Russian Armored Sleds

HI

I am looking for information on Russian Armored Sleds, the NKS 26 and/or NKS 16/41.

Looking for info on use, units, action reports, battle actions etc.

Thanks in Advance

Paul

 

The only info I have is in "The Red Army Handbook 1939-1945" It has a picture of a company of them on manuevers with the caption"Aerosan's were a Russian innovation to winter warfare. Using surplus aircraft engines they were propelled across flat, open, snow covered surfaces on large ski's. One model the NKL -26, was even armored."
Also in the book Aerosan battalions are listed as ancillary units, and it has the makeup of an Aerosan battalion, plus how many were in service each year.
Number of Batt's:
Jan '42-62 are raised. By June only 17 are still operational. later that month they are disbanded.
Oct '42- 70 new battalions are formed. No new units are formed so the number slowly falls, 57 are in service Christmas '42, and dwindling down to a handful that are disbanded in May of '44.
A Soviet Aerosan Battalion contained 27 combat Aerosans, 10 cargo Aerosans, 4 command aerosans(equipped with radios), and contained about 100 officers and men. The battalion broke down into 3 combat companies, 1 HQ company, and 1 supply company. The battalions were independant units attatched to Soviet formations for operations.

 

There is one good photo of knocked-out Russian motorised sleighs in Carell's book 'Scorched Earth'. The caption reads : 'The Russians tried to cross Lake Ilmen by motor sleigh: the attack was smashed by German artillery'.
Frustratingly, I can't seem to find a reference to this attack in the text.

 

I've only just got this computer so don't yet have any capability of digi, scanning, etc.

The photo is credited in the book as coming from Ullstein Bilderdienst, the books' original publishers. I don't know if this helps.

'Scorched Earth' is the only place I've seen this photo which is very clear, showing three sleds ( lightly damaged ) surrounded by Russian dead on the ice.

 

I just found them on the 'net.
Ullstein still exist and have their own picture gallery on :

www.ullsteinbild.de

Its a German-language site and looks quite complex. Maybe Friedrich or someone can help ?

 

I will check through my sources when I return from holiday. I think I have several pictures of the aerosans/Ski sleds in a book. If I can find them would you like me to email them? Im afraid it wont be for a couple of weeks.