Why does BT-5 have a wooden log attached to its side?

[WladcaSłabizny]

What was the use for those wooden logs?

[Rei]

Helps for when there's lots of mud. You'll see this on most Soviet tanks in some way, shape, or form. It also helps for getting out of ditches if I recall.

[Tankfriend]

You chain it to the tracks at the front, then drive your tank over it. The log gives your tracks a solid object to bite on instead of soft ground, and the weight of your tank at the point of the log is also distributed over the entire width of the log, instead of just the tracks. It basically serves as an unditching tool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHMsQSrxjho

[WladcaSłabizny]

Very cool! But why other nations do not have a log?

[Vyrex]

Originally posted by WladcaSłabizny:

Very cool! But why other nations do not have a log?

They are not advanced enough to have a russian log.

[Maki Nishikino]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yu5FBMLXkk

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

Log won the war.

[83athom]

Stalinwood add-on armor comrade )))))

[AceHault]

L Ö G ?

[trevorkrause]

Kinda sad really.

[kamikazi21358]

Originally posted by Vyrex:

Originally posted by WladcaSłabizny:

Very cool! But why other nations do not have a log?

They are not advanced enough to have a russian log.

Nor a bucket :(
Where is my bucket on the German Panther? I want my bucket!
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3o9een/what_would_german_tankers_use_buckets_for/

[kamikazi21358]

Although I do like that the log is always there, whether you’re driving a 1930s tank like the BT or a 1980s tank like the T-64BV - I can imagine in the future some day driving around in a T-80UM, looking back and seeing that good old log still there...

[WladcaSłabizny]

wow, so many interesting details!

[Odin]

They were also used for extra armor. Although how effective they were as such I can't say.

[kamikazi21358]

Originally posted by Odin:

They were also used for extra armor. Although how effective they were as such I can't say.

Probably poorly against AP, I bet like sandbags and stuff though it might be pretty good against CE.

I saw this interesting photo of a modern day (T-55?), the crew came up with a pretty smart idea as well - they used the used empty shell casings as add on armor, tieing them to the hull and turret in orderly rows as spaced armor. It would be cool to see some of these alternate armors reperesented somehow, maybe like decorations or something, but they actually have armor value to them (like it would be cool to actually dictate where to put say track add on armor in some cases, sandbags for US tanks for example, and the many other alternate armors used).

[trevorkrause]

Originally posted by kamikazi21358:

Originally posted by Odin:

They were also used for extra armor. Although how effective they were as such I can't say.

Probably poorly against AP, I bet like sandbags and stuff though it might be pretty good against CE.

I saw this interesting photo of a modern day (T-55?), the crew came up with a pretty smart idea as well - they used the used empty shell casings as add on armor, tieing them to the hull and turret in orderly rows as spaced armor. It would be cool to see some of these alternate armors reperesented somehow, maybe like decorations or something, but they actually have armor value to them (like it would be cool to actually dictate where to put say track add on armor in some cases, sandbags for US tanks for example, and the many other alternate armors used).

None of the impro armour worked all it did was overload the engine.

It worked for crew morale only and imagine sand bags in war thunder your tank would take 4 months to get to cap.