Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame
Footage of Soviet-era weapons, military and infrastructure projects (e.g. Chernobyl) from the 1980's really gives me the creeps because of how dangerous (and simultaneously clunky) some of this stuff really was.
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When you look back on Soviet military design philosophy a lot of their decisions came from their struggles with precise manufacturing and metal works. They had these brilliant engineers and designers but they couldn't build what they designed.
They also had some really cool ideas that just didn't work really well.
But the Soviets were some of the best tank builders in the world. The T-34 is still one of the best tank designs. The T-72 was a really good tank but would have been better without the auto loader and the fuel line in the turret.
Their APC's were just really bad ideas though, including a design that made the drop down back door the fuel tank.
For every Mig 29 design there were just bad designs like the Forger. for every brilliant submarine design like the Akula or the Victor Class and they had some confound it bizarre ideas like the Alfa.
Ask the Soviets to build a simple weapon though and they were the kings of it. The AK-47 is still the best military assault rifle ever created.
I also liked their ship building designs because they made really pretty intimidating ships. They did have real problems in terms of defining ship roles so you'd get these really utterly bizarre concepts. Their Kiev class cruiser was just this bizarre amalgamation of roles.
But it was pretty.
But it made no sense
In 1987 the Soviets tried to launch the Death Star
