Features of the operation of tanks in winter. With the onset of cold weather, the operation of tanks becomes much more difficult. The main difficulties arise when starting a cold engine. At low air temperatures, the oil on the rubbing parts of the crank mechanism thickens, as a result of which it is difficult to turn the crankshaft when starting. The grease also thickens in transmission units. Fuel will freeze in tanks, fuel lines, fuel filter, and other parts of the fuel system, making it difficult to feed and spray into the engine injectors. The conditions for the ignition of the fuel in the engine cylinders are deteriorating due to the suction of cold air and the large return of heat to the cylinder walls when the air is compressed. Water in the cooling system, especially in the water pump, lower pipes and in the lower radiator headers, if neglected by the crew, can freeze, leading to defrosting of the engine and radiators. Battery operating conditions also deteriorate in winter.

The tank crew must be well aware of the peculiarities of operating tanks at low temperatures and be able to prepare their tank for winter operation.

Preparing a tank for winter operation is as follows.

The crew maintains the tank in the scope of the second technical inspection, while adjusting all the mechanisms and eliminating the detected faults.

By order of the senior chief, before the onset of frost, summer grades of fuel, oils and greases are replaced in the units and systems of the tank with winter ones, and the water in the cooling system is replaced with a low-freezing liquid - antifreeze. The density of the electrolyte in batteries is set for winter and summer the same: in the southern regions 1.25, in the central - 1.28, in the northern - 1.29, and in areas with sharply continental climate v winter time increases to 1.31. In some areas with low temperatures the batteries are insulated with felt covers, and the handles of the levers and pedals are covered with cloth.

The discharge of batteries in winter should not exceed 25%.

To fill the cooling system in winter, antifreezes are usually used, which are highly toxic liquids that freeze at a lower temperature than water. When heated, antifreeze expands more than water, so cold antifreeze should be poured into the cooling system by 5-6 liters less than Veda. If the level of the poured antifreeze decreases as a result of evaporation, then only water must be added to the system, since mainly water evaporates from the antifreeze. When filling the cooling system with antifreeze, the crew must make sure that no gasoline, kerosene or oil gets into the system, since even a slight admixture of these products causes a strong pricing of antifreeze and is thrown out of the system.

If the tank stands for a long time in winter in a cold room or in an open area, then by order of the senior chief, the antifreeze and oil must be drained from the systems, the batteries must be removed and stored in heated rooms. If the cooling system is filled with water, then when draining it, the crew must make sure that all the water is out of the system. To do this, during draining, open the filler plug and clean the drain hole several times. Having finished draining, it is imperative to turn the crankshaft a few turns with the starter so that the remaining water comes out of the water pump and lower pipes. The remaining water can also be removed by pouring 10-12 liters of antifreeze into the system, which must be immediately drained into a separate bowl. After all water has been removed from the system, the drain valve should be left open.

In a combat situation, oil and coolant are not drained from the systems, but the tank is heated with a tank heater or tank oven, while the shutters are closed, and the tank is tightly covered with rugs and tarpaulin.

Starting the engine in winter. The most important operation in preparing a tank for movement in winter is starting and warming up the engine. Incorrect starting of the engine leads to melting of the crankshaft bearings. Before starting the engine, it is preheated. Most in a simple way warming up the engine is filling the cooling system hot water or hot antifreeze, and lubrication systems with hot oil. The water and oil poured into the systems must be heated to 80-90 ° C. The first portions of water should be poured with the drain cock open; the tap must be closed when it starts to flow warm water... If necessary, hot water must be poured through the cooling system two or even three times. In some cases, starting motors are used for starting. This is a carbureted internal combustion engine, which, by means of untwisting the crankshaft, starts the engine.

On some tanks, a method of heating the engine is also used by pouring 45 liters of oil into the crankcase through a breather, heated to 80-90 ° C. The hot oil missing until full refueling is poured into oil tanks. At the same time, hot water is poured into the cooling system.

After filling the tank with hot water and hot oil, it is necessary to wait 10-20 minutes so that the heat from the liquid is transferred to the engine metal, then pump the oil in the system with a manual oil pump; turn the crankshaft with a special tool 2-3 turns and pump the oil in the system again. After that, you can start the engine with a starter. When starting the engine, do not press the electric starter button for more than 5-6 seconds. If the engine does not start, then the subsequent switching on of the electric starter must be done after a 10-15-second break. With frequent and prolonged switching on, the voltage of the batteries decreases, which in most cases leads to sintering of the contacts of the starting relay and "spreading" of the starter armature. After starting the engine, you must quickly release the starter button.

In addition to the above methods of warming up, there are other methods and means to facilitate starting the engine in winter. The most convenient are individual heaters, which are integral equipment of tanks. Many tanks have special devices for heating the air sucked into the engine cylinders. The air is heated in a special boiler with a blowtorch, which is installed on an open sash - blinds using a special bracket so that the burner flame is directed into the hole on the protective casing of the heater. It is necessary to warm up the heater with a blowtorch for 20-30 minutes. On some heavy tanks, diesel fuel is injected into the air filter heads, which is ignited by a spark from a special spark plug. When the engine is started, the air sucked into the engine cylinders is heated by a flame torch.

Tank heaters also belong to the means of heating tanks.

Heating the engine by periodic starts is prohibited.

Almost unanimously, the veterans declare: there was no life in the tank without a tarpaulin. They covered them when they went to bed, they covered the tank in the rain so that it would not be flooded with water. At lunchtime, the tarp served as a "table", and in winter - the roof of an improvised dugout. When, during the dispatch to the front, the tarpaulin was blown off from the tank of Aria's crew and carried to the Caspian Sea, he even had to go to steal the sail.

According to the story of Yu. M. Polyanovsky, tarpaulin was especially needed in winter: “We had tank ovens. An ordinary stove for firewood was screwed in from the back. The crew has to go somewhere in winter, we were not allowed into the village. There is a wild cold inside the tank, and then more than two people will not lie there. They dug a good trench, drove a tank onto it, covered the whole with a tarpaulin, nailed the edges of the tarpaulin. And they hung a stove under the tank and stoked it. And in this way we heated our trench and slept. "

The rest of the tankers did not differ in particular variety - they would have been able to wash and shave. Someone wrote letters home. Someone, like G. N. Krivov, took the opportunity to be photographed. From time to time, concert brigades came to the front, they had their own amateur performances, sometimes cinema was brought, but many, according to A.K. Rodkin, began to pay attention to it after the war. The fatigue was too strong. An important aspect maintaining fighting spirit the crews had information about events at the front and in the country as a whole. The main source of news was radio, which in the second half of the war was part of the equipment of almost every combat vehicle. In addition, they were supplied with the press, both central and divisional and army newspapers, and constantly carried out political information. Like many other front-line soldiers, the tankers well remembered the articles of Ilya Ehrenburg, calling for a fight against the Germans.

Many veterans interviewed said they hated the Germans. “How were the Germans treated? They treated them normally, beat them as they should. They hated them fiercely, ”recalls N. Ya. Zheleznov. At the same time, respect can be traced in their statements. “They are good fighters. At the front, you look at them as if they were targets. And you are shooting at these targets, ”says A. M. Fadin. The tankers had many opportunities to settle scores with the Germans in battle, so they treated the prisoners with disgust, and considered it beneath their dignity to fight the civilian population. Although there were excesses. Here is what G. N. Krivov says: “Some of the guys lost their relatives, they knew, they received letters. We had one boy. I drank a lot. His family died. He took a submachine gun, the prisoners walked, he turned on them.

We gave him on the back of the head what you are doing. It was, you can't take it away either. There were also cases of rape: “There were desperate guys of ours who went to look for hiding German women. I was disgusted with this. " As far as different people fought against the Nazis, their relations with the civilian population of Germany were so different. Initially, the relationship was apparently dominated by an all-encompassing hatred of the Germans and a desire for revenge. It especially manifested itself among the soldiers and those who themselves or whose relatives survived the occupation, who lost their relatives in this war, but gradually, in addition to the orders of the command, which tightened discipline in the troops, people developed pity: "The Russian people are quick-witted" - expressed the opinion of the majority of veterans PI Kirichenko.

A. Drabkin. I fought in a T-34

Oblivion and rust to the steel giants that are in the museum "The Third Military Field of Russia" are definitely not scary. Especially to the public's favorite - legendary tank T-34... As the press testifies, today the first recognizable symbol of the Prokhorov battle in 1943 has acquired a new specialty - becoming the most massive monument of military valor in the country.

“There will be no more than a couple of hundred of them all over the world,” says Researcher museum Alexey Litvyakov... - And those that remained are often collected from different parts... You can be convinced of this personally by examining it from the inside. "

I confess that I did not succeed in riding the battle "rhino" gracefully. Military equipment is not adapted to girls in high heels crawling on it. To join the Soviet era, I had to lie under the tank in the literal sense of the word. And then - pull yourself up in order to get inside through the emergency, also known as the landing, hatch located in the bottom of the combat vehicle. During the war years, this trick saved the life of the crew more than once.

The feeling when a 30-ton colossus hangs over you is not pleasant. The words of his grandfather who had fought came to mind:

“Tank armor protects well from bullets and shrapnel, but when a projectile hits well, it turns into a fire trap: the engine and fuel tanks can explode. And the temperature of the burning tank is so high that the steel, melting, welds the hatches tightly ... "

The inside of the huge car was terribly cramped. Interestingly, modern tankers are easier than our grandfathers in thirty-four?

"Not at all," a contract soldier assures me. Evgeny Polyusnov... - If a fighter could stand in a T-34 tank, now almost all the free space in it is occupied by electronics. In addition, tanks are no longer subject to any repairs on the move: complex modern technology cannot be repaired in field conditions. "

Then the life of the crew depended on the skill of its four members: the commander, the loader, the driver and the radio operator. Improved later T-34–85(a sample of which is at the Belfry), there will be a place for the fifth member of the team - the gunner.

In spite of warm atmosphere in the museum hall, inside steel giant quite chilly. According to the recollections of tankers, in winter the T-34 turned into a real refrigerator. In order not to freeze, the fighters had to wear a lot of clothes. I did not find any heating elements in the Soviet tank: only bare, cold metal. The hardest part at that time was the driver-mechanic, who took the chilling air with his chest - the hatch often had to be opened palm-width apart for a better view.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

Squatting "Booth"

It would be wrong to visit Prokhorovka and not feel the power of a combat tracked vehicle. Therefore, we went to the tank training center, next to which a museum of armored vehicles will open in November.

“The Prokhorovsky test site covers an area of ​​4 hectares,” says Alexei Litvyakov along the way. - Such open areas for demonstrating the capabilities of armored vehicles are only in England and the Czech Republic. We will not be able to demonstrate the tank in action - these units are in a well-deserved rest. But we can test the BMD-2. "

The main purpose of the second-generation airborne assault vehicle is to combat enemy armored vehicles and enemy infantry. In professional military circles, she received the nickname "Booth"... Unlike many caterpillar brothers "Booth" can not only ride, shoot, but also ... squat. In the language of motorists, change the ground clearance - the gap between the ground and the bottom of the car.

“Some military transport aircraft of the USSR had a low ceiling of the loading bay, so the BMDs had to sit down a little before loading in order to fit,” explains Alexey.

The design of this armored vehicle is unique. In the front of the body is the driver's seat. He was entrusted to a professional specialist in military archeology Alexandru Tsabrenko... To the left of him, at the position of the shooter, our guide Alexei has settled down. Well, on the right - the honorary place of the commander, which they gallantly conceded to the author of these lines. For the sake of completeness, it was decided to conquer the obstacle course while standing, proudly looking out of the hatch.

In the rear there is a troop compartment that can accommodate up to five soldiers. They are protected from a stray bullet by armor, in places up to 15 mm thick. Above all this splendor, a 30-millimeter cannon rises menacingly. "Booth" is capable of firing at a range of up to four kilometers, and its rate of fire reaches 550 rounds per minute!

Fortunately, our goal is peaceful: to go through a looped route, during which we are trapped by water obstacles, installations of the destroyed city, an earthen embankment and a bridge.

They put a headset on my head. These were worn by tankers during the war, since then it has hardly changed. The sounds of the surrounding world suddenly died away. It's all about the valves - they protect the ears not only from deafening volleys, but also from the noise of a tank engine. In addition to headphones, an intercom is built into the helmet.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

Iron logic

Meanwhile, our "taxi" appeared from the garage. The ground beneath my feet trembled (or is it my feet are trembling with fear?) From the vibration of the combat vehicle's engine. Alexander accelerates the "Booth" to maximum speed- 60 km per hour. One sight of a ten-ton rushing colossus makes you tremble. Steel "horse" on the fly slips a concrete bridge and almost rears up.

I read that a moving tank breaks the asphalt and stones beneath it into crumbs. What then happens to Red Square during the parade? - I am interested.

The parade usually involves modern tanks... On their tracks - a special rubber band that protects the roadway, - Alexei retorts.

It's time for me to boot too. Not without the help of strong male hands I find myself in the right compartment. The unit moves forward with a loud roar. Gripping tightly into the hatch cover, I follow the track with one eye, the actions of our helmsman with the other. At first glance, driving a BMD-2 is no more difficult than a Zhiguli. Only instead of the steering wheel there are two levers: left and right, where you need to turn - that one and pull.

Even on a flat surface, it shakes us terribly. Alexey is trying to explain something, but the audibility is zero. Now it is clear why, while on the move, the T-34 crew members communicated with each other with gestures. The commander put his fist under the loader's nose, and he already knows that an armor-piercing projectile will be used, the spread palm is a fragmentation shell.

And here is the first obstacle - an 8 m high earthen embankment. It seems that we are about to turn over, but the slope of this hill is only 25 degrees. Having raised the spray fountain, we can easily jump over the water obstacle. The BMD-2 body is sealed. This feature (as well as a hidden water jet installation) turned the "Booth" into an amphibian capable of landing from transport
ships.

A couple more maneuvers and our voyage is over. "Attraction" on military equipment is not cheap pleasure: combat vehicles are very gluttonous. The same thirty-four had a tank capacity of 480 liters, which was enough for 455 km. Needless to say, the Soviet Union did not spare money for the defense industry.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

Growth is not the main thing

At the Belfry he meets us Chief Editor regional newspaper "Istoki" Vladimir Chursin- a well-known personality in Prokhorovka. He talks about the tank brotherhood of the area - public organization, which united two hundred veterans and employees tank troops... Seven years ago, its chairman was appointed Vasily Kobzev... Since then, the combat traditions of the steel cavalry of our days have helped educate young Prokhorovites as true patriots.

“On a land where patriotism is not just words, this is easier to do. Just recently, for example, we opened a museum of soldier's porridge, - Vladimir Mikhailovich tells with enthusiasm. - Would you like to introduce you to his master? A real tanker and my namesake. "

Non-military people are unlikely to know that only those whose height is not higher than 174 cm are taken into tankers. “Small but strong ones are needed in a tank,” the tankers themselves joke. Otherwise, you cannot turn around in an armored vehicle, and you can easily get stuck in the hatch. But there are also exceptions. Looking at an athletic figure Sergei Chursin, it’s hard to believe that in the tight space of the T-72, he went through the heat of the Chechen war.

“The growth of the tankers may be low, but the moral foundations are high,” Sergei, a former foreman of a tank company that led fighting in Grozny in 1999-2001.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

The man in armor is invincible

From a yellowed photograph smuggled out of Chechnya in the collar of a pea jacket, a thin boy is looking at us, sitting in the place of a gunner.

“This is the first year of service,” explains Sergey. - The photo was taken in a T-72 tank. On it we went to the night secret, controlling the road from Tolstoy-Yurt to Khankala. "

Chursin's pride is a photograph on which the legendary general is presenting him with a medal "For Military Valor" Gennady Troshev- one of the most respected and loved by subordinates of Russian commanders.

“He was a simple man, without pathos, and therefore the soldiers loved him,” recalls his general Sergei. "I especially singled out the tankers, because I myself served in the tank forces."

When the war ended, Gennady Troshev crashed in a civil plane crash. On Tanker's Day. Sergei returned home as a veteran of military operations, who firmly believed in the strength and power of dynamic armor and the people that conquered her.

“I have a dream to hold an all-Russian festival of tankers on the Prokhorov land,” he shares his plans. - The paratroopers have their own festival! Let's call Zhenya Kapustin, once a simple operator-gunner, and now the Hero of Russia, who distinguished himself during the assault on the Buinaksky region. Alexey Efentiev, whose callsign is "Gyurza" during the first Chechen war was known to every soldier, and many others. Let the young people see who they need to look up to. "

After the service, Chursin went to develop the Bovanenkovskoye oil and gas field on the Yamal Peninsula. And when he returned to Prokhorovka, he began to collect military field kitchens throughout the country. Gradually, this hobby grew into a profession: Sergei created a unique museum of soldiers' porridge, which has already twice hit the planet's Book of Records.

“I can’t help myself: I am drawn to military life. When I see a tank at an exhibition, my heart skips a beat. And the point is not at all in the firepower of Russian combat vehicles. I remember the faces of fellow soldiers sitting on the turrets of their tanks: they had the confidence in victory over any enemy. And this is stronger than any caliber. "

Anna Morozova

02.02.2007, 17:09

The books constantly say that the Germans had great difficulty launching tanks in cold weather. How did they do it? Why didn't we have such difficulties?

02.02.2007, 20:06

Everyone had difficulties, but they write about the Germans (this is such a tradition). They warmed up the engine with bonfires and started it up. Or they would drive from the pusher, push it with another tank. :) For this, sometimes 1-2 cars were not jammed at night.

03.02.2007, 12:23

diesel engines start in cold weather worse than gasoline engines,
the councils should have had more problems with the 34s

03.02.2007, 15:12

I can imagine a fire under a diesel engine, but how the German heavy tanks, if there could be gasoline at the bottom of the engine compartment due to leaks?

05.02.2007, 17:24

The books constantly say that the Germans had great difficulty launching tanks in cold weather. How did they do it? Why didn't we have such difficulties? We seem to have different ways. In the M4A2 tanks, to facilitate the winter start-up, two flare nozzles with glow plugs were used for each engine. There was also something similar in the Mk II tanks.
Of course, of interest is the operation of the T-34 tank in the winter, since there was nothing of the kind there (winter conditions for engines of the B-2 family begin at temperatures of +5 and below).
First some general provisions... Generally, the manual recommends replacing the water in the cooling system with ethylene glycol antifreeze in winter. But since this is a very expensive product, it is also recommended to use alcohol-water-glycerin mixtures and topping them up during operation with a mixture of 50% alcohol and 50% water.
The main difficulties of the winter operation of the tank affect when starting a cold engine. We mean, first of all, the often observed solidification of oil on the rubbing surfaces of the engine and solidification of diesel fuel. When starting a cold engine, frozen oil does not immediately go to the bearings, and starting the engine with cold oil leads to severe wear of the rubbing surfaces, and sometimes to melting of the bearings. In addition, a supercooled engine always causes an increased (by 20 ... 25%) fuel consumption.
Under the influence of low temperatures, the grease in the transmission and chassis assemblies also solidifies and thickens. Therefore, in severe frosts, especially after a long stay, it is very difficult to get the tank off the ground. In no case should you touch the tank with jerks. Jerks usually lead to failure of clutches, gears of the gearbox and other breakdowns and accidents.

The water temperature in this system should not be lower than + 55 ° С and not higher than 105 ° С, the temperature of the outgoing oil should be not lower than + 50 ° С and not higher than 105 ° С.
Now about starting the engine. When the tank is stopped for a short time, it is assumed that it is being heated. Tank catalytic heaters "Promoter" and tank furnaces are used to heat the tank. In the engine compartment of the T-34 tank, along the sides of the engine (between the engine and the radiator), two "Promoter" heaters are installed. They are located at the places of the batteries, which are removed for this time.

When the tank is heated by a stove, it is necessary to cover it with a tarpaulin and open the sub-engine hatch. Description of the furnace device is given in " Quick Start Guide on heating cars in winter conditions. "
When parking for a long time, drain the oil, water with alcohol (or antifreeze), clean all the tubes dry, take out the batteries and put them in a warm room. If you need to go, install batteries, fill the cooling system with antifreeze heated to a temperature of 50 ... 60 ° C, and in the absence of it, hot water (you need 13 ... 15 buckets of water heated to 90 ... 100 ° C). The oil tanks are filled with oil heated to a temperature of 85 ... 90 ° C.
When transporting tanks on railroad in winter, it is necessary to first remove the batteries from the tank, drain low-freezing liquid or water from the engine cooling system into a container, and oil from the oil system. They must be transported in a heated carriage.

06.02.2007, 01:09

Tank catalytic heaters "Promoter" and tank furnaces are used to heat the tank. In the engine compartment of the T-34 tank, along the sides of the engine (between the engine and the radiator), two "Promoter" heaters are installed. They are located at the places of the batteries, which are removed for this time.
I do not quite understand, do they take out the batteries at night? Where are they going? How do catalytic heaters work?

In the T-34, the transmission will be heated together with the engine, but the Germans had it in front. How to be?

To ensure reliable operation of the tank in winter, it is necessary to use appropriate winter fuels and lubricants and maintain the temperature of water and oil normal for engine operation.
That is, at night, you need to put a stove under the tank and cover the car with a tarpaulin. In combat conditions it doesn't look quite real ... Is it left to turn off the engine?

The tank furnace is installed on the ground under the engine part of the tank in a specially dug trench.

And if the gas lines of the Panthers leaked, then ...

While my questions are multiplying faster than answers :) But one thing is certain for sure, the operation of the tank in winter is a continuous problem. In winter, a tank probably burns several times more resource than in summer.

06.02.2007, 10:13

I do not quite understand, do they take out the batteries at night? Where are they going? In winter, the batteries, due to cooling, have no more than 50% of their normal capacity and give a large voltage drop under load. Therefore, it is required to recharge them in a timely manner. Starting from a state of charge of 3/4, you need to give the battery for recharging (to the charging station).
When stopping for a long time, it is necessary to remove the batteries and put them in an insulated room (dugout).
If the situation does not allow removing the batteries, then to protect the electrolyte from freezing, they must be insulated (covered) with felt, a bag, tarpaulin or other improvised means and strictly monitor their condition in the future.
How do catalytic heaters work? Do not know. What are the insulated wagons for transporting tanks too?
In the T-34, the transmission will be heated together with the engine, but the Germans had it in front. How to be? In principle, on the T-34, the transmission (except for the GF) is in a separate compartment, separated from the engine compartment by a partition. By the way, it is not specified that oil should be drained from there during long parking.
And if the gas lines of the Panthers leaked, then ... It is possible that there were no special problems at all. To speed up the engine start in the cold season, a thermosyphon heater was intended, heated with a blowtorch, which was installed on the outside of the rear hull sheet.
While my questions are multiplying faster than answers :) But one thing is certain for sure, the operation of the tank in winter is a continuous problem. In winter, a tank probably burns several times more resource than in summer. It depends on how much the tank is adapted for winter operation.
For example, the IS-3 had a blowtorch-type heater that ran on gasoline, was inserted from the outside and heated the engine coolant through a corresponding hole.
Some general provisions stated in the operation manual (1953): It is strictly forbidden to start the engine without heating at a temperature of +5 degrees and below. Also
do not turn the engine crankshaft with a starter at a low temperature without heating.
Starting the engine begins with adjusting the heater, then it heats up the liquid in the cooling system and maintains the set temperature for 20-25 minutes. In this case, the crew should not be in the tank in order to avoid burning.
When parked for more than 12 hours, the oil and coolant are drained. Nothing is said about the batteries - they remain in place. However, long-term parking is possible without draining - the tank is covered with a tarpaulin, a stove is installed in the trench under a special hatch in the bottom. The chimney is led out from the side between the rollers. It is strictly forbidden to heat the stove with liquid fuel. It is strictly forbidden to make a fire under the bottom of the tank.

The T-62 tank had a nozzle heater organically built into the engine cooling system and heating the coolant in the cooling system and oil in the engine lubrication system. The pre-heater consists of a boiler with a nozzle and a fuel system, which includes a nose with an electric motor and a redundant manual drive and fuel pipes in which the fuel is warmed up before being fed to the nozzle. The heater is started by means of two glow plugs, in case of failure of the electric ignition from the torch through a special hole. Combustion products are discharged outside through the appropriate hatch. It is strictly forbidden to start a cold engine at a temperature of +5 and below. At an air temperature of up to -20, the heater warms up the coolant to a temperature of 80-90 degrees, at a temperature of -20 to -30 to 90-95 degrees. About draining antifreeze and oil, installing a stove in a trench (during parking for more than 12 hours), I did not find in the manual. Describes actions to keep the tank ready for movement. The tank is covered with a tarpaulin and covered with snow, if the temperature of the liquid drops to +40 degrees, you need to turn on the heater and heat it to 80-90 degrees. If water is suddenly used instead of antifreeze liquid, when the engine is first started, water heated to 90-95 degrees is spilled through the cooling system, the radiator is filled with hot water, on the riser the water is heated every 30 minutes by the heater to 80-90 degrees.

06.02.2007, 18:52

The Germans also used the Kübelwagen from which the shaft went to the tank's engine. I just can't find the picture. I will still look :)

08.02.2007, 00:19

It depends on how the tank is adapted for winter operation.
Judging by what you posted the most adapted were the Americans and the Germans. And if you even narrow the pedestal, then who is better? ;) I have no information on the topic, so I read with interest the opinions of more knowledgeable

08.02.2007, 13:28

Judging by what you posted the most adapted were the Americans and the Germans. And if you even narrow the pedestal, then who is better? ;) I have no information on the topic, so I read with interest the opinions of more knowledgeable people. Better, apparently, an air-cooled gasoline engine with an auxiliary engine (APU) for recharging the batteries and making it easier to start the main engine.

08.02.2007, 14:13

Then Sherman? Suddenly somehow.

08.02.2007, 17:30

Then Sherman? Suddenly somehow. Why unexpected? There, in principle, there are no special problems with a liquid-cooled motor. The procedure for starting a Ford engine at temperatures below 40 degrees (hereinafter Fahrenheit) is practically the same as at temperatures above 40 degrees, you just need to increase the fuel supply. Starting from a temperature of 32 degrees, antifreeze must of course be poured into the cooling system - at 30 degrees - 1 pint per gallon of water, at 20 degrees - 1.5 pints, at 10 - 2 pints, etc., at -50 ...- 70-5 pints per gallon. There is winter lubricant. Winter oil for temperatures from +32 degrees to 0. For long-term parking at temperatures below 0, the transmission oil must be drained. When parked for more than 5 hours at the specified temperature, it is recommended to add gasoline or diesel fuel to the engine oil. Batteries clearly require attention (although the engine can also be started with the handle). The main thing is that at subzero temperatures they are charged to normal. A completely discharged battery fails at +5 degrees. With a charged battery, you can normally start the engine with a starter, but their temperature will not be lower than -30 degrees.

17.06.2007, 21:15

Damn guys! You weren't in Kolyma!
Any kid here knows that starting a diesel engine in the cold is much easier than starting a gasoline engine!

19.06.2007, 10:36

Damn guys! You weren't in Kolyma! "No, you'd better come to us" ...
Young man, I don’t know about the guys, but I’m actually interested in technical documentation (manuals for operation) for specific tanks, with specific engines, the results of the corresponding tests (also documented). Of course, you can also read the memoirs of tankers, although I have less confidence in them. Do not be offended, but links to the opinion of the Kolyma boys (the same as to yourself) is a complete zero of information. It may seem to you that the Earth is flat, and Australia does not exist.
By the way, who is interested, in principle, you can chat online with people who are currently restoring tanks and driving the original T-34, "Panthers", "fours". I think it is possible to ask them about the operation and starting of the engine in winter conditions.

20.06.2007, 20:01

21.06.2007, 08:49

But in vain. Any polygon and bench tests document how it should be, and vetran will tell you how it was. I have already explained why. Essentially you want the topic? Ariya Semyon Lvovich, the driver of the T-34 in 1942, did not knock out "tigers" with armor-piercing shells, did not ram "Ferdinands", did not shoot down aircraft from a cannon, did not fly in a 20-meter tower that was torn off by an explosion. But he explains how it really was: “I must say that in winter conditions it was very difficult to start the engine of the tank. less tank, pour diesel fuel into this baking sheet and ignite. An hour and a half later, the tank, which, like us, was covered in soot, began to start. "

21.06.2007, 10:59

Semyon Lvovich, the driver of the T-34 in 1942, expounds quite plausibly.

Russian Atom

21.06.2007, 17:06

But in vain. Any polygon and bench tests document how it should be, and vetran will tell you how it was.
The veteran word must be checked and verified, and the report is already a documented result of technical checks.

30.06.2007, 13:42

On the Panther, heating of the coolant is provided by connecting another operating tank to the cooling system. On the T-64, with a faulty heater, the wound feed tark was adjusted to the stern and he heated the coolant in the radiator with exhaust gases. In Transbaikalia, the mechanical water of training machines was often poured into the cooling system with diesel fuel.

RUSLAN PROKOFIEVICH

17.08.2013, 05:27

17.08.2013, 16:22

Since 1987 I have had a unit for warming up tank engines and coolant. this installation is used to heat company tents in winter. it is new, but there are no instructions for it and I haven’t run it yet. . Carried by two people. Extendable handles like a stretcher. can anyone come across such an installation?
If you can, attach at least a photo. I am not aware of such attitudes. Moreover, the engines of armored vehicles and vehicles, created by orders of the military, are heated by standard pre-heaters installed in the vehicles themselves. And tents that are not included in large sets are heated with ordinary stoves. However, on what fuel does this heater work, what is its power supply?

Something that, but comfort for the crew in the tank is not enough. Tank designers somehow bypass this side, putting forward in the first place the improvement of the performance characteristics of their offspring. Did not attach of great importance improving the working conditions of the tank crew and in the Soviet tank building. It remains to sympathize with the inconveniences of tankers on wartime vehicles: dim lighting, poor ventilation, hard seats, the absence of a rotating floor, which was extremely exhausting for the loader who ran in a circle behind a rotating turret ... electric stove, included in the Lend-Lease "Matilda" package, for heating food for hungry tankers. War ... ..

In post-war tanks, the matter of comfort was also not the best way... It was only with the release of the T-64 that at least some concern for the crew's "comfort" began to appear: comfortable adjustable soft seats with backs, each crew member with an individual fan, decent lighting, and most importantly, they installed a heater for heating in winter conditions. very useful, but it didn’t get rid of the cramped quarters in the fighting compartment.

However, there was an exception in the history of tank building: -

"Vickers Medium" - a comfortable tank

It was so in the past, it is so now, probably, it will be so in the future - on military service it makes no sense to dream of any special conveniences. All sorts of restrictions and deprivations are associated with the army, with which a military man must put up, or he will have to look for another specialty. As for combat vehicles, everyone, in general, understands that in terms of comfort, a Mercedes with a tank is hardly comparable. However, in history military equipment there were also tanks that were much more pleasant to be in than in all others of their kind. One of these cars is English medium tank 20s of the twentieth century "Vickers Medium".

Our service is both dangerous and difficult

The main thing is the convenience of the crew!

Did not take part in battles

Japanese model