History 04/03/20 M-72: as the USSR before the war had stolen German BMW motorcycle
In the red army during the great Patriotic war was formed 41 motorcycle regiment, 6 such units, was awarded the title of guards. However, import of motorcycle technology to the fronts of the second world war put is still a lot more than his: in terms of evacuation of the Soviet factories in the deep rear of its production was very time-consuming.
As the Germans stole a BMW
the Decision on serial production of military motorcycles for the red army was made in 1940. To do this, just copied and adapted for local production is the way the Wehrmacht motorcycle BMW R-71, approaching its technical characteristics for the conditions of the Soviet Union. Several German “iron horses” delivered to the USSR via Sweden, dismantled cog and Central Bureau of motorcycling (CDBMB) made the drawings of the national motorcycle M-72. The letter meant the location of the production technology (Moscow), the figure served as the generation number following the Nazi R-71.
Soviet experts examined the chemical composition of parts of the BMW R-71 for the equivalent replacement of imported components for domestic. In the production of M-72 were involved in dozens of industrial enterprises of the USSR – ZIS produced engines, GAS – propeller shafts and wheels, etc. According to the Decree of people’s Commissars and the Central Committee of the CPSU(b) № 456-189 SS on 4 March 1941 at 6 motozavod of the USSR (Moscow, Leningrad, Taganrog, Kharkov, Izhevsk and Serpukhov) in 1941, planned to produce 50 thousand military motorcycle M-72, AM-600, IL-9, IL-12 and L-8 (of which 32 thousand – M-72).
Why did not fulfill the plan
However, only by July 1941, Moscow and Kharkov motozavod released only 571 motorcycle M-72, and the rapid advance of the German troops hastened the evacuation of the production area of all relevant enterprises in the production runs.ku this technique in the rear – in Tyumen, Izhevsk, Gorky, and Irbit. Most of the workers in motorcycle factories went to the front, and took their place, women and adolescents lacked expertise. On the new locations of the enterprises often lacked the basic necessities – electricity, plants, machines…
To normal monopropellant under these conditions, only came in 1944. According to historians, during the war, the USSR had sent to the army about 17 thousand units of most efficient vehicles – M-72.
two-Wheeler loan abroad
Realizing that the domestic industry is unable to cope with the requests of the army of motorbikes, the Soviet government at the beginning of 1942, taking the GKO No. 1106 SS to purchase in the US and the UK imported motorcycles with sidecars. It was supposed to purchase 20 thousand units (up to the end of the great Patriotic war the Soviet Union has purchased nearly 30 thousand Western motorcycles).
basically, we have supplied well-known “Harley Davidson” (2/3 of the total number for the entire war), and American “Indiana”, English, “Velocette and Matchless”. They were without carriages, although with more reliable components and mechanisms than the M-72. But still imported samples of Soviet motorcyclists disliked – in the field, in contrast to M-72, to repair them was difficult.
the Motorcycles were delivered in parts and assembled in the domestic motozavod. Thereto was welded to the wheelchair and added structural device for different weapons.
I was capable riders of the red army
Motoparaplane in the red army during the Great Patriotic war was engaged not only and not so much intelligence or any other operational tasks that are not directly related clashes. Motorcycles officially belonged to armored vehicles – three-wheeled cars were equipped under the machine gun, the steering wheel could be mounted PCA, and a wheelchair – anti-tank gun and even a flamethrower.
Separate motupalli in combat sometimes made the most important combat tasks. For example, 8 separate motorcycle regiment in the South-Western front in the battle for Stalingrad in November 1942, breaking away from the main advancing forces penetrated deep into the rear of the Germans and more than a week denounced the Nazis, killing more than 700 and capturing more than a thousand soldiers and officers. Along with this Soviet motorcyclists leveled about a dozen of the enemy’s stores of food and ammunition, in total they destroyed more than 200 vehicles, tanks, aircraft, self-propelled and anti-tank guns (over a dozen units of each type of equipment).
in Addition, a motorcycle regiment has damaged the railroad and the communication line on the W/d stage, from the concentration camp by the Soviet bikers was released more than 800 prisoners of war, of which formed several guerrilla groups. And all this with minimal losses – our motorcyclists out of 26 people and 3 of the “iron horse”.
the commander of the 8 weapons of mass destruction Lieutenant Colonel Peter Belik for this RAID was awarded the Gold Star, and the regiment received the title of guards.
Russian Seven
Source:
© Russian Seven
Featured articles Share: Comments Comments on the article “M-72: as the Soviet Union before the war, stole a German motorcycle BMW” Please log in to leave a comment! br>
Share on Tumblr
