1.0Univers Autojaunehttps://universautojaune.com/en/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="GVgKHjzX65"><a href="https://universautojaune.com/en/2025/04/20/solido-et-la-guerre-froide/">Solido and the Cold War</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://universautojaune.com/en/2025/04/20/solido-et-la-guerre-froide/embed/#?secret=GVgKHjzX65" width="600" height="338" title="“Solido and the Cold War” — Univers Autojaune" data-secret="GVgKHjzX65" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://universautojaune.com/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js /* ]]> */ </script> https://universautojaune.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Solido-Engin-BTR-40-Lance-Rockets-russe-225.jpg980735I remember... my childhood fascination with the Solido BTR40 in the early seventies: its unique shape, angular at the rear and streamlined at the front, its amphibious functions, its retractable wheels, its opening casemate revealing four missiles, and especially its two large red stars on the sides. I did not yet know the symbolism of these red stars and I simply found this decoration composed of a red star attached to the three white numbers "416" very successful. It was a bit like the decoration of a racing car. Time passed, and I learned the symbolism of this red star, loaded with history. I have since wondered about Solido's motivation to reproduce this type of machine in the sixties, in the middle of the Cold War. First there was the PT76 available in two versions, with casemate and missile launcher, the SU100 and of course this BTR40. I would have liked to know the sales figures for these models compared to models reproducing French, American, or German tanks. Given the presence in catalogs for many years of the first two, one can indeed doubt their commercial success.