A German collector's BTR-40.
   (Ver 1)

If you have read Roland's previous article about his English vehicles you will know that he is in Germany. Prior to deciding to collect Alvis products he owned a Russian BTR-40.

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GAZ armoured car BTR 40 A (USSR)

General history :
With experience to the battles with the German Wehrmacht the Soviet Army headquarter required a 4x4 APC to secure much better the own soldiers on their way into the field. But it needs time till 1946 as the Gorki Automobile Plant constructed an useably vehicle.

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  The constructors designed a armoured multi purpose vehicle on the chassis of a GAZ 63 Truck.

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  The experience with many captured German half-tracks Sd.Kfz 250/251 and with the wheeled White scout car became constructive signification’s.

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  The engine was a 3.5 Litres 70 hp straight six from the GAZ lines. It was a licence build Dodge engine, produced in conclusion with the lend and lease contract between USA and USSR. This very same US engine worked well over the years in numberless medium Dodge Trucks.

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  In 1951 this new GAZ BTR 40 A entry service, as the first APC of the Soviets after the WW2. Till its discharge out of the red army in the late 50th the BTR 40 A was used in multiple rules :

BTR 40A APC
Armoured car, recon. car, armoured personnel carrier, ambulance carrier, crew of 10, 1 to 3 machine guns 7,62 mm

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BTR 40A AA
Anti aircraft AC, crew of 4, 2x 14,5 mm AA gun KPV on 360° traversing turret. Vertical gun movement -5° to +80°.

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BTR 40A PB
Tank-hunter (PALR Maljutka) crew of 4, 6x PALR ground to ground rockets, Range 300m to 3000m.

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BTR 40A RC
Radio equipped command post vehicle crew of 4, 1x machine gun 7,62 mm



No picture!.



The BRT 40 was not a permanent four wheel drive vehicle. In normal use the drivetrain only powered the rear axle. The APC was equipped with an - from the gearbox powered - winch for self recovery. It used a four gear asynchronies transmission. All wheel drive was only for cross country and operated by a lever. The BTR climbs gradients to 30% and was able to cross vertical obstacles to 400 mm.

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  The driver worked behind his steering wheel like a normal truck-driver. The vehicle has no steering assist power, but the force to steer was low. The drivers sight onto the front of the car was good - but disastrous to the left, right or in reverse.

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  Because most of these vehicles were unusable in nuclear warfare - they have in normal use an open fighting compartment like every wartime armoured car - the service time into the red army was very short.

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  These early BTR 40 fighting vehicles were sold to all states of the Warsaw Pact in addition to more than 30 countries in the world. It was changed in times with the NBC protected and swimmable BTR 40 PB (BRDM1).

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Download the big pics by clicking on the small pics...

 

Download the big pics by clicking on the small pics...

 

Short history of my BTR 40 APC (VIN 5805J755)

Year of build       1951  
Plant                   GAZ/USSR  

Owner	Year	Task	Remain
Red Army USSR	1951	APC	depot
NVA (GDR Army)	1960	APC	depot
VoPo (GDR Police)	1970	Anti-Terror Vehicle	depot
VEB Teterow	1989	.	release for scraping
GDR forestry	1989	.	release after requisition
VEB Repair Plant Neubrandenburg	1990	.	restoration for forest works
Forest District Lübtheen	Nov. 1990	Workhorse	first forest works after a storm
Roland	Jan. 1991	MV Oldtimer	MV collection (Bavaria)
New Owner	June 1992	MV Oldtimer	MV collection (Siegerland)

With best regards
Roland

Roland is a graphic designer by occupation who specialises in aviation and MVs. The pictures in this article are from the sales brochure he put together when he decided to sell the vehicle that is the subject of this article. The original captions were only in German.

 

 

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