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Яusso-Soviэt Forum: Cold War Soviet Armor
For discussions related to cold war era Russo-Soviet armor.
unditching beam
Boggie
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Newfoundland, Canada
Joined: December 08, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 12:01 AM UTC
I have seen unditching beams (other nomenclature?) on armour from WW1 to present but I have no idea how they are used. Does anyone have a description and/or photos of one being used with the more modern (T-62 onward) Soviet armour?
Many thanks
Bill
Removed by original poster on 09/05/09 - 11:19:28 (GMT).
GeraldOwens
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Florida, United States
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 12:33 AM UTC
On World War One British tanks, the unditching beam was a reinforced timber fitted with a pair of chains that could be shackled to the tracks. If the vehicle bogged down, the tracks would pull the beam down under the tank where it could grab the mud and allow the tank to pull itself forward. The tank was fitted with an angle iron skid structure on top that would carry the beam completely over the vehicle, allowing it to make more than one pass through the mud, if necessary.
In more modern vehicles, unditching beams are inserted by hand under the tracks to give the cleats something to grab onto, if the tank is stuck in deep mud.
Boggie
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 12:38 AM UTC
Some BMP's with the beams stowed.
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Many vehicles have them just wanted to know how they used them.
Bill
Boggie
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 12:42 AM UTC
Gerald
Thank you for that explanation, it makes sense. Any photos of this (modern method) in action?
Regards
Bill
Removed by original poster on 09/05/09 - 20:44:12 (GMT).
Luty
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Russia
Joined: August 23, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 09:43 AM UTC
Hi William!

From where this photo is? And is some annotation under image? From what unit that BMP's are?


All the best!

Boggie
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Newfoundland, Canada
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 09:55 AM UTC
Taras
This is all I have, no caption, just the image. I was interested in the unditching beam in the picture, any insights?
Bill
Luty
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Russia
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 10:25 AM UTC







Hope this helps.


Quoted Text

Taras
This is all I have, no caption, just the image. I was interested in the unditching beam in the picture, any insights?
Bill

Boggie
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Newfoundland, Canada
Joined: December 08, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009 - 10:31 AM UTC
Taras
Wow that is great!
Thanks very much for sharing these.
Bill
cheswickthecat
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Washington, United States
Joined: October 13, 2007
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Posted: Monday, September 07, 2009 - 06:51 PM UTC
Taras,
thanks for posting those sketches! a picture is worth a thousand words and that's the best explanation I've seen how the unditching beams are actually used.
Terry
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