Carrier photo tracks not all the way round

[Morris C8]

 

I have just bought a few more carrier photos taken in 1945 of troops driver training on carriers and found this one with the tracks not all the way round. Two carriers with it, first time i have seen this.

[David Herbert]

This is a 'get you home' solution known as 'short tracking' that you use if you have damaged an idler or track and don't have spares available. I agree that the photo was taken on a training excercise as the guys don't look too stressed. It can be employed on most tracked armoured vehicles if necessary. It would normally only be done on one side of the vehicle which again suggests that this photo was of a training excercise.

David

Edited Monday at 11:06 PM by David Herbert

[norseman 02]

Presumably this carrier has it's drive sprockets at the rear, whereas heavy armour normally has them at the front.

Just out of interest if the machine was short-tracked on just one side, with the drive sprocket not linked, how would that effect driver control?

[TJSB]

Most post war heavy armour has the drive sprockets at the back,  including Cent, Conq Chiefly, Chally and most foreign armies. Notable exceptions are Merkava and PZH 2000. Smaller tends to be at front. For APCs it allows exit at the back, with the added bonus of the engine being between the enemy and crew. Best Toby 

[David Herbert]

Actually all British WW2 and later cruiser and heavy tanks had rear drive, USA went to rear drive from Pershing onwards and Germany went to rear drive post WW2. Front drive results in either a drive shaft under the turret (raising the profile of the tank) or having the engine at the front which is better for an APC or SP Gun or IFV but less good for a tank as it limits gun depression when cresting a hill and exposes more of the tank if trying to shoot round a corner.

Short tracking is used regardless of front or rear drive and usually only on one side (because of damage) but if the sprocket is not still engaged with the track, that track is not driven or braked and the vehicle is uncontrolable and must be towed on a hollybone drawbar.

It is pretty obvious that the universal carrier shown in the first post is rear drive and so can still be driven but Loyd carriers have sprockets at both ends. The front one drives and brakes but the rear one also brakes to give more positive steering. One could still drive with the rear sprocket out of use but would have to be careful.

TJSB replied faster than me and I agree with his comments.

David

Edited Tuesday at 09:43 AM by David Herbert
Added a bit

[Morris C8]

One more from the same driver training photos from my collection.

T285368 towing a 6 pounder ?

Edited Tuesday at 11:14 AM by Morris C8

[Adrian Barrell]

That's a Windsor carrier and they were usually used as a gun tractor and yes, a 6 pdr 7 cwt AT gun.