Lesson plan
RF-8
The RF-8, or GAZ-98, was an aerosan used by the Soviet Union during the Second World War and developed by Gorki Narkorechflota. The GAZ-98K was a version with a more powerful GAZ Shvetsov M-11 five-cylinder air-cooled 110-hp radial aviation engine in place of the standard automotive engine. The Aerosan, which is Russian for "aero-sleigh" or propeller driven sleigh, was military vehicle that was used operationally in snowbound winter regions of Northern Europe by several nations during the first half of the 20th century; however it was Russia that made the most use of these specialised winter combat vehicles. The vehicles operated very successfully in these snowbound isolated areas with their poor road infrastructures, where tracked and wheeled vehicles were restricted by heavy snowfalls. These aerosans were organised into both combat aerosled battalions (BASB) and transport aerosled battalions (TASB). The RF-8 was one such vehicle. Its design name was River Fleet 8 and was built by The Gorkiy Automobile Factory under the name GAZ-98, it soon acquired the commonly used designation RF-8-GAZ-98. This diminutive vehicle entered service in January 1942 and it is thought approximately 2000 were built throughout the war period. It was constructed of aviation plywood and if like other aerosans was screwed and glued to a wooden frame.…
Article summary
The RF-8, or GAZ-98, was an aerosan used by the Soviet Union during the Second World War and developed by Gorki Narkorechflota. The GAZ-98K was a version with a more powerful GAZ Shvetsov M-11 five-cylinder air-cooled 110-hp radial aviation engine in place of the standard automotive engine. The Aerosan, which is Russian for "aero-sleigh" or propeller driven sleigh, was military vehicle that was used operationally in snowbound winter regions of Northern Europe by several nations during the first half of the 20th century; however it was Russia that made the most use of these specialised winter combat vehicles. The vehicles operated very successfully in these snowbound isolated areas with their poor road infrastructures, where tracked and wheeled vehicles were restricted by heavy snowfalls. These aerosans were organised into both combat aerosled battalions (BASB) and transport aerosled battalions (TASB). The RF-8 was one such vehicle. Its design name was River Fleet 8 and was built by The Gorkiy Automobile Factory under the name GAZ-98, it soon acquired the commonly used designation RF-8-GAZ-98. This diminutive vehicle entered service in January 1942 and it is thought approximately 2000 were built throughout the war period. It was constructed of aviation plywood and if like other aerosans was screwed and glued to a wooden frame.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.