Author Topic: Half tracks... (Read 949 times)

nirvana · « **Reply #15 on:** August 31, 2005, 05:48:31 PM »

You still have it Bodhi? I may need to make a trip to visit you.

Bodhi · « **Reply #16 on:** August 31, 2005, 05:51:04 PM »

We have a halftrack, M3 Scout Car and various other vehicles. We just finished up a tank and it left last week.

Hornet33 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 31, 2005, 09:14:26 PM »

In todays modern Armies you have tracked or wheeled vehicles, but not half tracks. One of the main reasons for this is the technology available with todays wheeled vehicles. The WWII half-tracks were really nothing more than an armored 2 1/2 ton truck for carrying troops and cargo, and then the "specials" M16, M37, and so on. They needed the tracks for the cross country mobility that they couldn't get out of exsiting wheeled vehicles. Today wheeled combat vehiles have self inflating tires that allow them to increase or decrease tire pressure automaticly based on terrain for better mobility.

nirvana · « **Reply #18 on:** September 01, 2005, 05:24:26 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Bodhi
We have a halftrack, M3 Scout Car and various other vehicles. We just finished up a tank and it left last week.

You live in the Springs? Where do you work? I might move down there. Do you keep anything you rebuild?

Evosnipe · « **Reply #19 on:** September 11, 2005, 04:24:27 AM »

i dunno too much about dis stuff, but i deduce a half track would be much more ezier to mass produce, as was needed in a world war, were numbers ruled the ground, cheap, smoother ride, prolly much lighter, basically an all around good milt truck that could carry increased loads as well as having the durabilty of tracks, not to mention the insane traction u get from a set of tracks, man tracks will go thru just bout anything, and btw the germans were total pimps, cruisin out with their smgs and a pimpin motorcycle, lol, definately the only country classy enough to utilize motorcycles in war, freggin awesome

yup they had a good plan, the only fault id see is their choice in allies, unstable russia, and weak italy, and japan was quite a good choice, that is, until they drug the US to declare ownage upon the Axis infidels...ahahaha

kinda ironic pearl harbor took alot of b ships, but it still couldnt soften the hard kick of american carriers, definately the most powerful force known to man today, only rivaled by...(looks over his shoulder) the good ole poonage nuclear powered nuclear packing, all around nuclear owning typhoon missle sub

little thing i like to call, mutually assured destruction....
go ahead, push that red button, i DARE you...
muahaha

END

Evosnipe · « **Reply #20 on:** September 11, 2005, 04:27:49 AM »

but ill bet it was still bumpy ride as hell in a halfy

rshubert · « **Reply #21 on:** September 12, 2005, 04:38:02 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen

On a side note..

I wonder for how long you could sustain a third world war (conventional) given the extremly long time it takes to replace planes and tanks etc..

First of all it takes a long time to make them and then you usually only have one easy-to-hit factory that makes the units. Bang-bang and both sides are out of their front line units, then you have a few more days with second rate stuff and then? rifles, handgrenades and bayonettes?

The US military plans on a "come as you are" war. In other words, the munitions and equipment that exist at the start of the war, are the only resources available for the duration of the war.

frank3 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 13, 2005, 11:57:34 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Seeker
So why add wheels?

I don't think they added wheels to a tank, but added tracks to a truck.

Angus · « **Reply #23 on:** September 13, 2005, 01:07:36 PM »

Look at this one

You can clearly see how much of soil area the tracks cover compare to the wheels.
A halftrack is a clever design for something cheaper than a tank and even faster as well, while being able to run all around a conventional truck, stuck in sand or mud.
They were aso used extensivey for pulling things like cannons etc to places that neither a jeep or a truck would go.
Just saw this at the shooting site of "flags of our fathers", - the winner in the loose sand was the LVT, - no wonder, it has paddles on the tracks - then the halftrack then the Sherman (too heavy I guess) then the Willy's and a conventional truck at the low end.
Lookie here: http://www.flagsofourfathers.net

Staga · « **Reply #24 on:** September 13, 2005, 03:26:44 PM »

Don't know about SdKfz251 armoured personnel carrier (quite similar with US halftracks) but heavier FAMO's etc had track brakes just like tanks which allowed them to turn tighter.

Kettenkrad had similar system; by turning the handlebar slightly only front wheel turned and when driver turned more handlebar it also operated the track brakes.

mora · « **Reply #25 on:** September 14, 2005, 12:53:25 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Staga
Don't know about SdKfz251 armoured personnel carrier (quite similar with US halftracks) but heavier FAMO's etc had track brakes just like tanks which allowed them to turn tighter.

Kettenkrad had similar system; by turning the handlebar slightly only front wheel turned and when driver turned more handlebar it also operated the track brakes.

Yep, you have to have brakes anyway, so why not operate them independently? That wouldn't reguire anything special if you have a standard differential, so it's quite possible that all half tracks used that kind of a system.

Angus · « **Reply #26 on:** September 22, 2005, 07:48:35 PM »

FYI all standard acricultural tractors have and did have differential brakes for som 40 years at least. I have one that I can turn with less than 1m radius (front wheels) - and it's a 3 ton thingie