50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 847 Antarctic Scientific Expedition Team Benefits
When Sun Zhiwei encounters problems he doesn't understand, he always consciously listens to the opinions of experts.

The owner of the adventure equipment shop is named Sigurd Jürgensen, and he is 62 years old.

He was a seasoned explorer in his early years, but he retired when he got too old to run anymore, and then opened this exploration equipment shop.

In his own words, although he can no longer go on expeditions, he is still happy to chat with other explorers.

Jürgensen particularly enjoys mentoring younger explorers, and now that he has met a young explorer like Sun Zhiwei, he is eager to pass on his lifetime of exploration experience.

Especially for wealthy explorers like Sun Zhiwei, Jürgensen seemed to want to make up for his own regrets, not only introducing his exploration experience but also introducing various latest exploration equipment.

When the two talked about transportation, Jürgensen recommended a whole range of vehicles for his route, from snowshoes for hiking to homemade sleds, and even mentioned ancient sleds pulled by polar animals.

He even knows about modern vehicles like snowmobiles and snowmobiles. The boss introduced more than a dozen types of specialized vehicles that can travel on snow and ice, which truly broadened Sun Zhiwei's horizons.

As a cold-climate city, Oslo naturally has no shortage of snow equipment vendors, and the equipment shop owner introduced him to several merchants selling polar vehicles.

In a warehouse on the outskirts of Oslo, Sun Zhiwei found the largest snowmobile dealer in the area.

As soon as he entered their showroom, he spotted the snowmobiles displayed at the front of the hall.

This type of snowmobile was invented as early as 1911, but the old model was large, slow, fuel-inefficient, and prone to breakdowns, so it never became popular.

Following World War II, there was a technological explosion in both the East and the West, leading to the invention of more advanced engines, which are now beginning to gain popularity in cold northern countries.

However, this product is not yet available in China, so Sun Zhiwei had never seen it before. Now that he saw the actual product, he quickly went up to the owner, Amanda Olaver, and asked him for the vehicle's specifications.

Olafell, having heard that he was introduced by old Jürgensen, also gave him a very warm introduction.

These snowmobiles can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h when the snow layer is thick, which is quite impressive.

Generally speaking, locals buy snowmobiles to replace their old-fashioned sleds and use them for transportation in winter, similar to the vehicles used by ordinary families in other countries, but specifically for winter use.

The biggest drawback of this snowmobile is its limited fuel capacity, but it's fine for short trips of one or two hundred kilometers between cities, unless you're going to very remote wilderness areas.

While introducing the vehicle, Olafel asked Sun Zhiwei about his intended use for it. Sun Zhiwei then gave his original explanation, saying he was going on an expedition to the polar regions in the north.

After learning of Sun Zhiwei's purpose, Olafur strongly recommended a good product he had just obtained from Ukraine: Kharkivchaka.

When Sun Zhiwei followed Olafel to the warehouse at the back, he saw two big vehicles inside. Looking at their long tracks, Sun Zhiwei knew what they were; they must be all-terrain vehicles.

But does this thing already exist in this day and age?
It was through Olafur's introduction that he learned the origin of the "Kharkovchaka" all-terrain vehicle.

In the mid-1950s, the Russian family began to actively participate in the exploration of Antarctica and became one of the member countries of the International Antarctic Research Program.

However, a real problem arose – at the time, no means of transportation available could cope with the extreme environment of Antarctica.

The frigid temperatures of -80 degrees Celsius, deep snow, and permafrost have caused ordinary tractors and trucks to break down.

The Arctic Research Institute at the time suggested to research institutions that a special vehicle designed specifically for such extreme environments be developed. This research task was assigned to two companies in Kharkiv: an aircraft manufacturing plant and the Malyshev Transport Machinery Plant.

The two companies produced the first prototype in just three months. It was based on the AT-T tractor, which itself used parts from the T-54 tank.

Image: AT-T heavy artillery tractor

The designers extended the chassis by two road wheels, installed wider tracks, and track plates with large snow traction spikes.

And so, the "Kharkovchaka" was born, its official designation being "Product 404C".

Olafel then handed Sun Zhiwei an instruction manual containing the performance parameters and design drawings of the "Kharkovchaka".

As the world's first all-terrain vehicle, its design philosophy has only two aspects: power and comfort.

The "Kharkovchaka" weighs 35 tons, is 8.5 meters long, 3.5 meters wide, and nearly 4 meters high, and is made entirely of hard aluminum alloy.

Under the hood is a V-type diesel engine with a power of 520 horsepower, which can reach an astonishing 995 horsepower when a supercharger is used!

In 1959, the first five Kharkivchakas arrived in Antarctica. In the same year, the Kharkivchakas led a 16-person expedition team on a famous expedition.

Despite temperatures as low as -76 degrees Celsius in Antarctica and gale-force winds of up to level 10, they trekked 2700 kilometers to successfully reach the South Pole.

Following this successful expedition, the Kharkivchaka special vehicle became the main means of transportation between Soviet Antarctic research stations.

They are responsible for transporting equipment, food, and personnel, and connect six Russian Antarctic bases.

Some of these vehicles even remained in service until 2008—meaning they served in extreme environments for over half a century!
What makes Kharkivchaka so sturdy and durable?

First, it uses proven military-grade components: parts from T-54 tanks and AT-T tractors.

This provides it with extremely high strength and reliability.

Secondly, the wide tracks increase the contact area with the ground, resulting in minimal pressure per unit area, thus preventing the vehicle from getting stuck even in soft snow.

Its unique insulation system and interior facilities not only allow passengers to travel long distances, but also enable them to live in the vehicle for extended periods.

As the two discussed, they opened the carriage, and Sun Zhiwei then discovered that the Kharkivchaka was equipped with a complete living cabin.

Its total area is 28 square meters, and it has 8 beds, a small kitchen, a bathroom, a radio station and a heating system.

Its interior living cabin is more spacious than the RV that Sun Zhiwei bought in America.

To facilitate maintenance, engineers even created a direct access hatch to the engine in the interior floor, allowing for engine maintenance in the polar environment.

(End of this chapter)