Jet Engines are so useful!
In Russia - they like big, heavy machinery. And given the harsh weather conditions, it makes sense to have robust fighter aircraft that can be maintained easily and take off from unpaved runways. Or to use fighter aircraft to blow away snow. Wait. Whaaaaat?
Snowblowers in Russia
Rail-based snow melter in Liberec - Czech Republic
Snowblower on airport (manly Ural truck)
russians clear their aircraft carrier with this jet-powered vacuum cleaner
Fire Fighting in Iraq - burning oil fields
The Hungarians took it to the next level. Jet engines can not only be helpful in the cold and to deal with big amounts of snow - but also to deal with an extreme fire. Another cool use of fighter engines. Remember how Saddam set oil fields on fire during operation desert storm? Believe it or not, this insane thing here is, in fact, a fire truck. Hungarian engineers took a T34 tank (WWII-era Russian tank) and strapped two jet engines from a MiG-21 on top. It is called "Big Wind" and was used by legendary firefighter Paul Neal "Red" Adair who specializes in big fires - especially burning oil wells. Red Adair was a highly specialized innovator and hazardous profession of extinguishing and capping oil well blowouts, often by using explosives or - like in the case here - "Big Wind".
"Big Wind" - Definitely the most badass fire truck ever! See the video below.
Nuclear decontamination exercise in the 1970s.
Related Questions
What is a jet engine snow blower?
A jet engine snow blower is a ground vehicle that mounts a surplus aircraft jet engine to melt and blast snow off runways, railways and roads using its hot, high-speed exhaust. The Soviet Union famously built them by bolting Mikoyan MiG-15 engines onto trucks, and similar machines have cleared snow on railways in the US and Europe.
What engine is used in Russian jet-powered snow blowers?
Russian jet snow blowers typically use the Klimov VK-1 engine from the Mikoyan MiG-15 fighter, mounted on a truck. The VK-1 has a dry weight of about 872 kg and was derived from the British Rolls-Royce RB.41 Nene, an early milestone in jet engine history. Engines from the MiG-17 have powered similar machines.
Can jet engines be used to fight fires?
Yes. Jet engines have been used to extinguish large fires by blasting out the flames with their powerful exhaust. The Hungarian-built "Big Wind" mounted jet engines on a tank chassis and was used to fight burning oil-well fires, proving highly effective where conventional methods had failed.
What is the "Big Wind" fire truck?
"Big Wind" is a Hungarian firefighting vehicle that mounts jet engines on a tank chassis to blast out oil-well fires with high-speed jets of air and water. It was used to extinguish burning oil wells and was so effective that firefighters reportedly nicknamed it the "Goulash Cannon."
Why are Soviet and Russian military aircraft so rugged?
Soviet and Russian fighters were designed to be robust and easy to maintain, able to operate from rough, unpaved runways in harsh weather. That durability is one reason engines like the MiG-15's VK-1 were later repurposed for heavy ground tasks. This bold, practical engineering also produced some of the strangest aircraft ever built.
Are jet engines used to clean aircraft carrier decks?
Yes. Jet-engine blowers have been used to clear snow and debris from aircraft carrier flight decks, using high-speed exhaust to sweep the deck clean. The same principle powers jet snow blowers that clear airports and railways around the world.
In 1947 First experiments were made using Jet Engines as a snow blower for the railways. The experiments were carried out at, Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wakes, UK.
Two Rolls Royce RB.41 Nene Turbojet Engines were mounted side by side on a 12 ton container wagon. Each provided 5000 LBF Thrust.
The idea was abandoned as it was found that the jet blew track ballast away and distorted the track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdhzh-wvr2w