Russia: WII military hardware made brand new at unique Red Army repair shop

Workers of the mining and metals plant Uralelectromed showed off their unique repair shop in Yekaterinburg Region’s Nestled, Monday, where a team of some 25 mechanics work tirelessly to restore military equipment from World War II. The group started by renovating and repairing the vehicle of the famed Red Army wartime general Marshall Georgi Zhukov about ten years ago. Continuing their hobby has become a fulltime job after the management at the plant realised it could make money from the project, spurring them on to build a new workshop for the team. Tanks, planes and trains are sent from all over Russia to be restored by the workers and then go on to take part in events including the local Victory Day parade. Currently they are working on repairing a railway combat vehicle BDT 35, an IS-2 tank, the amphibious vehicles the Duke-383 and GAZ-AA-Kegress. From time to time foreign hardware shows up among the exhibits, including an American M3 Stuart tank with a seven-cylinder aircraft engine which is currently under reconstruction at the site. Many of the finest examples are later displayed at the Ural Battle Glory museum where there are already another 80 vehicles that were restored by the plant.