home » Statements » Kharkivchanka 3 Antarctic all-terrain vehicle. All-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka": device, specifications, operating features and reviews with photos

Kharkivchanka 3 Antarctic all-terrain vehicle. All-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka": device, specifications, operating features and reviews with photos

Before placing a bid, please read the information below to the end.

I sell the Electric massager Electric device 1987 USSR Kharkiv 3 Passport Instruction Box Working. Condition and size in the photo (on one nozzle there is no foam). Traces of existence are present or may be, if overlooked.

Dear buyers!

Most of the goods I sell have already been in use, have traces of operation and existence, hidden defects and other things that I may not see, and not know about them, and not guess about their presence. Please take this into account when purchasing. Do not confuse distance trading in new goods with trading in used goods (commissions).
In order to avoid thoughtless purchases on the site, carefully read the lot, its photos and description. If something is not clear to you, ask for additional pictures (a different angle, scale), ask a clarifying question about the characteristics. If after that you think that the information is not all and you are in doubt, then I strongly recommend that you refrain from rash bets and purchases. I have a lot of goods on private sale, purely physically, I cannot be an expert in all categories of goods and control where the purchase took place and where it was just a bid. Tastes, preferences, the concept of quality, the requirements of all people are different, so please think before buying, so as not to be disappointed later - do you need this item or not. After the transfer of the parcel to the department, especially after receipt, no return or exchange is made.
The restriction for buyers with a zero rating is a forced measure caused by the presence of not entirely conscientious buyers. You can buy items from me, but you will have to contact me through the "ask the seller a question" form and confirm your intention to pay for the item. I put my review after the buyer receives the lot and its feedback. I indicate the delivery price for which I will send the lot (postage costs are not discussed, since there is a lot of experience in shipping).
By purchasing an item, you agree to the terms and conditions of sale set forth.

Dear Buyers from the regions Far East, Urals, Trans-Urals, North, Siberia, Yakutia, Komi (I will not list further) specify the delivery (postal rates) before the rate, so that there are no misunderstandings and unreasonable claims.

Educational program, what is a parcel (information from the Russian Post website, so that it is not: "Send a parcel, it's cheaper": https://www.pochta.ru/support/banderoles/banderole

Only printed materials are sent by parcel post.

Shipping cost is without insurance. If you yourself transfer the amount without insurance, then I am not responsible for the delivery and work of the mail, while I guarantee high-quality packaging and shipment. Cheap shipping is entirely at your own risk.

Enjoy the shopping!!!

dedicated to the heroes of the polar explorers, for the hero is the one who makes regular work in conditions beyond the bounds, for example, in frost at -70 and below ..

In 1957, the well-known polar explorer, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences Somov M.M.

The fact is that the polar explorers urgently needed a powerful all-terrain vehicle for comprehensive research Antarctica. Somov told Kotin about the prospects that opened up before the researchers of a distant and mysterious continent, and managed to captivate the chief designer with the idea of creating a mobile all-terrain laboratory for polar explorers, and Joseph Yakovlevich enthusiastically took up a completely new business for him.

Extreme operating conditions in unprecedentedly low temperatures, unhindered movement on loose snow and smooth ice required new approaches to the design of the machine.

Somov began to visit the chief designer often, they became close friends and became friends, without losing touch with each other until the end of their lives.

The Antarctic all-terrain vehicle received the official name "Penguin" and the factory code - "object 209". Given the extremely short development time and the requirement for high reliability of the new machine, proven and proven design solutions were required. As a base, they chose the PT-76 amphibious tank and the BTR-50P armored personnel carrier, previously developed in the design bureau, which have proven themselves well in the troops during operation in the Arctic.

For this, along with the creation of a reliable cabin for the work of researchers, special astro-navigation instruments and serious improvements to the chassis and running gear were required. A new caterpillar was developed with an unprecedentedly low specific pressure on the ground - less than 300 g / sq. cm. With the Penguin's weight of almost 16 tons, this figure was commensurate with the specific pressure on the soil of a person.

Remembering the great urgency of this work, Kurin N.V. - At that time Deputy the chief designer wrote: “It was in the spring, somewhere in the middle of May, and the next expedition was supposed to sail no later than October in order to be in time for the summer season, which begins there in December ...”.

Taking into account the tight deadlines allotted for the manufacture of the Penguin batch (an image of a penguin appeared on board the machine), which should have been prepared by the time the Antarctic expedition departed, Kotin made an extraordinary decision: from the very beginning of the assembly, he attached a constructor to each of the five created machines - Responsible for the prompt resolution of problems arising during assembly. As such "nannies", he appointed enterprising young designers - recent graduates of universities. Among them were Popov N.S. - subsequently general designer; Strakhal A.I. – future chief designer of the project; as well as already experienced tank builders of the Kotin "guard" - Passov M.S., Gelman I.A., Kurin N.V.; young engineers Sharapanovsky B.M. and Tkachenko Yu.D.

...According to the conclusion of the polar explorers, the Penguin proved to be a very convenient vehicle for route research. It was distinguished by a number of advantages, and most importantly - high reliability in operation. The all-terrain vehicle confidently overcame dams, 1.5 m high. The researchers really liked the engine, which ensured the towing of the sled with a load of 12 tons, and work at low atmospheric pressure, characteristic of the Antarctic. The advantage of the machine is good conditions habitats, allowing to work in the cabin without outer clothing, at an outside temperature of up to minus 50 ° C. Struck power reserve - without refueling - 3.5 thousand km.

The first trip to the central regions of Antarctica was led by the famous polar explorer E.I. Tolstikov. On September 27, 1958, a team of researchers, including four Penguin all-terrain vehicles, set out on the route from Pionerskaya station. Two months later, having traveled 2,100 km, the region of the sixth continent, the most remote from all points of the coast, was reached - where the polar station "Pole of Inaccessibility" was organized. Among the researchers were employees of the Kotin Design Bureau Burkhanov G.F., and later, already as part of the 5th Antarctic expedition, the second envoy of the Kirovites - design engineer Krasnikov B.A.

As a sign of respect for the creators of this vehicle, two Penguin all-terrain vehicles have been installed at Mirny and NovoLazarevskaya stations for eternal parking. Expedition member, driver Pugachev N.P. received a government award, and the chief designer Kotin Zh.Ya. - badge of honor "Honored polar explorer".

During the work of five Antarctic expeditions, with the help of land-based all-terrain vehicles, more than ten trips deep into the continent were made, over 15 thousand tons were transported, the Pole of Inaccessibility and the South Geographic Pole were reached. Good "traces" remained in Antarctica from the tankers of the design bureau of the Kirov Plant.

"Product 404C") - a snowmobile ("snow cruiser") for Antarctica.

Created at KhZTM in 1959 on the basis of the AT-T heavy artillery tractor;

length - 8.5 m;

width - 3.5 m;

height - 4.0 m (antenna - 6.5 m);

weight - 35.0 t,

trailer - 70 tons;

engine - 520-1000 hp (995 hp at an altitude of 3000 m);

track width - 1.0 m;

power reserve - 1500 km (2500 l);

speed - 30 km / h;

rise - 30 °;

can swim (in water up to the cabin floor);

power supply - 2 generators, total 13 kW;

ambient temperature - below -70°С.

Crew cabin:

area - 28 m2,

volume - 50 m3, height - 210 cm;

walls - duralumin, thermal insulation - 8 layers of nylon wool;

heater capacity - 200 m3 / h of air;

it is possible to repair units from inside the cab.

Back in 1955, when the division of territories took place, the first Antarctic expedition was undertaken by the Soviet Union. Then they acted simply: they unloaded ordinary ChTZ tractors onto the continent, which were supposed to deliver the cargo and people to the Pionerskaya station, which was located deep in the mainland. Although these tractors were insulated, they turned out to be too slow. A year later, AT-T heavy artillery tractors made a run in Antarctica. They showed top scores and made a transition of almost 1000 km to the Vostok station, which was the farthest Soviet station from the ocean. And a year later, modified samples of the same artillery tractors were delivered to the cold continent, which received supercharged engines and special tracks for driving in the snow. But all these machines could not solve the problem of a comfortable position for the crew during the trip.

And then in 1957, the leadership of the Institute of the Arctic (now the Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic in St. Petersburg) turned to the government with a request to find an enterprise that could create a vehicle capable of operating in Antarctica. As a result, the task fell on the shoulders of the ministries of general engineering and aviation industry.

Now we had to find two enterprises belonging to different ministries, but located in the same city. Such enterprises were found in Kharkov. One of them is aviation, the other is the transport engineering plant named after. V.A.Malysheva. Plant them. Malysheva had solid experience in creating tanks and tractors, which was of fundamental importance for the traction characteristics of the future snowmobile, and the Kharkov aircraft plant was a leader in the development of aircraft cabins, which could become the basis for arranging a residential complex. Since 1958, joint work has unfolded.

The same AT-T, but modified, was taken as the basis. Its chassis was extended by two rollers, which made it possible to increase the carrying capacity, the tracks were expanded to reduce the specific pressure on the snow cover, and a special gearbox was made.

The aircraft builders were tasked with designing and manufacturing a special body with an area of almost 30 square meters. m. The body must be of a bus type, have reliable insulation. It was necessary to equip a working compartment, a galley, a control room, a bedroom for 6 people, as well as an equipment room, a drying room, and a vestibule. That is, a comfortable work and household complex should be designed in one room. The term was determined, like everything else in those days, very tough - only three months. It was necessary to have time to complete the drawings, translate them into metal and at the same time make adjustments instantly in the process of work. The people involved in this project worked almost continuously, only night hours were left for rest.

Then the individual finished components were brought together. The new tractors had impressive characteristics: their carrying capacity with a towed sled trailer was 70 tons, the operating speed when driving on snow was 5-11 km / h, the average specific snow pressure was 0.4 kg / sq. see As the people involved in this work said, all the units and mechanisms of the tractors were literally "licked out" so that the Kharkov cars on the southern "crown" of the Earth would not let us down.

All five snowmobiles were made within the stipulated time. First, they were sent by special train to Leningrad, from there to the port of Kaliningrad. Here hitherto unseen vehicles were loaded onto the Ob diesel-electric ship, which took the expedition to Antarctica. Collectives of enterprises that manufactured tractors began to petition for a name for their offspring. As a result, a telegram came from Moscow about assigning the name "Kharkovchanka" to the tractors.

The construction of the machines was completed in early 1959. Immediately upon arrival, all equipment was unloaded to the mainland. After some preparatory work, on February 10, 1959, an unprecedented trip to the South Pole began. It took a month and a half to overcome the unpredictable 2,700 km from the Mirny station to the "crown" of the planet. During this time, the participants of the run had many adventures, including very dangerous ones. Still, after all, such a sledge crossing was carried out for the first time in history. It is worth adding that the Americans knew about the arrival of the Russians - they were warned by a special radiogram. But all the same, the meeting was unexpected - our caravan arrived at its destination earlier.

The polar explorers spent several days together with the Americans, and a Soviet flag was set next to the American one. So, the South Pole was conquered! Next was the way back, but it was not so difficult.

A few words about the vehicle itself. As already mentioned, the basis for the "Kharkovchanka" was the AT-T tractor, which was based on many units of the T-54 tank. The chassis of the "product 404C" (snowmobiles received such an encrypted designation) was lengthened compared to the base one (up to seven road wheels for each track), the width of the tracks themselves was brought up to a meter, and snow hooks of a large area were installed on the tracks. All the latest innovations have been made for confident movement. The power of the diesel engine with a drive supercharger was raised to 995 hp. at an altitude of 3000 m - this allowed the 35-ton snowmobile to also drag a 70-ton sled along the Antarctic shield. 2.5 thousand liters of diesel fuel provided a power reserve of 1500 km.

Externally, "Kharkovchanka" was a monumental structure (length - 8.5 m, width - 3.5 m, height - 4 m), which could accelerate up to 30 km / h, climb up to 30 °. There is no special need for amphibians in Antarctica, however, "Kharkovchanka" could also swim, and diving quite shallowly - only up to half of the cabin, which, by the way, deserves a separate discussion.

Now a few words about the salon. It has a volume of 50 "cubes" (area - 28 sq. m, height - 2.1 m). The walls are made of duralumin and thermally insulated with eight layers of nylon wool. The layout, in the language of motorists, is "carriage": the engine is in the front, to the left of it is the driver's post, to the right is the navigator. The creators of the "snow cruiser", as they later dubbed the "product 404C", considered its important advantage to be the ability to repair many units from the inside of the car, which should have facilitated its operation in 70-degree frosts. But already in the first campaign, the polar explorers did not agree with the tank builders. Repair in the heat is, of course, a good thing, but diesel in a residential area is bad. It proved impossible to completely seal the hood, and the occupants of the snowmobile were forced to feel the exhaust. And the insulation was not enough.

Even despite these shortcomings, the “Kharkovites” passed their first exam with honor, showing themselves to be extremely successful, hardy machines. And then these snowmobiles began to communicate and supply all six Soviet polar stations, more than once confirming their reliability and durability.

Time went forward, the old technology, although it was reliable, no longer met modern requirements. And then in December 1974 a new order was received from polar explorers. Kharkiv residents had to build five more snowmobiles. Taking into account the experience of operating the first machines, some adjustments were made to their design and life support system. Without further ado, the cars were given the name "Kharkovchanka-2". For aircraft manufacturers, the big problem was the modernization of the living compartment. In addition, it was necessary to introduce a radio navigation system into the complex. As a result, the specialists managed to ensure that in any frost the room was warm and comfortable. And if the system gave some kind of failure, then even when the heating was turned off, the temperature dropped by only 2-3 ° C per day. This was achieved through the use of modern thermal insulation elements. "Kharkovchanka-2" as a result turned out to be more like the original tractor. The engine hood and driver's cab had a traditional shape, and the living block occupied an elongated cargo platform. During the development, the opinions of polar explorers were taken into account. So, according to their recommendations, a window had to be cut in to ventilate the premises, which was promptly done just before sending the next cars to Antarctica.

In the late 1980s the project "Kharkovchanka-3" was developed. This snowmobile was based on the MT-T tractor, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, work on the project was suspended.

"Kharkovites" are still working. To this day, some polar explorers believe that nothing better has yet been created. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1967 a special expedition reached South Pole relative inaccessibility and one of the last ones left him precisely on "Kharkovites" and AT-T. After "Kharkovites" no one else was in this point of the planet!

Kharkiv

In 1959, a column of caterpillar all-terrain vehicles made in Kharkov made an unprecedented crossing of Antarctica. On snowy impassability, and in high mountains, the cars covered 2700 km and reached the South Pole.

In the middle of the last century, the interest of researchers different countries to Antarctica increased sharply. Under an agreement in 1955, the territory of the Sixth Continent was divided into "spheres of influence" between 12 states, which began to create scientific stations and conduct deep research. Soviet Union got the eastern sector, and the very "top" of the globe - the South Pole was occupied by the Americans. True, having stipulated at the same time that they are always glad to see guests from the USSR there. Of course, it was a sin not to take advantage of such an invitation, but this required appropriate vehicles ...

On next year AT-T heavy artillery tractors were brought to the continent. At that time, along with machine tools, they were produced by the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant, renamed in 1959 into the Plant named after. Malyshev. These machines, which had the factory designation "Product 401", proved to be much better. They made a transition of 975 km to the site of the foundation of Vostok-1 station.

In the Third Expedition (1957), tractors were sent, modernized taking into account the experience of working in Antarctica, - “Product 401A”. The diesel engine was equipped with a pressurization system, which allowed it not to "choke" in high mountainous areas. The caterpillars were expanded to 75 cm, which improved flotation in deep snow.

There was one more thing left: to provide the necessary comfort for the work of the crew. This problem was solved by the beginning of the Fourth Soviet Transantarctic Expedition.

Already in May 1958, the "Product 404C" was assembled at the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant. The car had an AT-T chassis, extended by two rollers. The caterpillars were equipped with special lugs and wideners, as a result of which their width reached 1 m. The forced diesel engine, equipped with a drive supercharger, developed a power of 995 liters. With. at an altitude of 3000 m. The engine, like on the tractor, was located in the front. But the layout, in contrast to the AT-T hood, was chosen as a wagon, which made it possible to obtain a useful internal area of the body of 28 square meters. The very same body with aluminum cladding and thermal insulation of 8 layers of nylon wool was made at the Kharkov Aviation Plant. Is it any wonder that the new all-terrain vehicle soon received the name "Kharkovchanka"?

Unloading "Kharkovchanka" from the diesel-electric ship "Ob" in Antarctica.

In 1975, all-terrain vehicles "Kharkovchanka-2" were sent to Antarctica. Thanks to the bonnet layout, comfort in the cabin has increased and access to the engine has improved.

This monumental structure (length - 8.5 m, width - 3.5 m, height - 4 m) weighing 35 tons could accelerate to 30 km / h, climb up to 30 ° and pull a 70-ton trailer. "Kharkovchanka" could swim, however, plunging only on the floor of the cabin. The cabin itself had an area of 28 square meters. m and a height of 2.1 m. The living room was designed for 6-8 beds. From this cab, by lifting the hatch, you can easily get to the engine. Thus, it is possible to eliminate some engine malfunctions without leaving the car. Repair in the heat is a good thing, of course, but a diesel engine in a residential area is still bad. Therefore, after 10 years, "Kharkovchanka-2" appeared, more like the original tractor: the engine hood and driver's cab had a traditional shape, and the living block occupied an elongated cargo platform.

"Kharkiv women" are very well adapted for trips deep into the cold continent and to hard-to-reach places. Such trips are a real punishment for mechanics, because with all due respect to the designers, in the freezing conditions of Antarctica, machines quite often fail. In frost and scorching wind, they are forced to spend hours replacing knots, and some operations have to be performed with their bare hands. In addition, at high altitudes (about 3000 m - this is a typical height for the central part of the continent), there is a lack of oxygen, which physical labor quickly causes fatigue and dizziness. In addition, overcoming stone zastrugi, tractors and sledges either sharply lean forward, or acquire a large roll to the right or left, in other words, they experience slow pitching, so everything inside the cabins must be fixed, as in the cabin of a ship.

In the laden version, tractors move, as a rule, in first gear at a speed of 5 km / h. On the most difficult sections of the track, the sled sometimes has to be pulled by two tractors. Under these conditions, cars consume a lot of fuel. In any Antarctic caravan, fuel makes up almost 75% of the cargo. Of course, there is no need to carry all this fuel, so part of the sled with fuel and tractors are left at certain points on the route to take them on the way back. "Kharkovites" served in Antarctica for almost 40 years and nothing better has yet been created. This can be argued at least by the fact that in 1967 of the last century these machines reached the South Pole of relative inaccessibility, since then no one else has been there!

On a long trip

The Fourth Soviet Transantarctic Expedition was given a grandiose task: starting from Mirny, passing Komsomolskaya and Vostok stations, and then reaching the South Pole...

The ships of this expedition arrived in Antarctica before the new year, 1959. And already on January 10, the caravan, consisting of three Kharkivchanka all-terrain vehicles, moved in the direction of Komsomolskaya. In tow, each car had two loaded sled trailers. The fact is that the task was received: along the way, to bring to this station everything necessary for wintering, and first of all fuel. Having traveled 975 km, the column reached its goal, and here the tractors were put "on rest": it was necessary to wait for the arrival of the second column of the expedition.

For various reasons, the second caravan left Mirny only on 27 September. It consisted of five AT-T tractors. Together with this column, the head of the transport detachment of the expedition, Viktor Chistyakov, rode.

Many years later, I was lucky to find this interesting person. Victor Fedorovich, engineer of the Kharkov Plant named after. Malysheva, who made a great contribution to the creation of the "Kharkovchanka", reached the South Pole on it. He told me a lot of things about legendary transition and donated a few, maybe not very high quality, but truly unique photographs.

Victor Chistyakov at "Kharkovchanka". Frost - for 70 (!).

Navigation vehicle with a sled trailer.

The caterpillar extensions are cut with autogenous.

Viktor Chistyakov near the AT-T tractor.

Participant's eyes

Viktor Fedorovich recalled: “We arrived at Komsomolskaya in the last days of October. After a short preparation, we moved on to the Vostok station. This time the convoy consisted of three Kharkiv women and two AT-T tractors. Having got tired of eating only heated canned food, we converted one of the tractors into a full-fledged galley: we mounted an insulated body, installed a 40 kW gas generator, a cutting table and a boiler for cooking food.

The distance to the Vostok station of 540 km is relatively short. But the snow was soft, loose, like powder, which made movement very difficult. On the way to one "Kharkovchanka" the gearbox failed. We foresaw such a case in advance: there was a hatch in the roof, and hand hoists were in the portable kit. We parked two cars next to each other. A new gearbox was dragged between them, then lifted with the help of beams and hoists, rolled onto the roof and lowered into the hatch.

The expedition had to linger at Vostok station. The fact is that the machines have already worked hard, worn out. But it was necessary not only to reach the South Pole, but also to return. Therefore, they brought to mind everything they could, shoveled the entire chassis. Too large track extensions did not justify themselves: they formed a rather long console and often broke on bumps. I had to cut them with an autogenous right in the cold.

The convoy left Vostok station on 8 December. This time the caravan consisted of only two Kharkiv women (No. 21 and No. 23) and a mobile galley on AT-T. There were 16 participants in the transition: scientists, drivers, a cook, a radio operator and a doctor.

“I drove the navigational car with tail number 21 all the way,” Viktor Chistyakov recalled. - Toward the South Pole, the terrain decreased somewhat: from 3.5 to 2.8 km above sea level. And although the difference seems to be small - only 700 m, but it was felt: the motors pulled more cheerfully, the cars went easier. There were no more snow sastrugi.

Refueling "Kharkovchanka" fuel.

Of course, not everything went smoothly. We just moved 8 km from the East - the first transmission on my "Kharkovchanka" "flew". It is clear why: after all, we drove all the way in this gear only - a maximum of 5.5 km / h. And so hundreds of kilometers! So I couldn’t stand it, dear ...

There are no dead ends. We hitched our sled to another car and rode light, in second gear. Of course, at the same time, they periodically went ahead, breaking away from the main column by 30 kilometers. Then they stopped and waited. I remember one time I nearly lost my life because of one such break. I got out of the car to give a signal with a rocket launcher, and on the way back, although I was very warmly dressed, I felt a terrible cold: I couldn’t spread my arms or raise them. Consciousness floated away. Gathering the last of his strength, he miraculously opened the cabin door and tumbled in. It turned out that the outdoor thermometer showed 76 degrees below zero!

The column arrived at the South Pole early in the morning. There was an American scientific station Amundsen-Scott. The Americans were given a radiogram in advance, and a light-engine aircraft took off towards them. “The pilot flew low over the column, shook his wings,” Viktor Fedorovich recalled. - We greeted him with flares ... So, here it is, the South Pole! We are warmly welcomed by our American colleagues. In my opinion, they thought that we had come to wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. After all, December 26 was already on the calendar.

and now the movie

More than half a century ago, a column of caterpillar all-terrain vehicles made in Kharkov made an unprecedented crossing of Antarctica. On snowy impassability, and in high mountains, the cars covered 2700 km and reached the South Pole.

Land ships of Antarctica
Gladky D., Govoruha A.

It is today that interest in the most mysterious continent of our planet has faded, and in the middle of the last century, when in 1955, by international agreement, the territory of Antarctica was divided among 12 states, interest in this piece of land was special. Then the USSR got part of the eastern coast of the continent, and the Americans - the very center, the South Pole region. In those days, each country built several scientific stations on its site, with the help of which people studied the cold continent directly on the spot.

It is worth adding that the Soviet Union, in addition to the site assigned to it, also received the right to visit the southernmost point of the planet, where the Americans were located.

It is not easy to overcome more than 2500 km in the cold. For this, reliable vehicles were needed that could withstand frosts, sometimes down to minus 80 ° C. That's when the question arose: who in our country can create such a reliable and comfortable mode of transport?

IN early XXI century, 50 years have passed since the unusual vehicles, called "Kharkovchanka", were delivered to the coldest continent.

Idea evolution

But first, a little background. Back in 1955, when the division of territories took place, the first Antarctic expedition was undertaken by the Soviet Union. Then they acted simply: they unloaded ordinary ChTZ tractors onto the continent, which were supposed to deliver the cargo and people to the Pionerskaya station, which was located deep in the mainland. Although these tractors were insulated, they turned out to be too slow. A year later, AT-T heavy artillery tractors made a run in Antarctica. They showed the best results and made the transition of almost 1000 km to the Vostok station, which was the farthest Soviet station from the ocean. And a year later, modified samples of the same artillery tractors were delivered to the cold continent, which received supercharged engines and special tracks for driving in the snow. But all these machines could not solve the problem of a comfortable position for the crew during the trip.

All paths lead to Kharkiv

The novelty and unusualness of the task set before the enterprises required unusual approaches. Nobody had any experience. It was necessary from scratch to come up with a machine that would withstand the Antarctic loads. The same AT-T, but modified, was taken as the basis. Its chassis was extended by two rollers, which made it possible to increase the carrying capacity, the tracks were expanded to reduce the specific pressure on the snow cover, and a special gearbox was made.

snowmobile path

Transportation of cars was completed by the beginning of 1959. Immediately upon arrival, all equipment was unloaded to the mainland. After some preparatory work, on February 10, 1959, an unprecedented trip to the South Pole began. It took a month and a half to overcome the unpredictable 2,700 km from the Mirny station to the "crown" of the planet. During this time, the participants of the run had many adventures, including very dangerous ones. Still, after all, such a sledge crossing was carried out for the first time in history. It is worth adding that the Americans knew about the arrival of the Russians - they were warned by a special radiogram. But all the same, the meeting was unexpected - our caravan arrived at its destination earlier. The polar explorers spent several days together with the Americans, and a Soviet flag was set next to the American one. So, the South Pole was conquered! Next was the way back, but it was not so difficult.

Technical component

Now a few words about the salon. It has a volume of 50 "cubes" (area - 28 sq. m, height - 2.1 m). The walls are made of duralumin and thermally insulated with eight layers of nylon wool. The layout, in the language of motorists, is "carriage": the engine is in the front, to the left of it is the driver's post, to the right is the navigator. The creators of the "snow cruiser", as they later dubbed the "product 404C", considered its important advantage the ability to repair many units from the inside of the car, which should have facilitated its operation in 70-degree frosts. But already in the first campaign, the polar explorers did not agree with the tank builders. Repair in the heat is, of course, a good thing, but diesel in a residential area is bad. It proved impossible to completely seal the hood, and the occupants of the snowmobile were forced to feel the exhaust. And the insulation was not enough.

Second generation

In the late 1980s the project "Kharkovchanka-3" was developed. This snowmobile was based on the MT-T tractor, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, work on the project was suspended.

"Kharkovites" are still working. To this day, some polar explorers believe that nothing better has yet been created. This is confirmed by the fact that in 1967 a special expedition reached the South Pole of relative inaccessibility and was one of the last to leave it on "Kharkovites" and AT-T. After the "Kharkovites" no one else was in this point of the planet ...

Bring on the South Pole!
Gogolev L.

In the middle of the last century, the interest of researchers from different countries to Antarctica increased sharply. Under an agreement in 1955, the territory of the Sixth Continent was divided into "spheres of influence" between 12 states, which began to create scientific stations and conduct deep research. The Soviet Union got the eastern sector, and the very "top" of the globe - the South Pole was occupied by the Americans. True, having stipulated at the same time that they are always glad to see guests from the USSR there. Of course, it was a sin not to take advantage of such an invitation, but this required appropriate vehicles ...

From ChTZ to Kharkivchanka

In 1955, the First Soviet Transantarctic Expedition was equipped, without further ado, with conventional ChTZ tracked tractors. Unfortunately, these cars were very slow-moving: for the entire shift, they barely managed to cover 450 km. At the end point of the route, the Pionerskaya scientific station was founded. As for wheeled vehicles, the ZIL-157 trucks delivered to Antarctica showed their complete unsuitability in deep snow. The following year, AT-T heavy artillery tractors were brought to the continent. At that time, along with tanks, they were produced by the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant, renamed in 1959 into the Plant named after. Malyshev. These machines, which had the factory designation "Product 401", proved to be much better. They made a transition of 975 km to the site of the foundation of Vostok-1 station.

There was one more thing left: to provide the necessary comfort for the work of the crew. This problem was solved by the beginning of the Fourth Soviet Transantarctic Expedition.

On a long trip

The Fourth Soviet Transantarctic Expedition was given a grandiose task: starting from Mirny, passing Komsomolskaya and Vostok stations, and then reaching the South Pole...

Many years later, I had the good fortune to track down this interesting man. Victor Fedorovich, engineer of the Kharkov Plant named after. Malysheva, who made a great contribution to the creation of the "Kharkovchanka", reached the South Pole on it. He told me a lot of interesting things about the legendary crossing and gave me some, maybe not very high-quality, but truly unique photographs.

Participant's eyes

Newbie in Antarctica (excerpt)
Sanin V.

But all this, - continued Samushkin, - although not quite safe, but a cheerful child's game compared to the third campaign. For a long time afterwards, we shuddered at night and, waking up, smiled blissfully - what happiness that he was behind, this third campaign! We took a sip of Antarctica up to the throat, and all because "there was no nail in the forge" - remember this ballad?

Okay, all right. On October 4, 1968, we left the station on a tractor and "Kharkovchanka". We nicknamed the tractor "Betty", and it is not particularly famous for anything, but our "Kharkovchanka-22" is known to the whole world: it traveled tens of thousands of kilometers across Antarctica, visited the Pole of Inaccessibility and adorned a postage stamp with its image ... Yes, yes , just this one, hide it more carefully and do not forget to remind me later, I will put a stamp - to the envy of philatelists. And you will probably see our "Kharkovchanka": it will be loaded onto the "Ob" and go home to heal old wounds ... There were six of us: the drivers Planin and Yaroshenko, doctor Grishchenko, glaciologist Kosenko, meteorologist Viktorov and me. The Antarctic spring is in full swing, but not in our understanding - when apple and pear trees bloom, the honey aroma flows in the air and the birds sing ... There is no snowstorm - and for that we thank you, thank you and bow to your feet. True, the ice was very slippery, they walked at a speed of five kilometers per hour. They never fell into a crack, did not fall into a thaw hole - thanks to providence too. And all the same, some kind of bad premonition did not leave me: the third trip in a row is going too well - it doesn’t happen like that in Antarctica.

And on the one hundred and eighteenth kilometer, a day's journey to Cape Hurricane, the same story with a nail happened: on the "Kharkovchanka" the crankshaft spline clutch failed. And we didn’t take a spare clutch with us: we hoped we could manage. All. "Kharkovchanka" stopped, sit down and light a cigarette, the campaign breaks down ... I had to split up. We - Planin, Grishchenko and I - remained on the "Kharkovchanka", and the rest on the "Betty" went to the station for the clutch. Three days there, three days back - a week is gone. We scolded ourselves mercilessly, but consoled ourselves with the fact that Sedov, too, was forced to interrupt his journey to the Pole on dogs, because he forgot a primus needle in the camp: great examples somehow calm ...

At first everything went fine: "Betty" got to the station, the guys took the ill-fated muff and went to us. At the sixty-eighth kilometer, misfortune - a beam caught fire. Why did this happen? By that time, a strong wind was blowing, and sparks were flying from the exhaust pipe - we did not find another explanation. The guys sitting in the cab of the tractor saw the flame when it was already blazing with might and main. They tried to knock him down with fire extinguishers, but - a strong wind! - the beam caught fire again. And there are two gas cylinders in it, ready to explode at any moment! But you can’t stay in the icy desert without a radio station and food - you had to consciously take extreme risks. The radio could not be pulled out - it was too tightly screwed on, and the fire had already reached the cylinders. They managed to throw out two sleeping bags that fell under the arm, ran out - and then there was an explosion. The beam and everything that was in it scattered for fifty to a hundred meters, no food or clothes could be saved. Leaving the damaged, helpless "Betty" at the crash site, Yaroshenko, Viktorov and Kosenko moved towards the "Kharkovchanka": it was still fifty kilometers to us, and sixty-eight to the station, and even a headwind.

The weather was tolerable. Driven by a fair wind, the guys walked along the track laid by the "Kharkovchanka", In some places the track was covered, but every two kilometers the road was marked with barrels. And although the marathon distance in Antarctica is, believe me, a lot, the guys probably would have got there safely, if not for the second misfortune: Yaroshenko's legs cramped.

Kosenko and Viktorov threw sleeping bags - an ill-conceived decision! - and carried a comrade in their arms. And one more mistake: when they saw the red flag of "Kharkovchanka" fixed on a high pole in the distance, they cut a corner and left the road to win a few kilometers. They hoped that the weather would remain good, and broke the law: never, under any circumstances, leave the road!

And then the blizzard began. Fortunately, the guys managed to get back on the road, but lost precious hours. They had no food, except for a single bottle of juice for Yaroshenko, leather jackets on their shoulders: the kaeshki burned in the beam. At first they could still see our rockets, but when the blizzard really raged, the visibility disappeared completely. And we launched rockets just in case, because after the termination of communication we could only guess about the fate of "Betty". But when the blizzard began, they were alarmed in earnest. We decided to go forward. And just as soon as they gathered, Viktorov burst into "Kharkovchanka"! We gave him hot coffee to drink, brought him to his senses, and he said that he had come for help: the guys were twelve kilometers away. Kosenko, in order not to freeze, gradually drags Yaroshenko on himself, but you need to hurry with clothes, otherwise trouble will not be avoided. Leaving exhausted Viktorov to keep in touch, we immediately hit the road. You can't see a single thing, even the rockets didn't illuminate the road, they were groping. We chose this method: I felt the left track of the caterpillar, Planin - the right one, and Grishchenko walked behind us, securing us. The trail is lost - stop, back; for if you go astray, there will be no one to save you. We walked two, five, seven kilometers - no guys. Twelve passed - with the same success. So, either Viktorov made a mistake, or they lost their way and went off to the side. That's bad. Planin also had a cramped leg at the eighth kilometer. He trudged along, leaning on a stick and deeply worried that he had become a burden ... And yet, for insurance, we decided to go a little further ahead. We got to the next barrels, scrawled our names and time on them and set off back. So tired that hallucinations began: in every dark spot on the road they saw the bodies of dead friends. And the blizzard spread so much that even part of the barrels were blown away by the wind .. Not reaching six kilometers to the "Kharkovchanka" - oh joy! We saw two footprints in the snow. So the guys were here! They began to fumble around - the traces disappeared not far from the zone of cracks. Completely dejected, they trudged back. It was a very difficult moment, I would not like to ever experience this again. While hoping - forces were taken from nowhere, and hope was gone - they could hardly rearrange their legs. What guys lost because of the clutch, a piece of iron! We approached the "Kharkovchanka" - and were dumbfounded: Kosenko came out to meet us! And where did the forces come from - they ran to hug him.

"Where is Yaroshenko?!"

"Alive, sleeping in a bag."

Well, we kissed, hugged Yaroshenko, who was very bad, found out that they parted just a few steps from each other. Kosenko told how he dragged his comrade on him and even almost cried with happiness when he saw the “Kharkovchanka”. And then ... however, the main thing has already been told. Yaroshenko rose to his feet three days later. Soon help came from the station, and we returned safe and sound. Thus ended our third and most useless campaign, which lasted about a month. Although, - Samushkin smiled, - why useless? Firstly, we kept meteorological observations all the time, and secondly, we perfectly learned one truth: when setting off, do not forget about spare parts!

In the 1950s, active exploration of the Antarctic began by Soviet polar explorers. For these purposes, special reliable transport was required, since the available equipment could not withstand the harsh operating conditions. The first machine that met these requirements, could work at extremely low temperatures, was the Kharkivchanka all-terrain vehicle. Consider the features and characteristics of this technique.

History of creation

Separately, it is worth noting the predecessor of the machine in question. In 1957, the Penguin swamp was developed and quickly created, based on the base of the PT-76 tank. This representative of off-road equipment was of great help in the development of the Antarctic expanses. The unit proved to be a reliable machine with a decent running resource. But there were two significant drawbacks in its design: it was not intended to move over long distances and was cramped inside.

The all-terrain vehicle "Kharkivchanka" lost these disadvantages. The car became more comfortable and spacious, which made it possible to send large groups of people who spent a long time on the road to transatlantic expeditions. Some experts compare the car with a snow cruiser, focused on polar climatic conditions.

Description

New car was erected within the framework of the project "Product No. 404-C". The creation of equipment took place at the transport construction plant in Kharkov. The heavy tractor AT-T, intended for the needs of artillery, was taken as the basis for the design. Its base was increased by a couple of rollers, the frame turned out to be hollow and completely sealed. In its frontal part, a diesel power unit with 12 cylinders was placed. A five-speed gearbox, oil tanks, controls and the main fuel tank were also placed there.

The other eight fuel tanks of the Kharkivchanka all-terrain vehicle were installed in the middle frame compartment. Their total capacity was 2.5 thousand liters. At the back, heaters with a capacity of 200 cubic meters of hot air per hour, as well as a powerful 100-meter winch, were mounted. As a result, the overall layout of large parts under the floor made it possible to free up more space for passenger modules and significantly reduce the center of gravity of equipment, the total height of which reached almost four meters.

Device and equipment

The dimensions of the Arctic all-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka" are impressive. Length vehicle was 8500 millimeters, and the width was 3500 mm. The rectangular one-volume body was equipped with a room inside with total area 28 "squares" with a ceiling height of 2.1 m. Such dimensions made it possible for the team to move freely around the cabin. The specified area was carefully isolated from the running block, had serious insulation and was divided into special compartments.

Inside the Kharkivchanka all-terrain vehicle, in the frontal part above the engine, a control room was provided, where the navigator and driver worked. On the right side (in the direction of travel) a radio headquarters was equipped, which was equipped with the most modern equipment at that time. Behind the partition on the left there was sleeping quarters for eight persons, and behind it - a wardroom. The layout even provided for the arrangement of the kitchen (galley). However, it was not suitable for full-fledged cooking, more often it was used to heat canned food. Behind this compartment, a heated toilet was equipped. The design features of the machine included the presence of a small clothes dryer, as well as a vestibule, which made it possible not to cool the air during landing and exit.

Exploitation

Since the Antarctic all-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka" was intended for operation in conditions of loose snow, and its composition is not inferior in hardness to sand, forming "quicksands", the designers made a serious revision of the tracks. So that the elements do not sink from the slightest contact with the snow layers, their width became 1000 millimeters, while a snow hook was equipped on each track.

This decision made it possible to increase the traction force, allowing the car to literally bite into the crust. The hooks have additional functionality. They helped the technique to overcome water obstacles if necessary. Despite the fact that the Kharkivchanka all-terrain vehicle did not belong to the class of amphibians, it could easily swim a certain distance through the water. Here it was necessary to show special care to the driver and navigator, making sure that the car did not sink below the floor level. The buoyancy parameter was provided by a hollow and sealed frame.

About the engine

Below are the main parameters of the power unit that set the specified equipment in motion:

power rating at face value - 520 "horses";
the presence of turbine superchargers, allowing to double the power;
type of fuel diesel fuel;
working / maximum speed - 15/30 km / h.

The motor of the Antarctic all-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka" (see photo below) easily provided transportation of the car's own weight (about 35 tons), and also made it possible to tow up to 70 tons. Most often, these were containers with fuel, since in such expeditions it is the most important cargo. Its part among the total volume was about 70%. It should be noted that as part of a sleigh train, the speed was about 12-15 km/h.

Design features

Of the design nuances, the presence of moisture absorbers with a constant influx of hot air masses should be emphasized. This made it possible to avoid possible freezing of the windows. Electric heating was provided on the windshields, similar to modern automotive analogues. The generator of the machine in question was capable of generating about 13 kilowatts of electricity per hour. This was quite enough for the needs of the expedition members.

Judging by the reviews, thanks to the unique layout, the Kharkivchanka all-terrain vehicle in the first generation was in operation for quite a long time (until 2008), and some models still serve. The second generation of this technique appeared already in 1975 and was equipped with a separate residential module. The features of this machine will be discussed below.

As for "Kharkovchanka-1", the operation of these modifications indicates that it is convenient to service the engine without leaving the passenger compartment. Nevertheless, it was not possible to completely level out the exhaust gases breaking inward. And this significantly reduced the comfort of staying in the living compartment. The thermal insulation of the first versions also turned out to be not on highest level.

Second generation

The first generation of the considered all-terrain vehicle was quite reliable, but did not meet modern requirements. In this regard, the Kharkov plant in 1974 received a new order for five improved machines. Taking into account the operating experience and recommendations of the polar explorers, the designers made certain adjustments to the design and life support system of the equipment. The updated unit was called "Kharkovchanka-2". Of particular difficulty for engineers was the modernization of the residential part. It was also necessary to equip the complex with radio navigation support.

As a result, they achieved a comfortable microclimate inside, despite the force of frost outside. Even with a system failure, the temperature in the cabin dropped by no more than 3 degrees per day. The implementation of this solution was made possible by the use of modern materials thermal insulation. The engine hood and driver's cab remained the traditional configuration. At the same time, the residential part was transferred to an elongated cargo platform. Taking into account the recommendations of the polar explorers, the developers at the last moment made a window for ventilation. This innovation was equipped literally before sending the updated machines to Antarctica. The all-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka" in the late 80s received another restyling with a base in the form, but after the collapse of the USSR, the project was never implemented.

Outcome

Judging by the reviews, this technique is still in operation. Moreover, some experts are convinced that there is no better car in their segment. This fact is confirmed by the fact that in 1967 the expedition reached the most remote point of the South Pole and returned without any problems. No one else has visited this part of the Earth after the "Kharkiv Women".

Kharkivchanka 3 Antarctic all-terrain vehicle. All-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka": device, specifications, operating features and reviews with photos

Land ships of Antarctica Gladky D., Govoruha A.

Idea evolution

All paths lead to Kharkiv

snowmobile path

Technical component

Second generation

Bring on the South Pole! Gogolev L.

From ChTZ to Kharkivchanka

On a long trip

Participant's eyes

Newbie in Antarctica (excerpt) Sanin V.

History of creation

Description

Device and equipment

Exploitation

About the engine

Design features

Second generation

Outcome

Popular

Land ships of Antarctica
Gladky D., Govoruha A.

Bring on the South Pole!
Gogolev L.

Newbie in Antarctica (excerpt)
Sanin V.