these wetlands, and maybe that's why they flip.
I'd like to know why so many are underwater... did the crews send them into ponds to prevent them from being seized by the enemy?
Just fire it up, engage the drive from a good distance, and then scramble out of the tank as it slowly drove itself into some swamp or pond?
I think your quick analysis of not letting the enemy get it is on target. That's a more likely scenario. I should have saw that myself.
DeleteEither that or they went through the ice in the winter because the drivers were inexperienced and had no clue how thick ice had to be to support the tons of weight of a tank.
DeleteIt's only guess work, maybe the drivers figured it was ice over solid ground instead of thin ice over deeper water and a soft bottom