military trailers

[juergenkurz]

Hello all,

this 1/2 tracked tank transporter is very unusual, was this a prototype?
Any more information on the beast?
Can someone identify the attached australian low loader trailer (photo from AWM database), was this a full trailer or a semitrailer I wonder?

Greetings from snowy Austria,

Juergen Kurz

[George Moore]

Ok, this may be way off beam.....but tracked transporters were looked at in the UK, some developments including the NLE (Naval Land Equipment) or Nellie, a concept trench digging machine was converted to carry the heavier tanks coming into service....a number of thoughts are raised.....one the development for tank recovery under hostile conditions, or ground that was not suitable for wheeled vehicles.....perhaps, and I was thinking out of the box, with the shortage of rubber after the Japanese had taken large parts of Asia, an alternative was to use tracked bogies.....to reduce the number of rubber tyres required.
Just a thought !!

George.

[George Moore]

Looking again at the stuff Darian posted and sent, am I correct in saying that there were two types of 6 wheeled trailer, one rated at 8 ton, the other 7 1/2 ton ???

What appears to me is the basic similar layout of treadways, but the bogie and construction of the main frame differed......the 6 ton does not seem to have the pivot arrangement between the front steerable axle and the main longitudinal beam (chassis). The front towing A frame is square on the 8 ton, but made of 1/2 round angle on the 7 1/2 ton.

Revisiting the photos, the keyhole shapes are very clear, as is the detail on the manual drawings when viewed in close up. Something I had missed.

For information, I enclose the Resin kit that I mastered of the 7 1/2 ton trailer.

George.

[Darian Carn]

G'day George,

Yes, I believe you are correct in saying that there are two versions.

The first being (and forgive me if I dont get the country of origin right) the English / Canadian Pattern Cranes 7.5 Ton Trailer and the second being the Australian Pattern (unique to us) 8 Ton version.

I'm not 100% sure if we (Aust) had a 6 Ton version - which looked even closer in appearance to "your" Cranes 7.5 Ton version. The investigations still continue (as time permits).

Basically they are essentially the same trailer, well style anyway, but the major differences are the suspension types and the main chassis construction. Cranes having a "torsion bar" style suspension and the Aust Version having "walking beam / pivot" suspension - like that of the Taskers Trailer in your earlier post. I'm not sure if my suspension terminology is right.

Components like the decks, ramps, chocks, leveling / stabiliser legs / Rollers / fairleads, shackle mounting castings, etc. are virtually the same.

The side of the Cranes Trailer has a deeper profile, or combing rail, which covers or hides the cross members of the chassis. The Australian Version just has the edges of the deck (tray) with tapered outriggers underneath heading back to the main chassis rail.

I guess the two verions (well the Australian Version) was just built to different, or local, manufacturing techniques that the fellas on the production line were perhaps already familiar with, or perhaps it was just easier, quicker, simpler - who knows - but that's half the fun of working it all out.

It's has only been with the help from yourself, David (motto), Mike K., Mike C. and others, in providing the photographs, descriptions, etc. that we (a mate Pedr and I) are starting to slowly put the variants, or differences, in place.

Bearing in mind, I / we have only really looked at these types of trailers in more detail for the last week or so, and I am more than happy to be corrected by those who have more knowledge on them.

Hoping this makes some sense!

Regards,

Darian.