One Stop Soviet shop

[chrisonord]

cheers,
Chris.

[Taiidantomcat]

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

For WWII stuff, I HIGHLY recommend you get y'self the Osprey 'Aircraft of the Aces' series on "Soviet Lend-Lease Aces". Outstanding artwork by the excellent Jim Laurier.

Trust me 

Ian

[Taiidantomcat]

I have looked through that book and it is excellent...every profile seems to be  a Whif because its aircraft that you just aren't used to seeing in those markings!  

[upnorth]

OK, I'm a bit late getting this lot up and posted. These pics were taken at the biannual military exposition we have here in Brno:

First, an exterior walkaround of a Czech Mil Mi-171 Hip:

[upnorth]

And interior shots of the same:

[upnorth]

Here's a small selection of pics of a Czech SA-6 Gainful SAM launcher and it's accompanying radar vehicle:

[upnorth]

Here's a selection of images of a couple of Czech designed Tatra 8X8 trucks going through their paces. As wheeled transport vehicles go the word "imposing" does not do these big boys justice.

[Taiidantomcat]

Thanks for all the pics!!  That Mi-8 cockpit looks great, they have done a nice job of getting rid of that electric green/blue

[upnorth]

Thanks for all the pics!!  That Mi-8 cockpit looks great, they have done a nice job of getting rid of that electric green/blue

Yep! That's NATO compliance for you

The 171 is actually a fairly recent modification of the Mi-17 and didn't exist under socialism.

As opposed to the old electric blue/institutional green cockpit colour with cyrilic language placards, it's now black interiors with English placards.

[Mossie]

Thanks for the pics of the Tatra 8x8's, impressive performance.  I believe the same truck leant it's chassis to the Dana & Zuzana self propelled howitzers?  That digital camouflage is interesting, is this becoming standard on Czech vehicles?

[upnorth]

Thanks for the pics of the Tatra 8x8's, impressive performance.  I believe the same truck leant it's chassis to the Dana & Zuzana self propelled howitzers?  That digital camouflage is interesting, is this becoming standard on Czech vehicles?

I don't think digital camo is becoming standard in Czech service, I've seen no evidence of it. I also don't think those trucks in my pics are actually army vehicles properly, but company demonstrator vehicles.

As for the same chassis in the Dana and Zuzana SPGs, I don't know. There was a Dana at the show and it looked a whole lot bigger and more substantial all around than the 8x8s. Perhaps it has a chassis of the same design, just enlarged and beefed up.

[upnorth]

Here's a few more from the show:

A couple of treaded beasties:






And a selection of wheeled vehicles, all Tatra products and Czech army with the exception of the 6x6 medevac vehicle which is Slovak and made by Iveco:

[Sauragnmon]

That field hospital unit looks to be on a chassis similar to the Dana, in a way.  I'd agree, the big Tatra 8x8's do have an imposing view, much the same as their Russian cousins, the MAZ-546 and their ilk, which have lugged around everything from Scuds to 300mm Rocket Artillery to 152mm howitzer coastal batteries.

[Taiidantomcat]

Those pics are great! What an array of vehicles 

These are by Paul Pepera: