To supply fresh air to crew members and provide the engine with oxygen, as well as remove powder gases from fighting compartment The Tiger tank was equipped with a ventilation system. It consisted of air intakes, air ducts and two fans: centrifugal and axial.

To ventilate the turret, an axial electric fan was installed on its roof above the breech. It extracted air and smoke generated when firing a cannon at a speed of 12 m 3 /min. On the outside, the exhaust channel was protected by an external armored disk.

The second centrifugal fan was located on the partition separating the engine compartment from the fighting compartment and was driven by a driveshaft. This fan created a slight vacuum in the machine body and thereby provided an influx of fresh air inside the tank.

The air inlet into the fighting compartment was organized in the front part of the turret box. The air intake was located on the hull deck under the gun barrel. Through it, air was distributed through an air duct similar to pants throughout the internal volume of the car. Part of the air was sucked into the casing covering the gearbox and then through an air duct located on the bottom it entered the centrifugal fan.

Two more air intakes were located on the engine compartment lid. Through them, the air necessary for engine operation entered the engine compartment. Some of this air was also sucked into the centrifugal fan through an air duct located on the bottom.

If it was necessary to clean the air from dust and sand, Feifel filters were connected to the two rear air intakes, which were located on the rear armor plate of the turret box.

The exhaust air at the outlet of the fan was fed into sealed casings that covered the exhaust manifolds, thereby cooling them. Next, the hot air entered the connecting line located on the rear wall of the engine compartment. Air was sucked out of the main line and released into the atmosphere by fans of the cooling system. In addition, the cooling system fans drew air through openings with throttle valves, which were located on the side walls of the engine compartment.

In winter, at low temperatures, the volume of air cooling the gearbox and exhaust manifolds was reduced by installing plugs on the outlet pipes of the centrifugal fan.

In ground travel mode, air circulated in the tank as shown in the diagram below.

Concerned about the Tiger's weight, the German authorities included in the tank's design the ability to cross deep fords. Instead of looking for bridges with sufficient load capacity to support the weight of the vehicle, the Tiger had to cross rivers and water obstacles depth up to 4.5 m along the bottom using a snorkel.

This requirement led to a number of special conditions for the Tiger, which caused a large amount of additional work during the production of the tank. It's worth noting that there is no evidence that this feature was ever used on the hike. The realization that this was an unnecessary feature led to the cessation of production of the dive elements in August 1943. Instead, the authorities demanded that the Tiger be able to ford up to 1.5 m deep.

To cross a deep ford, the crew made a number of preparations - a list of 14 actions.

If any of these steps were missed, it could result in the car flooding. As a checklist, a plate attached to the wall of the turret was used, with a list of all necessary actions, and a similar number of inscriptions painted on the corresponding parts of the tank. The procedures specified that all hatches and openings should have rubber seals or plugs, there should be an inflatable rubber tube on the turret ring to stop any ingress of water, and a telescopic pipe erected on the engine compartment plate to supply air to the crew and to the engine.

The snorkel was made of four parts that were telescopically inserted into each other. When not in use, it was placed inside the engine compartment, in a vertical position against the rear wall. The photo below shows an air purification system and a partially erected telescopic pipe.

When overcoming a water obstacle, air entered the fighting compartment through a snorkel connected to an air duct under the floor of the tower. Distributing the air throughout the volume of the tank, it was partially sucked into the gearbox casing and passed through the air duct into the fan. In this case, the spool (valve) under the fan was moved back to the engine and thereby blocked the fan’s air intake from the engine compartment. After the fan, the air passed through the exhaust manifold casings into the connecting line and was discharged from it through a special pipe with an open throttle valve into the engine compartment.

The throttle valves in the pipes between the connecting line and the cooling fans, as well as the valves between the engine compartment and the cooling fans, were closed during the dive. The flaps were controlled by a lever located on the partition separating the engine compartment from the fighting compartment.

During the dive, the cooling system fan drives were turned off and river or lake water flooded the radiator, ensuring its cooling. A bilge pump installed under the tower floor pumped out any water that leaked through the leaks. The pump could remove 250 liters of water per minute from the car, through a pipe with right side from one of the fuel tanks. The pipe was fitted with a spring valve to stop any flow of water back into the tank. The pump needed antifreeze to prevent it from freezing in subzero temperatures.

At the end of the war, at the German Haustenbeck training ground, the Tiger was tested by a British team interested in obtaining any useful information about the possibility of immersing the tank in water.

For a deep-sea experiment in a special tank at the test site, the snorkel was mounted on the commander's cupola, rather than in its usual position at the rear of the engine cover.

Tiger in the water - diving and crossing a ford.

There is not enough comfort for the crew in the tank. Tank designers somehow bypass this, focusing first on improving the performance characteristics of their creations. Didn't attach of great importance improving working conditions for the tank crew and in Soviet tank building. It remains to sympathize with the inconveniences of tankers in wartime vehicles: dim lighting, poor ventilation, hard seats, lack of a rotating floor, which was extremely exhausting for the loader running in circles behind the rotating turret... and much more that was necessary to relieve the fatigue of tankers. But then there was no time electric stoves, which were included in the Lend-Lease Matildas, for heating food for hungry tank crews. War…..

In post-war tanks, the matter of comfort was also not the case. in the best possible way. Only with the release of the T-64 did at least some concern for crew “comfort” begin to be visible: comfortable adjustable soft seats with backs, each crew member had an individual fan, decent lighting, and most importantly, they installed a heater for heating in winter conditions, a thing very useful. But this did not relieve the cramped conditions in the fighting compartment.

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

"Vickers Medium" - a comfortable tank

It was so in the past, it is so now, it will probably continue to be so - on military service There is no point in dreaming about any special amenities. The army is associated with various kinds of restrictions and deprivations that a military person must put up with, or he will have to look for another specialty. As for combat vehicles, everyone, in general, understands that in terms of comfort, a Mercedes is hardly comparable to a tank. However, in the history of military equipment there have also been tanks that were much more pleasant to be in than all the 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 comfort of the crew!

Did not take part in battles

Japanese model

This tank is the most recognizable symbol of the Great Patriotic War. The best tank in its class during World War II. One of the most mass tanks in the world. The vehicle that forms the basis of the armor that has passed through all of Europe tank armies THE USSR.

What kind of people led the "thirty-four" into battle? How and where were you taught? What did the battle look like “from the inside” and what was the everyday life of Soviet tank crews like at the front?

Tank crew training...

Before the war, a career tank commander trained for two years. He studied all types of tanks that were in the Red Army. He was taught to drive a tank, shoot from its cannon and machine guns, and was given knowledge of tactics tank battle. A general specialist came out of the school. He was not only the commander of a combat vehicle, but also knew how to perform the duties of any crew member.

In the thirties, the military enjoyed enormous popularity in the USSR. Firstly, the Red Army, its soldiers and officers, symbolized the power of the relatively young Soviet state, which in just a few years had transformed from a war-ravaged, impoverished, agrarian country into an industrial power capable of standing up for itself. Secondly, officers were one of the wealthiest segments of the population.

For example, an instructor at an aviation school, except full content(uniforms, lunches in the canteen, transport, hostel or money for rent) received a very high salary - about 700 rubles (a bottle of vodka cost about two rubles). In addition, service in the army gave people from peasant backgrounds a chance to improve their education and master a new, prestigious specialty.

Alexander Burtsev, a tank commander, says: “I remember that after three years of service they returned from the army as different people. The village idiot left, and a literate, cultured man returned, well dressed, in a tunic, trousers, boots, physically stronger. He could work with equipment and lead. When a serviceman came from the army, as they were called, the whole village gathered. The family was proud that he served in the army, that he became such a person.”

Coming new war– the war of engines – also created new propaganda images. If in the twenties every boy dreamed of checkers and cavalry attacks, then by the end of the thirties this romantic image was forever supplanted by fighter pilots and tank crews. Piloting a fighter plane or shooting an enemy from a tank cannon – this is what thousands of Soviet boys now dreamed of. “Guys, let’s go tank crew! It's an honor! You go, the whole country is under you! And you are on an iron horse!” – phrases describing the mood of those years, recalls the platoon commander, Lieutenant Nikolai Yakovlevich Zheleznov.

...and during the war

However, during the heavy defeats of 1941, the Red Army lost almost all the tanks it had in western districts. Most of the regular tank crews also died. The acute shortage of tank crews became obvious already in the summer of 1942, when the industry evacuated to the Urals began producing tanks in the same volumes.

The country's leadership, realizing that tankers would play a decisive role in the 1943 campaign, ordered the fronts to send at least 5,000 of the best privates and sergeants with at least seven classes of education to tank schools every month. Every month, 8,000 of the best soldiers with at least three classes of education were recalled from the front to the training tank regiments, where rank and file personnel were trained - gunners-radio operators, driver-mechanics and loaders. In addition to front-line soldiers, yesterday’s high school graduates, tractor drivers and combine operators sat on the school bench.

The course of study was shortened to six months, and the program was cut to the minimum. But I still had to study 12 hours a day. We mainly studied the material parts of the T-34 tank - chassis, transmission, cannon and machine guns, radio station.

All this, as well as the ability to repair a tank, was learned both in classes and in practical exercises. But there was a catastrophic lack of time. Platoon commander Vasily Bryukhov recalls: “After graduating from college, I fired three shells and a machine-gun disk. Is this preparation? They taught us a little driving on the BT-5. They taught us the basics - to get moving, to drive in a straight line. There were classes in tactics, but mostly “on foot like a tank.” And only at the end there was a show of “tank platoon on the offensive.” All! Our preparation was very poor. When we were released, the head of the school said: “Well, sons, we understand that you quickly skipped through the program. You don’t have any solid knowledge, but you’ll learn in battle.”

From school to the front

Freshly promoted lieutenants were sent to tank factories in Gorky, Nizhny Tagil, Chelyabinsk and Omsk. A battalion of T-34 tanks rolled off the assembly lines of each of these factories every day. The young commander filled out the tank acceptance form. After this, he received a penknife, a silk scarf for filtering fuel, a revolver and a tank watch the size of a fist, which was installed on the dashboard. However, tankers often carried them with them. Not everyone had a wristwatch or pocket watch at that time.
Ordinary crew members were trained in three-month courses in reserve tank regiments located at factories. The commander quickly got acquainted with the crew and made a fifty-kilometer march, which ended with live firing.

After this, the tanks were loaded onto platforms, and the train rushed them west - towards their fate.

Inside the T-34

The legendary medium tank, which entered service in 1940, was in many ways a revolutionary design. But, like any transitional model, it combined novelties and forced decisions. The first tanks had an outdated gearbox. The noise in the tank was incredible, and the tank intercom worked disgustingly. Therefore, the tank commander simply put his feet on the driver’s shoulders and controlled him using predetermined signals.

The T-34 turret was only for two. Therefore, the tank commander performed the duties of both commander and gunner. By the way, the commander and the loader were somehow able to talk, but most often their communication also took place through gestures. The commander put his fist under the loader’s nose, and he already knows that he needs to load with armor-piercing, and his outstretched palm with fragmentation.

Gunner-radio operator Pyotr Kirichenko recalls: “Shifting gears required huge efforts. The driver moves the lever to the desired position and begins to pull it, and I pick it up and pull it along with him. The transmission will shake for a while and only then turn on. The entire tank march consisted of such exercises. During the long march, the driver lost two or three kilograms in weight: he was all exhausted. In addition, since his hands were busy, I took the paper, poured samosad or shag into it, sealed it, lit it and inserted it into his mouth. This was also my responsibility."

Battle on the T-34 (reconstruction)

There are a few minutes left before the attack begins. The commander’s hands begin to shake, his teeth chatter: “How will the battle turn out? What's behind the hill? What strength do the Germans have? Will I live until evening? The radio operator gunner is nervously gnawing on a piece of sugar - he always craves food before an attack. The loader smokes, inhaling deeply. The cigarette in his hand is shaking. But the signal to attack sounds in the headphones of the commander’s tank helmet. The commander switches to the intercom, but the noise is so loud that nothing can be heard. Therefore, he simply lightly hits the driver, who is sitting directly below him, with his boot on the head - this is the conditioned signal “Forward!” The car, its engine roaring and its tracks clanking, starts moving. The commander looks through the periscope - the entire battalion has moved to attack.

The fear is gone. All that was left was cold calculation.

A mechanic drives a car at a speed of 25-30 kilometers - in a zigzag, changing direction every 50 meters. The life of the crew depends on his experience. It is the mechanic who must correctly assess the terrain, find cover, and not expose the side to enemy guns. The radio operator set up the radio for reception. He has a machine gun, but he can only aim through a hole with a diameter of forefinger, in which the earth and sky flash alternately - such shooting will only scare the Krauts, there is little real sense from it. The loader in the panorama observes the right sector. His task is not only to throw shells into the breech, but also to indicate to the commander the targets on the right along the tank’s course of movement.

The commander looks forward and to the left, looking for targets. The right shoulder rested against the breech of the gun, the left against the armor of the turret. Closely. The hands are folded crosswise: the left one is on the gun lifting mechanism, the right one is on the turret rotation handle. So he caught an enemy tank in the panorama. He kicked the driver in the back - “Stop!” and just in case, he shouted into the intercom: “Short!” To the loader: “Armour-piercing!”
The driver selects a flat area of ​​terrain, stops the car, and shouts: “Path!” The loader delivers the projectile. Trying to shout out the roar of the engine and the clang of the shutter, he reports: “Armor-piercing is ready!”
The tank, having stopped abruptly, sways for some time. Now everything depends on the commander, on his skills and simply on luck. A stationary tank is a tasty target for the enemy! My back was wet from tension. The right hand rotates the rotating mechanism of the turret, aligning the aiming mark with the target in the direction. Left hand turns the gun lifting mechanism, matching the range mark.

"Shot!" – the commander shouts and presses the gun release pedal. His voice is drowned in the roar of the shot and the clang of the shutter. The fighting compartment is filled with powder gases that corrode the eyes. The fan installed in the turret does not have time to blow them out of the tank. The loader grabs the hot, smoking cartridge and throws it out through the hatch. Without waiting for a command, the mechanic takes the car off the road.

The enemy manages to fire back. But the shell only ricochets, leaving a groove on the armor, like a hot spoon in oil. The impact on the tank makes my ears ring. The scale flying off the armor sticks into your face and grits your teeth. But the battle continues!

T-34 against the "Tigers"

The T-34 was superior to German medium tanks in all respects. It was a maneuverable and fast medium tank, equipped with a long-barreled 76 mm cannon and a diesel engine. A special source of pride for the tankers was distinguishing feature"Thirty-four" - inclined armor. The effectiveness of inclined armor was also confirmed by combat practice. Most German anti-tank and tank guns of 1941-42 did not penetrate frontal armor T-34 tank. By 1943, the T-34 had become the main combat vehicle of the Soviet tank armies, replacing the obsolete T-26 and BT.

However, by 1943 the Germans created and modernized the old medium-sized T-IV tanks and began production of heavy tanks T-V "Panther" and T-VI "Tiger". The long-barreled guns of 75 and 88 mm caliber installed on the new vehicles could hit the T-34 at a distance of 1.5-2 thousand meters, while the 76 mm gun of our medium tank could hit the Tiger only from 500 m, and the Panther from 800 meters. Using the T-34's advantage in maneuverability and tactical tricks, our tankers often emerged victorious in battles with a technically superior enemy. But it also happened the other way around...

If the tank is hit...

It’s good that if a shell hit the engine compartment, the tank simply stalled and the crew had time to jump out. If the shell pierced the armor of the turret or the side of the fighting compartment, then the armor fragments most often wounded one of the crew members. The spilled fuel flared up - and the tankers had all their hope only in themselves, in their reaction, strength, dexterity, because everyone had only two or three seconds left to escape.

It was even worse for those whose tank was simply immobilized, but not on fire. Ion Degen, a tanker, says: “In battle, there was no need for the commander’s order to leave the burning tank, especially since the commander could have already been killed. They jumped out of the tank intuitively. But, for example, you couldn’t leave the tank if your track was broken. The crew was obliged to fire from the spot until they were hit.”

And it also happened that a tank driver was prevented from leaving a burning car by some small thing, sometimes even by uncomfortable clothes. Tanker Konstantin Shits recalls: “Our commander of one of the companies was Senior Lieutenant Sirik, such a prominent man. Once they captured rich trophies at the station, and he began to wear a good, long Romanian coat, but when they were hit, the crew managed to jump out, and because of this coat he hesitated and burned..."

But when they were lucky, the tankers jumped out of the burning tank, crawled into the craters and immediately tried to move to the rear.
Having survived the battle, the “horseless” tankers entered the battalion reserve. But I couldn’t rest for long. Repairmen quickly restored the unburned tanks. In addition, factories constantly replenished parts new technology. So literally two or three days later the tanker was included in a new, unfamiliar crew and they went into battle again on a new tank.

It's always harder for commanders

It was even harder for company and battalion commanders. They fought until the last tank of their formation. This means that commanders transferred from one damaged vehicle to a new one several times during one operation, or even one day.

Tank brigades“reduced to zero” in two or three weeks of offensive battles. After that, they were taken away for reorganization. There, the tankers first of all put the remaining equipment in order and only then themselves. The crew, regardless of rank, refueled the vehicle, loaded it with ammunition, cleaned the gun and aligned the sight, and checked the equipment and mechanisms of the tank.

The loader cleaned the shells of grease - washed them in diesel fuel, and then wiped them dry with a rag. The driver adjusted the tank's mechanisms and poured fuel, oil and water into buckets. The gunner-radio operator and the commander helped them - dirty work no one disdained. The fate of the tank depended on the crew, but the life of the crew was also directly related to the condition and combat effectiveness of the tank.

We have prepared the car for the upcoming battle or march - now you can wash, shave, eat and, most importantly, sleep. After all, the tank was not only a fighting vehicle for the crew, but often also a home.

Life of tankers

A tank tarpaulin measuring 10 by 10 meters was tied to the tank turret. The crew covered the tank with it on the way to the front. Simple food was laid out on it. The same tarpaulin served as a roof over the tank crews’ heads when it was not possible to stay overnight in houses.

In winter conditions the tank froze and became a real “refrigerator”. Then the crew dug a trench and drove a tank on top of it. A “tank stove” was suspended under the bottom of the tank, which was heated with wood. It was not very comfortable in such a dugout, but it was much warmer than in the tank itself or on the street.

The habitability and comfort of the “thirty-fours” themselves were at the minimum required level. The seats of the tankers were made rigid and, unlike American tanks, they had no armrests. However, tankers sometimes had to sleep right in the tank - half-sitting. Senior Sergeant Pyotr Kirichenko, gunner-radio operator of the T-34, recalls:
“Although I was long and thin, I still learned to sleep in my seat. I even liked it: you recline your back, lower your boots so that your feet don’t freeze on the armor, and sleep. And after the march it’s good to sleep on a warm transmission, covered with a tarpaulin.”

The tankers lived like Spartans under duress. During the offensive, they did not even have the opportunity to wash or change clothes. Tank driver Grigory Shishkin says:
“Sometimes you don’t wash for a whole month. But sometimes it’s normal to wash once every 10 days. They did the bathhouse like this. They built a hut in the forest and covered it with spruce branches. There is also spruce branches on the floor. Several crews gathered. One drowns, another chops wood, the third carries water.”

During periods of intense fighting, even food was often delivered to tankers only at the end of the day - breakfast, lunch, and dinner at once. But at the same time, the tankers were supplied with dry rations. In addition, the crew never neglected the opportunity to carry food supplies in the tank. During the offensive, this supply became practically the only source of food, which was replenished from trophies or thanks to the help of civilians. “Tank crews have always had good supplies. And, of course, food trophies were an additional ration for us... And tank NZ was always eaten before the battles - what if we burn out, so why should the goodness disappear? – says tanker Mikhail Shister.

In the evening after the battle, you could drink “People’s Commissar’s hundred grams.” But before a battle, a good commander always prohibited alcohol for his crew. Crew commander Grigory Shishkin about this feature of the tankers: “The main thing is that everyone around them drinks. The sappers begin: “Hey, you black-bellied ones, what aren’t they giving you?!” At first the guys were offended, but then they realized that I was trying for them. After the fight, drink as much as you want, but before the fight, under no circumstances! Because every minute, every second counts. If you made a mistake, you’ll die!”

We rested, lost the fatigue of past battles - and now, the tankers are ready for new battles with the enemy! And how many more of these fights were ahead on the way to Berlin...

Oblivion and rust are definitely not scary for the steel giants that stand in the “Third Military Field of Russia” museum. Especially the crowd favorite - legendary tank T-34. As evidenced by the press, today the first most recognizable symbol of the Prokhorovsky battle in 1943 has acquired a new specialty - becoming the most widespread monument to military valor in the country.

“There are no more than a couple of hundred of them all over the world,” says a museum researcher Alexey Litvyakov. - Yes, and those that remain are often collected from different parts. You can verify this personally by examining it from the inside.”

I admit that I was unable to ride the fighting “rhino” gracefully. Military equipment is not designed for girls in heels to crawl on. To join the Soviet era, I had to literally lie under a tank. And then - pull yourself up in order to get inside through the emergency, also known as landing, hatch located in the bottom of the combat vehicle. During the war, this trick saved the crew’s lives more than once.

The feeling of having a 30-ton colossus hanging over you is not a pleasant one. The words of the fighting grandfather came to mind:

“Tank armor protects well from bullets and shrapnel, but if a well-aimed projectile hits it, 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 ... "

It was terribly cramped inside the huge car. I wonder if modern tankers have it easier than our grandfathers in the thirty-four?

“No way,” a contract worker I know assures me. Evgeniy Polyusnov. – If a fighter could stand in the 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 while on the move: complex modern technology can’t be repaired in field conditions.”

Then the life of the crew depended on the skill of its four members: the commander, loader, driver and gunner-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.

Despite warm atmosphere in the museum hall, inside the steel giant it is quite cool. According to the recollections of tankers, in winter the T-34 turned into a real refrigerator. To avoid freezing, the soldiers had to wear a lot of clothing. I didn’t find any heating elements in the Soviet tank: only bare, cold metal. The hardest thing at that time was for the driver, who took in the freezing air with his chest - the hatch often had to be opened to the width of the palm for a better view.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

Squatting "Booth"

It would be wrong to visit Prokhorovka and not experience the power of a tracked combat vehicle. That’s why we went to the tankodrome, next to which a museum of armored vehicles will open in November.

“The Prokhorovsky training ground covers an area of ​​4 hectares,” says Alexey Litvyakov in passing. – Similar open areas for demonstrating the capabilities of armored vehicles exist only in England and the Czech Republic. We will not be able to demonstrate the tank in action - these units are in well-deserved retirement. But we can test the BMD-2.”

The main purpose of the second generation airborne combat vehicle is to fight enemy armored vehicles and enemy infantry. In professional military circles she received the nickname "Booth". Unlike many of its tracked counterparts, “Budka” can not only drive and shoot, but also... crouch. In the language of motorists, change the ground clearance - the clearance between the ground and the bottom of the car.

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

The design of this armored vehicle is unique. In the front part of the body is the driver-mechanic seat. He was entrusted to a professional, a specialist in military archeology Alexandru Tabrenco. To his left, at the gunner’s position, was our guide Alexey. Well, on the right is the commander’s place of honor, which was gallantly given to the author of these lines. To complete the experience, 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 that is up to 15 mm thick in some places. A 30-mm cannon rises menacingly above all this splendor. The “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 awaited by water obstacles, installations of a destroyed city, an earthen embankment and a bridge.

They put a headset on my head. These were worn by tank crews during the war, and have remained virtually unchanged since then. The sounds of the surrounding world suddenly died down. 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, the helmet has a built-in intercom.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

Iron logic

Meanwhile, our “taxi” appeared from the garage. The ground beneath my feet began to tremble (or are my legs trembling from fear?) from the vibration of the combat vehicle’s engine. Alexander accelerates the "Boodka" to maximum speed– 60 km per hour. Just the sight of a rushing ten-ton colossus makes you tremble. The steel “horse” jumps over a concrete bridge in flight 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’m interested.

The parade usually includes modern tanks. “They have a special rubber band on their tracks that protects the road surface,” Alexey retorts.

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

Even on flat surface we are shaking terribly. Alexey is trying to explain something, but the audibility is zero. Now it’s clear why the T-34 crew members communicated with each other using gestures while moving. The commander put his fist under the loader’s nose, and he already knows what will be used armor-piercing projectile, outstretched palm - fragmentation.

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

A couple more maneuvers and our voyage is over. "Attraction" on military equipment- not a cheap pleasure: combat vehicles very gluttonous. The same thirty-four had a tank capacity of 480 liters, which was enough for 455 km. Needless to say, no money was spared on the defense industry in the Soviet Union.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

Growth is not the main thing

The editor-in-chief of the regional newspaper “Istoki” meets us at the Belfry. Vladimir Chursin- a well-known personality in Prokhorovka. He talks about the tank brotherhood of the region - public organization, which united two hundred veterans and employees tank troops. Seven years ago they appointed it as its chairman. Vasily Kobzev. Since then, the fighting traditions of the steel cavalry of our day have helped to educate young Prokhorovites as true patriots.

“On a land where patriotism is not just words, this is easier to do. Recently, for example, we opened a museum of soldiers’ porridge,” Vladimir Mikhailovich says enthusiastically. – Would you like me to introduce you to its owner? 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 hired as tank crews. “In a tank you need small, but strong,” the tank crews themselves joke. Otherwise, you won’t be able to 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 cramped space of the T-72 he went through the thick of the Chechen war.

“Tankmen’s stature may be a bit short, but their moral values ​​are high,” Sergei, a former foreman, greeted us jokingly tank company, which fought in Grozny in 1999–2001.

Photo by Yuri Korenko

A man in armor is invincible

From a yellowed photograph, secretly smuggled out of Chechnya in the collar of a pea coat, a thin guy sitting in the place of the gunner operator looks at us.

“This is the first year of service,” explains Sergei. – The photo was taken in the T-72 tank. We used it to go secret at night, controlling the road from Tolstoy-Yurt to Khankala.”

Chursin’s pride is a photograph on which he is presented with the medal “For Military Valor” by the legendary general Gennady Troshev- one of the most respected and beloved Russian commanders by his subordinates.

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

When the war ended, Gennady Troshev died in a civil plane crash. On Tanker Day. Sergei returned home as a combat veteran, firmly believing in the strength and power of dynamic armor and the people who conquered it.

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

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

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

Anna Morozova

Features of tank operation 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 the crankshaft is difficult to turn when starting. The lubricant also thickens in transmission units. Fuel solidifies in tanks, fuel lines, fuel filters and other parts of the fuel system, which makes it difficult to supply it to the engine injectors and spray it. The conditions for ignition of fuel in the engine cylinders worsen due to the suction of cold air and large heat transfer to the cylinder walls during air compression. Water in the cooling system, especially in the water pump, lower hoses and lower radiator manifolds, can freeze if the crew is not careful, which leads to defrosting of the engine and radiators. Operating conditions for batteries also worsen 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 operation in winter.

Preparing a tank for use in winter is as follows.

The crew carries out maintenance of the tank in the scope of the second technical inspection, while all mechanisms are adjusted and detected faults are eliminated.

By order of the senior commander, before the onset of frost, summer grades of fuel, oils and lubricants in the tank units and systems are replaced with winter grades, and the water in the cooling system is replaced with low-freezing liquid - antifreeze. The electrolyte density in batteries is set to be the same for winter and summer: in the southern regions - 1.25, in the central - 1.28, in the northern - 1.29, and in areas with sharply continental climate in winter it 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 5-6 liters less than water. If the level of filled 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 ensure that gasoline, kerosene or oil do not get into the system, since even a slight admixture of these products causes a strong increase in the price of antifreeze and its ejection from the system.

If a tank sits for a long time in a cold room or in an open area in winter, then, on the orders of the senior commander, the antifreeze and oil from the systems must be drained, the batteries removed and stored in heated rooms. If the cooling system is filled with water, then when draining it, the crew must ensure that all water leaves the system. To do this, during draining, you need to open the filler plug and clean the drain hole several times. After finishing draining, be sure 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 container. After all water has been removed from the system, the drain valve should be left open.

In a combat situation, the oil and coolant are not drained from the systems, and the tank is heated with a tank heater or a tank stove, while the blinds are closed, and the tank is tightly covered with mats and tarpaulins.

Starting the engine in winter. The most important operation when preparing a tank for movement in winter is starting and warming up the engine. Improper engine starting leads to melting of the crankshaft bearings. Before starting the engine, it is preheated. The easiest way to warm up the engine is to fill the cooling system with hot water or hot antifreeze, and the lubrication system with hot oil. 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 valve open; The tap must be closed when it starts to flow. warm water. If necessary hot water it is necessary to pour through the cooling system two or even three times. In some cases, starting motors are used for starting. This is a carburetor internal combustion engine, which, by spinning the crankshaft, starts the engine.

Some tanks also use a method of warming up the engine by pouring 45 liters of oil heated to 80-90° C into the crankcase through the breather. The hot oil that is missing to fully refuel is poured into the oil tanks. At the same time, hot water is poured into the cooling system.

After filling the tank with hot water and hot oil, you need to wait 10-20 minutes so that the heat from the liquid is transferred to the metal of the engine, then pump the oil in the system with a manual oil pump; Turn the crankshaft 2-3 turns with a special tool and pump the oil in the system again. After this, you can start the engine with the 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 subsequent activations of the electric starter must be done after a 10-15 second break. With frequent and prolonged switching on, the battery voltage decreases, which in most cases leads to sintering of the starting relay contacts and “spreading” of the starter armature. After starting the engine, you must quickly release the starter button.

In addition to the above warm-up methods, there are other ways and means to make it easier to start 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 the open sash - blinds using a special bracket so that the burner flame is directed into the hole on the heater protective casing. You need to warm up the heater with a blowtorch for 20-30 minutes. On some heavy tanks injected into the air filter heads diesel fuel, which is ignited by a spark from a special spark plug. When the engine starts, the flame heats the air sucked into the engine cylinders.

Tank heating means also include tank stoves.

Warming up the engine by periodic starts is prohibited.