Then...
The Skeleton Tank.
This beastie was an experimental tank built in 1918 by the Pioneer Tractor Company, Winona, Minnesota. Only one was made. Happily, she survives and spends her days under a shelter at the Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
The intent was to develop a lightweight vehicle capable of crossing trenches just as the heavier, Brit-designed tanks we used did. But we wanted lighter, faster, cheaper. The same holy grail we've been chasing with tanks ever since we slapped painted canvas on a horse. The Skeleton Tank achieved this objective by building the lozenge shape with... pretty much standard plumbing pipe and fittings, and hung an armored box in the middle armed with a machine gun.. All that air was considered a feature, not a bug. Less stuff for the bad guys to hit and cause internal spalling and ricocheting about in the fighting compartment. Of course, it also meant fewer weapons. She was engined with two 50 horse engines giving a breath-taking speed of 5mph. Lookout Indy, here I come!
Picture courtesy Yellowute via Wikimedia - more pics here.
Now. The Ripsaw MS1.
From the Howe and Howe Technologies, Inc, website:
"Started in January of 2008, MS1 is a hardened high standard Ripsaw, designed specifically for US Army UGV Application. MS1 will have weapons installed and will be rigorously tested by ARDEC to prove its capability and effectiveness in saving human life."
Heh. Wonder if I can get one to play with? Yanno, for a review from this powerful website we got here?
H/t, Toluca Nole
The Skeleton Tank.
This beastie was an experimental tank built in 1918 by the Pioneer Tractor Company, Winona, Minnesota. Only one was made. Happily, she survives and spends her days under a shelter at the Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
The intent was to develop a lightweight vehicle capable of crossing trenches just as the heavier, Brit-designed tanks we used did. But we wanted lighter, faster, cheaper. The same holy grail we've been chasing with tanks ever since we slapped painted canvas on a horse. The Skeleton Tank achieved this objective by building the lozenge shape with... pretty much standard plumbing pipe and fittings, and hung an armored box in the middle armed with a machine gun.. All that air was considered a feature, not a bug. Less stuff for the bad guys to hit and cause internal spalling and ricocheting about in the fighting compartment. Of course, it also meant fewer weapons. She was engined with two 50 horse engines giving a breath-taking speed of 5mph. Lookout Indy, here I come!
Picture courtesy Yellowute via Wikimedia - more pics here.
Now. The Ripsaw MS1.
From the Howe and Howe Technologies, Inc, website:
"Started in January of 2008, MS1 is a hardened high standard Ripsaw, designed specifically for US Army UGV Application. MS1 will have weapons installed and will be rigorously tested by ARDEC to prove its capability and effectiveness in saving human life."
Heh. Wonder if I can get one to play with? Yanno, for a review from this powerful website we got here?
H/t, Toluca Nole
and, yes, that 1918 skeleton is a lovely lean beastie.
All hail, Obeyme, who obviously doesn't subscribe to the idea of intimidating your enemies into submission without firing a shot.
Up!
Fire.... ooops.
At least that was my first impression on glancing at that knife-edge prow.
yea, a BMP w/ a TOW on top... :) You're right, though.. at first glance its a WTF moment. Gonna be fun times on the target recco days of the training cyclce. Especially fun, because you're gonna hafta bring in all the Navy & AF zoomies too.....
respects,
And the tradeoff is -- now the bad guys knew where to concentrate their fire. Directly into the in-plain-sight crew compartment.
BTW, where'd they put the dual 50hp chuggers -- out in the unprotected portion or inside the crew cabin?
And bogie wheels? Blast from the past!
Just asking.
No no, it's powered by believing in change (of its own location)...