During the 2006 anti-government protests in Budapest, Hungary the protesters needed some heavy support. What did they use?? A T-34/85!! Apparently they were able to get one from a Soviet war memorial.And it was functional!!! I don't know if the armament was but they could operate it. Must have been a shock to the riot police LOL. Here are some pics of it in action, http://www.rambler.ru/news/events/incidents/522596542.html?n=6
They busted the locks from the hatches and put some oil and diesel in it and off they went. I heard they drug an old T-34 out of a lake in Estonia and took it to a shop cleaned it up, put new homemade gaskets on the engine ect new batteries yadda yadda and the thing started right up after almost 60 years in the muck. It was in pristine condition due to the lack of oxygen in the ooze it sunk in. Not unbelievable. Too bad they didn't get rid of that pack of theives there in Hungary though.
Did you know they didn't stop production of the T34-85 until the early 90s? They even thought of upgrading its engine, gun ect and armor and making a light tank out of it.
Better than that Chuikov . Take a trip back to my very first post here, click the link, and check out the 4 videos above the pictures (about halfway down) If you've not seen them they're very much worth a look. One of the most remarkable armour recoveries since the war (that we know of) : http://www.ww2f.com/weapons-wwii/12560-anyone-know-about-t-34-a.html#post152301 Ïîäúåì òàíêà (pulling tank) T-34. Cheers, Adam.
According to Dr. Chris Mann the T34/85-I was produced between 1947 & 1964 in Russian factories, some 12,000 examples were made of this variant. The trouble comes with defining 'T34', the Chinese Type 58 was a T34, some indigenously built and some assembled from Soviet surplus, there were also T34's built in Poland and other Soviet satellite countries under their own designations and production facilities until quite some time after the war. It would take some digging to be entirely sure of the dates and figures though. (Unless perhaps Kai or someone got that lovely looking T34 'Bible'?) It would be safe to say she served into the 90's, (certainly Bosnia), and still may have a role to play in future conflicts.
[It would be safe to say she served into the 90's, (certainly Bosnia), and still may have a role to play in future conflicts.[/quote] I don't dispute that LOL. I would love to see some more info .
The T34 found in Estonia had German markings on it and had been pushed into the lake by the Germans when they withdrew from the Narva area. It is true that when it was pulled out it was in great condition asnd after drying out and cleaning etc they did get the engine going again. Go onto the Espenlaub site Original WW2 German militaria, WW2 Red Army militaria, WW2 Soviet militaria and more... then into the photo gallery there are some photos of the recovery there. Paul
