Homemade military equipment. How homemade military equipment takes part in real battles. Unnamed multiple launch rocket system

The first mentions of the use of homemade armored vehicles date back to the First World War. Scattered detachments of partisans, rebels, militias, faced with the need to build defensive and offensive positions, were forced to oppose homemade armored vehicles military equipment of the regular armies, which was gradually transferred from horses. Often the basis for such ersatz machines were tractors, which were already turning into the main agricultural and construction equipment.

Thus, in revolutionary Russia, the first to use homemade armored vehicles, there were White Guards. Professional officers of Tsarist Russia lost in battles against peasants and the proletariat due to the insufficient technical strength of their troops. They tried to compensate for this with homemade products and machines. One of the most bright examples The armored vehicle “Colonel Bezmolitvenny” became the homemade equipment of that time. Built on the basis of the Clayton tractor by the Don Army in 1918, the armored vehicle could accommodate an 11-man crew, was sheathed in thick metal sheets, and was armed with a 76.2 mm field gun in the rear and six 7.62 mm Maxim 1910 machine guns. of the year. However, in battle the vehicle turned out to be extremely inconvenient due to its bulkiness and dimensions. An ordinary horse moved the cannons and guns of that time much faster.

The interwar period became the brightest in the development of the construction of armored tractors. In Russia and Europe, many copies of such equipment were created, often in a single copy. However, to call this a handicraft production would not be entirely correct, since tractors were sheathed with armor in the factory, under the supervision of engineers and designers, and, as a rule, they did not participate in real battles.

Second World War also pushed enthusiasts to quickly create heavy military equipment, which this time was supposed to withstand the aviation and tanks of professional armies. For example, the USSR created the NI-1 tank (“For Fright”), an improvised armored tractor built in 1941 in Odessa for the defense of the city. A light cannon or machine gun on a rotating turret was mounted on the roof of the NI-1. These tanks took part in many battles in the early years of the war, and some of them still exist today.

There are many examples of this type of equipment; similar ersatz tanks, armored vehicles and other surrogate heavy equipment were manufactured in many cities with developed industry. However, again, calling such production artisanal would not be entirely correct.

But tiznaos, widely used during the Spanish Civil War, were a real example of “home production”. About tiznaos due to the fact that any general characteristics this collective concept does not have, not much is known. Many of these vehicles were quite formidable equipment in urban conditions: machine guns, turrets and light cannons mounted on their roofs were a serious force in the fight against government troops.

Post-war history was also rich in various examples of such equipment. Everywhere where battles of the regular army took place against disparate rebel associations, starting with Vietnam, Afghanistan, the Middle East, and then the Balkans and the countries of the post-Soviet space, unique examples of the fantasies of local designers were found.

Speaking about homemade equipment, one cannot help but recall Marvin Heemeyer’s armored bulldozer. The brainchild of the last American hero participated in only one single battle, but deserves attention for some technical excellence. Armored with thick metal sheets, the Komatsu D355A-3 was not armed, but had special embrasures for firing from the inside, cameras for navigation hidden in bulletproof plastic cases, an engine cooling system and ventilation for a pressurized cabin. 200 bullet hits and several grenade explosions did not cause any damage to the bulldozer, and only the collapsed roof of the building could stop it.

"Sham-2" and Syrian artillery

Actually, “Sham-2” itself. Country of origin: Syria. Built on a chassis unknown car, armor thickness - 2.5 centimeters. Unable to withstand a direct hit from a grenade launcher or tank gun. The dimensions of the improvised infantry fighting vehicle are 4 x 2 meters. An easel 7.62mm machine gun is mounted on the roof. The crew includes two people - a driver and a gunner. Navigation is carried out using five video cameras built into the body of the equipment; the shooter controls the machine gun using a gamepad. The vehicle is on combat duty near the city of Aleppo. There is no official evidence of the participation of the Sham-2 in battles, however, given the harsh economic conditions in which the Syrian rebels are forced to exist, we can say with confidence that the vehicle was not built for entertainment and can serve as an infantry fighting vehicle, providing fire support to local militants in urban and field conditions.

It is worth noting that in general modern Syrians are leaders in the production of homemade weapons. The Internet is filled with examples of homemade grenades, artillery fire systems, flamethrowers and other equipment.

Unnamed jet system volley fire

This system was discovered by the Israeli military in 2010 in the Gaza Strip. The MLRS is installed on the base of a dump truck. The trailer is equipped with nine guide tubes for launching Qassam missiles, which, by the way, are the pride of Palestinian handicraft production. Such a rocket is made of a hollow pipe from 70 to 230 centimeters in length, filled with explosives, and the accelerator is the usual mixture of sugar and potassium nitrate, used everywhere as fertilizers. When burned, this mixture releases a large amount of gas that can send a rocket over a distance of 3–18 kilometers. However, the quality of aimed shooting on such installations leaves much to be desired.

The advantage of such an MLRS is its excellent camouflage. By freely approaching city facilities, such a garbage truck can be quickly put on alert.

Homemade armored vehicles of drug cartels

Criminal elements involved in the production and sale of drugs are particularly imaginative. For example, we previously wrote about how Colombian drug lords are building real submarines to transport cocaine. And their colleagues from Mexico prefer different equipment - armored transport vehicles. There are no guns installed on these armored personnel carriers, but the crew can conduct targeted fire through special loopholes. However, Mexicans do not pay attention to wheels, focusing on the speed of movement of such equipment, which, as a rule, becomes weak point in improvised armored personnel carriers. If you puncture the rubber, moving such a vehicle, given the weight of the armor, becomes almost impossible.

Syrian Kurdish armored vehicles

Photos of these “wunderwaffes” were allegedly taken in Syria and have been circulating on various information portals since the spring of 2014. No official information about homemade armored vehicles no, the identity of the equipment can be determined by the patterns on the armor - this logo is the official symbol of the Syrian People's Self-Defense Unit, the military wing of the Kurdish Supreme Committee participating in the Syrian armed conflict.

Homemade equipment Libyan rebels

The favorite weapon of the Libyan rebels, the so-called “technical” vehicles, are a homemade symbiosis of the Soviet blocs NAR, SZO, anti-aircraft guns and various pickup trucks.

Homemade equipment of security forces and militias of Ukraine

Photos of homemade equipment various forces, fighting on the territory of Ukraine, have also been circulating on the Internet since the summer. In conditions of limited funding, Ukrainian security forces and militias are armoring Russian KamAZ trucks and converting old Soviet equipment.

It is quite difficult to confirm the participation of most of these exhibits in battles. However, for example, the armored KamAZ “Zhelezyaka” of the Azov battalion took part in the battles near Mariupol and even became the hero of the news.

Recently, photographs of armored cars, guns, rocket launchers and other military equipment created by the forces, skills and talents of enthusiasts and amateur designers have appeared more and more often on the Internet and in the media. Most of these miracles of technology are born, as they say, out of poverty, due to the lack or complete absence of real military equipment. In terms of their characteristics and combat qualities, homemade vehicles or, in other words, gantruks (gun truck - improvised combat vehicles that American soldiers built in Vietnam) are significantly inferior to industrial designs, however, in skillful hands, even they have every chance of turning the tide of the battle and serve the cause of victory.

1. Odessa tanks “NI-1”

During the heroic defense of Odessa from the Nazi troops and their allies (summer-autumn 1941), the city was under siege. It was impossible to replenish the fleet of armored vehicles, despite the fact that the losses of combat vehicles were constantly growing. It was then that inventive Odessa residents tried to at least to some extent solve this problem and start producing their own armored vehicles.

A group of civilian and military specialists, headed by the chief engineer of the Odessa Machine-Building Plant named after. January uprising by P.K. Romanov. They were asked to sheathe tractors, tractors and other vehicles available to the city. tracked vehicles armor and install light weapons on them.

Purely civilian enterprises of the city were not adapted to the production of military equipment, and the corresponding materials (in particular, armored steel) were absent, so the designers had to show miracles of ingenuity and engineering ingenuity. So the armor protection on Odessa tanks (armored tractors) began to be made three-layer. Between the outer and inner layers of 8-10 mm ship steel, either a 10 mm layer of rubber or a 20 mm layer of boards was laid. Of course, such armor did not protect against being hit by a shell, but it held up bullets and shrapnel quite tolerably. To make the towers, they used a carousel machine from tram workshops, and sometimes towers from damaged T-26 tanks that could not be restored were installed on homemade combat vehicles.

The armament of the Odessa tanks was very diverse, both in caliber and quantity; they used what was available. However, the most common option was: one DShK heavy machine gun in the turret and a DT machine gun in the front.

Odessa armored tractors received their name NI-1 after a night battle that took place on September 20, 1941. That night, 20 armored tractors with their lights and sirens on moved towards the trenches of the Romanian troops (allies of Nazi Germany). The terrifying effect was complemented by the terrible clanging and roar that the machines produced as they moved. The Romanian troops could not withstand such psychological pressure and fled from the battlefield in panic. From this moment on, the home-made products began to be called NI-1, which when deciphered means “For fear.” Odessa residents tried their best to maintain the formidable image of their tanks. For this purpose, the barrels of small-caliber turret guns were extended, and very solid dummies of guns were installed on vehicles without cannon armament.

In total, about 70 such tanks were produced during the defense of Odessa. Due to the fact that the basis for these combat vehicles was various models tractors and tractors, as well as the fact that several factories were involved in production at once, NI-1 sometimes differed significantly in appearance.

2. PMR combat vehicles

During the 1992 military conflict in Transnistria, when the Russian-speaking population rose up to defend the young Transnistrian Moldavian Republic (PMR) from pro-Romanian forces supported by the Moldovan government, homemade military equipment was again in demand. The militia had to create it to resist Moldovan armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and tanks. For this purpose, both purely civilian vehicles and military engineering and auxiliary equipment were re-equipped.

The BAT-M track-laying vehicles owned by the Pridnestrovians also began to be armored. The result was these powerful rams, which soon had to work well in a real battle. During the intensification of hostilities, Moldovan armed forces tried to attack the barracks of the PMR guardsmen on two BTR-70s, they even managed to knock out the Transnistrian MTLB. In response to the attack, the defenders used their armored tracklayers. The appearance of strange vehicles on a tank chassis, roar powerful engines and the clanging of the tracks completely demoralized the police. While they were wondering what to do and what to do, the BATs rammed armored personnel carriers, one of which was even overturned. Abandoning their cars, the Moldovans fled in disgrace, and their armored personnel carriers came into the possession of the PMR militia.

On all kinds of chassis available to the PMR, local craftsmen installed helicopter units for launching unguided aircraft missiles (UAR). According to the recollections of participants in those events, the use of such improvised MLRS produced not only a combat effect, but also a fairly strong intimidating effect.

MLRS from NAR launch units (the old name is NURS) were made not only by the defenders of Transnistria, this was done both before them and after them, and is still being done today. In some publications I happened to find disparaging, one might even say mocking, assessments of this weapon. They say that the efficiency is low, it is almost impossible to cover the target, just noise and nothing more. I want to say that only amateurs can reason like this. Homemade MLRS from launch units of unguided aircraft missiles at distances of up to a kilometer have quite decent fire density and accuracy, which can cause quite significant damage to the enemy. Proof of this is the use of such homemade systems in wars and armed conflicts around the world; even such not-recent armies as the American and Israeli did not hesitate to install NAR units on their military equipment. And here are the memories of a scout from the 668th separate GRU special forces detachment, who saw a similar homemade multiple launch rocket system at one of the checkpoints in Afghanistan:

“The installation with NURS was adapted instead of the BRDM turret (we did not have time to find out the history of the loss of the turret, since our group quickly withdrew and left). The electric trigger button was displayed on the commander's instrument panel instead of the KPVT firing safety button. This BRDM stood in a caponier with radially marked walls. The area was targeted using these marks. Soldiers from the post said that the driver of the BRDM can aim the launcher so accurately that hitting a Mujahideen in the ear with a missile is as easy as eating a can of minced sausage.”

Another illustrative example of the effective use of mobile MLRS from the NAR unit is the Metla-2 installation, created by Airborne Forces Major Alexander Mikhailovich Metla. The story of its creation is as follows. Arriving in Afghanistan, Major Broom noticed that most often the battalions of his brigade suffered losses in the same place. The shelling of the “spirits” columns, as a rule, was carried out from the bed of a dry river. It stopped as suddenly as it began, after which the dushmans quickly left along paths known only to them. The flat machine-gun fire of the paratroopers did not cause much harm to the attackers. Here rapid overhead mortar fire was needed. But there was simply not enough time to deploy the mortar during shelling of the convoy. And the “spirits” would not just sit and wait for a fire strike. It was then that Major Metla had the idea to place a rapid-firing 82-mm mortar 2B9 “Vasilek” on the frame of an anti-aircraft gun and place a firing point in the back of an airborne Ural.

The installation received its baptism of fire during the first escort of the convoy. As soon as the shelling began, the mortar crew entered the battle. The paratroopers fired more than 100 mines. The position of the “spirits” disappeared in fiery explosions and clouds of dust. The dushmans did not appear on that dangerous section of the road again, the lesson they were taught was too memorable. And soldiers’ rumors quickly dubbed the mobile mortar “Broom.”

After some time, Alexander Metlya’s installation came under fire from a grenade launcher. Almost the entire crew was injured. After this incident, the major created a fundamentally new combat vehicle. "Broom-2" not only destroyed the enemy, but also protected its crew from bullets and shrapnel. A cut out middle part armored hull of a BRDM along with a machine-gun turret, on top of which was piled a UB-32-57 helicopter unit for firing 57-mm S-5 aircraft unguided missiles. The effect of the volleys of improvised Katyusha was simply stunning. It is no coincidence that the “spirits” went on a real hunt for such installations.

Here are other examples of ground-based use of NAR (or NURS) aircraft units:

4. Armored train "Kraina Express"

It’s probably worth starting a conversation about armored trains with a reminder that at the beginning of the 20th century, this particular type of military equipment was the most powerful weapon of ground forces. In essence, armored trains were land dreadnoughts or mobile fortresses, which were incredibly difficult to resist. Let’s look at why this is so, point by point:

1. An armored train can consist of 3-10 cars, each of which is equipped with artillery guns of different calibers and numerous machine guns. This is a real barrage of fire along the 360 perimeter, preventing the enemy from approaching direct shot range.

2. The carrying capacity of railway platforms is tens of tons, which makes it possible to protect the crew with armor that tanks have never even dreamed of.

3. Thanks to the same carrying capacity, the armored train has the ability to take tons of ammunition on board and not waste it in battle.

4. A shell hitting one of the cars of an armored train has virtually no effect on the combat capabilities of other cars and most often does not lead to a decrease in the mobility of the entire train (except in the case of damage to the locomotive).

5. High speed movement allows you to quickly exit the artillery shelling zone.

The undoubted main disadvantage of armored trains, which, in fact, led to the cessation of their construction, is the attachment to railway tracks. Moving only on rails incredibly narrows the possibilities of their combat use, and undermining the tracks makes completing a combat mission completely impossible.

However, in some territories with an extensive railway network, armored trains can be very useful. An example of this is the Krajina Express armored train, created by Serbian railway workers during the war in Yugoslavia.

The armored train was assembled in 1991 in the city of Knin. At first it consisted of a General Motors locomotive and 2 cars coupled in front of it, protected by sandbags. At that time, the Croats opposing the Serbs were just beginning to receive heavy weapons from abroad, so their main weapons remained machine guns, rifles and machine guns. Based on this, the creators of the armored train came to the conclusion that protection from bags was quite sufficient.

The battles near Štikarne, where the armored train was opposed mainly by Croatian infantry, showed the need to improve protection. Therefore, in Strmica, steel plates with a thickness of 25 mm were installed on the cars. At that time, only two carriages were specifically combat vehicles. In front of one of them was installed a twin M38 20 mm self-propelled gun, captured by partisans during World War II. The second car was equipped with Malyutka anti-tank missile launchers and an English M12 40 mm self-propelled gun. In addition, the armored train was armed with M53 machine guns (copies of the famous German MG-42).

After some time, the armored train was supplemented with another combat car, placed between the two already existing ones. New carriage equipped with a built-in 20 mm anti-aircraft gun. (made in Yugoslavia under a Spanish license), a single-barrel M75 self-propelled gun of the same caliber and two American M2HB machine guns of 12.7 mm caliber. To protect the locomotive, two M84 machine guns (copies of the Soviet PK) were installed. The reservation of the carriages was again strengthened. Now, in the event of artillery or mortar fire, the crew could take refuge inside them or inside a carriage with equipment. The armored train was also painted with camouflage paint.

In this configuration, the armored train actively fought until the spring of 1992. It was at this time that the crew of the Krajina Express, taking advantage of the lull in hostilities, significantly strengthened the armament of their mobile fortress. On the front combat car, the captured German anti-aircraft gun was replaced by a Soviet ZIS-3 gun of 76.2 mm caliber. model 1942. Behind the gun, two NAR launch units were installed for 57-mm unguided aircraft missiles. In one of freight cars a 120mm mortar was deployed.

In the summer of 1993, Krajina Express underwent modernization again. The ZIS-3 was replaced by the American M18 self-propelled gun. Such self-propelled guns were supplied to Yugoslavia in the 50s. Both the newly installed self-propelled gun and the entire armored train were equipped with anti-cumulative protection.

The armored train participated in active hostilities for almost five years. He has many military operations and glorious victories to his credit. All this time he remained on the move and quickly healed his wounds. The enemies were never able to destroy the legendary armored train; it was the crew themselves who did it. On August 4, 1995, the Croatian Army launched Operation Storm. During its course, Kraina Express found itself surrounded. To prevent the armored train from falling to the enemy, the Serbian crew derailed it, after which it went to the territory of the Republika Srpska.

The example of the Kraina Express armored train clearly proves that even in modern warfare, the skillful and competent use of armored trains can be very effective.

Serega80 11-03-2008 02:21

moved from History of Weapons

A couple of photos homemade armored cars that were used in Transnistria. Dear forum users, does anyone have any other photos or information on similar alterations?

Big mustache 11-03-2008 08:19

Are you only interested in Transnistrian ones?

landing 11-03-2008 10:37

There are no photos, but conversions from MAZ and KamAZ dump trucks were widely used. Sheets were welded to the body and when it was lowered, the cabin was completely closed. (used in Tajikia, Nagorno-Karabakh)

ipse 11-03-2008 14:47

The Angolans had ZU-23 based on KrAZ trucks.
The Indians use tractors.
The Croats also use tractors and Tatras

Serega80 11-03-2008 18:45

quote: Originally posted by Big mustache:
Are you only interested in Transnistrian ones?

Interested in any handicraft conversion of civilian equipment into armored vehicles.

Serega80 11-03-2008 19:14

Gorgeous car!

Big mustache 11-03-2008 19:16

There are also photos from the tank museum in Kubinka. Armored tractor with a turret. If you're interested, I can try scanning it.

ipse 11-03-2008 19:19

Are you talking about the Odessa NI or the Kharkiv one?

Big mustache 11-03-2008 19:21

In Kubinka, there is only one and no inscriptions.

ipse 11-03-2008 19:23

I’ll try to find a photo of a Kharkov armored tractor (with a BT-5 turret) and an Odessa NI (the turret looks like a T-26 machine gun or something like that)

landing 12-03-2008 13:53

emden 23-03-2008 03:35

quote: Originally posted by Vut:

What, UN mechanics earned extra money by assembling armored vehicles?

no, the plant just took an order for the UN to make capital for armored personnel carriers
"Urutu" has already completed almost everything, and for Nigeria "AML-90" they also made the capital the day before yesterday, they brought the BTR-60, they have already begun to pick,
one engine has already been removed

Robin Gad 27-03-2008 01:57

Stands in front of the Danish Resistance Museum in Copenhagen. They collected it somewhere quietly and used it only once every 45 years during the liberation of the city. The armor, however, is slightly damaged by bullets

AllBiBek 27-03-2008 11:47

Emelya is missing. With a balalaika and a pike trap. And a grab on the roof. For additional ambiance.

EOD 30-03-2008 01:47

Vot iso Pridnestrovskie, stayali tak na voruzene v 2003r.
U nih nazvane ided "BTR-G" i posle etogo indexes togo iz tsego peredelali. "G" kak "gusenitsnyi".

U nih kutsa takogo musora na voruzene.

With the outbreak of hostilities in eastern Ukraine, various volunteer battalions came to the aid of the Ukrainian army. We will not touch on the political aspects of this sensitive topic, but instead look at the unusual homemade armored vehicles that took part in the fighting.

Many of them are based on the most different cars Soviet and Russian production. The photo below shows a classic GAZ-21 Volga converted into a pickup truck.

Compact armored car based on the UAZ-469. The front part and part of the roof received protection.

Once upon a time it was an ordinary KamAZ-55111 dump truck, until it was converted into an armored monster. It is very reminiscent of the self-made armored vehicles of terrorists, and the tasks are similar: to break through an armed barrier.

The KrAZ-255 all-wheel drive truck is widely used in the Ukrainian army. This example received protection for the cabin and side compartment, as well as powerful bump stops in front of the front wheels.

And this is the KrAZ-256, which was also turned into a fortress on wheels. The cabin is protected only from the side, but the wheels are covered with special armored shields. The radiator is also covered with armor plate. I wonder how the cooling system was implemented?

Another KrAZ-255 with a powerful V-shaped front bumper. It should probably push around fortifications and other vehicles in its path. An armored capsule is located in the body, although the cabin itself has no protection.

How long have you seen Katyushas in action? Several at once similar cars photographed in Ukraine, some of which have armored hoods and front fenders.

It is difficult to say with certainty which truck chassis this fortress on wheels was built on. Most likely, the same KrAZ-256 was used as the basis.

One of the most unusual projects - modified tractor unit KrAZ-6444 with a massive front fender, which is crowned with spiers and a pair of gas masks.

Do you recognize the MAZ-537 military tow truck with an 8x8 wheel arrangement? Its cabin and engine compartment were protected with welded sheets of corners, which should change the trajectory of a bullet.

The KamAZ-5320 flatbed truck has become an armored van. The sheets above the windshields can be folded back, protecting the crew from frontal fire.

An expensive and rare item was confiscated from Yanukovych's garage American pickup International MXT, which also received homemade cockpit armor protection and saw action.

to his appearance The amphibious ambulance with a very stylish design, which is created on the basis of the Soviet armored personnel carrier BTR-60, is surprising.

Another option for modifying the UAZ-3151. It began to somewhat resemble three-door Land versions Rover Defender.

And this is a VAZ-2121 Niva with flimsy (and probably completely useless) side window protection and a rotating machine gun position in the roof.

All-wheel drive KamAZ-4326 with an unusual frontal protection made of thick steel and side windows from some kind of SUV.

Agree, it looks very intimidating. Thanks to the efforts of the volunteer battalion masters, the Ural-4320 truck turned into a fortress on wheels with powerful protection for the engine compartment, cabin and body.

Even old ones soviet cars Moskvich-2140 go into action. This copy received an unusual styling in the style of the Mad Max films.

Another Ural-4320 with a rather strange radiator and cabin protection. Cargo compartment covered with steel sheets: not very beautiful, but functional.

The creators of this truck decided to protect the tires from shots using steel plates mounted directly on the wheel. Pay attention to the fairing on the cockpit, which serves to repel bullets, and not at all for aerodynamics.

Here's what you can make from an ordinary “Loaf”. This is a real mobile artillery point for repelling air attacks.

A two-axle KrAZ is in itself a rather rare phenomenon. And here it is also in military colors, and with some protection.

Without windows, without doors, the room is full of people. IN in this case, this is about an armored KamAZ with a powerful front bumper and headlights on the roof.

Once upon a time he was by KaVZ bus, but now it is a staff bus on an all-wheel drive chassis. Please note that wings from GAZ-3307 are attached to the old tail from the GAZ-53A. Looks crazy weird.

And again onboard KamAZ, covered with armor from head to toe. Its task is to transport militants in dangerous areas.

It is impossible to identify the car in this photo due to the armor, which covers almost the entire body. Only the hood and doors remained intact.

The KamAZ-55111 dump truck no longer carries bulk cargo. In its back you can only find a couple of dozen armed guys.

Another approach to armoring: using not sheet steel, but corners and scraps. Naturally, such protection only adds weight, but is unlikely to help the crew.

GAZelle turned into an anti-aircraft defense system. Instead of a body, they installed a row of seats facing backwards and an anti-aircraft gun.

KrAZ-250 dump truck with an anti-aircraft installation in a dump body.

VAZ-2121 Niva with full body armor with external panels. It turned out completely ugly, but no one talked about beauty. There is an icon behind the windshield.

This wheeled tank is based on some kind of Japanese or American pickup truck. It is impossible to recognize him now.

Even the sight of this truck is scary. Its V-shaped front should push aside any obstacles in its path, and protecting the windows with metal bars may save you from some bullets.

Another KrAZ-256, made quite neatly.

Who would have known that an armored car with a machine gun on the roof could be made on the chassis of a regular UAZ. You can see how hard it is on the standard rear suspension.

Sometimes the body is made from scratch. Using the ZIL-131 chassis as a basis, welders made a body from rusty metal sheets. Only the front fenders give away the original truck.

Did you recognize the old ZIL-130 in the sad look? Now he looks like a poor donkey, loaded with bales.

A pretty good armored car based on the GAZ-66, on the front facing of which there is the inscription “Zhmerinka”.

"Loaf" with homemade defense from steel corners. The creators even tried to add a little design to the front.

Guess what kind of car is hidden under continuous armor protection. It is likely that this is something like a MAZ dump truck.

Didn't expect to see Range Rover in camouflage and with armor protection? Yes, there are such specimens in Ukraine.

KrAZ-255 with body and radiator armor protection. Looks powerful!

Our dear “Loaf” is in the process of being converted into an armored car. Please note that no one paints the metal protection, and it rusts instantly.

The most unusual armored car in this collection can be considered this KamAZ-5320 with a completely closed front part. The driver looks at the road through a tiny flip-up window in the front.

"made us remember other examples of heavy military equipment created almost at home. It is worth noting that there are quite a lot of craftsmen who skillfully create replica tanks from tractors that decorate the backyard, or even a scene in a film about the Second World War, and their works do not interest us. We will tell you about the developments that took part in real battles.

DIY combat equipment in history

The first mentions of the use of homemade armored vehicles date back to the First World War. Scattered detachments of partisans, rebels, and militias, faced with the need to build defensive and offensive positions, were forced to oppose homemade armored vehicles to the military equipment of the regular armies, which were gradually transferred from horses. Often the basis for such ersatz machines were tractors, which were already turning into the main agricultural and construction equipment.

Thus, in revolutionary Russia, the first to use homemade armored vehicles were the White Guards. Professional officers of Tsarist Russia lost in battles against peasants and the proletariat due to the insufficient technical strength of their troops. They tried to compensate for this with homemade weapons and machines. One of the most striking examples of homemade equipment of that time was the “Colonel Bezmolitvenny” armored vehicle. Built on the basis of the Clayton tractor by the Don Army in 1918, the armored vehicle could accommodate an 11-man crew, was sheathed in thick metal sheets, and was armed with a 76.2 mm field gun in the rear and six 7.62 mm Maxim 1910 machine guns. of the year. However, in battle the vehicle turned out to be extremely inconvenient due to its bulkiness and dimensions. An ordinary horse moved the cannons and guns of that time much faster.

The Second World War also prompted enthusiasts to quickly create heavy military equipment, which this time was supposed to withstand the aviation and tanks of professional armies. For example, the NI-1 tank was created in the USSR (“To frighten » ), an improvised armored tractor built in 1941 in Odessa for the defense of the city. A light cannon or machine gun on a rotating turret was mounted on the roof of the NI-1. These tanks took part in many battles in the early years of the war, and some of them still exist today.

But tiznaos, widely used during the Spanish Civil War, were a real example of “home production” ». Due to the fact that this collective concept does not have any general characteristics, not much is known about tiznaos. Many of these vehicles were quite formidable equipment in urban conditions: machine guns, turrets and light cannons mounted on their roofs were a serious force in the fight against government troops.

Speaking about homemade equipment, one cannot help but recall Marvin Heemeyer’s armored bulldozer. The brainchild of the last American hero participated in only one single battle, but deserves attention for its technical excellence in some way. Armored with thick metal sheets, the Komatsu D355A-3 was not armed, but had special embrasures for firing from the inside, cameras for navigation hidden in bulletproof plastic cases, an engine cooling system and ventilation for a pressurized cabin. 200 bullet hits and several grenade explosions did not cause any damage to the bulldozer, and only the collapsed roof of the building could stop it.

"Sham-2" and Syrian artillery

Actually, “Sham-2” itself. Country of origin: Syria. Built on the chassis of an unknown vehicle, the armor thickness is 2.5 centimeters. Unable to withstand a direct hit from a grenade launcher or tank gun. The dimensions of the improvised infantry fighting vehicle are 4 x 2 meters. An easel 7.62mm machine gun is mounted on the roof. The crew includes two people - a driver and a gunner. Navigation is carried out using five video cameras built into the body of the equipment; the shooter controls the machine gun using a gamepad. The vehicle is on combat duty near the city of Aleppo. There is no official evidence of the participation of the Sham-2 in battles, however, given the harsh economic conditions in which the Syrian rebels are forced to exist, we can say with confidence that the vehicle was not built for entertainment and can serve as an infantry fighting vehicle, providing fire support to local militants in urban and field conditions.

Unnamed multiple launch rocket system

The advantage of such an MLRS is its excellent camouflage. By freely approaching city facilities, such a garbage truck can be quickly put on alert.

Homemade armored vehicles of drug cartels

Criminal elements involved in the production and sale of drugs are particularly imaginative. For example, we previously wrote about how to transport cocaine. But their colleagues from Mexico prefer a different technique - armored transport vehicles. There are no guns installed on these armored personnel carriers, but the crew can conduct targeted fire through special loopholes. However, the Mexicans do not pay attention to wheels, focusing on the speed of movement of such equipment, which, as a rule, becomes the weak point of improvised armored personnel carriers. If you puncture the rubber, moving such a vehicle, given the weight of the armor, becomes almost impossible.

Syrian Kurdish armored vehicles

Photos of these prodigies were allegedly taken in Syria and have been circulating on various information portals since the spring of 2014. There is no official information about homemade armored vehicles; the identity of the equipment can be determined by the designs on the armor - this logo is the official symbol of the Syrian People's Protection Units, the military wing of the Kurdish Supreme Committee participating in the Syrian armed conflict.

Homemade equipment of Libyan rebels

The favorite weapon of the Libyan rebels, the so-called “technical” vehicles, are a homemade symbiosis of the Soviet blocs NAR, SZO, anti-aircraft guns and various pickup trucks.

Homemade equipment of security forces and militias of Ukraine

Photos of homemade equipment of various forces fighting on the territory of Ukraine have also been circulating on the Internet since the summer. In conditions of limited funding, Ukrainian security forces and militias are armoring Russian KamAZ trucks and converting old Soviet equipment.