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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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© Dmitry Zuev
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Meet Russia’s second biggest show of 2018
In case you didn’t know, there’s a rather large event going on in Russia at the moment.
Before the World Cup, though, Moscow hosted a second spectacle – and it was almost as exciting.
It's called Oldtimer-Gallery, it's been running since 2002 and it's now one of Europe’s largest indoor events for classic and vintage machinery.
This year’s centrepiece? A celebration of the centenary of the Soviet fire service, which coloured the March event a different kind of Russian red.
Join us as we peruse the most unique and intriguing exhibits from this Moscow institution.
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16 years old and growing
First held in 2002, the annual Oldtimer-Gallery exhibition of classic cars and vintage machinery has grown to cover more than 10,000m2 and two pavilions of Moscow’s Sokolniki Exhibition Center – and this year’s main event was quite the crowd-pleaser.
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Sound the alarm
Nothing draws an audience quite like an unusual headline display, so full marks to Oldtimer-Gallery for its mammoth celebration of the centenary of the Soviet fire service.
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Red army
The impressive display featured an array of machinery – ranging from early horse-drawn pumps to hook-and-ladder rigs, to more recent fire trucks.
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First of its kind
Of course, there was much more to this colossal show than simply fire tenders – from the truly ostentatious to the first Russian-built small passenger car, the 1929 NAMI-1.
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From the everyday to the unique
Throughout the halls there were workmanlike Russian Gaz Pobedas and impressive Chaika and ZIS limousines.
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Mighty bird
Perhaps the most unusual local model was the enormous ZIL PEU-2 ‘Bluebird’ rescue vehicle.
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Bespoke Bluebird
Built in 1991 for the Soviet space programme, this amphibious all-terrain six-wheeler was created to search for and rescue astronauts upon their return to Earth and its 'Top Secret' status was removed only a few years ago.
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Prototype Lada
Also garnering plenty of attention was the car that paved the way for the ubiquitous Lada Niva 4x4, the prototype 1959 Moskvitch 415S off-roader.
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Lost and found
The sole example built, it was making its debut at the show after its recent rediscovery, having being lost from the classic community for more than half a century.
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Still steaming
Also on display was a Clapp & Jones steam engine which, despite dating from 1868, remains in perfect working condition – as demonstrated at regular intervals across the long weekend.
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Royal wagon
The oldest vehicle at the show, however – in fact, the oldest to appear in the Oldtimer-Gallery’s 16-year history – was King William IV of England’s 1835 carriage.
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Back to the future
In complete contrast, meanwhile, youngtimers and customs – from a very blue Audi cabriolet with RS2 mods – brought the show bang up to date.
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Americans in Russia
There were plenty of American classics scattered all over the exhibition halls, too, including this fetching ‘73 Ford Thunderbird.
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More Americans in Russia
A 1934 Packard limousine and 1940 Cadillac convertible sedan were also among the most notable US machines in Moscow.
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'Vette array
An impressive line-up of Chevrolet Corvettes presented almost every generation of this legendary US sports car.
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Stingray, stingray
Among them was a gorgeous ‘split-window’ Sting Ray coupe...
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Pace setter
...and a desirable C3 Indy Pace Car special edition
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A blazing history
Returning to the main exhibit, fire apparatus has a far longer history than that of the truck-based fire engine, and part of the exhibit demonstrated what it was like to be part of a crew before engines came along to help.
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Engine central
These archaic offerings were far outweighed by the selection of more modern, motorised fire-fighting machines, though.
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International rescue
Inside the hall you could encounter a 1929 REO fire truck from the USA or a German Magirus-Deutz machine.
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Dennis and the Russians
There was even the famed Dennis G-type rig from the late 1920s – though, inevitably, Russian-built vehicles were the most plentiful.
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Local appliances
The country’s very first fire truck – the AMO F-15 ‘Promet’ tender built in 1926 – was on show, although it’s sadly now in need of plenty of restoration.
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Lonely YaG
Other local offerings included PMG-1, PMZ-1 and PMZ-2 engines from the ’30s, along with a huge truck based on a YaG-6 chassis, the sole surviving example left in the world.
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A different kind of hybrid
There were more exotic hybrids to be found at the Sokolniki Exhibition Center, too, such as a Swedish fire engine based on an American International Harvester chassis.
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Six-wheeled climber
Elsewhere, there was a Metz mechanical ladder from Germany mated to a post-war Russian six-wheeled ZIS-6 chassis...
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Caddy conversion
...and even a 1926 Cadillac converted into a fire truck.
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Pre-war rarity
Another true rarity was a pump truck on the ЯT-6 chassis, also a pre-war creation. Once plentiful, these machines were prone to wear and precious few survive today.
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High capacity
Its water tank holds some 5000 litres, so could be used immediately upon arrival at a blaze, without having to wait for its hose to be rolled out to the nearest fire pond or hydrant.
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Moscow calling back
Russia certainly knows how to put on a show, then – and not just when it comes to footie.
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Dictator's wheels
From cars favoured by Stalin…
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Paint the town red
...to fire engines from every decade.
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No penalties
If classic cars do more for you than penalty shootouts, you know where you should be headed next year.