Many cities have people, names and events that glorify the city itself, creating unforgettable “trigger” associations, including in our creation precise “geographic coordinates”.
In this sense, Kharkov is a special city. During its history, many were born here talented people, a huge number of discoveries have been made, and, thanks to the powerful industrial potential, countless new machines, products and services have been created. Some things remain in history, some continue to develop, but, in any case, Kharkov has forced itself to be respected not only in Ukraine, but also far beyond its borders.

In the photo: near the An-140 - the first aircraft in the history of our country, developed and mastered in serial production during the independence of Ukraine. Despite the fact that the airliner was developed in Kiev, the license for its production was sold to Russia and Iran, it was thanks to Kharkov and the Kharkov residents that the An-140 became a truly production machine that “made its way” to the world market. Despite the difficulties of operating the initial period, accidents and catastrophes, the “chill” of the developer and the weakness of suppliers of components, sometimes producing them in single quantities, the Kharkov Aircraft Plant with this aircraft regained its fame, and in 2004 was awarded the “Aviation Week and Space Technology” award. "(USA) for success in promoting the An-140 on the international market. The first aircraft developed by Oleg Antonov - An-2 - among others, had the affectionate female name “Annushka”. We also called ours An-140. He was the first for our country, and for us he became "Annushka - from Kharkov"- beloved, with a complex character, a lady who fully reflects that difficult time... (photo of the Aviafilm studio, August 11, 2005)

Certainly, main value of any city are its people. Great and ordinary, successful and not so successful, patriots and cosmopolitans, happy and striving for happiness...

Kharkov residents are able not only to clearly and carefully formulate their goals, but also to achieve them, no matter where they will live and work later..

Inimitable Kharkov dialect and unique “words” unique to this city: trempel(hanger), handel(eatery), brand(tram route number), whine(Gopnik), raklo(tramp), ampoule(ballpoint pen refill), snake(zipper), curl(curling iron), bag(plastic bag), chair(stool), delis(waffle cake), sortie(picnic in nature)…

Great Kharkov woman - Lyudmila Markovna Gurchenko - having left for Moscow forever, she remained faithful to her hometown. In her book “My Adult Childhood” (L.M. Gurchenko, Moscow, Publisher: Our Contemporary Magazine, 1980) she wrote about the “Kharkov speech” like this: « Everyone in Kharkiv speaks with a Ukrainian accent. At Valya's[Valentina Sergeevna Radchenko - neighbor and friend of the Gurchenko family] there was such a… accent that even I could hear it. She said “troops”... Her powerful Ukrainian accent did not go well with her appearance.”.

In the photo (from left to right): Klavdiya Shulzhenko (1906-1984), Lyudmila Gurchenko (1935-2011), Natalya Fateeva(born in 1934) - great women born in Kharkov, self-made women, “sex symbols” of their time, glorifying themselves and their country. “The Blue Handkerchief” by Shulzhenko, Lenochka Krylova from “Carnival Night” by Gurchenko or Zoya from the film “Three Plus Two” by Natalya Fateeva - all this will be listened to and watched for many years and decades to come. And despite the fact that Moscow and St. Petersburg became their springboard to fame, they will forever remain real and legendary Kharkovites...

When did I become general director Kharkov State Aviation manufacturing enterprise(KhSAPP), together with a huge production complex located not only on 2 sites in Kharkov, but also in Konotop, Chuguev and Bezlyudovka, the sanatorium-preventorium “Polyot” in Kharkov, the recreation center “Sokolniki” on Stary came under my management Saltov (Petrovskoye village, Volchansky district, Kharkov region), children's health camp "Lesnoy Ogonyok" in Pomerki, kindergarten and first-level school "Sokolyatko" in Kharkov Sokolniki. In addition to this, there were numerous dormitories and small-family houses, as well as the housing stock of the KSAPP.

It was a discovery for me that one of the most famous buildings in Kharkov on the street. Sumskoy, 36/38 was part of the housing stock of KSAPP. At that moment, almost all apartments were privatized by residents, but the management of housing issues and premises for general or commercial use remained with the Kharkov Aircraft Plant.
It turns out that before the construction of a large and prestigious residential building in the very center of Kharkov in the post-war years, a branch of the Industrial Energy Institute was located on this site, where Yuri Kondratyuk worked in 1933–1934 (birth name - Alexander Ignatievich Shargei). Yu.Kontratyuk (1897-1942) was the founder of astronautics, the author of the theory of a multi-stage launch vehicle, but became world famous thanks to the fact that he calculated the optimal flight trajectory spaceship to the moon. These calculations were used by NASA in the Apollo lunar program. The trajectory proposed in 1916 by Shargei - Kondratyuk was subsequently called the “Kondratyuk route”.

In the photo: on the left is a memorial plaque installed on a residential building on the street. Sumskoy, 36/38 in Kharkov in honor of Yuri Kondratyuk. On the right is the “Kondratyuk route” - the most profitable (from the point of view of energy costs) trajectory of space flight to the Moon. Shargei-Kondratyuk first published this concept in the book “The Conquest of Interplanetary Spaces” (1929). The “snail” trajectory of a spacecraft’s flight to the Moon was used in practice by the Americans during their flights to the Earth’s natural satellite

In the photo: with another great designer of rocket and space technology - Vladimir Sergeev(1914-2009) - Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, twice Hero of Socialist Labor, long-term head of the Kharkov plant "Hartron" (OKB-692 / plant 67 / NPO "Electropribor") I happened to know. Vladimir Grigorievich and his wife lived in a house on the street. Sumskoy, 36/38 from 1960 to 1997. After the creation of strategic management systems ballistic missiles developments of design bureaus led by Mikhail Yangel and Vladimir Chelomey, the team of V. Sergeev in the 80s of the last century was developing a control system for a reusable space launch vehicle transport system"Energy - Buran" (pictured in the center)

But, to be honest, I, like many Kharkov residents, used to be connected with the house on Sumskaya, 36/38 something else.

In the photo (left) of the 70s - early 80s - a house on the street. Sumy, 36/38 with the cafe "Kharkiv'yanka" located on the ground floor. The cafe, with a total area of ​​1400 m² and located in the very heart of Kharkov, was a unique catering establishment. It was here that vending machines selling sandwiches, coffee and even cognac were located, which they did instead of the usual barmaids and bartenders

On the picture: the first article in the press about the Antarctic “Kharkovchanka” (Popular science magazine “Technology for Youth” No. 3, March 1959)

To create an Antarctic all-terrain vehicle, it was necessary to find two enterprises belonging to different departments, but located in the same city. Such factories were found in Kharkov. One of them is the Kharkov Aviation Plant, the other is the Transport Engineering Plant named after. V.A. Malysheva (until 1960 - machine-building plant No. 183). Plant named after Malysheva had extensive experience in the production of tanks and tractors, which was of decisive importance for the traction characteristics of the future snowmobile, and the Kharkov Aircraft Plant created aircraft interiors, which could become the basis for the arrangement residential complex snow SUV. Since 1958, joint work has begun.

Historians Dmitry Gladky and Alexander Govorukha say:
“The novelty and unusual nature of the task assigned to enterprises required unusual approaches. No one had any experience. It was necessary to come up with a machine from scratch that could withstand Antarctic loads. The same AT-T [heavy artillery all-terrain tracked tractor] was taken as a basis, but modified. Its chassis was lengthened by two rollers, which increased the load capacity, the tracks were expanded to reduce the specific pressure on the snow cover, and a special gearbox was made.
The aircraft manufacturers 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 and have reliable insulation. It was necessary to equip a work compartment, a galley, a control department, a bedroom for 6 people, as well as an equipment room, a drying compartment, and a vestibule. That is, a comfortable work and living complex in one room must be designed. The deadline was determined, like everything in those days, very strict - just three months. It was necessary to have time to complete the drawings, translate them into metal and at the same time immediately make adjustments during the work process. The people involved in this project worked almost continuously, with only night hours 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 weight of the all-terrain vehicle itself was 35 tons], the operating speed when driving on snow is 5-11 km/h [in practice, a speed of 30 km/h was achieved], the average specific pressure on snow is 0.4 kg/sq. see As the people involved in this work said, all components and mechanisms of tractors literally "licked out" so that Kharkov cars on the southern “crown” of the Earth do not let us down”.

Technical characteristics of "Kharkivchanka": length - 8.5 m; width - 3.5 m; height - 4.0 m (antenna - 6.5 m); weight - 35.0 t, trailer - 70 t; engine - 520–1000 hp (995 hp at an altitude of 3000 m); track width - 1.0 m; cruising range - 1500 km (2500 liters of fuel); speed - 30 km / h; rise – 30°; can swim (depth of immersion according to the level of 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/hour of air; it is possible to repair units from inside the cabin during the trip.
On the diagram: (1) - 4-seater crew cabin; (2) - engine compartment; (3) - engine; (4) - hydromechanical gearbox; (5) - cardan shaft; (6) - final drive; (7) - rotary coupling device; (8) - track roller; (9) - fuel tank; (10) - cargo platform or living compartment, depending on the version; (11) - awning

The first test of "Kharkovchanka" in Antarctica began on February 10, 1959. A batch of 3 vehicles was delivered to the South Pole and literally immediately the task was set to carry out a trip on new all-terrain vehicles from the Mirny station to the “dome of the planet” with a length of 2700 km. The month-and-a-half-long campaign ended triumphantly at the American polar station, located right at the Pole. By the way, then an “important political task” was also accomplished: the USSR flag was raised next to the Stars and Stripes at the pole, which signified the conquest of the South Pole by Soviet explorers. “Kharkovites” passed the exam with honor, proved to be extremely successful and extremely durable machines.

In the photo: this is what the first “Kharkovites” looked like in Antarctica. Everything inside was primitive, but so reliable that many of these machines are in use to this day, that is, almost 60 years! In the photo above on the right is an aviation thermos boiler KU-27-2S in the living compartment (the same ones were used on the Tu-104, Tu-124, Tu-134 and many others), and in the photo below are the sleeping places of polar explorers near the aircraft windows " Kharkiv women»

In the photo: the design and style of the windows of Tupolev aircraft, produced at the Kharkov aircraft plant at that time, were used in the development of the living compartment of the Arctic all-terrain vehicle

In 1976, at the Lenfilm film studio, directors Sergei Danilin and Evgeny Tatarsky shot a feature film based on the book by Vladimir Sanin "Seventy-two degrees below zero" on the transportation of fuel and cargo from the Mirny station to the Vostok station in Antarctica. Brilliant cast - Nikolai Kryuchkov, Alexander Abdulov, Mikhail Kononov, Oleg Yankovsky, Sergei Ivanov and others - played brave polar explorers. But, perhaps, the main character of the film was the all-terrain vehicle “Kharkovchanka”. Based on the heroism of some, despite the sloppiness and betrayal that did not pass the test of the difficulties of some crew members, thanks to a unique machine a very complex logistical task was completed.

The author of this film and book - polar explorer writer - Vladimir Sanin (1928-1989) will write this: “Hope and support, the “insurance policy” of the polar explorer - “Kharkovchanka”. The tractors will stall, the tractors will fail, but “Kharkovchanka” remains - it will shelter everyone, save them, and bring them home. She's the only one capable of doing this. Cruiser of the white desert!(V. Sanin “Seventy-two degrees below zero”, 1975)

In the photo: stills from the film “Seventy-two degrees below zero.” “Kharkovka” always went first, paving the way in the snow...

Over time, the concept of the “single-volume” “Kharkovchanka” was changed when, in December 1974, an order was received for the development and production of 5 new “snow cruisers” for Antarctica. Then they decided to separate the driver’s cabin from the living compartment - this is how the “hood” version of the all-terrain vehicle appeared, which was called “Kharkovchanka-2”.
The first to get to work at the Kharkov Aviation Plant were design engineers, including

In the 50s of the last century, Soviet polar explorers began active exploration of the Antarctic. For these purposes, special reliable transport was required, since the existing equipment could not withstand harsh operating conditions. The first vehicle that met these requirements and could operate at extremely low temperatures was the Kharkovchanka all-terrain vehicle. Let's consider the features and characteristics of this technology.

History of creation

Separately, it is worth noting the predecessor of the machine in question. In 1957 it was developed in as soon as possible The Penguin swamp rover was created, the basis for which was 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 has proven itself to be a reliable machine with a decent running life. But there were two significant drawbacks in its design: it was not intended to travel long distances and was cramped inside.

The all-terrain vehicle "Kharkovchanka" has lost these disadvantages. The car became more comfortable and spacious, which made it possible to send large groups of people on transatlantic expeditions who spent long periods of time on the road. Some experts compare the car to a snow cruiser designed for polar climates.

Description

The new machine was built as part of the “Product No. 404-C” project. The creation of the equipment took place at the transport construction plant in Kharkov. The base for the design was the AT-T heavy tractor, intended for artillery needs. Its base was increased by a couple of rollers, the frame turned out to be hollow and completely sealed. A diesel power unit with 12 cylinders is located in its front part. They also placed a gearbox with five modes, oil reservoirs, controls and the main fuel tank.

The other eight fuel tanks of the Kharkovchanka all-terrain vehicle were installed in the middle frame compartment. Their total capacity was 2.5 thousand liters. Heaters with a capacity of 200 cubic meters of hot air per hour, as well as a powerful hundred-meter winch, were installed at the rear. As a result, the overall arrangement 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 the equipment, the total height of which reached almost four meters.

Design 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 single-volume body inside was equipped with a room with a total area of ​​28 “squares” with a ceiling height of 2.1 m. Such dimensions made it possible for the team to move freely around the cabin. This area was carefully isolated from the running block, had serious insulation and was divided into special compartments.

Inside the Kharkovchanka all-terrain vehicle, in the front part above the engine, there was a control room where the navigator and driver worked. On the right side (in the direction of travel) a radio headquarters was installed, which was equipped with the most modern equipment at that time. Behind the partition on the left there was a sleeping area for eight people, and behind it was a wardroom. The layout even included a kitchen (galley). However, it was not suitable for full-fledged cooking; it was more often used for heating canned food. A heated toilet was installed behind this compartment. Design features the machines included a small clothes dryer, as well as a vestibule, which made it possible not to cool the air when boarding and leaving.

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 serious modifications to the tracks. To prevent the elements from sinking at the slightest contact with snow layers, their width became 1000 millimeters, and a snow hook was equipped on each track.

This solution made it possible to increase traction force, allowing the car to literally bite into the crust. Hooks now have additional functionality. They helped the equipment overcome water obstacles if necessary. Despite the fact that the Kharkovchanka all-terrain vehicle did not belong to the amphibious class, it could easily swim a certain distance through the water. Here the driver and navigator had to be especially careful, ensuring that the car did not sink below floor level. The buoyancy parameter was ensured by a hollow and sealed frame.

About the engine

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

• nominal power rating is 520 “horses”;
• the presence of turbine superchargers that double the power;
• fuel type - diesel fuel;
• operating/maximum speed - 15/30 km/h.

The engine of the Antarctic all-terrain vehicle “Kharkovchanka” (see photo below) easily ensured the transportation of the vehicle’s own weight (about 35 tons), and also made it possible to tow a weight of up to 70 tons. Most often these were containers with fuel, since in such expeditions it is the most important cargo. Its share of the total volume was about 70%. It is worth noting that the speed of movement in the sleigh train 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 frosting 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 its unique layout, the first-generation Kharkovchanka all-terrain vehicle was in use for quite a long time (until 2008), and some models are still in service. The second generation of this equipment appeared already in 1975 and was equipped with a separate residential module. Let's look at the features of this machine below.

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

Second generation

The first generation of the all-terrain vehicle in question 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 operating experience and recommendations from polar explorers, the designers made certain adjustments to the design and life support system of the equipment. The updated unit was called “Kharkovchanka-2”. The modernization of the residential part presented a particular challenge for the engineers. It was also necessary to equip the complex with radio navigation support.

As a result, they achieved a comfortable microclimate inside, despite the severity of the frost outside. Even if the system failed, the temperature in the cabin decreased by no more than 3 degrees per day. The implementation of this solution was made possible thanks to the use of modern thermal insulation materials. The engine hood and driver's cabin remained in the traditional configuration. At the same time, the living area was moved to an extended loading platform. Taking into account the recommendations of polar explorers, the developers at the last moment made a window for ventilation. This innovation was installed literally before sending the updated cars to Antarctica. The all-terrain vehicle “Kharkovchanka” received another restyling with a base in the late 80s, but after the collapse of the USSR the project was never implemented.

Bottom line

Judging by the reviews, this technique is still functioning. Moreover, some experts are convinced that a better car cannot be found in its segment. This fact is confirmed by the fact that in 1967 the expedition reached the most remote point of the South Pole and returned back without any problems. No one else has visited this part of the Earth after “Kharkovites”.

The idea of ​​​​building a huge all-terrain vehicle for the Antarctic belongs to polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard Byrd. In 1934, having almost frozen to death in the snowy desert of Antarctica, cut off by bad weather, he decided to come up with something that would become for polar explorers both a warm, cozy home and a reliable means of transportation on ice and hummocks.

Together with Professor Thomas Poulter, they were able to get money from the US Congress for this ambitious project, called Snow Cruiser.

The money was received and construction of the Snow Cruiser began in 1939, which took less than 4 months, including sea trials. The car turned out to be quite large: a 34-ton monster, 17 meters long, 4.9 meters high and 6 meters wide.

Further, the "snow cruiser" traveled 1700 km from Chicago to Boston under its own power and was loaded onto the North Star ship in order to be in time for the next polar expedition. The car was red in order to be clearly visible in Antarctica

I had to block traffic and disperse crowds of curious people who literally threw themselves under huge three-meter wheels.

Wherever the Antarctic Snow Cruiser drove on its way to Boston, it was invariably greeted by enthusiastic crowds.

This run became the only sea test of the Snow Cruiser, which played a cruel joke on him in Antarctica. The snow turned out to be completely different in properties from asphalt.

Technologies

How to rotate a wheel with a diameter of three meters? There was nothing to think about leading to each cardan shaft - all the mechanisms had to be hidden inside the case so that they could be repaired without going out into the cold. In addition, all four wheels could turn for maneuverability, so that the "cruiser" could sail along the snowy surface not only forward or backward, but also at an angle.

The creators used a diesel-electric design: two 150 hp engines. With. the rotors of two generators rotated, and the wheels were driven by 75 hp electric motors built into each (there was enough space). With. Do you think that there is clearly not enough strength for such a colossus? But for some reason the designers didn’t think so, but in vain... However, on the highway the Snow Cruiser reached a speed of 48 km/h. Why does he need more? The engines turned out to be extremely voracious anyway, but it’s good that the huge tanks could hold 9,463 liters of diesel fuel (this should have been enough for 8,000 kilometers). And, by the way, inside this monster, a crew of five people and Labrador Navi could live autonomously for a whole year - there would be enough food and warmth. Another feature of the “cruiser” is the wheels that retract by 1.2 meters: this was necessary, in particular, to overcome wide crevices.

This is how the cruiser had to overcome a crack up to 15 feet wide: the rear wheels pushed the nose onto it with the front wheels retracted. Then the rear ones retracted, and the front ones, on the contrary, were released and took the car “to the other side.” The procedure involved 20 operations and, in the absence of computers, took a lot of time.

On January 12, the Polar Star dropped anchor in Whale Bay. And so that the Cruiser could leave the board, a special ramp was built from heavy wood, which began to fall apart when unloaded, so only the skill of Poulter, who was sitting behind the wheel and at the right moment gave full throttle, allowed the monster to slide onto safe ice.

We will not describe all the vicissitudes of unloading the Snow Cruiser in Antarctica; we will only say that the wheels of the heavy vehicle, plunging into the snow by more than 0.9 meters, began to spin helplessly, and the engines overheated. The snow, unlike the asphalt, was crushed, and the wheels always ended up in the hole, and there was not enough power to get out of it. The only way to travel at least 148 kilometers turned out to be... moving in reverse (thanks to the “correct” weight distribution of the bow and stern, as well as the bottom profile and overhangs).

The cruiser had to cross the entire length and breadth of Antarctica (see arrows), but was able to travel barely one and a half hundred kilometers - from the Little America base to the first turn of the route, and even then in reverse.

However, the existence in cozy cabins next to warm diesel engines turned out to be very comfortable, and the cruiser stood up for eternal fun as a base for polar explorers. The expedition scientists even conducted a small series of scientific experiments. Then it was covered with snow, and only a long bamboo pole betrayed the place of the "underground" camp.

Then the war pushed polar research into the background, and only in 1958, scientists from the international organization IGY established the exact location of the “Cruiser”, went to Antarctica and dug up the car, looked and left.

One can only guess what happened to the extraordinary vehicle after that. Its approximate location is known, but Snow Cruiser has never been found again. Or maybe he wasn’t looking for it.

According to one version, the car ended up on a floating ice floe, went out to sea on it and drowned. Another, more intriguing option for the Americans is the possibility that the “Cruiser” might fall into the hands of the USSR, and the car would be taken to Siberia for study. In any case, that’s what some newspapers of that time wrote. Which, of course, is extremely unlikely, because the Russians, when removing the car, had to face the same difficulties as the members of the expedition from the United States.
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In 1959, a convoy of tracked all-terrain vehicles manufactured in Kharkov made an unprecedented crossing of Antarctica.

Over snowy off-road conditions, and in high mountain conditions, the vehicles covered 2,700 km and reached the South Pole.

In the middle of the last century, the interest of researchers different countries to Antarctica increased sharply.

According to the 1955 agreement, the territory of the Sixth Continent was divided into “spheres of influence” between 12 states, which began to create scientific stations and conduct in-depth research. Soviet Union the eastern sector went to, 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 would be a sin not to take advantage of such an invitation, but this required appropriate means of transport...

In 1955, the First Soviet Trans-Antarctic Expedition was equipped, without further ado, with conventional ChTZ tracked tractors.

Unfortunately, these vehicles were very slow: during 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 to the Plant named after. Malysheva. These machines, which had the factory designation “Product 401,” performed much better. They made a 975 km journey to the site of the Vostok-1 station.

In the Third Expedition (1957), tractors were sent, modernized taking into account the experience in Antarctica - "Product 401A". The diesel engine was equipped with a pressurization system, which allowed it not to "suffocate" in high mountainous areas. The tracks were widened to 75 cm, which improved cross-country ability in deep snow.

There was one more thing left: to provide the necessary comfort for the crew to work. 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 vehicle 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 hp. 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 bonnet, was chosen as a carriage one, which made it possible to obtain a useful internal body area of ​​28 square meters. This body itself, with aluminum cladding and thermal insulation made of 8 layers of nylon wool, was manufactured at the Kharkov Aviation Plant. Is it any wonder that the new all-terrain vehicle soon received the name “Kharkovchanka”?

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

This monumental structure (length - 8.5 m, width - 3.5 m, height - 4 m) weighing 35 tons could accelerate to 30 km/h, overcome inclines of up to 30° and pull a 70-ton trailer. "Kharkovchanka" could swim, however, plunging only onto the cabin floor. 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, you can eliminate some engine malfunctions without leaving the car. Warm repairs are, of course, a good thing, but a diesel engine in a residential area is still bad. Therefore, 10 years later, “Kharkovchanka-2” appeared, more similar to the original tractor: the engine hood and driver’s cabin had a traditional shape, and the living block occupied an elongated cargo platform.

"Kharkov 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 icy conditions of the Antarctic, machines quite often fail. In the cold and scorching wind, they are forced to spend hours replacing components, and some operations have to be performed with bare hands. In addition, at high altitudes (about 3000 m - this is a typical altitude for the central part of the continent) there is a lack of oxygen, which is why physical labor quickly causes fatigue and dizziness. In addition, when overcoming stone sastrugi, tractors and sleighs either sharply lean forward, or acquire a large list to the right or left, in other words, they experience slow rolling, so everything inside the cabins must be secured, as in the cabin of a ship.

When loaded, tractors usually move in first gear at a speed of 5 km/h. On the most difficult sections of the route, 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 some of the fuel sleds and tractors are left at certain points along the route to be picked up on the way back. "Kharkov women" served in Antarctica for almost 40 years and nothing better has yet been created. This can be stated 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!

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

The Fourth Soviet Trans-Antarctic Expedition was given a grandiose task: starting from Mirny, pass Komsomolskaya and Vostok stations, and then reach the South Pole...

The ships of this expedition arrived in Antarctica on New Year's Eve 1959. And already on January 10, a caravan consisting of three Kharkovchanka all-terrain vehicles moved towards Komsomolskaya. Each vehicle had two loaded sled trailers in tow. The fact is that an order was received: to simultaneously deliver to this station everything necessary for wintering, and first of all, fuel. Having traveled 975 km, the convoy reached its goal, and here the tractors were put “to 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. The head of the expedition’s transport detachment, Viktor Chistyakov, also traveled with this column.

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 crossing and presented several, perhaps not very high-quality, but truly unique photographs.

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

Navigation vehicle with a sled trailer.

The caterpillar extensions are cut with autogenous.

Viktor Chistyakov near the AT-T tractor.

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

The distance to Vostok station, 540 km, is relatively short. But the snow lay soft, loose, like powder, which made movement very difficult. On the way, the gearbox of one Kharkovchanka failed. We had provided for such a case in advance: there was a hatch in the roof, and the transportable kit included hand hoists. We parked two cars not far from each other. The 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 delay at Vostok station. The fact is that the machines have already worked a fair amount and are worn out. But it was necessary not only to reach the South Pole, but also to return. Therefore, we polished everything we could and shoveled the entire chassis. The too large track extensions did not justify themselves: they formed a rather long cantilever and often broke on uneven surfaces. I had to trim them with an autogen machine right in the cold.

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

“I drove the navigator’s car with tail number 21 all the way,” recalled Viktor Chistyakov. “Towards the South Pole, the terrain dropped somewhat: from 3.5 to 2.8 km above sea level. And although the difference seems small - only 700 m, but it was felt: the engines pulled more cheerfully, the cars went easier, and snowy sastrugi were no longer encountered.

The column reached Amundsen-Scott station. Hello, South Pole!

Refueling "Kharkovchanka" with fuel.

Of course, not everything was smooth sailing. As soon as we moved 8 km from the East, the first gear on my “Kharkovchanka” “flyed”. It’s clear why: after all, we only drove in this gear the whole way - a maximum of 5.5 km/h. And so on for hundreds of kilometers! So I couldn’t stand it, my dear...

There are no hopeless situations. We hitched our sled to another car and drove lightly, in second gear. Of course, at the same time they periodically went forward, breaking away from the main column by 30 kilometers. Then they stopped and waited. I remember once I almost paid with my life because of one such separation. I got out of the car to signal with a flare gun, and on the way back, although I was dressed very warmly, I felt a terrible cold: I couldn’t open my arms or raise them. Consciousness floated away. Gathering his last strength, he miraculously opened the cabin door and burst into it. It turned out that the outside thermometer showed 76 degrees below zero!”

The convoy arrived at the South Pole early in the morning. The American scientific station Amundsen-Scott was located there. The Americans were given a radiogram in advance, and a light plane flew towards them. “The pilot flew low over the column, shook his wings,” recalled Viktor Fedorovich. “We greeted him with signal flares... So, here it is, the South Pole! Our American colleagues warmly greeted us. In my opinion, they decided that we had come to congratulate them on Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, after all, there were already 26 on the calendar

See more photos

Dedicated to the heroes of the polar explorers, because a hero is someone who does ordinary work in conditions beyond the limits, for example, in frosts of -70 and below..

In 1957 to the design bureau Kirov plant, it was then called OKBT - a special tank construction design bureau was visited by the famous polar explorer, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences M.M. Somov.

The fact is that polar explorers urgently needed a powerful all-terrain vehicle for a comprehensive study of Antarctica. Somov told Kotin about the prospects that opened up for 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 on a completely new task for him.

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

Somov began to visit the chief designer often, they became close friends and did not lose 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”. Considering the extremely short development time and the requirement for high reliability of the new machine, proven and practice-tested design solutions were required. As a base, we chose the PT-76 amphibious tank and the BTR-50P armored personnel carrier, previously developed at the design bureau, which had proven themselves well among the troops during operation in the Arctic.

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

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

Considering the short deadlines allotted for the production of the batch of “Penguins” (an image of a penguin appeared on the side of the machine), which were to be prepared by the time the Antarctic expedition departed, Kotin made an extraordinary decision: from the very beginning of assembly, he attached a designer to each of the five machines being created - responsible for the prompt resolution of problems arising during assembly. He appointed enterprising young designers – recent university graduates – as such “nannies.” Among them were Popov N.S. – subsequently general designer; Strakhal A.I. – future chief designer 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 machine for route research. It was distinguished by a number of advantages, and most importantly, high reliability in operation. The all-terrain vehicle confidently overcame jams 1.5 m high. The researchers really liked the engine, which ensured towing a sled with a load of 12 tons, and operation at low atmospheric pressure, characteristic of Antarctica. The advantage of the machine is good conditions habitats that allow you to work in the wheelhouse without outer clothing, at outside temperatures down to minus 50°C. The range was amazing - 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 detachment of researchers, including four Penguin all-terrain vehicles, set out on a route from Pionerskaya station. After two months of travel, having covered 2,100 km, the area of ​​the sixth continent that was farthest from all points of the coast was reached - where the polar station “Pole of Inaccessibility” was established. Among the researchers were employees of the Kotin design bureau G.F. Burkhanov, and later, already as part of the 5th Antarctic expedition, the second envoy of the Kirov people - design engineer B.A. Krasnikov.

As a sign of respect to the creators of this machine, two Penguin all-terrain vehicles have been permanently parked at Mirny and NovoLazarevskaya stations. Expedition participant, driver-mechanic Pugachev N.P. received a government award, and chief designer Kotin Zh.Ya. – honorary badge “Honored Polar Explorer”.

During the work of five Antarctic expeditions, with the help of ground-based all-terrain vehicles, more than ten trips into the interior of the continent were made, over 15 thousand tons were transported, and the Pole of Inaccessibility and the South Geographic Pole were reached. Good “traces” were left in Antarctica by the tank builders of the Kirov Plant design bureau.

"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 t;

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 floor of the cabin);

power supply - 2 generators, total 13 kW;

ambient temperature - below -70°С.

Cockpit:

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 cabin.

Back in 1955, when the division of territories took place, the Soviet Union launched its first Antarctic expedition. 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 in the depths of the continent. Although these tractors were insulated, they turned out to be too slow. A year later, AT-T heavy artillery tractors made their run in Antarctica. They showed the best results and made a journey 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 on snow. But all these machines could not solve the problem of a comfortable position for the crew during travel.

And then, in 1957, the leadership of the Arctic Institute (now the Arctic and Antarctic Institute 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 mechanical engineering and aviation industry.

Now they 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 named after 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 interiors, which could become the basis for the arrangement of a residential complex. Since 1958, joint work has begun.

The novelty and unusual nature of the task assigned to enterprises required unusual approaches. No one had any experience. It was necessary to come up with a machine from scratch that could withstand Antarctic loads.

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

The aircraft manufacturers 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 and have reliable insulation. It was necessary to equip a work compartment, a galley, a control department, a bedroom for 6 people, as well as an equipment room, a drying compartment, and a vestibule. That is, a comfortable work and living complex in one room must be designed. The deadline was determined, like everything in those days, very strict - only three months. It was necessary to have time to complete the drawings, translate them into metal and at the same time immediately make adjustments during the work process. The people involved in this project worked almost continuously, with only night hours 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 manufactured in fixed time. First, they were sent by special train to Leningrad, from there to the port of Kaliningrad. Here hitherto unknown 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.

Construction of the vehicles was completed at the beginning of 1959. Immediately upon arrival, all equipment was loaded onto 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 race had many adventures, including very dangerous ones. Of course, since such a sleigh ride 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 still the meeting was unexpected - our caravan arrived at its destination earlier.

The polar explorers spent several days with the Americans, and a Soviet flag was planted 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 increased 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 increased to 995 hp. at an altitude of 3000 m - this allowed a 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 1,500 km.

Externally, "Kharkovchanka" was a monumental structure (length - 8.5 m, width - 3.5 m, height - 4 m), which could accelerate to 30 km/h and overcome inclines of up to 30°. There is no particular need for amphibians in Antarctica, but the Kharkovchanka could swim, and dive quite shallowly - only up to half 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 position, to the right is the navigator’s position. The creators of the “snow cruiser,” as the “product 404C” was later dubbed, considered its important advantage the ability to repair many units from inside the vehicle, which should have facilitated its operation in 70-degree frosts. But already on the first trip, the polar explorers did not agree with the tank builders. Heat repairs are, 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 thermal insulation was insufficient.

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, confirming their reliability and durability more than once.

Time moved forward old technology although it was reliable, it no longer met modern requirements. And then, in December 1974, a new order was received from polar explorers. Kharkov residents had to build five more snowmobiles. Taking into account the operating experience of 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 support system into the complex. As a result, the specialists managed to ensure that the room was warm and cozy in any frost. And if the system did malfunction, 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 similar to the original tractor. The engine hood and driver's cabin had a traditional shape, and the living quarters occupied an elongated cargo platform. During the development, the opinions of polar explorers were taken into account. So, according to their recommendations, it was necessary to install a window to ventilate the room, which was promptly done literally before sending the next cars to Antarctica.

At the end of the 1980s. The Kharkovchanka-3 project 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 precisely on “Kharkovites” and AT-T. After "Kharkovites" no one else was in this point of the planet!

Kharkiv

In 1959, a convoy of tracked all-terrain vehicles manufactured in Kharkov made an unprecedented crossing of Antarctica. Over snowy off-road conditions, and in high mountain conditions, the vehicles covered 2,700 km and reached the South Pole.

In the middle of the last century, the interest of researchers from different countries in Antarctica increased sharply. According to the 1955 agreement, the territory of the Sixth Continent was divided into “spheres of influence” between 12 states, which began to create scientific stations and conduct in-depth 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 would be a sin not to take advantage of such an invitation, but this required appropriate means of transport...

In 1955, the First Soviet Trans-Antarctic Expedition was equipped, without further ado, with conventional ChTZ tracked tractors. Unfortunately, these vehicles were very slow: during 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 machine tools, they were produced by the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant, renamed in 1959 into the Plant named after. Malysheva. These machines, which had the factory designation "Product 401", proved to be much better. They made a 975 km journey to the site of the 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 tracks were widened to 75 cm, which improved cross-country ability in deep snow.

There was one more thing left: to provide the necessary comfort for the crew to work. 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 vehicle 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 hp. 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 bonnet, was chosen as a carriage one, which made it possible to obtain a useful internal body area of ​​28 square meters. This body itself, with aluminum cladding and thermal insulation made of 8 layers of nylon wool, was manufactured at the Kharkov Aviation Plant. Is it any wonder that the new all-terrain vehicle soon received the name "Kharkovchanka"?

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

In 1975, the Kharkovchanka-2 all-terrain vehicles were sent to Antarctica. Thanks to the hood layout, interior comfort 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, overcome inclines of up to 30° and pull a 70-ton trailer. "Kharkovchanka" could swim, however, plunging only onto the cabin floor. 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, you can eliminate some engine malfunctions without leaving the car. Warm repairs are, of course, a good thing, but a diesel engine in a residential area is still bad. Therefore, 10 years later, “Kharkovchanka-2” appeared, more similar to the original tractor: the engine hood and driver’s cabin had a traditional shape, and the living block occupied an elongated cargo platform.

"Kharkov 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 icy conditions of the Antarctic, machines quite often fail. In the cold and scorching wind, they are forced to spend hours replacing components, and some operations have to be performed with bare hands. In addition, at high altitudes (about 3000 m - this is a typical altitude for the central part of the continent), there is a lack of oxygen, which is why physical work quickly causes fatigue and dizziness. In addition, when overcoming stone sastrugi, tractors and sleighs either sharply lean forward, or acquire a large list to the right or left, in other words, they experience slow rolling, so everything inside the cabins must be secured, as in the cabin of a ship.

When loaded, tractors usually move in first gear at a speed of 5 km/h. On the most difficult sections of the route, 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 some of the fuel sleds and tractors are left at certain points along the route to be picked up on the way back. "Kharkov women" served in Antarctica for almost 40 years and nothing better has yet been created. This can be stated 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 journey

The Fourth Soviet Trans-Antarctic Expedition was given a grandiose task: starting from Mirny, pass Komsomolskaya and Vostok stations, and then reach the South Pole...

The ships of this expedition arrived in Antarctica on New Year's Eve 1959. And already on January 10, a caravan consisting of three all-terrain vehicles “Kharkovchanka” moved towards Komsomolskaya. Each vehicle had two loaded sled trailers in tow. The fact is that an order was received: to simultaneously deliver to this station everything necessary for wintering, and first of all, fuel. Having traveled 975 km, the convoy reached its goal, and here the tractors were put “to 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. The head of the expedition’s transport detachment, Viktor Chistyakov, also traveled with this column.

Many years later I was lucky enough to find 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 several, perhaps not very high-quality, but truly unique photographs.

Viktor Chistyakov at “Kharkovchanka”. Frost - over 70 (!).

Navigation vehicle with a sled trailer.

The caterpillar extensions are cut with autogenous.

Viktor Chistyakov near the AT-T tractor.

Through the eyes of a participant

Viktor Fedorovich recalled: “We arrived at Komsomolskaya in late October. After a short preparation we moved on to Vostok station. This time the column consisted of three Kharkovchankas and two AT-T tractors. 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 Vostok station, 540 km, is relatively short. But the snow lay soft, loose, like powder, which made movement very difficult. On the way, the gearbox of one Kharkovchanka failed. We had provided for such a case in advance: there was a hatch in the roof, and the transportable kit included hand hoists. We parked two cars not far from each other. The 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 delay at Vostok station. The fact is that the machines have already worked a fair amount and are worn out. But it was necessary not only to reach the South Pole, but also to return. Therefore, we polished everything we could and shoveled the entire chassis. The too large track extensions did not justify themselves: they formed a rather long cantilever and often broke on uneven surfaces. I had to trim them with an autogen machine right in the cold.

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

“I drove the navigator’s car with tail number 21 all the way,” recalled Viktor Chistyakov. – Towards the South Pole, the terrain dropped slightly: from 3.5 to 2.8 km above sea level. And although the difference seemed small - only 700 m, it was felt: the engines pulled more cheerfully, the cars went easier. Snow sastrugi were no longer encountered either.

Refueling the Kharkovchanka with fuel.

Of course, not everything was smooth sailing. As soon as we moved 8 km from the East, the first gear on my “Kharkovchanka” “flyed”. It’s clear why: after all, we only drove in this gear the whole way – a maximum of 5.5 km/h. And so on for hundreds of kilometers! So I couldn’t stand it, my dear...

There are no hopeless situations. We hitched our sled to another car and drove lightly, in second gear. Of course, at the same time they periodically went forward, breaking away from the main column by 30 kilometers. Then they stopped and waited. I remember once I almost paid with my life because of one such separation. I got out of the car to signal with a flare gun, and on the way back, although I was dressed very warmly, I felt a terrible cold: I couldn’t open my arms or raise them. Consciousness floated away. Gathering his last strength, he miraculously opened the cabin door and burst into it. It turned out that the outside thermometer showed 76 degrees below zero!”

The convoy arrived at the South Pole early in the morning. The American scientific station Amundsen-Scott was located there. The Americans were given a radiogram in advance, and a light plane flew towards them. “The pilot flew low over the column, shook his wings,” Viktor Fedorovich recalled. – We greeted him with signal flares... So, here it is, the South Pole! Our American colleagues warmly welcome us. 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

In 1955, with the beginning of the active exploration of the Antarctic by Soviet polar explorers, the question arose of reliable transport for moving around this harsh continent. It was almost impossible to operate conventional equipment in conditions of firn snow, high mountains, winds under 50 m / s and extremely low temperatures. The first sign in a series of unusual vehicles for the development of the South Pole was the "Kharkovchanka"

Although, of course, it would be more correct to start this story not with "Kharkovchanka", but with "Penguin". Created in 1957 in the shortest possible time on the basis of the PT-76 amphibious tank, it provided invaluable assistance in the development of the Antarctic. The car was quite reliable and, importantly, with a fairly large power reserve. However, it was not very suitable for traveling long distances, and it was also cramped. As a rule, a lot of people went on a trans-Antarctic expedition, and a long stay in cramped conditions was problematic. Something more spacious and comfortable was needed. Sort of like a yacht. But a yacht is something for pleasure, and when it’s minus 76 C 0 outside, the last thing you want to do is take a walk. For such conditions, at least a cruiser was required.

Such a "Snow Cruiser" was the Product 404 C "Kharkovchanka", built in 1958 at the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant. The heavy artillery tractor AT-T was taken as the basis of this vehicle. To begin with, its base was increased by 2 skating rinks. The frame was made hollow and sealed. A 12-cylinder diesel engine, a 5-speed gearbox, controls and oil tanks were placed in front of the frame. The fuel tank was also placed there. The remaining 8 fuel tanks with a total capacity of 2500 liters were placed in the middle part of the frame. In the rear, heaters with a capacity of 200 cubic meters of hot air per hour and a powerful 100-meter winch were installed. Thus, the arrangement of the main components and assemblies under the floor made it possible not only to free up more space for the residential module, but also to significantly reduce the center of gravity of the vehicle, the total height of which was about 4 meters.

In general, if we talk about the size of the Kharkovchanka, they were quite impressive. The car was 8.5 m long and 3.5 m wide. In a single-volume, almost rectangular body, it was possible to create a room with a total area of ​​28 m2 with a ceiling height of 210 cm. The latter was required for comfortable movement around the cabin. Carefully isolated from the chassis and seriously insulated, this area was divided into compartments.

In the front part, above the engine, there was a control compartment, which was shared between the driver and the navigator. To the right in the direction of travel, behind the control compartment, was the radio room, equipped with the most advanced equipment at that time. On the left side, behind the partition, there is a sleeping area for 8 people, and behind it is the wardroom. Well, what is a cruiser without a galley! There was a place for him too. However, the size of the latter did not allow organizing a full cycle of food preparation there, so its main purpose was to heat canned food. Behind the galley there was a place for a latrine, and it was heated. Taking into account the peculiarities of operation, the Kharkovchanka was also equipped with a vestibule, which allowed the vehicle not to get cold when entering/exiting, and a small dryer for clothes.

Since the all-terrain vehicle was planned to be used in conditions of loose firn snow, when supercooled crystals are as strong as sand and “float” at the slightest touch to them, the tracks had to be seriously modified. Their width was increased to 1 meter, and each track was equipped with a snow hook. This made it possible to significantly increase traction force. The all-terrain vehicle literally bit into the snow. And these same lugs, if necessary, allowed the vehicle to cross water obstacles. And although “Kharkovchanka” was not an amphibian, it could still cover some part of the route by water. The main thing was to ensure that the car did not sink below floor level. Buoyancy was provided by a hollow, sealed frame.

The engine power of this cruiser was 520 hp. Not much, but thanks to turbochargers, at peak moments it could be almost twice as much. This diesel engine provided the all-terrain vehicle with a speed of 30 km/h, which was quite impressive by those standards, and also allowed it not only to easily carry its own weight of 35 tons, but also to tow a trailer weighing up to 70 tons. As a rule, these were tanks with fuel. After all, the main cargo on such expeditions is fuel, and its volume of the total mass of cargo reached 70%. However, as part of such a sleigh train, the speed rarely exceeded 10-15 km/h.

Among the design features, I would also like to note that in order to avoid freezing, all portholes were equipped with desiccant absorbers and had a constant flow of hot air. The windshields were equipped with electric heating, similar to the one now used on modern cars. By the way, the Kharkovchanka generator was capable of generating up to 13 kWh of electricity, which more than provided all the needs of the expeditioners.

The Kharkovchankas were operated for quite a long time, until 2008 (there is video evidence of this on the Internet). And this despite the fact that back in 1975 they were replaced by “Kharkovchanki-2”, the design feature of which was a separate residential module mounted on the same AT-T. The operation of the first-generation Kharkovchanok showed that although it is convenient to service the engine without leaving the confines of the all-terrain vehicle, it is not possible to completely get rid of the exhaust gases breaking into the living compartment. But this did not add comfort. The thermal insulation of the car was also not very strong. For example, the Kharkovchanki-2 residential module without heating lost no more than 2-3 degrees per day.

However, until now, many polar explorers believe that nothing is better than the "Kharkovchanka", to this day they have not been able to come up with anything better for moving around Antarctica, although there have been attempts ...

Inside “Kharkovchanka”, modern footage:

The feature film “72 degrees below zero”, where this all-terrain vehicle was filmed: