AWESOME PIECE OF HISTORY--NOT A BUS...

[brojcol]

http://www.strategypage.com/military_photos/military_photos_20061115163335.aspx
This is  GREAT...  Check out this story.

[Dallas]

Jimmy,

Yes it is, the Russian T-34 was one heck of a tank. Interesting that the upper hatch was open as well asthe forward gunners hatch. Must have been the Abwehrs version of scuttling.

Until our M-60 came along, the T-34 was the premier tank in the world. It could and would take the pounding from Tiger and still keep going, as long as it wasn't hit in a few vital spots.

As of 1996 there were still T-34's in use in 20+ countries. It was superseded by the T-54/55. Too bad, it was a great opponent to anything the free world could muster against it.

Small, fast and well armed... It's 85MM rifled barrel was perfect for hit and run against larger, better armed tactical vehicles.


Geez, I gotta get a life.

Dallas

[Nusa]

The T34/85 tank didn't come out until 1944. This is the 1943 T34, still with a 72.6mm gun. But the hexagonal 3-man turret with commanders cupola was quite an upgrade over the 1942 model where the commander had to double as the gunner.

Here's more info about that particular tank, including videos of the salvage and some of the cleaning. I found the one of them turning over the original V12 diesel particularly interesting. Apparently they got it running without having to replace a thing. The text is in less-than-perfect English, but it's understandable.

http://www.diving.ee/articles/art035.html

There's also a link well down the page, right before the still pictures, to a video of the engine running.

[HB of CJ]

A Russian-German RUSSIAN T-34!  Very cool indeed.  Can you imagine restoring that monster, then going out cruising for chicks and cheeseburgers?  Plus you could easily run OVER anyone!  What kind of RV bus conversion would it make?  He he he.