Jump to content

Soviet Vehicles in US Hands ( Russia )


gwb123
 Share

Recommended Posts

In late 1977, I had graduated college and was enrolled in my Ordnance Officer Basic Course at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD.

 

Even as a kid, I was always fascinated by what was in the back lots of military bases. So imagine my curiosity when I spied a vehicle lot of Soviet and Warsaw Pact armor off to the side of one of the main roads.

 

One weekend I ventured out there and poked around. It was like tank enthusiast Disneyland.

 

What I had stumbled on was the working area for the Military Technical Intelligence unit. I have forgotten the exact designation, but it is a role that is presently filled by the 203rd MI BN since 1982. It was evident that these vehicles were being restored to running condition for exploitation.

 

As this was a mere four years since the 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and their Arab neighbors, I believe most of those vehicles had been obtained from that conflict. That would seem to have been confirmed by the sand colored paint and vehicle markings.

 

In the years afterwards, these and similar vehicles were refurbished and then sent out to major training centers such as Fort Hood. They were used both for familiarization and for Opposing Forces (OPFOR) exercises.

 

I spent a good part of an afternoon doing some unauthorized snooping. I went back a second time along with some of my classmates hoping to get more photos. This time we were detected by duty personnel, who summoned a Chief Warrant Officer away from watching a football game in the comfort of his home on a weekend. Although we satisfied him that we were a group of inoffensive second lieutenants attending the school, he politely advised us to depart the area.

 

The facilities in 1977 were a bit haphazard. When I returned almost 10 years late, a very nice fully paved and covered motor pool had been built for the unit. The vehicles had all been moved behind a gate, and most of them looked like they had been restored to an appearance worthy of a May Day parade in Red Square.

 

(Photo: Arabic markings on a BTR-60 personnel carrier.)

BTR-60 1 a bumper.jpg

ZZ T-54 1 180.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps my favorite vehicle on the lot was this BMP-1. It was probably the most up to date vehicle of the lot.

 

At the time, it was the envy of US and Western forces. The US was using boxy M-113's, with a high profile and limited fighting capability. The BMP just looked sleek and fast, had a turreted weapon, and would also fire a Sagger anti-tank missile. It featured gun ports for it's passengers, allowing them to engage without exiting the vehicle.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMP-1

 

BMP 2 a.jpg

BMP 3 a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a third PT-76. It appears to have been covered with red primer paint. You will notice it is missing its treads and a front drive wheel on the left hand side. This one may have been being used for parts to restore other vehicles.

PT-76 2 a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BTR-60 with camouflage. Again, the lighter color looks like it was applied in haste. Note the markings on the vehicle.

BTR-60 2 a.jpg

BTR-60 2 - 2 a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Inside one of the BTR-60's. The writing in French is why I suspect these vehicles had been used by the Syrian Army. France oversaw the governing of Syria from the end of World War I through to the 1950's. Educated Syrian officers would speak and read French, at least during the 1970's.

 

The instructions appear to refer to the closing of different things for water operations.

BTR-60 inside a.jpg

BTR-60 inside close.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last, but certainly not least is this modified GAZ-69 utility vehicle. This is designated GAZ-69 2P26

 

This example is unique for the Israeli markings that are still on it, as well as the launch racks for Saggar missiles on the back deck. The front cab is protected from back blast by a curved rear wall. The cable reel on the right hand side was probably used for remote launch control a safe distance away from the vehicle.

 

For those not familiar with Israeli tactical markings of the time, the blue bordered white stripe on the roof and continued to the hood, the white angled marking on the side, and the blacked out serial number on the hood are all indicators.

 

Also note what appear to be at least three added mounts for either water or fuel cans on the front bumpers or the side.

 

(And yet another PT-76 appears to be in the background!)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-69

GAZ 69 2.jpg

GAZ 69 1 b.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are a couple of photos from the internet showing the GAZ-69 2P26 in better condition.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Warthunder/comments/7ydohs/gaz69_2p26_atgm_taking_derp_to_next_level/

 

http://makettinfo.hu/forum/image.php?img_id=253899&size=full

 

Apparently this variation of the vehicle is well known to model makers! A number of these showed up in a search of Google Images.

 

The black and white photo appears to be Israeli used vehicles on parade, the color photo is from a museum in Poland.

 

Apparently the vehicle had the uncomplimentary nickname of "baby carriage" due to its resemblance to a pram when the protective cover was fully up.

 

Regardless, this could have proved to be a nasty surprise if the confrontation in Europe had ever come.

GAZ 69 3.jpg

GAZ 69 4.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope everyone who reads this enjoys this short look at the US's efforts to learn the secrets of the armies of the Warsaw Pact and their allies in the 1970's.

 

Such vehicles would have examined for their weapons systems, speed and cruising range. By knowing those, our analysts could calculate the speed of our opponents advance, fuel requirements, maintenance reliability, etc. and gain a more realistic picture of the threat opposing us.

 

If anyone has any similar photos, please feel free to post them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gil, these are some fantastic pictures! I wasn't aware of the 1/35 scale GAZ-69 2P26 kit made by Bronco. Definitely on my wish list from now on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gil,

 

Thanks for the memories there. After the ground war in Desert Storm, there were loads of Soviet vehicles that had been used by the Iraqis to include tanks from T-54 to T-80's as well as numerous personnel carriers. I was very fortunate to have been able to acquire a Soviet made light utility vehicle- their answer to the jeep. I drove it for abou two days before it broke down. I took it to an Egyptian maintenance unit to see if they would repair it for me. They said they would look at it and to come back in a couple of days. When I returned a couple days later, I learned that they had given it to the Syrians as it was the same type of vehicle that they were equipped with. Of course, I never got the vehicle back from them.

 

I was serving as an advisor to the Saudi army at the time. Just before the ground war started, a Syrian army captain stated that if Israel joined the coalition forces, then Syria would immediately change sides and they would ally themselves with Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces. I told the captain that if I saw any of his armor moving back from the lines with their guns facing us, that I would order the tanks to be fired upon by our forces. He told me that I was bluffing. I told him that I hoped that it was his tank that tried me. He turned to my Saudi counterpart and asked him if I was serious. The Saudi captain that I worked with said that if I gave the order to fire, that his men would fire. Needless to say, the Syrian captain didn't like me very much, but when the Syrian tanks moved back from the front for refueling and reloading, they always turned their turrets around to make sure that they didn't come across as hostile.

 

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great story Allan!

 

Supposedly, the saying in that part of the world is "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". It is hard to remember that Syria was part of the anti-Saddam coalition forces.

 

For the very reason your story illustrates, we made sure the Israelis stayed out of the fight. That is why we deployed Patriot missiles to intercept the Scud missiles Saddam was firing at Israel to provoke them. Seems like long ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great thread! I'm surprised they left them sitting out in the winter with hatches open.

I was our unit's 'Threat ID NCO' and studied all these 60s-90s Soviet Bloc vehicles using whatever material the Army had to offer. On the weekends, I'd volunteer at the post museums to get some "up close and personal" familiarization with them. I can tell you I banged my head on stuff inside the turret of a T-62 enough to appreciate Russian padded helmets. During Texas summers, I also appreciated why the Iraqis cut the wool lining out of those helmets. I posted some photos of those Soviet vehicles here: http://www.worldmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/313995-iraqi-tanks-vehicles-and-artillery-soviet-russian/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...