And who is this?

Keith Webb · #1 18-07-05, 08:26

Is it a spy?

Captured today at the Melbourne Tank Museum is Chris Zimmerli who is visiting Australia and will be here for the next couple of months...

zemsi · #2 18-07-05, 10:34

... wow, handsome looking guy in his red Swiss jacket ;-)

Keith, thanx a lot for this fantastic day!! Was really fun, saw brilliant and rare vehicles.

Chris

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #3 18-07-05, 12:17

Hey Keefy - I hope you frisked him before he left Johns. Got to watch these O/S people. Have made verbal contact with Chris and hope to see him soon.
Bob

Keith Webb · #4 18-07-05, 13:12

Yes, it's a Linn C5 tractor half track built in Morris, New York and under restoration by John Belfield.

Here are some more pics.

John has taken on yet another amazing project. The vehicle had been "banked" meaning it had a brake failure and was run into a bank to save it resulting in the distortion of the cab and radiator. John is rebuilding it in it's current modified form fitted with a large winch on the back and dual steering.

It's Hercules engine is being rebuilt, having new valves made for it - also having one cylinder sleeved.

Can anyone provide any photographs of this rare and interesting vehicle in use?

PS Chris found it a little heavy to fit in his backpack.

Alex Blair (RIP) · #5 18-07-05, 15:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb

Yes, it's a Linn C5 tractor half track built in Morris, New York and under restoration by John Belfield.

Here are some more pics.

John has taken on yet another amazing project. The vehicle had been "banked" meaning it had a brake failure and was run into a bank to save it resulting in the distortion of the cab and radiator. John is rebuilding it in it's current modified form fitted with a large winch on the back and dual steering.

It's Hercules engine is being rebuilt, having new valves made for it - also having one cylinder sleeved.

Can anyone provide any photographs of this rare and interesting vehicle in use?

PS Chris found it a little heavy to fit in his backpack.

Keith
I posted some pictures of the Linn halftrack some time ago..These were taken from the NEWSPAPER put out by TIMKEN ,the Timken Times back in '34....
Jif probably subscribed to it but you and I weren't around then..
See ....
http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...&threadid=2788

zemsi · #6 19-07-05, 09:56

... as you can see, Keith liked to touch everything. Hopefully there were no girls around :-)

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #7 19-07-05, 13:18

Quote:

Originally posted by zemsi
... as you can see, Keith liked to touch everything. Hopefully there were no girls around :-)

Jeez, that beard...

I'm trying to decide whether he's Ernest Hemingway reincarnate, or whether Keefy's simply cultivating The Eclectic Filmmaker Look for when he appears at the Academy Awards next year to receive his Oscar for YOTC!

Either way, be VERY scared, chaps!

Hanno Spoelstra · #8 19-07-05, 14:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Can anyone provide any photographs of this rare and interesting vehicle in use?

Only pics I could find are these, they show the Linn C5 was a sort of wheel-cum-track vehicle, rather than a half track:

The picture source mentions the [US] Army evaluated the C5 as a 155mm howitzer tractor.

Amazing vehicle, I can't figure out how one survived in Australia?!? Interestingly, the same design is used today for vehicles used in soil analysis: big 4x4 chassis with crawler tractor tracks slung underneath.

H.

Keith Webb · #9 19-07-05, 19:28

Now he's at Puckapunyal...

I think he may have been spying...

Certainly taking a lot of photos...

Well, someone had to keep an eye on him! At least Hemmingway was up to the task!

Keith Webb · #10 19-07-05, 19:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
Amazing vehicle, I can't figure out how one survived in Australia?!? Interestingly, the same design is used today for vehicles used in soil analysis: big 4x4 chassis with crawler tractor tracks slung underneath.

H.

Well found, Hanno - this is a rare vehicle, even in terms of photographs.

I'll take some more when more has been done on it. The amount of work this 74 year old is doing is quite amazing.

Keith Webb · #11 19-07-05, 19:40

An interesting clue to it's origins is found on the data plate:

Note the small anchor with US either side... could be US Navy?

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #12 19-07-05, 19:56

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
The amount of work this 74 year old is doing is quite amazing.

You're 74, Keefy? Jeez, you don't look a day over 50...

Keith Webb · #13 19-07-05, 22:30

No, Jif

THIS 74 year old...

John is the owner of a vast and interesting collection of vehicles.

And I'm not even 50 yet

though I may look it!