An Aerosledge (Russian: aэросани, "Aerosani") is a propeller-driven sledge, sleigh or toboggan which slides on runners or skis. Aerosleds are used for communications, mail deliveries, medical aid, emergency recovery, and patrolling borders in countries such as northern Russia, as well as for recreation. Aerosani were used by the Soviet Red Army during the Winter War and World War II.
The first aerosledges may have been built in 1903-05 by Sergei Nezhdanovsky.[citation needed] In 1909–10, young Igor Sikorsky designed and tested an aerosledge, before going on to build multi-engine airplanes and helicopters. They were light plywood vehicles on skis, powered by used vintage aircraft engines and propellers.[1]
The RF-8, a smaller World War II model, powered by an inexpensive automotive engineFinnish military snowmobile
Military use of the aerosani goes back to at least the 1910s. During World War I, aerosani were used for reconnaissance, communicating, and light raiding in northern areas. During the 1939–40 Winter War against Finland some were equipped with a machine gun ring mount on the roof.[2] They could carry four or five men and tow four more on skis. The aerosani were initially used for transport, liaison, and medical evacuation in deep snow, mostly in open country and on frozen lakes and rivers because of their poor hill-climbing ability and limited maneuverability on winding forest roads.
During World War II aerosani were used for reconnaissance, communication, and light raiding in northern areas thanks to their high mobility in deep snow (25–35 km/h, where many vehicles could not move at all).[3] Responsibility for aerosani was transferred to the Soviet Armoured Forces (GABTU) and orders were submitted for design and fabrication of lightly armoured versions, protected by ten millimetres of steel plate on the front. They were organized into transport or combat battalions of 45 vehicles, in three companies, often employed in cooperation with ski infantry. Troops were usually carried or towed by transport aerosani, while fire support was provided by the heavier machine gun-armed, armoured models. Aerosani were not used for direct assault because of their vulnerability to explosives such as mortar rounds.
The ANT-I through ANT-V were a successful series of aerosani of the 1920s and ’30s, designed by aircraft engineer Andrei Tupolev. A claim exists that in 1924 the Soviets obtained plans and specifications for 'air sleighs' from Chester B. Wing, an aviator, automobile dealer and former mayor of St. Ignace, Michigan, U.S.A. He had built practical aerosleds to aid transportation across the ice between St. Ignace and Mackinac Island, and for use by fishermen. The Spring 1943 issue of the magazine Science and Mechanics states that "from his aerosleds the Russians developed their present battle sled." The claim though has to be viewed in the context of a pre-World War I picture of an Igor Sikorsky machine in Kiev.
The first military aerosani used in Finland, the KM-5 and OSGA-6 (later called NKL-6), were initially built at the Narkomles Factory in Moscow. During World War II, improved NKL-16/41 and NKL-16/42 models were built, and production started at the ZiS and GAZ car factories, and at smaller industries such as the Stalingrad Bekietovskiy Wood Works. In 1941 the armoured NKL-26, designed by M. Andreyev, started production at Narkomles. The following year, Gorki Narkorechflota developed the smaller, unarmoured GAZ-98, or RF-8, powered by a GAZ-M1 truck engine and a durable metal propeller. There was also an ASD-400 heavy assault sled used in World War II.
^. SelfSite. July 26, 2005. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
^Chris Bellamy (2008). Absolute War: Soviet Russia in the Second World War. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN9780307481139. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
^Nigel Thomas (2011). World War II Soviet Armed Forces (2): 1942–43. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN9781849088282. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
Bibliographyedit
Zaloga, Steven J., James Grandsen (1984). Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two, pp. 185–87, London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN0-85368-606-8.
Boyevyye aerosani 'Combat aerosani' at Brone-Sayt (Russian language)
Aerosani-amfibiya AS-2, a modern amphibious recreational vehicle from aircraft manufacturer Tupolev (Russian language)
Article in Poligon magazine, 1'2002 (at Otvaga site).
December 17, 2023
aerosledge, russian, aэросани, aerosani, propeller, driven, sledge, sleigh, toboggan, which, slides, runners, skis, aerosleds, used, communications, mail, deliveries, medical, emergency, recovery, patrolling, borders, countries, such, northern, russia, well, r. An Aerosledge Russian aerosani Aerosani is a propeller driven sledge sleigh or toboggan which slides on runners or skis Aerosleds are used for communications mail deliveries medical aid emergency recovery and patrolling borders in countries such as northern Russia as well as for recreation Aerosani were used by the Soviet Red Army during the Winter War and World War II Tupolev A 3 AerosledgeThe first aerosledges may have been built in 1903 05 by Sergei Nezhdanovsky citation needed In 1909 10 young Igor Sikorsky designed and tested an aerosledge before going on to build multi engine airplanes and helicopters They were light plywood vehicles on skis powered by used vintage aircraft engines and propellers 1 Contents 1 Military usage 2 See also 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksMilitary usage edit nbsp The RF 8 a smaller World War II model powered by an inexpensive automotive engine nbsp Finnish military snowmobileMilitary use of the aerosani goes back to at least the 1910s During World War I aerosani were used for reconnaissance communicating and light raiding in northern areas During the 1939 40 Winter War against Finland some were equipped with a machine gun ring mount on the roof 2 They could carry four or five men and tow four more on skis The aerosani were initially used for transport liaison and medical evacuation in deep snow mostly in open country and on frozen lakes and rivers because of their poor hill climbing ability and limited maneuverability on winding forest roads During World War II aerosani were used for reconnaissance communication and light raiding in northern areas thanks to their high mobility in deep snow 25 35 km h where many vehicles could not move at all 3 Responsibility for aerosani was transferred to the Soviet Armoured Forces GABTU and orders were submitted for design and fabrication of lightly armoured versions protected by ten millimetres of steel plate on the front They were organized into transport or combat battalions of 45 vehicles in three companies often employed in cooperation with ski infantry Troops were usually carried or towed by transport aerosani while fire support was provided by the heavier machine gun armed armoured models Aerosani were not used for direct assault because of their vulnerability to explosives such as mortar rounds The ANT I through ANT V were a successful series of aerosani of the 1920s and 30s designed by aircraft engineer Andrei Tupolev A claim exists that in 1924 the Soviets obtained plans and specifications for air sleighs from Chester B Wing an aviator automobile dealer and former mayor of St Ignace Michigan U S A He had built practical aerosleds to aid transportation across the ice between St Ignace and Mackinac Island and for use by fishermen The Spring 1943 issue of the magazine Science and Mechanics states that from his aerosleds the Russians developed their present battle sled The claim though has to be viewed in the context of a pre World War I picture of an Igor Sikorsky machine in Kiev The first military aerosani used in Finland the KM 5 and OSGA 6 later called NKL 6 were initially built at the Narkomles Factory in Moscow During World War II improved NKL 16 41 and NKL 16 42 models were built and production started at the ZiS and GAZ car factories and at smaller industries such as the Stalingrad Bekietovskiy Wood Works In 1941 the armoured NKL 26 designed by M Andreyev started production at Narkomles The following year Gorki Narkorechflota developed the smaller unarmoured GAZ 98 or RF 8 powered by a GAZ M1 truck engine and a durable metal propeller There was also an ASD 400 heavy assault sled used in World War II See also editAirboat Hydrocopter Ekranoplan Armoured fighting vehicle KRISTI snowcat Battle sled Multi passenger snowmobilesReferences edit The Propeller Driven Sleigh SelfSite July 26 2005 Archived from the original on July 10 2011 Retrieved 2008 09 11 Chris Bellamy 2008 Absolute War Soviet Russia in the Second World War Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group ISBN 9780307481139 Retrieved 5 April 2018 Nigel Thomas 2011 World War II Soviet Armed Forces 2 1942 43 Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN 9781849088282 Retrieved 5 April 2018 Bibliography editZaloga Steven J James Grandsen 1984 Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two pp 185 87 London Arms and Armour Press ISBN 0 85368 606 8 Science and Mechanics Spring 1943 p 49 External links editpropeller driven sleds at Lonesentry com The Propeller Driven Sleigh N007 Tupolev aerosled with ground effect At the Russian Battlefield Soviet Combat Snowmobiles in English RF 8 GAZ 98 Snowmobile NKL 26 Snowmobile ANT IV Snowmobile permanent dead link Boyevyye aerosani Combat aerosani at Brone Sayt Russian language Aerosani amfibiya AS 2 a modern amphibious recreational vehicle from aircraft manufacturer Tupolev Russian language Aerosani in WWII Article in Poligon magazine 1 2002 at Otvaga site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aerosledge amp oldid 1183340413, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
