[Movie] A renovated T-34/85 from Gdańsk

I. Kant · #1 08-17-2012, 05:59 AM

I saw this on the local webportal and thought you all might be interested. These were shot back in January.

They also talk a little about driving this tank during the first movie, divulging a few bits of trivia relating to the tank. Transcript follows the video. Not sure how close to the historical truth they are in their claims about how brutal a strength was required to drive it.

The other video shows how the tank was transported back to Gdańsk, where was its place (it's privately-owned), following the renovation work.

The transport video:
http://trojmiasto.tv/Nocny-transport...T-34-2652.html

The test drive video:
http://trojmiasto.tv/Przejedz-sie-z-nami-T-34-2611.html

Female reporter: "The T-34 tank has been rusting on a driveway in Gdańsk-Oliwa for a few years, until after a thorough renovation it was brought back to shape. See for yourself!"

F: "How do you drive a tank like that?"

Man 1: "Well, you have to have... invest a lot of effort into it, and you have to learn a bit, read some books, see some films — it's not such cakewalk like they show on The four tank-men and a dog"

M1: "First thing: you get in the tank — any tank, actually — and there's the main voltage switch. We switch on the voltage, following that we set it to low revs — about 600-800 rpm, the engine has to warm up, we put it in gear — oh, you gotta really practice that bit."

"The clutch, the brake, the accelerator — all the pedals are basically the same as in a car — apart from the steering wheel. Instead of the steering wheel, we have two steering levers: the right and the left one."

F: "That's the right track and the left track?"

M1: "Yes. Each lever corresponds to one of the tracks."

Man 2: "It's a nasty tank. It requires brutal strength to drive it. Driving it, even on the front, for two hours was a drudgery, and more than two-three hours per day — it was impossible to do."

F: "How much fuel does a T-34 use?"

M1: "Oh, gee... It's hard to say. I always say: what you pour in, it'll burn."

F: "What is the maximum speed it can reach?"

M1: "About 40-45 kph."

M2: "It's a very common model. Uhm, the T-34 was basically in production from 1941 — this variant, the 85, was in production from 1944."

F: "This one did definitely not serve in WWII, but those like it — did."

M2: "Yes, identical models serving with the 'Defenders of Westerplatte' Brigade liberated Gdańsk."

F: "How did it happen that this tank, which normally sits outside the Villa Rekin [Shark] in Gdańsk ended up here, in Żukowo?"

M2: "Well, as you have aptly said, the tank sat, for the last four years, unused, and was slowly reaching a sort of a 'monument' state. The bearings have been replaced, one traction wheel — we can see the old one still there, the clutch plate, a few elements of the suspension. All things have been greased, those things that had seized were all made usable. The tank now fully turns, brakes..."

M1: "It's always been a dream. You'd watch the 'Four tankmen and a dog': just get in a tank, drive around... mixing, well, business with, well, pleasure... finally managed to connect the two."