The T-34 tank is undoubtedly a legendary armored vehicle in the history of the Great Patriotic War. However, like any transport or military equipment, it also has disadvantages. One of them is connected with the lack of heating inside the tank, therefore, in order not to freeze in the winter season, the Red Army soldiers even had to turn to … logs.
A significant problem with the famous Soviet tank was the lack of heating. It goes without saying that it was especially hard for the Red Army tankers in the winter months. In a metal box on the tracks, it was easy to freeze if nothing was done. The only heat that the tank itself could "give" is what the engine emits. But it could not correct the general situation - in fact, the temperature inside the armored vehicle was only a few degrees higher than the outside air temperature.
Moreover, there was one person from the crew of the armored vehicle, who experienced the effects of the cold elements much more than the others. We are talking about a mechanized drive, and all because sometimes poor visibility forced us to drive a tank with an open front hatch. And if the rest of the crew found themselves at least outside the "zone" of the howling of the wind, then the icy air beat the mechanic in the chest and face. During the fighting, it was a little easier due to the fact that the tank had time to warm up slightly from the powder gases. However, in fact, this was the only plus from their accumulation in the cockpit of the tank.
In fact, it was possible to heat the T-34 only while it was parked. For this, the car was solved in two ways, the first of which was provided by the designers themselves - in the cold season, the tanks were equipped with a stove, which was placed in a box and attached to the stern. It worked as follows: a recess was dug under the armored vehicle, a stove was placed in it and melted, or the car ran into it from above. And to reduce heat consumption through the walls of the tank, they were covered with special canvas covers.
However, sometimes situations arose when there was simply no time or opportunity to break the frozen ground, then the stove was left in the stern until better times, and smoldering logs were laid under the bottom of the tank. This method was less effective, but it was enough for the crew to be able to spend the night in the T-34 without the danger of being killed in their own car. However, not a single method was enough for more, because the tank cooled down in just a few hours.
Interesting fact: few people know, but the life hack with smoldering logs under the bottom is not a vivid example of a soldier's ingenuity, but one of the instructions for operating the famous tank.
In addition to the topic: problems with heating periodically arise in modern civilian cars - What needs to be done if the stove does not heat well in the car, and the engine is hot like coals