Joris Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 In WWII the halftrack was a much used vehicle but after WWII they seem to have disappeared. What happend to the design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karoshi Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 They were replaced by "High Mobility" designs, with an emphasis on speed, neither of which was a feature of the Half Track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted May 18, 2006 Author Share Posted May 18, 2006 Too bad, I like to see those machines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Hayward Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 The American M3 Halftrack, and similar M5, M9 & M14s did not just fade away after WW2. The British Army used them until 1967 as Command Post vehicles and as REME Fitters vehicles, with an A frame jib on the front. Then there was the Israeli Army who used them until the 1970's. Also there we quite a few in use in South America too - probably into the 1980's. So its not too bad to think that these vehicles were still in use more than thirty years after they were designed. The reason they disappeared is that it was found that a modern 6x6 or 8x8 was just as good off road as a half track and yet less complicated. Thats the reason that the half track Land Rover- the Centaur never went in to series production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 In about 1958 four International M5 halftracks were leased to the RUC at the cost of £60 per month. This was the result of the "1956 Border Campaign" which stimulated also the acquisition of 10 Humbers FV1609, a lot of Dingos (some fitted with 2" mortars) lots Bedfords MW & OY. The M5 was not liked as they were LHD, difficult to drive around country lanes, difficult to maintain & 3.5 mpg. In 1960 they were so disliked that they were withdrawn & aging Lancia armoured cars, which started off in WW1 & later served with the RIC & then RUC were pressed into service again. I believe the M5s passed to a scrapyard & were bought by Israel. In contrast the Humber Pigs were much liked & remained in service until 1970 when they were withdrawn from police service after the Hunt Report, then re-registered & issued to the Army. Here is one that survives: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted May 19, 2006 Author Share Posted May 19, 2006 Thanks for the info, they were indeed used for a long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 If I remember correctly the Half Tracks were designed to get more or less the off road mobility of a tank with the drivecomponents of a 4x4 truck. The Germans overcomplicated by using tanksteering on tracks without frontwheeldrive. After the war tracksteering got better so a Halftrack wasn't nessesary any more. So basically a "experiment" between a wheeled and fulltrack vehicle. I suppose it just didn't work as good as expected. Correct me if I am wrong guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick.wilson Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Trucks that Rain Death Upward 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteor mark 4B Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 We had half tracks as our REME Light Aid detachment vehicles in the early to mid 60s. As mentioned they were equipped with a front mounted jib and a "hard top". They were a bit prone to falling over when operating in difficult terrain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 In 1976 in Tidworth I saw two vehicles that have never been recorded anywhere to my knowledge. The first was an assault gun on a Chieftain chassis with the turret removed and the 120mm gun mounted in the glacis plate in the style of the then-popular Swedish S-Tank, which many thought was the way to evolve the tank.. Our barracks, Aliwal, was the last (actually first - they were named alphabetically) before the driver training area and Salisbury Plain, so wherever it came from, it passed by us. The second was a half-track conversion of a Series 3 Landrover. Like I say, I saw each of them once and once only and can give no more information. Filed away alongside Vixen, to which I was introduced during Basic Training at Catterick the previous year as our Corporal said, "Look and remember: you'll never see one of them again, cos they aren't being taken into service, but they make better driver training vehicles than Foxes." In fact when we stagged on over at the tank park, it was usually possible to get inside and the Vixen was always accessible, and a good place to rest weary feet and stay dry instead of getting soaked through walking interminably in the North Yorkshire sleet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick.wilson Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 In 1976 in Tidworth I saw two vehicles that have never been recorded anywhere to my knowledge. The second was a half-track conversion of a Series 3 Landrover.. was is a Centaur Half Track Land Rover ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 was it a Centaur Half Track Land Rover ? Mick, The one in your photo is based on a 90/110 with coil front suspension, but there is also another ex-army trials Centaur around that was based on a Series 3 with leaf springs, think it was called Stage 1, as it had the V8 engine and grille right to the front (easily mistaken as a 90/110). Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteor mark 4B Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 A mate and I were shown around the "unseen collection" at the Tank Museum a few years ago, and we saw all manner of odd AFVs that were in the main one-offs. Question is, where are they all now? (This is partly why I get irritated by the time and money spent on the Tiger. I know it brings in the punters, but.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteor mark 4B Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I saw one special Chieftain, (the 900 I believe, which had different armour and engine, apart from anything else), awaiting a severe battering on Lulworth range. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I saw one special Chieftain, (the 900 I believe, which had different armour and engine, apart from anything else), awaiting a severe battering on Lulworth range. Why? ISTR reading a thread about this on the RAC forum on the ARRSE website. http://www.arrse.co.uk/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 I agree that some of the most intriguing stuff is unseen. I did go round once with a group of Friends of the Tank Museum on an explore after an AGM. I am quite at home crawling around dust & rust and in fact it is more exciting than the sanitised display. It feels more like going into an Aladins cave/scrapyard or Father Christmas saying now which of these would you like to take home? There is a good view of this other collection on http://www.webshots.com/search?new=1&source=mdocsheader&words=bovington+unseen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Do you think they'd let me have the Vixen?! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Do you think they'd let me have the Vixen?! Chris This wa 30 years ago mate. I seriously think it'll have a home by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Yes, it does have a home, in that dusty shed at the back of the tank museum where nobody ever sees it: It would look much better parked next to my Fox at Beltring...! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 No image in the post Chris - what happened???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Neil, It's on page 2 of Clives link: http://www.webshots.com/search?new=1&source=mdocsheader&words=bovington+unseen (2nd row pictures 2&3) Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Oooooooooooooo!!!!! That looks NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think it would look a lot better placed beside a Stalwart though!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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