Cars

This was taken pre 1917 at Gatchina Palace. I have seen something similar although without wheels at Bad Ischl. Does anyone know what the machine is?

http://sammler.ru/uploads/post-22-1255842940.jpg

Joanna

Joanna,  I have no idea what that is, is it a car?  However I must say, whenever I see that you have posted something, I immediately check it out because I know it will be interesting!  Thanks, Tracy

It's an experimental electromobile ("cab") built by Russian inventor Hyppolite Romanov in 1899 and shown in Gatchina to some members of the imperial family and to other dignitaries. Romanov also built a 200 m-long demo electric monorail in front of the Gatchina palace.

Tsar ans Tsarina in the car, 1906

This photo is already up on the main website, in the Imperial Garage section...It is the first car owned by Nicholas II, a 1906 Delaunay Belleville, driven by Count Orlov himself as the Emperor did not yet have an official chauffeur.

How fast did cars go back then?

[Mathematic, art and history in ♥]

How fast did these cars go?

The Delaunay Bellevilles were rather heavy and probably had a top speed of about 50 mph, thus they were used mostly "around town".  The Mercedes 80hp on the other hand was noted for its speed which is why Nicholas preferred it for "road trips" and they had a recorded top speed of about 85 mph, rather fast for the day (and scary given the utter lack of safety equipment and rudimentary brakes!).  The Silver Ghost used at Livadia given the heavier coachwork would have about 60mph top speed, though in stripped down version for racing a 1912 Silver Ghost was recorded at 80 mph.

It seems that you had asked that previously.

Ah. Thank you! I hadn't realized that. Whoops. 

[Mathematic, art and history in ♥]

During the War, approx. in 1915.

[Mathematic, art and history in ♥]

Nicholas and some other people

In reply #16 the man Nicholas is with in Black is wearing what looks like a French army officers uniform. There are others wearing the same uniform. The Uniform consisted of a black Tunic and red trousers, which show up black in the film of the period. this looks like the photo was taken during pre-war manuvers or a state visit. Also a number of times pre-WWI French and russian Generals met to discuss strategy for a war against germany. there was an aliance between the two countries. Just thought you would like to know.

i found this on the landships forum cars in Russia 1914 18,000 german 82%, British 5 %, French 4% Austrian 3.5% Russian 2.5% US 1.5% Italian, Belgium, Spainish, Swiss, and Swedish 1.5%
Russian Imperial Army 1.6.14 cars 259, Lorries 418, Ambulaces 2 special Automobiles 32, Motorcycles 101
recieved Aug 1914-feb 1917 cars 7506 lorries 13698 ambulances 2173, tanker lorries 569, cook automobiles 234, repairshop lorries 302 depot lorries 40, searchlight automobiles 40, omnibuss 51 armored vehicals 650
i hope this is of interest.

It is, James. Did Russia, at that time have it's own auto manufacturing industry or was everyting imported ?

From the Landships Forum the Russian-Balt Plant was the only factory in Russia at the start of the war that produced cars.
The AMO factory in Moscow from 1916-19 assembled 1800 Fiat 15 ter trucks from parts. This is most likely the type of vehical used to transport the bodies of the IF after they were murdered.
The Izhorsky and Putilov works in Petrograd built armored car on imported truck chassies.
The APTM online book "Blood Stained Russia" the funny looking armored car used by the CM City Militia is most likely a Mgebov-Renault 2 turret. they did build some on other chassies
So I would say some were built in Russia and some were imported but i really can't say how many of each.

Note in reply #12 the is a picture of Nicholas and Olga with one of the mercedes. I made a posting on the Landships forum softskins section titled Tsar's cars and got a reply. This picture was taken during the 1911 manuvers and is cliped . The rest of the picture has another one of the daughters possibly tatania and a couple of army officers. Along with are some other photos of the Tsar's car fleet and an artical about them. that you find usefull.

Books on Russian armored cars:
Armored Units of the Russian civil War: Red Army David Bullock
Armored Units of the Russian Civil war: White and Allies David Bullock
Soviet tanks and Combat Vechicals of World War Two Steven J Zaloga James grandson
Armored Car of the Russian Army 1906-1917 (in Russian )

The number of armored cars used by the russian army seems to vary armored Units of the Russian Civil War: Red army has 346 imported and 201 produced another source on the landships forum has 496 imported and 228 produced locally. Note most of the armored cars locally built were built on imported truck chassies. Also not all the vehicals sent to russia got there many were lost when their ships were sunk on the way. In one case on 2 september 1917 the merchant ship Olive Branch was stoped by the german submarine U28. The crew got in the ships boats while the U28 sank the ship with its deck gun. Unfortunely for the uboat the ship was carrying a cargo of munitions and blew up sinking both ships. it is said that a truck that was part of the deck cargo went flying and hit and sank the U28. The survivor of the olive branch refused to let any of the survivors of the u28 in their boats so all the uboats crew was lost. Just thought you would like to know.