The Russians used a small, closed car with skis and a propeller in the back for traveling through snow during the war. The Germans captured some for their own use.
Contrary to what Dark Roasted Blend writes, this one was captured by Finns, not by Nazis. See the Swastika upright rather than at 45°.The Aerosani (known in the West as aero-sleds), though some types had no cabs. Below, via Dark Roasted Blend is an example of a captured aero-sled, not sure of the model:
The armament of the aerosan was more impressive than that of the tank. Instead of a 12.7 mm DShK machinegun, the project used the 23 mm MP-6 (PT-23TB) autocannon designed by OKB-16 with a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machinegun. The crew also had personal weapons: 20 grenades and a PPD submachinegun. The submachinegun could be fired from five ports in the hull and turret.
Even though OKB-16 chief, Taubin, insisted that the MP-6 was in mass production, there was only one such gun. According to GABTU's plans, the MP-6 would be installed and tested in the T-40 tank in January of 1941, and the gun was already installed in the tank. Days before the trials were scheduled to start, the gun was removed and moved to the aerosan.
The verdict of the acceptance commission seems interesting:
In other words, the gun was only good as a dummy weight, and gunnery trials could not be performed. This failure was directly connected with repressions of the OKB-16 management.
- The weight of the experimental prototype is 5360 kg, instead of the 4700 kg approved by the Model Commission.
- A used up MP-6 gun sent by OKB-16 is installed instead of a combat ready specimen.
- The TMFP optical sight is missing (the People's Commissariat of Armament never sent one).
- 36 magazines of ammunition are missing from the full ammunition loadout.
I had forgotten about that thread on Axis History Forum. Thanks for reminding me. That is where I first found out about the Finnish Tervasmaa aerosani.Might the following be of interest?
The Russians used a small, closed car with skis and a propeller in the back for traveling through snow during the war. The Germans captured some for their own use.
The Aerosani (known in the West as aero-sleds), though some types had no cabs. Below, via Dark Roasted Blend is an example of a captured aero-sled, not sure of the model:
The Germans were quite impressed by the aero-sleds they encountered, and attempted to reverse engineer or otherwise build their own versions, for example, the Tatra V 855 (only two prototypes, built in 1942).
(TatraWorld via Dark Roasted Blend)
Talk about wind in your hair...Russian "aerosani", builted in 1910, Coanda engine:
Weirdly enough, I can see an aerosani being of actual use in the deserts of Africa or Arabia... Better that than say, an ornithopter haha. I just saw Dune part 2, so the thought immediately popped into my head after seeing this.A French experimental military vehicleView attachment 722849
La voiture saharienne "La Sauterelle" par Lafargue-Dewoitine en 1913A French experimental military vehicle