Another Lend-Lease. "Studebaker" named "Laska"

Probably not in Russia a person who would not have heard about the company "Studebaker". Any talk about the supply of Lend-Lease always comes to the topic of trucks of this company. These cars have played such an important role in the victory over Germany, that, probably, at the genetic level, among Russians, and indeed, among Soviet people, the mention of these trucks causes admiration and a sense of gratitude.

“Why, Gleb Yegorych,“ Do not lag behind, ”the engine at the“ Studera ”is tripled,” the MUR driver Ivan Alekseevich Kopytin grumbled during a memorable chase for Fox through the night Moscow streets.

This phrase is exclusively cinematic - in the Weiners in the “Era of Mercy” there is no such thing. The authors in general were very careful about the details and could not write this. But nevertheless, everyone who watched the movie “Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” certainly has the impression of the Studebaker as an exceptionally powerful and fast car.

But the hero of today's story is not a truck at all. Moreover, for most readers this is a completely unknown Studebaker. But nevertheless, it is a Machine with a large letter, which still amazes with such a set of qualities and capabilities that it captures the spirit.

Start a story will have a bit unconventional. About the animal. More precisely, about the smallest predator of the family of weasels named Laska. Predator, which is found in almost all countries of the Northern Hemisphere. The most beautiful animal resembling an ermine. And with good fur.

The predator runs beautifully, climbs trees, swims. Differs courage and aggressiveness. In this case, weasel eats almost everything that can get. From mice, moles, rats to vipers, medianok and frogs. Residents of villages and villages are well aware that if Laska has trodden the road to the chicken coop, then the fate of the poultry is tragic.

So, our hero today is a “Studebaker” named “Weasel”. More precisely, the conveyor M29 "Weasel" ("Weasel"). The machine, as indicated above, is interesting in all respects. The machine, the potential of which is not fully disclosed even today.

Paradoxically, but to start a story about this product of an American company you need from a completely different country. From the UK. More precisely, we need to start with the activities of the British engineer Jeffrey Pike. A passionate fan of British commandos and at the same time a very gifted engineer and designer.

The unsuccessful actions of the British in Northern Europe, especially in Norway, showed the problem that army units face when working in this particular region. Namely, the inability to use military equipment. Both tracked and wheeled vehicles simply “sink” in loose snow or marshy ground.

Jeffrey Pike set himself the task of creating a transporter capable of acting precisely in the snow. In modern terms, the designer conceived a snowmobile. Military snowmobile.

What should be able to such a snowmobile? First of all, the machine should work without any problems in loose snow and in wetlands. Like most army transporters, the snowmobile should be easily armored.

At the same time, the conveyor must ensure the rapid delivery of personnel or cargo to the place of operation. Load capacity of the machine must be at least half a ton.

It is clear that such rigid boundaries were determined precisely by the conditions of the battle in the northern conditions. A snowmobile must be carried by at least 4 people (driver and three paratroopers).

And here Pike found an absolutely ingenious solution. If the transporter cannot be carried by more than 4 people, then he can pull them on a long halyard. Moreover, in this case, the control compartment and the troop compartment can be used as cargo!

A snowmobile that, if necessary, becomes a skier tugboat! The branch is towed to the position, unloads the towing vehicle and already uses it as a sanitary evacuation vehicle.

Technically, this solution Pike embodied in the maximum simplification of snowmobile control. The machine can be controlled with ropes attached to the levers! Simply put, the driver of the towing vehicle does not sit in the car, but moves in the compartment. And manages ropes at a distance!

Alas, the conveyor, although liked by the British military, did not go into production in England. The reason is commonplace. British industry did not have free production space. And the designer was forced to go overseas, to the United States.

Engineers "Studebaker" quickly saw the prospects of the project Pike. The best forces have been thrown on completion of the car. As a result, the first prototypes of the conveyor were ready in the fall of the 1943 of the year and almost immediately came for comprehensive tests to the units of the American army (ТХNUMX index).

Already during the tests, the military offered to abandon the booking of the conveyor. Unnecessary "iron" decently reduced the carrying capacity of the machine and worsened driving performance on difficult soils. Transporter has become unarmored.

It was in this lightweight version that the transporter showed all its best qualities. He easily transported personnel and cargo through loose snow, through swamps, through mud. And it was in an unarmored case that the transporter was adopted by the US Army under the designation M29 "Weasel".

It is time to consider “Laska” more closely. The car turned out really original. Personal impression of the authors - a sort of conveyor for a company going on a picnic.

Open box-top case with wide fenced niches. The engine is located ahead on the right. Left driver's seat. And behind, imposingly placed three soldiers. Either cargo, weapons and everything that is needed. Although there is enough space to accommodate quite a lot in the legs.

To protect the driver when driving through mud and snow, a windshield is installed in front of the driver's seat. Moreover, the glass is equipped with a wiper on the driver’s side. With electric drive! When driving on ordinary roads glass flip forward and did not interfere with the review.

When working in the winter or in bad weather, the body was covered with a removable canvas awning. The awning was easily installed and removed using special brackets.

Engineers at Studebaker used the engine of the popular Studebaker Champion as an engine. Carburetor, 6-cylinder, power 70 hp, the engine allowed to reach speeds up to 58 km / h.

Transmission mechanical T84J, produced by "Warner". Provides 4 speed (3-forward, one back). The turning mechanism served as a differential. The gearbox is connected to the engine via a cardan shaft (along the axis of the housing).

Interesting chassis. It includes 8 dual rubber-supported road wheels. The rollers are interlocked in pairs on swinging balancers. Each trolley is suspended on the wishbone and leaf spring.

Caterpillar - bezsharnirnaya, tape, ridge engagement, with developed lugs on steel "shoes" -twists. The upper branch runs along two supporting rollers and is tilted forward. Thus, the drive wheel, located behind, is elevated above the ground above the guide (in front).

One more modernization of “Lasky” is also interesting. The first batch of serial machines was equipped with tracks “under the snowmobile” - 380 mm. But, already in the process of operation, it turned out that for marshy soils and sand, the caterpillars are not wide enough. From 1944, all conveyors are equipped with wider tracks - 510 mm.

Here you can very well appreciate the scale next to the light a tank BT.

The only thing that "Weasel" could not boast, unlike its predatory brother in nature, is the ability to swim. Still, the initial idea of ​​a snowmobile did not contribute to the possibility of swimming.

And the American army demanded a floating transporter. This is connected not only with the problems of landing troops from ships, but also with the elementary need to force numerous rivers on the European theater of operations.

The Studebaker engineers used the experience of their Japanese opponents. More precisely, the Japanese amphibious tank "Ka-mi". Based on the M29 transporter, an amphibious version of the machine was created. This option "Laski" received the designation M29C "Water Weasel".

What is interesting we saw in this amphibian? "Water Weasel" gave the ship a look with removable hard pontoons. The pontoons were fastened in the fore and aft parts of the machine and thus significantly increased the floatability of the conveyor.

The movement of the machine afloat was provided by the work of the tracks. The upper branch of the caterpillar was closed with a hydrodynamic cover and when rewinding the caterpillars the machine moved.

On the nose pontoon, a special breakdown plate was installed, which did not allow the waves to flood the driver’s windshield and (more importantly) the engine.

To control afloat on the aft pontoon, two lifting handlebars were installed, connected to the tiller. Moreover, when leaving the car on the shore, the steering wheels must have been raised. Otherwise, the loss of steering wheels is guaranteed.

Thus, the amphibious version of the conveyor was controlled on land in the same way as the usual one by levers and afloat with a tiller.

"Lasku" very quickly recognized in the troops. An all-terrain vehicle capable of traveling in virtually any environment helped the soldiers very much during the fighting in 1944-45. Used M29 "Weasel" on almost all theaters.

But the dream of designer Jeffrey Pike about using his car in the north came true much later. Yes, and used the M29 "Weasel" for its intended purpose, not the Americans, and the French.

In 1967, the French, especially for polar expeditions, conducted their modification M29C by installing a warmed cabin. The version received the designation HB40 "Castor". The Castors participated in expeditions in Antarctica and on Greenland. But this is another story.

And here, the traditional technical characteristics of the hero:

Machine weight, t: 1,8 t (without load);

Crew, pers .: 1 + 3 troops;

Load capacity, kg: 390;

Length, m: 3,2 (4,79 in the floating version);
Width, m: 1,68;
Height, m: 1,3 (on the body), 1,82 (on the roof of the awning);
Clearance, m: 0,28;

Engine: Studebaker Model 6-170 Champion, petrol, 4-stroke, 6-cylinder, water cooled,
70 power l. with. at 3600 rpm;

Fuel capacity, l: 132,5;
Fuel consumption, l: 45 to 100 km;

Travel speed, km / h: by land - 58,6; afloat - 6,4;
Cruising by land, km: 266;

Ground pressure, kg / cm2: 0,134;
Turning radius, m: 3,7;
Overcoming obstacles, see: moat width - 91, vertical obstacle - 61

In total, more than 15 000 M29 of all modifications were released.

There is evidence that in 1945, a certain number of these machines fell into the Red Army under Lend-Lease. In numbers, quantities range from 70 to 100. Unfortunately, we could not find any photos confirming the use of this machine, but the very presence of “Weasel” in museum collections indirectly confirms this.

And the latest copies of the M29 were withdrawn from use by armies in the 60s of the last century.

In general - quite a long century for so frivolous-looking conveyor.

This copy of "Laski" can be seen in the Museum of military equipment of the UMMC in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk region.

Comments

[tasha]

Very interesting article. I did not know about such an all-terrain vehicle. Thank!

[Amurets]

Quote: tasha

Very interesting article. I did not know about such an all-terrain vehicle. Thank!

Not a word, I also got the first information about this car

[faiver]

interesting beast

[Amurets]

Probably, there is no person in Russia who has not heard about the Studebaker firm.

Even in the novel "The Golden Calf" by Ilf and Petrov, it is mentioned: "- Are you on the Studebaker?
“You can think of our car as a Studebaker,” said Ostap spitefully, “but until now it was called Lauren-Dietrich. Are you satisfied?
But the amateur driver was not satisfied.
“Excuse me,” he exclaimed with youthful importunity, “but there are no Lauren-Dietrichs in the race! I read in the newspaper that there are two Packards, two Fiats and one Studebaker.
- Go to hell with your Studebaker! - shouted Ostap. - Who is Studebaker? Is this your Studebaker relative? Is your daddy Studebaker? Why are you stuck to a person ?! In Russian they tell him that "Studebaker" has been replaced by "Lauren-Dietrich" at the last moment, and he is fooling around! "Studebaker"! "Studebaker"!
And I also came across about the ZiS-5 and Studebaker races: "ZiS-50
An interesting and little-known now modification of the ZiS-5V was produced by a Moscow automobile plant for some time. The fact is that the new engine of the ZiS-120 model, intended for the four-ton ZIS-150, was mastered earlier than the car itself - at the end of 1947, therefore, in the same 1947, they began to install it on some ZiS-5V chassis (only without compressor and with limited power). Such cars became known as ZiS-50, and one prototype of this car was built back in 1944. In 1947, 194 were produced, and in the next - 13701 units. The truck turned out to be dynamic, high-speed and very passable. The drivers on the ZIS-50 sometimes just scoffed at the Studebakers: they dragged their drivers into a race on the highway (and they thought they were dealing with the usual "old man" ZiS-5V) and brought the latter almost to a heart attack, and they machines - until the liners are melted in the engines.
When the ZiS-5V was completely discontinued in Moscow (April 30, 1948), the production of the ZiS-50 was also discontinued. "Http://www.battlefield.ru/zis5-truck/stranitsa-3.html

[The leader of the Redskins]

Continues to delight the cycle of articles. And, for the third time, I read about technology, about which I had never even heard of before. Thank.

[AlexVas44]

Calling the chassis interesting, the author made an unfortunate mistake, characterizing that the caterpillar mover has crest engagement. The photo clearly shows that there is a pinion gear, and the ridges on the tracks have a different purpose - to keep the track chain from slipping. But in general, the article is interesting.

[Aaron Zawi]

A magnificent series of articles. Sincere thanks to the author.

[irazum]

I'm wondering if we, in the Russian Federation, have a monument to "Studebaker" somewhere? It is clear that there is enough of this in museums. Namely, a monument, like the whole Lend-Lease.

[Potter]

There is a monument to Lend-Lease in Yakutsk, however, its aviation component is Aerocobra near the airport. Which was on a distillation route from Alaska.

[irazum]

Well, this is most likely a monument specifically to "Alsib".

[Potter]

And, I remembered, in Yakutia there is a monument to civil Lend-Lease, an American steam locomotive at Tommot station on the railway. lines from Neryungri to Yakutsk.

[Potter]

In the USSR, after the war, a close concept - the unarmored snow-swamp-moving transporter-tractor became the GAZ-47, a bit heavier and more agile, up to 1 ton of cargo or 9 people, with an engine also of 70 hp. and weighing 3,7 tons. And he swims without any floats.

[Decimam]

“Paradoxically, but to start the story about this product of an American company should be from a completely different country. From the UK. More precisely, we should start with the activities of British engineer Jeffrey Pike. A passionate admirer of British commandos and at the same time a very gifted engineer and designer ... set himself the task of creating a transporter capable of operating in the snow. In modern terms, the designer conceived a snowmobile. A military snowmobile. "
He fulfilled the task by constructing ... a rotary tank.

It was this project that Pike proposed to the Chief of Staff of the Joint Operations, Roger Keys, who rejected it. Apparently, that would have ended on this, but in October 1941 the conservative Case was replaced by Louis Mautbatten, a man who was creative and appreciated people with extraordinary and extraordinary abilities. He took Pike into the staff and appreciated him not only for his development, but also for encouraging other employees to think outside the box.
The Pike project was "given a go", as a number of sabotage operations were planned in Norway in order to disrupt the production of heavy water. The result was the M29.

[Lamatinets]

Thanks to the author for the article. How not to relate to amers, but they knew how to saturate with different techniques. Interestingly, the dashboard is right from the driver.

[Decimam]

And the M29 "Weasel" was used for its intended purpose not by the Americans, but by the French.

During the First Indochina War (1946-1954), the M29C was in service with the First Cavalry Regiment of the French Foreign Legion, which operated in the Mekong Delta. They were armed with Chaterrault M1924 / 29 or Browning M1919 machine guns and 57 mm recoilless guns.
In France, the M29C was used until 1970.

[Decimam]

But M29 got to Antarctica just thanks to the Americans, in 1946. In 1946-1947, the US Navy organized an Antarctic expedition - Operation Highjump.

Two M29 Weasel in Antarctica during Operation Highjump.

[merkava-2bet]

Thanks guys, great cycle, keep it up.

[bk0010]

A snowmobile without a cabin is somewhat cruel (IMHO, of course)

[Decimam]

"In 1967, the French, specifically for polar expeditions, carried out their modification of the M29C by installing an insulated cockpit. The version received the designation HB40" Castor ". The Castors took part in expeditions to Antarctica and Greenland. But that's another story."
To call HB40 Castor a version of the M29C is not correct, since these are, in fact, different machines. It can be said that the operating experience of the Arctic version of the M29C inspired Hotchkiss and Paul-Emil Victor to create the HB40 Castor.

This is the Arctic modification of M29C, which was used by the French. Unfortunately, the photo in Fontainebleau was lost somewhere, so I use the photo from the Prince of Monaco collection, although the quality is worse.

[Decimam]

And this is the HB40 Castor.
Dimensions:
Overall length: 4,20 m
Overall width: 2,30 m
Weight without load: 3600 kg (in working condition, gasoline and oil).
Total weight under load: 5000 kg.
Ground pressure: 125 g / cm2 (empty) 175 g / cm2 (at full load).
Gasoline engine, Hotchkiss, type 3501, 125 hp, 4 cylinders in a row for 3,5 liters of displacement. Carburetor with automatic correction of the mixture depending on the height above sea level.
Hotchkiss gearbox, type 178, with 4 synchronized gears, with power take-off. Hotchkiss transfer case, 2-speed, jaw type. A Hotchkiss differential, such as Cleveland, containing brake and steering gear.
Chassis: magnesium rollers with rubber tires, tracks, consisting of 2 continuous reinforced rubber bands.
Suspension, type Neidhart, with 6 double rubber blocks with great flexibility.
Fuel tank: 300 liter capacity.
Equipment:
1 Heater "Jet Calor" Scheebeli-Chabaud 1 calories / hour with 000 liter gas tank Total weight: 4 kg empty.
Fuel consumption: 1,2 l / h. Power consumption: 150 W with zero ignition in operation.
4 batteries, 6 volts, 105 amperes. / Hour 38,21 USL
1 waterproof outlet located outside for charging batteries.
1 winch with a carrying capacity of 2 tons, installed in the front compartment.
1 carbon dioxide fire extinguisher, 2 kg.
The translation may be somewhat rough, yet French is exotic to me.

[Saxahorse]

A tank for three people :) For some reason, I immediately recall the classic, German SdKfz 2.

For me it’s so much easier and more efficient :)

[serg.shishkov2015]

Lend-Lease theme is inexhaustible! About Wiesel, the American recently found out, but that they delivered him to us ,,,,,

[domokl]

American Wiesel? BGM? I have not even heard of this ... Where to look?

[Grad-Xnumx]

Thank you for the article!
For the supply of railway equipment, what nomenclature of equipment was supplied? Paravoz -1900 pcs. including series SHA, E. Diesel electric trains 66 pcs. Considering that the production of locomotives stopped during the war. 11075 cars. 662 thousand tons of rails.

[serg.shishkov2015]

more locomotives * Alco *, if memory serves, they were intended for operation * Overlord *

[serg.shishkov2015]

I looked at my notes — 15 pieces were delivered to these locomotives and you are absolutely right — deliveries of this equipment and components were no less important for us than the most advanced weapons. for our country, railway transport, round-the-clock and almost all-weather, means more than for other countries

[Kuroneko]

Unfortunately, we could not find photographs confirming the use of this machine.

Maybe I can help?

[Roman Skomorokhov]

I saw this photo. It is doubtful. Cap with earflaps - it is, of course, yes, but our star is missing (one time), the tail number (two) and the American identification number (three) are present without a white star (four). so either a private collection or a testing ground.

[933454818]

"Studebaker" did a lot of things - for example, these buses worked in Portugal in the 40s. Sorry that is not the topic

[serg.shishkov2015]

beautiful unit!