Thank you Jason. Interesting vehicle. I would like to see this running. Be a nice change for your workshop staff to simply get the engine going and possibly replace the original wiring loom😁. Cheers from NZ🇳🇿.
That engine is legendary around Eastern Europe for reliability and endurance, so you should have a fairly good chance to restore it as a running vehicle.
In 2001 i was trained on one of those in the army in Croatia. They were M53/85 models, upgraded in 1985 so that the turret was operated with a joystick, powerd by 2 electric motors. It was a 5 men crew, driver, commander, turret operator, and 2 loaders. I was the right one, my duty after the loading was to cock the gun's. I still have at home a dummy round that we used to train the loading of the magazine, and a empty shell from a firing exercises.
Ako je imala oznaku M53/85 to bi trebala biti neka modifikacija iz vremena JNA. Nije mi poznato. Dzojstik koji spominjes je u kombinaciji sa drugacijom nisanskom spravom, negde se naziva M-71, negde JOC-71, poseduje mehanicki racunar. Mislim da je poreklo tog nisanskog kompleta Italija. Na snimku je nisanska sprava M-61 tako da negde u JNA vozilo oznacavalo sa M-53/59/61.
Fun fact - the original V3S had to often serve in harsh winter conditions. If you wanted to start it in such conditions it was necessary to get warm air into the air intake... but how do you do that... well, soldiers found a solution by stuffing some newspapers in the air intake and setting them on fire. This process is called "letting the V3S read the newspapers"... Oh, and the truck was pretty much indestructible since there was pretty much nothing to break down. Just the engine, steering wheel and six wheels...
Get it running. It’s easy to work on. We still use some of the Pragas V3Ss in the Czech army. And I drive it from time to time. It’s a bit of getting used to, but quite fun.
I think the more diverse range of vehicles being run for Aus Armor Fest the better. Tanks are always going to get the glory but without the support behind them wouldn't get very far.
Love this vehicle and also proud of it. We invented the Ještěrka instead of getting the ZSU-57-2. Kinda the same thing with VZ.58 instead of AK. Homemade & better! Amazing video ty for this
This vehicle and weapons system is one of the most terrifying war experiences I faced, the sound and sheer destruction against infantry /fortified positions. Very well explained !!
G'day to you again, Yes, it would be a Great Addition to your Running Collection! PS Sort of thing You Would see in Mad Max, just thinking out loud, Have to have a V8 fitted I think!!
Actually these vehicles saw a "modernized" return into police and military units in Serbia. They had a great effect against infantry in the 90's thus they decided to return some as a perfect anti-terrorist solution
During Yugoslav wars, it was used against infantry. My uncle was in army and saw enemy soldiers killed with Praga. At front where man was hit, there were hole in a body size of a bullet, but at rear, there was giant hole, we could say half of back missing. If somebody was get hit in arm or leg, that part of body was torn away immeditely. Praga was obsolete against air targets, but againt ground it was very effective at support role for infantry and armored vehicles. It could penetrate brick wall, with AP ammo. Than after that with incendiary ammo you could start fire inside builind, by lightning up furniture, enemy would get killed by bullets or it will be forced to abandon that builing.
Definitely make it running. I will come from Slovakia to have a look...(Once you make a lottery with return ticket to Australia and i win...:) ) Anyway, great job and i hope once you will have more time and money to shoot more workshop videos
I remember looking at this one when I was up there and thinking how thin the armour was And also what an uncomfortable driving position that would be I didn’t realise how old it is 👍👍 Yes it needs fixing I would like a ride in it
This was used in the Yugoslav war 1990 till 2000. There is also 57 mm version. They used them against advanced infantry most of the times. It will be used effectively against larger drones
Perfect light armoured vehicle for infantry support!!! It saw so much combat during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s and they performed magnificently. Even though they were intended originally for the targets in the air, when the Yugoslav Wars started in 1991 it was quickly discovered that they were THE BEST light armoured vehicle for infantry suport, close combat in urban environment and especially in rural environment. Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) did so well using Pragas on multiple fronts, the opposing soldiers were terrified of the Pragas since they had the ability to cut the house in half, literally. Up until the Dayton Peace Accords when the war ended the Praga dominated the battlefield tremendously well. They were tough, reliable, awesome and terrifying firepower, they could carry infantry on their backs and they also performed very well in offensive and defensive operations. Only donwside of the Praga was that they sometimes make a lot of smoke, you had to deal with the smoke constantly. Other than that - perfect weapon. In 1999 they were used by VJ and Serbian Interior Ministry forces and special Police forces against the Albanian terrorists where they again did such a great job. Not even one got destroyed during the entire fighting 1998-1999. During the withdrawal of the VJ and MUP from Kosovo and Metohija, it was interesting to see hundreds of them driving out safely. Naturally they were useless against air targets which were flying way too high, but they did an excellent job on the ground. Praga is the best friend of the infantry!!!
Tatra T912 engine is half of the legendary T111 V12 diesel, with its roots in 1942. Or even before! Chassis looks, that is heavily inspired by GMC CCKW 353 and body by sdkfz250/251 or post war derivate OT810. But this of course not coincidence. Original base car, Praga V3S, was developed after WW2!!! as an all-terrain military vehicle. Therefore some solutions and parameters look now totally weird. Low maximal speed etc. But off-road it is very capable vehicle, just need physically strong driver. Due to long production run, vehicle is obsolete even after modernizations in 80s. But due to produced pcs there is still some of them in use here = spare parts are still available! Any try to produce more modern substitute or succesor was unsuccessful due to communistic economy in 70/80s not capable to start it. Definitely get Praga V3S and its derivates retired after 2000 or more precise with start of the production of modern Tatra T810. Itself based not on Tatra components but on the remains (project and development which Tatra bought and modernized) of one of the attempts to replace Praga V3S after the Velvet Revolution in other, now defunct, Czech company. Get it running could not be hard job, just search suppliers and enthusiasts in Czech or Slovak republic on other globe side. Army sales and companies trading in these goods must still have stocks of complete vehicles and components or parts.
My father in law was trading army vehicles after velvet revolution in czechoslovakia, hit me up if you need any motor/transmission/suspension parts I can assure you he can get them as he still works on pragas V3S's because this would be a nice running vehicle for sure
I'd love to see this driving around, it has such a cool shape to it. It's just a shame that you wouldn't be able to get it to blank firing state, there's something about a slow and steady thump thump autocannon.
i can imagine that this bit of kit could have had quite a sting in blitzkreig mode against road blocks and soft skinned vehicles.. no doubt the Oz army will buy the White Man’s equivalent at $45million a piece, turbine powered and with ammo at $450 a round. But it will be hopeless against submarines.
Referring back to Stug 3 final drive brake stools. The stools were worn and new made. A trick is braze bronze or silver on the stool wearing faces (or on the shoe, but not both) The pinion has spherical roller bearings. These more typical used on long shafts which bow from gravity and difficult to align the bearings. Probably used on Stug because spherical bearings have a modest thrust capability
Serbian war love Praga❤, caused a lot of misery to the Serbian enemies, excellent infantry support has a psychological effect on the enemy with its sound, it is most often used behind the front line where it shoots over its soldiers at the enemies
Měli jsme ho v armádě ČR ještě v roce 1993. Byl určen pro boj s vrtulníky a lehce pancéřovanými vozidly Ráže 39 mm stejně ,jako u BVP 2. A Praha V3S je jednoduchý výkonný stroj jezdící v ČR do dnes...♥️🇨🇿❤️
I was born in Czechoslovakia ( Slovakia today ) and I consider the Lizzard ( Jasterka ) to be the most iconic military piece of the former CS arsenal - Folks focus your eyes on the front of the vehicle and tell me if it reminds you of the German sd.kfz. 251 halftack
