In reply to JoeTR6 :
I assume that, since all anti tank rifle info I've read involved armor penetration, shooting out the tracks was deemed ineffective.
In reply to JoeTR6 :
I assume that, since all anti tank rifle info I've read involved armor penetration, shooting out the tracks was deemed ineffective.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
A mobility kill is good, but in the case of a tank, you now just have a giant steel pillbox. Taking out the crew and/or weapon system is better.
I always wanted to show up at a motorcycle meet in one of these:
Fun Fact:
As the original design was nearing it's final configuration, the name was chosen in honor of Brigadier General Amos T. Halftrack.
aircooled said:I always wanted to show up at a motorcycle meet in one of these:
A friend who's a big time motorcycle collector has one of those, it's an impressive machine.
aircooled said:I always wanted to show up at a motorcycle meet in one of these:
Featured prominently in an amazing (if slow paced) after the end type anime.
aircooled said:I always wanted to show up at a motorcycle meet in one of these:
They look like they'd be a lot of fun to hit jeep trails with, too.
One other thought, the Nazi's had no reliable source of rubber, especially late in the war. Tracks could be made of metal with wooden cleats, eliminating 4 - 8 wheels in the process.
MadScientistMatt said:aircooled said:I always wanted to show up at a motorcycle meet in one of these:
They look like they'd be a lot of fun to hit jeep trails with, too.
Great, now I want to see Nonack do a motorally with one of these!
In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :
Good thing General Henry Shrapnel's name wasn't different! "OMG, help me buddy, help; I've got Stanislowski in my legs!!
We had these stacked up near flag poles at work, the iron rusted away leaving lead shot.
I'm shocked that those things move as fast as they do.
I figured the front wheel was more rudder than wheel.
adam525i said:If I had to guess they were mainly just simpler to build. With a full tracked vehicle you need a drivetrain where you can control each track to steer the vehicle. With a half track I would imagine the drivetrain is no different then a truck it was most likely based on. I'd imagine normally the differential would be unlocked in the back with a way to lock it for when things get soft and sloppy.
I'd guess these would also end up being lighter and faster than a full track vehicle as well.
Now lets see how far off I am when someone who actually knows shows up.
Nope, that pretty much was the idea. In that era 4WD was also a chore for smaller vehicles (complexity, engine power, ect) so back in World War 1 when tires would be re-treaded it made more economical sense to have power to the rear treads thinking they'd always have traction and use wheels up front to steer.
They really accomplished neither outside of small vehicles, and eventually engines gained enough power and wheels improved enough to not need the treads. Not like they aren't low-maintenence anyway.
When I was in the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood - mid 1980's - the heavy maintenance company (Bravo Company, 124th Maintenance Battalion. Blacksmith!) restored a White halftrack for parade use. The tracks came from Israel, because they had used them long after the US had moved on.
I was a missile guy, so I didn't get to help.
matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to Beer Baron :
The discreet steering radii is the simple solution. Differential braking is nicer in theory than practice. The discreet radii came from having a differential right of the engine and a transmission on each output shaft. It helps solve the problem of finding a strong enough transmission and you can replace an entire steering system with another shift lever.
I'm guessing it didn't have a differential at all - if it did, you could adjust the turning radius by pushing the brake on one side.
I wonder if the steering is connected hydraulically with each track, turn left and the left one slows down?
ShawnG said:I'm shocked that those things move as fast as they do.
I figured the front wheel was more rudder than wheel.
I read somewhere that the Kettenkrad's front wheel is also linked to a set of brakes to steer the tracks.
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