美國國家軍用車輛博物館 蘇聯吉普車 GAZ-67B發展歷史

What you're looking at are details and records outlining the history of the museum's GAZ-67B. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to present these facts and stories to the museum's YouTube audience over a time period of exactly 13 minutes and 37 seconds. Should you state any inaccuracies, or if your pronunciation is criticized by commenters, the museum will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This message will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck. What is a GAZ Jeep? In order to understand where this vehicle came from, we have to wind the clocks back just a little bit to the end of the Bolshevik Revolution in the Soviet Union. It's at this point where the Soviets are struggling to industrialize, and rather than create their own vehicles from the ground up, which was honestly hard when the majority of their population was illiterate to begin with, they decided to start turning to other Western corporations to give them vehicle designs that they could later Sovietize, that is, change them into more rugged and perhaps more primitive vehicles to work in the very harsh conditions of the pre-industrial Soviet Union. One of the companies they turned to was right here in the United States. It was the Ford Motor Company, who, under contract, would later build a factory in the Soviet city of Gorky, northeast of Moscow. This factory, which would later become the first GAZ Motor Company factory in the Soviet Union, initially produced Ford Model As, and Ford Model Mas, for example, the Ford truck. The Soviets immediately began editing these designs, creating the GAZ A through AAA, so the A, AA, AAA, all three of which were essentially just slightly tweaked versions of those American vehicles I talked about. And we can actually see that Ford influence still in even vehicles like this GAZ Jeep that you see behind me, as we later get to the structure of its engine and also the logo on the vehicle itself, which is very similar to that early Ford logo, right down to the oval shape, which has creatively turned a Russian G into looking very much like an American F. In June of 1941, the German army invades the Soviet Union. It's at this point that the Gorky GAZ factory suddenly receives an order from Soviet command that they must start building essentially a copy of the American quarter-ton truck, what we now know as the Jeep. Now, the Gorky Corporation had a lot of different American designs to work from, everything from the Ford Motor Company designs that were very well known, to also the Willys designs and the lesser-known Bantam designs as well. In the end, they decided to go with that Ford design, creating the first version of the GAZ Jeep, the GAZ 64. But because of the nature of the war and because of the speed of the German advance, the Soviets didn't even have time to test the prototypes of the GAZ 64, which resulted in it becoming an incredibly flawed vehicle. They're rolling these out as fast as they can from the Gorky factory, and the moment that they hit the front lines, they began falling apart. So the Soviets took the time with the second version of it, the GAZ 67, which of course is technically what we have here, although this is a GAZ 67B. The GAZ 67 initially began by using that rip-off Ford Model A engine that I kind of alluded to earlier. It's just a straight four-cylinder engine that actually can get the Jeep up to a speed of around 57 miles per hour, which is pretty impressive. The vehicle also had some technological problems, which were later improved on in the GAZ 67B model, which allowed it to not only drive only using the front-wheel drive rather than always being stuck in four-wheel drive, but also gave the vehicle an improved gearbox for an easier time shifting, and a larger radiator, which overall contributed to the better cross-country performance of the 67B model. Both the 67 and the 67B were produced until the end of World War II, and in the case of the 67B, it was produced even beyond that war. The 67B was produced from 1943 to 1953, which reasonably means this vehicle could in fact be Soviet World War II-era surplus. And this is technically guessing. We don't actually know exactly when or even where this particular Jeep was constructed, but considering that the Gorky factory was the only one, which reasonably means this vehicle here could in fact be Soviet military surplus from World War II. And I say this as an educated guess, because this vehicle ended up in the Korean War, as did much of Soviet World War II-era surplus following the end of the war in Europe. Well, the story of Argyz probably began in a factory in the Soviet Union. Its documented history began in 1950 in the midst of the Korean War. I'll remind our viewers very briefly that the Korean War was not necessarily just an American endeavor. It was a UN coalition working together to fight the North Korean military, and then later the Chinese. And one of the members of that UN coalition alongside the United States were Australian units, in particular the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment or 3 RAR, which is how I'll refer to it in the rest of the video. Now the 3 RAR found itself in North Korea in 1950, just at the cusp of the Chinese first phase offensive at what became known as the Battle of Pakchon. And it would be at the Battle of Pakchon that a significant event occurred, an event that would lead the Australians to get their hands on the very Jeep I'm seated in now. We actually have the documentation from this battle here, although this is in fact just a blown up photocopy of the original documents that was actually built as a display item, that again came with the Jeep when it was acquired by the museum. It details a confrontation on the 26th of October of 1950, where the 3 RAR found themselves pitted against units of the North Korean military. In particular this group consisted of a large force of infantry, combined with two T-34 tanks, ironically one is just ahead of us here in this exhibit, and a few Jeeps, one of which was the very one I'm seated in now. As the battle begins to ensue, the 3 RAR initially engages different sections of this North Korean patrol, or perhaps simple assault, and initially the North Koreans take heavy casualties. It actually states right here in this battle report, that the excitement of the event was so exhilarating, that when the Australians raised their bazookas to fire at these approaching T-34s, all of them misfired, because the men had not actually turned off the safeties in the haste that they were to start firing at enemy vehicles. The battle ends up going the way of the Australians, and they take very few casualties, while the North Koreans completely retreat, and leave behind all of the vehicles, the most of which had been either destroyed or disabled. One of those vehicles that had been disabled, was the very Jeep I'm seated in now. This GAZ-67B had taken rounds from an Australian .50 caliber machine gun. One of those rounds entered the back end of the vehicle, which we still have lit up to this day, you can see the hole where it was patched over, and it actually entered through the seat that I'm sitting in, and in fact killed a North Korean colonel who was sitting here. This North Korean colonel,upon dying, also had with him a large amount of enemy documents, which fell into the hands of the Royal Australian Regiment, and they used these documents to great effect, as they began fighting elsewhere here in the Pakchon area in North Korea. After the three R.A.R. captured this Jeep, it was in fact repaired, and then later driven by one Private Butch McHenry, who's actually pictured in this photo here, that we have in the museum, and also in the collection that came with this Jeep, initially repairing the vehicle, and then of course driving it around. It is assumed that this Jeep probably just operated as captured equipment, until the end of the Korean War, and it didn't do anything particularly special, just kind of serving along the Australians, and giving them a comfortable ride across this snowy terrain. As an additional piece of proof that we have here at the museum, that tells us that this vehicle is verifiably the one, that was not only shot at, but also captured and used by the three R.A.R. during the Korean War, we have this document here, which is in fact a photocopy of correspondence, between the captain of the three R.A.R. come the 1980s, one J.B. Bale, and also the later owner of this vehicle in Australia, a Mr. Wheeler, who we'll get to later. It was after the Korean War, that this Jeep arrived at the trials and proving wing, at a military base in Monageta,Australia. It was here,just north of Victoria, that it was supposed to be tested, against a variety of other American Jeeps, of a similar design to this. There's no actual record of this testing existing, and the vehicle itself, just kind of languished at this military base, for a number of years, until it was eventually sold, at a military surplus auction, we assume sometime in the early 1960s. It was spotted at a disposal yard, also in Monageta in 1960, a place known as Hughes Disposals, where the vehicle itself, was still in relatively good condition. Many at the time simply referred to it as the, quote, funny commie Jeep, and came to see it as kind of a, half tourist attraction for a time, before it suddenly disappeared from the salvage yard. It's this point in 1964, that the gas finally enters private ownership. It was purchased from that salvage yard, by a family in Myrna,Australia, who kept it in their backyard, for a number of years, where it unfortunately, continued to deteriorate. It wasn't until 1972, that a man by the name of W.F. Wheeler, the foremost owner of this vehicle, finally saw it sitting in that backyard, and decided immediately he wanted to purchase, and restore this gas. It wouldn't be until 1980, eight years after Wheeler, had originally seen the vehicle, that he finally would gain enough capital, to fully purchase it. But by that point, it had deteriorated even further, and so the lengthy restoration process, that would become the major history, of this vehicle, had to begin. It's thanks to Mr. Wheeler, that we have this. This massive document, that really served as the primary source, for this video. Inside this folder, scrapbook of sorts, Wheeler documented, absolutely everything he could find, about not only gas, Jeeps in general, but also about this particular gas, and its history. He did everything, from interviewing veterans, who worked alongside this vehicle, to tracking down original documents, to help in the restoration. In fact, when he was trying to figure out, how to put this vehicle back together, to turn it from rusted hulk, into the magnificent vehicle, we see today, he actually reached out, to the Russian Motor Export Corporation, and asked them for spare parts. Unfortunately, they had none to spare, but Wheeler found two associates there, who in fact were sympathetic to his cause, to restore this vehicle, into what we see it today. They sent him a copy, of the original technical documents, that would normally go, with a gas 67b jeep, and they came almost directly, from the libraries, that held such documents in Moscow. But they couldn't just send him, the original book. All of it came on microfilm, 200 pages of it, and all of it was in Russian. So, Wheeler had to take the microfilm, and then print it out, and place it in a folder, such as this one that we have here. This is one of many different variants, by the way. But you can see, it's all the original, technical documentation, for the vehicle itself. Wheeler went all around the world, searching for pieces, to restore his gas. He found them, in places like Indonesia, America, South America, and also in the garages, and storage bins of his friends, in the Victorian Military Vehicle Corps, which is essentially, a vehicle restoration club, in Victoria, Australia. Using those parts, he was able to restore the gas, into an immaculate condition, to the point where it became, as far as he was concerned, the only running gas, in the entirety of Australia, perhaps the only gas there at all, and in fact, made appearances, in Australian magazines, like this one, for off-road vehicles, where it has a very nice spread, right here, in the back of the magazine. It still remains, in its near-running capability today, we could consider it operable, even as it sits right here, inside the museum. This vehicle also ended up, working a lot, in film and television. Our gas's first appearance, on television, would be a part of a TV miniseries, filmed specifically in Australia. It was called, The Far Country, and it was filmed, in September of 1985. It was the story, of two people, outrunning their dark pasts, in World War II Europe, and ending up, in Australia. Our gas, in particular, appeared in a flashback scene, in what I can only assume, to be the Battle of Berlin, as Soviets advanced, down a ruined street. Unfortunately, all we have are photos, of this occurring, during the actual shoot, but maybe some commenters, who had actually seen this series, way back in the day, could actually tell me, exactly where this Jeep showed up. Probably the most significant, television appearance, of our gas, however, would be in Season 2, Episode 6, of the legendary television series, Mission Impossible. The episode, titled, War Games, features our Jeep, in the introduction sequence. It's driving down a road, being shot at by rockets, and is apparently, destroyed, completely exploded. It flips over, and is burning on the side, of the road. But throughout the episode, the Jeep is continually used, by members of the main cast, and the antagonists, in the episode. It's even at one point, hot-wired, to make a daring escape, towards the end. We have the documentation, that tells us the Jeep, was used in a shoot, that was conducted, on September 21st, 1989. We not only have, the specific scenes, it was listed in, but we also have, documentation, that told Wheeler, where to take the Jeep, so it could be used, on set, which is pretty cool. We actually have a copy, of the pay stub, from Paramount, given to Wheeler, to pay for his Jeep's, appearance on camera. It was apparently, $1,000, although we don't know, if it was United States, or Australian dollars. Sadly, the pay stub, doesn't indicate which. Unfortunately, after Mission Impossible, this is where, the paper trail, actually kind of comes, to an end. We don't really know, what happened, with this Jeep, from the late 1980s, all the way up until 2020, when it was privately acquired, by our museum. When our owner, purchased this vehicle, he originally envisioned it, here, in the Korean War exhibit, mainly because of the story, he had heard about, that bullet hole, going through the back end, of the passenger seat, and killing that Korean colonel. Perhaps the documentation, that came alongside our gaz, is rarer than the vehicle itself. Here at the museum, we have very few vehicles, that possess this detailed, of a pedigree, a history, both in war, and also out of war, as well, which for me, at least, elevates this gaz, from something, that is perhaps, a little bit mundane, into something, much more interesting. Needless to say, its history, both on the battlefield, in reality, and in fiction, has made this gaz, a kind of hidden gem, within our collection here, at the Nash Museum, of military vehicles. We'd like to know, what you think. Have you perhaps, seen this vehicle, in a parade somewhere, in Australia, or in a private collection, that maybe I didn't cover, in this video? If there's any additional, history you can provide, about our gaz, here in the museum, feel free to offer it up, in the comments. And speaking of comments, feel free to leave one, telling us what vehicle, you'd like to see done next, here on the channel. But as always, I'm Hank Wilcox, and thanks for watching. You may be thinking, that for a guy like me, driving a car this old, is an impossible task. But thankfully, in Soviet Russia, God drive you. But if you're looking for something, that's less communist, and a bit more capitalist, you can always go with, this black sweater, which I've been wearing, for the entirety of the video. It does in fact, feature an American Jeep, both on the front, and on the rear. And yes, we did that on purpose. But to quote Henry Ford, you can buy any color you want, as long as it's in black. Link in the description below.