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Tuzo · August 2, 2009, 11:48 AM

In 1998 I received a gift watch that is touted as the best Russian-made wristwatch, a Commando. The worker's and peasant's paradise did indeed produce a unique watch. A "modern" windup with a floppy winding stem and instead of tick-tocking it goes clink-clanking. Visit the former soviet union and you will see very few Russian-made automobiles, mostly Japanese and German, because no one wants a Russian Lada, Moscvitch, or Volga. Russian-made trucks and busses are still popular because they are cheap and come standard from the factory with ungreased wheel bearings and pre-rusted body panels.

Lack of quality in Russian manufactured goods dates to the 1600's as Russia was trying to emerge as a modern nation. However, from then and up to today the Russian goal of manufacturing is to make something "just good enough." Russians will buy a Russian-made appliance only as the positively last resort. For example, refrigerators produced in Poland or Belarus are preferred and of much higher quality than the Russian stuff.

My work entailed use of two new (16 kilometers on the odometer) de-militarized Russian armored personnel carriers. These machines provided endless amounts of entertainment. The engines leaked so much oil that each driver would bail the oil from the engine compartment and return it to the crankcase. The bulkhead between the driver's compartment and engine bay had a 6" gap at the base and the poor driver suffered a lake of hot oil at his feet and fumes. The transmission is semi-automatic and entails use of a clutch to shift from range to range resulting in bogging down in soft material whenever shifting.

At the local military/civilian airfield Russian military and civilian jets leaked lots of assorted fluids. The toilets in some of the Tupelovs I flew in were procelain (a touch of home). We had to deplane a Tupelov short of the gate one time in Baku because the brakes caught fire. No panic because the crew and regular passengers were used to this type of situation.

Gun related (sort of): did Americans know that Kubrick's movie "Full Metal Jacket" is banned in the US? That is what the captives of the USSR were told when the film debuted across the US. An abortion of an ideology - communism - kept great populations of people shackled by lies, gun prohibition, and force. To a certain extent it continues in Russia.

I flinch every time I see an AK, SKS, and any other Russian firearm and will never own one. Shot a full-house Russian AK47 in 1969 - pretty junky.

August 2, 2009, 11:48 AM	#9
Tuzo Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2007 Location: Louisiana Posts: 797	Fun times in Russia In 1998 I received a gift watch that is touted as the best Russian-made wristwatch, a Commando. The worker's and peasant's paradise did indeed produce a unique watch. A "modern" windup with a floppy winding stem and instead of tick-tocking it goes clink-clanking. Visit the former soviet union and you will see very few Russian-made automobiles, mostly Japanese and German, because no one wants a Russian Lada, Moscvitch, or Volga. Russian-made trucks and busses are still popular because they are cheap and come standard from the factory with ungreased wheel bearings and pre-rusted body panels. Lack of quality in Russian manufactured goods dates to the 1600's as Russia was trying to emerge as a modern nation. However, from then and up to today the Russian goal of manufacturing is to make something "just good enough." Russians will buy a Russian-made appliance only as the positively last resort. For example, refrigerators produced in Poland or Belarus are preferred and of much higher quality than the Russian stuff. My work entailed use of two new (16 kilometers on the odometer) de-militarized Russian armored personnel carriers. These machines provided endless amounts of entertainment. The engines leaked so much oil that each driver would bail the oil from the engine compartment and return it to the crankcase. The bulkhead between the driver's compartment and engine bay had a 6" gap at the base and the poor driver suffered a lake of hot oil at his feet and fumes. The transmission is semi-automatic and entails use of a clutch to shift from range to range resulting in bogging down in soft material whenever shifting. At the local military/civilian airfield Russian military and civilian jets leaked lots of assorted fluids. The toilets in some of the Tupelovs I flew in were procelain (a touch of home). We had to deplane a Tupelov short of the gate one time in Baku because the brakes caught fire. No panic because the crew and regular passengers were used to this type of situation. Gun related (sort of): did Americans know that Kubrick's movie "Full Metal Jacket" is banned in the US? That is what the captives of the USSR were told when the film debuted across the US. An abortion of an ideology - communism - kept great populations of people shackled by lies, gun prohibition, and force. To a certain extent it continues in Russia. I flinch every time I see an AK, SKS, and any other Russian firearm and will never own one. Shot a full-house Russian AK47 in 1969 - pretty junky.