Bizarre tanks

[Matej]

Funny web (in russian) about bizare and exotic tanks:

http://otvaga2004.narod.ru/Otvaga/0armourexotics.htm

 

[JC Carbonel]

"Leopard 3" is a strange designation as it is a Krupp design for a "future tank competition" circa 1975 ....

The umbrella is probably just an armature for a camo net ...

JCC

 

[smurf]

"Leopard 3" is a strange designation as it is a Krupp design for a "future tank competition" circa 1975

In origin yes, but this one dates from the mid 80s. See thread on German Casement Tanks
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=820.0

 

[dan_inbox]

Funny web (in russian) about bizare and exotic tanks:
http://otvaga2004.narod.ru/Otvaga/0armourexotics.htm

The"nagmash" is not a tank. Nor is it the proper designation.

This vehicle is called a nagmashon. It is a vehicle for combat engineers based on the hull of a phased-out Centurion. The superstructure is a later addition, to cope with "low-intensity conflict" as the intifada.

BTW, Nagmash just means"APC" in Hebrew.

 

[dan_inbox]

"Leopard 3" is a strange designation as it is a Krupp design for a "future tank competition" circa 1975

In origin yes, but this one dates from the mid 80s.

Not from mid-1980. Matej is right: 1975

BTW the name is "Leopard Versuchsträger", 1 & 2.
The armament was 2x 105mm cannon in the 1974 prototype, and 2x 120mm cannon in the 1975 proto. This photo is the 1975 one.

The Versuchsträger idea was abandoned at end 1975.

 

[Matej]

Not from mid-1980. Matej is right: 1975

Well, I´m not sure if I said this and also if I´m right, because I am expert on aviation. I dont know much about tanks or land vehicles. This can be applied also on the names of the images. I didn´t create them, I just copied them from the linked web to ilustrate whats in.

 

[smurf]

Yes, the 1970s, sorry. My source was Janes Armour and Artillery 1983/84, which implied continued development from a 1970s concept design, but Hilmes book on Main Battle Tanks makes it clear the tanks were built and tested earlier. The other thread has more info and lots of pics.

 

[Matej]

Underground tank! Uh The creation of Nikita Khrushchev himself.

 

[Matej]

Army vehicle (almost a tank) with underwater wings.

 

[Antonio]

That "mole tank" seems the most eccentric creation of a Japanese anime artist. If this vehicle could work from the enginering point of view, what could be their operational advantage?.

Avoid enemy aircraft attack going underground?, Stealthy movements?, Taking the enemy by surprise?

Excavations are noisy, slow...and sometimes dangerous (for Spanish readers: http://www.informativos.telecinco.es/dn_1019.htm)

Matej,

could you please add more info about this monster?

Thanks in advance

 

[Matej]

That "mole tank" seems the most eccentric creation of a Japanese anime artist. If this vehicle could work from the enginering point of view, what could be their operational advantage?.

Avoid enemy aircraft attack going underground?,

Not likely.

Stealthy movements?,

I think that there are a lot of different and much effective possibilities how to do that.

Taking the enemy by surprise?

Probably yes. Or to move under the field with mines and/or strong defence.

Excavations are noisy, slow...and sometimes dangerous (for Spanish readers: http://www.informativos.telecinco.es/dn_1019.htm)

Matej,

could you please add more info about this monster?

Thanks in advance

It will take some time. These are screenshots from a TV document called "Udarnaja sila", where a lot of bizare vehicles that I posted were shown for the first time. I don't have this document (yet).

 

[CJGibson]

This wouldn't happen to be a Russian "Nellie"? Modern tunnel boring machines are pretty similar devices, but they have spoil removal and shoring appliances tacked on, so I don't see how this machine could work without coming to a buried halt. However, you never know with Russian technology, always a surprise in store!

KB

 

[punisher19]

The English Russia site has two post with pictures oif vehicles with that weird screw-style tracks:

http://englishrussia.com/?p=963
http://englishrussia.com/?p=1160

The Shagohod, the final boss' vehicle in the Playstation 2 videogame Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater has those same tracks. Back then I though they were mere science fiction.

 

[Matej]

But the vehicles on the photos had screws for moving both - on the water and on the ice. They were not intended to mine under surface.

 

[amsci99]

Matej,

Apparently, some episodes of 'Udarnaja sila' are available on You Tube. Very interesting, something like Discovery Channel's 'Future Weapons'.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Guys, please can we not post game graphics here?

 

[lem096]

was searching around and found this monster. the Tsar tank was designed to overcome massive obstacles with its huge 2 front wheels, but was apparently vulnerable to artillery and soft ground causing its rear wheels to become stuck. was built around 1915 but never got any further than a prototype

 

[jackehammond]

Folks,

From the early days before WW1 till the 1960s the idea of using steam powered engines for armored vehicles was explored. While it sounds like a far out idea, please read the article at the link below. You will discover that even for today's armored vehicles it is a possible solution.

Jack E. Hammond




http://tinyurl.com/yonry5




.

 

[Grey Havoc]

With regard as to screw drive tanks:

 

[Grey Havoc]

View attachment 640846

 

[Andrei_bt]

Rheinmetall project
rh

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/yjb2b6

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/yjb2b6/russian_snowscrewmobile_thing_c1970/

 

[Hood]

Not sure if this is quite the right place, but yesterday I came across this while looking an article about Lithuanian photographers.
The picture was taken at the Kudirkos Naumiestis Agricultural School in Lithuania in 1989. The caption described it as an abandoned tank left behind by Soviet soldiers (presumably during an excercise).

It's clearly a dummy training tank, perhaps meant to resemble the M-60A2? I'm not sure what the chassis is though. Six road wheels, small idlers/drive sprocket and return rollers look similar in layout to that of the BMD chassis but the roadwheels and idlers don't match in exact pattern. The roadwheels look similar to early T-55 ones but of course the T-55 only had 5 wheels and no return rollers.
Any ideas?

 

[CJGibson]

Looks like 2S3 running gear.

Chris

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/yjb2b6

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/yjb2b6/russian_snowscrewmobile_thing_c1970/

On the topic of screw propulsion tanks: Samuel Cody's amphibious tank. It's just a model as no government saw interest in the concept.

I cannot find much information on it other than it was patented before 1913, as he died that year. I saw a Reddit page suggesting it was meant for the Boer War, but that's about it.

 

[tom!]

View attachment 640846

Hi.

The thing is, that the reality was not far away from this fiction:

Japanese High Voltage Dynamo Tank Ka-Ha



A modified Type 97 Medium Tank Chi-Ha with a heightened superstructure housing a 10 KV generator. The armament was removed with the gun being replaced by a wood log. The small turret was just big enough for the commander. The crew consisted of commander, driver and operator.

During operation the vehicle was grounded by earth hooks and connected to an enemy communication cable (telegraph or telephone). Then the current was sent into the cable destroying connected electric communication devices and injuring or killing people operating the devices by flashover. The operational range is unknown. Four of these vehicles were built and used in China by the 27th Independent Engineer Regiment.

Yours

tom!

 

[Prophet141]

View attachment 640846

Hi.

The thing is, that the reality was not far away from this fiction:

Japanese High Voltage Dynamo Tank Ka-Ha

View attachment 686855

A modified Type 97 Medium Tank Chi-Ha with a heightened superstructure housing a 10 KV generator. The armament was removed with the gun being replaced by a wood log. The small turret was just big enough for the commander. The crew consisted of commander, driver and operator.

During operation the vehicle was grounded by earth hooks and connected to an enemy communication cable (telegraph or telephone). Then the current was sent into the cable destroying connected electric communication devices and injuring or killing people operating the devices by flashover. The operational range is unknown. Four of these vehicles were built and used in China by the 27th Independent Engineer Regiment.

Yours

tom!

That is a hilariously cartoonish idea. Did it work to any effective degree?

-Prophet

 

[LVisingr]

"Japanese High Voltage Dynamo Tank Ka-Ha" is an April Joke, published on April 1, 2017:

http://sensha-manual.blogspot.cz/2017/04/high-voltage-dynamo-tank.html

 

[Prophet141]

I thought that it was something like that. If you want to destroy the communication network, just cut the lines whilst you're there with them.

 

[tom!]

Hi.

Well, I doubt that it is just a joke. The data were available far before 2017 (Taki´s website http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/ is online since I think 2003 and the Ka-Ha was part of it since the beginning)

The concept is not that weird. A near earth EMP-strike from a megaton A-bomb or a solar storm will have the same effect on communication equipment.

edit:

There are several official japanese documents about this vehicle at the JACAR archives
From Taki at Axis History Forum:

Below is IJA document of the order of Ka-Ha.
https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/das/image/C01005661300

The document below specified Ka-Ha as secret weapon.
https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/das/image/C01004699200

The document below ordered to prepare 37mm AT ammo to test the armor plate of Ka-Ha.
https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/das/image/C01007250100

So no joke.....

Yours

tom!

 

[Prophet141]

I don't expect that it would be very good at killing people on the other end, but that's still more real than I expected. Good find!

 

[LVisingr]

OK, sorry, my bad. I think I get it now. The Ka-Ha tank was definitely real. But it was ALSO a subject of the April Joke article, which took the idea much farther and described it as a vehicle armed with some sort of "ray gun" against other tanks, while the real Ka-Ha carried a dynamo against the comm wires.

https://en.topwar.ru/164692-proekt-ka-ha-kak-japoncy-sozdavali-tank-ubivajuschij-tokom.html

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://en.topwar.ru/179221-tanki-predtechi-v-tom-chisle-i-francuzskie.html

EDIT: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1-france-the-boirault-machine

EDIT2:

http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles/Boirault.html

Boirault No.1 anti-barbed-wire machine

In a military camp, the High Commission of Inventions observes an anti-barbed wire prototype designed by Mr. Boirault. Designed in 1914 and built in 1915, the Boirault machine is considered "the interesting ancestor of the tank". This invention by arts and crafts engineer Louis Boirault is...

images.cnrs.fr

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

https://en.topwar.ru/179221-tanki-predtechi-v-tom-chisle-i-francuzskie.html

EDIT: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1-france-the-boirault-machine

EDIT2:

http://www.landships.info/landships/tank_articles/Boirault.html

Boirault No.1 anti-barbed-wire machine

In a military camp, the High Commission of Inventions observes an anti-barbed wire prototype designed by Mr. Boirault. Designed in 1914 and built in 1915, the Boirault machine is considered "the interesting ancestor of the tank". This invention by arts and crafts engineer Louis Boirault is...

images.cnrs.fr

Too bad this thing did not see further development, as weird as it is

Boirault No. 2 footage:

https://images.cnrs.fr/en/video/6673

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://en.topwar.ru/104798-proekty-sochlenennyh-tankov-boirault-train-blinde-franciya.html

 

[Nik]

Though it covers much the same ground as above, see http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/oddtank/oddtank.htm

FWIW, if you venture into the other pages, prepare to be very, very amazed...
And, from time to time, utterly horrified, 'WTF Were They Thinking ??'
Oh, and you'll probably need a 3-day pack...

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

https://en.topwar.ru/104798-proekty-sochlenennyh-tankov-boirault-train-blinde-franciya.html

Ah yes, the tank train. I have seen that before. Nothing but a sitting duck for artillery hah! While I recognize what you are suggesting, it's not the same tank, even if developed by Boirault. It may be an evolution of his vision per se, but not the evolution of No.1 & No.2 vehicles, or else it would be called No.3.

 

[Nik]

Boirault ...

Deja Vu !! Long ago, my father used to collect several issues of 'Eagle' magazines, stuff them in my Xmas 'sock'. He knew I preferred more words than found in such, but they were a fun treat. One featured Dan Dare and his eponymous side-kick hijacking the very Boirault-ish 'land train' in which they were captive. IIRC, I scratch-built such a light-armoured train with cardboard for the boxy bodies and damaged ping-pong balls (ex cat-toys) for the big joints. I never did learn 'what happened next'...

Thinking back, I think the 'beast' had ped-wheels rather than tracks, a very LeTourneau look to the front unit's high 'bridge' cab, was powered by a boiler / furnace in rear unit via Fuel blocks, stoker etc....
;-) ;-) ;-)

 

[Grey Havoc]

On a tangent:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt37jLvF5Ug

 

[publiusr]

Any attempts to electrocute troops in a swampy field? Tiny drones snaking power lines to either side of a field…the distant tank just being a generator