Russian Off-Road Party: 4x4s and Tanks
By John Coyle
Editor
After the Soviet Union collapsed, local folks could probably pick up a surplus tank for about the price of a bowl of borsch, so it makes sense that more than a few Russians own them privately. So what do you do with a tank? Well, if you're in the city of Novosibirsk, you take it out and party with a bunch of 4x4s. Good times. Check out this tread on English Russia for a bunch of cool pics!
iskander
May 13, 2008 4:54:12 AM
Here's some misunderstanding of what happened there.
There's a school teacher in the area of Novosibirsk, historical and technical enthusiast, who made these real-size replica-tanks by himself.
And he made the show with the local 4x4 community to popularize history of world war II called "Tanks VS SUV's"
Was rather interesting contest.
retroman
May 7, 2008 10:16:21 AM
It makes tearing down the old shed a little bit easier and more fun. just one of thousands of uses you could think of for an old tank.
Jim
May 6, 2008 10:34:30 PM
Neat find, John! Just a little FYI, the tank pictured here is a T-34 with a 76mm gun. The T-34 was literally the vehicle that saved the USSR during WWII, as it was a technological marvel. Although simple, the T-34 could operate in all conditions due to it's wide tracks and T Walter Christie (an American) designed suspension, not to mention a bulletproof (almost literally) powerplant and drive system. In addition, the sloped hull and turret armor was more than effective in deflecting flat-trajectory shells fired from German smoothbores (smooth-bore heavy weapons) so the T-34 could take almost all but a direct hit from an 88.
As far as civilians buying up old military hardware- I can't corroborate that, but I don't know to the contrary, but I doubt anyone was in a rush to spend what few rubles they had on old Army surplus...but you never know!
GTwildfire
May 6, 2008 6:52:49 PM
Maaan, I'd love to have a tank. Of course it wouldn't go anywhere. They get gallons per mile and the municipality wouldn't like my leaving tread marks on the roads, not to mention they're a little too big for the 9 x 18 foot parking spaces... okay well maybe a tank would be too much.