From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Tue Jan 07 2003 - 09:42:40 PST
Hi Glen,
>just an "unverified fact".
>
>I was told when I was a boy that the military used gasoline because it did
>not freeze in winter.
>and one of the reasons Germany had problems in Russia.
Not correct ;-) As I stated earlier, every single German tank (Czech
Tatra based vehicles excepted) was gasoline powered. The Soviets, on the
other hand, used diesel for most of their tanks. The problem the Germans
faced with freezing was:
1. The mechanisms were quite complex, and complexity means less
robustness (inherently, anyway).
2. They did not have the correct lubricants for the conditions. The oil
in the pans and greese in bearings literally truned to goo.
The Soviets had more simplistic mechanical componants (be it engines,
transmissions, or even small arms) and therefore they were easier to keep
working in adverse conditions. They also had propper formulated oils and
grease.
The Germans sometimes had to light fires under their gearboxes and
engines to warm them up enough to get them started. Obviously this was
quite dangerous due to the gasoline nature of their engines!
The Germans' solution in 1941/2 winter was to keep some vehicles running
and then switch them off and start up another batch. By doing this they
wasted fuel but kept at least some of their vehicles in ready condition
at any given moment.
In later winters they had propper oils and grease so this became less of
a problem. It also helped that the following winters were not as harsh
as the first, which was the worst in decades.
Steve
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