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[–] 22 points 4 months ago (7 children)

That probably didn't end well.

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  • [–] 15 points 4 months ago (2 children)

    That tank was extremely fast for, you know, a tank, and had a decent suspension, so it was probably fine. Can't say the same for the crew tho lol

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  • [–] 6 points 4 months ago (3 children)

    https://youtu.be/EC64uo6tmAI

    They did tests jumping rivers and lakes as a way of crossing them.

    Memoir of the driver: https://t34inform.ru/publication/p-pers-4.html

    "A jump... Perhaps this is the most difficult of all tank aerobatics exercises. Only the most skilled and fearless driver can perform it. Just imagine: hurling a metal colossus weighing over ten tons down a steep bank into the water, and at a speed of fifty kilometers per hour, at that. But the point is not to hurl it, but to jump—that is, to swiftly fly tens of meters through the air, and then smoothly glide across the water's surface, keeping both yourself and the tank intact." To do this, a rather complex program must be precisely and quickly executed in a matter of seconds. Begin accelerating at maximum speed, shifting gears quickly and at maximum engine speed in each gear. Cover the last 20-30 meters at top speed, raising the tank's nose slightly just before the jump. As the tank lifted off the bank, the engine's load was relieved, the RPMs increased, and the tracks began spinning at breakneck speed. To avoid losing them in the air, the RPMs had to be reduced to minimum. An impact is inevitable—a tank is not a bird, after all!—but this will make it glide. A tanker executing this maneuver has a special approach. Drink almost nothing for 24 hours beforehand. Otherwise, the kidneys won't withstand the hydraulic shock, and blood vessels will burst. At the moment of the jump, drop the levers, bend the body sharply, and be prepared to protect your head with your arms in the event of a strong impact. Then they had to regain control of the controls and maneuver the vehicle onto the shore. Because the banks of Blue Lake were gently sloping, the sappers had to construct an 8-meter embankment with a ramp, simulating a high bank from which the BT-7 tank would jump to overcome the water obstacle. To soften the impact, a 30-meter "mat" of pine needles, approximately 1.5 meters thick, was laid in the area where the tank would likely enter the water. According to calculations, the tank's acceleration path had to be at least 250 meters, which would ensure that the tank reached a speed of 72 km/h upon takeoff, with the calculated jump length being 37 meters. After the BT-7 tank, driven by E.A. Kulchitsky successfully crossed the Blue Lake. It was determined that the actual jump length was 5 meters longer than predicted, reaching 42 meters—a record unbroken to this day by any tank crew."

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  • [–] 1 point 4 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago* (1 child)

    Apparently only the driver is in there, at least for the jump. The ramp was built by a corps of engineers (see the video). It's a test for ways to cross rivers - all the crew would get out and I guess cross on a rowboat or dinghy, and the driver would jump the tank across and then they'd join up on the other side

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  • [–] 16 points 4 months ago (4 children)

    The bang when it landed must have been legendary

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  • [–] 12 points 4 months ago

    Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee

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  • [–] 11 points 4 months ago

    "They're trying to fly that tank"

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  • [–] 9 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads!

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  • [–] 6 points 4 months ago

    Anything is a plane if you can land it!

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  • [–] 5 points 4 months ago

    Doo doo doo dee doo SAIL

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  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago

    A part of the cold war that has been hidden from the public!

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