Logging Halftrack
 

Not sure where to post this.

Got to watch this logging truck being restored at the the Simcoe County Museum last summer. It has the most complex track system I've ever seen.

Took me a while to figure out how it works.
Appears to use an inner rotating roller-track to support the load...as opposed to the standard fixed rollers.

https://youtu.be/RZx92HvK4go

Seems fine in the snow...guessing muddy conditions would soon grind it to a halt.

Was this ever used in military applications ?

Yes and No. The vehicle is a LINN Linn tractors were used to haul freight beyond the ends of the rail lines on some Canadian power projects. A flexible traction system, independent of each other, with a central triangle-shaped rocker using two tear-dropped runner blocks suspended by axles, an independent roller chain was used to disperse the load through these rollers, it was patented in 1918. The feature being with constant ground following traction. When the concept of rural snow plowing became accepted around 1920, Linn was one of the pioneers, with a v-plow and adjusting leveling wing design that was unmatched until better pneumatic tires, four-wheel-drive trucks and better highways appeared in the mid-1930s.

A new concept of a single machine able to switch from truck to tractor with the push of a lever appeared in 1938, known as the C5 or later trademarked term "CATRUK", but management and war priorities limited its development and it was abandoned after World War II. This machine was built in a cab-over configuration, front wheel drive, and a hydraulically lowered dual-wheeled tag-axle that would push the tracks up off the ground. "HAFTRAK" is another Linn trademark.

John Belfield has restored a C5 which was used by the American forces in WWII. It is believed that some of these vehicles were used by the US Navy during WWII for the recovery of landing craft.

Attachment 95726

Regards Rick.

There are at least two Linn tractors in the Brisbane area. Note the electric start on the green one!

Lang and Rick, thanks for that info. Had never seen one before.

Rick's explanation of how the system works was most helpful, and helps me understand how it all works, as the drive sprocket and front idler seem to be bolted to the frame. I see now the triangular bit is pivoted to keep track on the ground.

How do you like the track auto-tensioning system? That's some spring.

Will pass the photo's on to the restoration gang. They started with a rusty relic, and had very little to go on.

If you watch the 3 minute video, it has a close-up of the track in motion. It's quite a sight to see it all moving.

Dennis

Half Tracks in Russia
 

Hello,

While I am uncertain if Lynn half-tracks were used by the military, in Russia during World War I many American half tracked vehicles were fitted with bodies similar to those going onto armoured cars of the period.

Other Bullock and Allis Chamber half-tracks were fitted with smaller field guns for service as early self propelled guns. Many of these vehicles went on to play very important roles in the civil wars fought in Russia between 1917 and 1922.

More American half tracked vehicles in Russia
 

Here are some more.

I have been looking for plans of the basic Bullock chassis for several years as I would love to be able to scratch build one or more of these extraordinary Russian conversions.

Adolphe Kegresse was the inventor of the flexible "high speed" half track vehicle. A French engineer (later Andre Citroen's general manager at his armaments factory during WW1). He came up with a scheme to allow the Tsar to go driving in snowy conditions which translated into many variations including the American WW2 half track which had a Kegresse track system.

Citroen/Kegress half tracks made the first Sahara crossing, first Africa north to south and first Mediterranean to Pacific.

lang

Here are some more Kegresse variations

This is for the Canadians.

An expedition was undertaken by a businessman Bedaux to drive a group of Citroen Kegresse half tracks to Alaska.

John Huston the famous film maker recorded it on an interesting movie and Bedaux himself is an interesting character. He finished up in a US jail for collaborating with the Nazis on business deals.

The trip was a complete disaster and all but two vehicles were lost (they drove one over a cliff for a film effect when they could go no further and put another on a raft in a raging river to film it disappearing around the bend. A couple were recovered from the bush in recent years.

Here is an interesting clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e_VxBFBpXs

And this is a great movie of the trans-Asia expedition (a couple of them died).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUfqZUEJFJI

And here is a movie of the earlier Trans-Africa La Croisiere Noir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDsajU7sQ-Y

And this is the one that started them all - the Sahara crossing 1922

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GmrgQbEuLA

Lang,

Seeing your postings here I recalled you had plans to recreate the Sahara crossing in a Citroen Kegresse half track, didn't you? Current instability in the region must make it hard to realise that plan.
A friend of mine had a WW2 White half track chassis, we toyed with the idea to rebuild it as a desert cruiser and retrace part of the "Croisiere" routes in a "son of Kegresse" style.

Hanno

Hanno

Shane Harris and I have had the Sahara crossing planned for years. Our Kegresse is finished mechanically - it was a big job! Shane put his heart and soul into the restoration and many worn or corroded parts had to be duplicated for a real life journey. Luckily the rear axle, diff and complete brake/steer system were as new. The tracks had to be made in China with Kevlar internal cord to replace the original steel rope inside the rubber - could have bought 2 restored CMP's for the cost of the tracks but now we have the molds and drawings they can be made for about the same price as a good set of tyres.

The vehicle is just sitting at the old car club hangar in Darwin at the moment.

The whole area through which our route takes us is totally out of control of the government and Timbuktu is a no-go area. Maybe we will do the Black Journey from north to south of Africa which passes away from rebel territory (well, sort of!)

Lang

Lang,

I was vaguely aware of the cross-Canada trip.

Thanks for all those links and photo's.....great stuff.
Lots to digest.

Also nice to know the spirit of adventure is still alive and well in this "risk adverse" society we now live in.
Good on ya.

That was interesting about your new track.

Here's a close-up of the Linn track...Sure looks complicated...and all dry-pin, as far as I can tell.

As someone of British descent, I'll repeat the comments I got when I showed the Linn track system and video to a close family member...who runs tracked construction equipment for a living.

" gee dad... there must have been a Englishman involved...

No harm intended to the Mother Land...cough...cough..

Dennis.

Lang,

Great to read about your and Shane's efforts in restoring it to better-than-new condition. Here's hoping you will once take it on one of those epic trips you make. Meanwhile - not that you're procrastinating! - waiting for the situation along the "croisiere" routes to improve, here is some reading dating back to 1925 which may be of interest to you: http://archive.commercialmotor.com/a...tractor-trials

HTH,
Hanno

Thank you for that Hanno

Lang

I was greatly amused to see the Saharan expedition carried a machine gun on each vehicle and in some instances personal weapons are to be seen.
Guess that part of the world has always been lawless or can I not say that?

David

David

At the time this expedition was underway in the early 1920's the French were fighting a decades old war with the Bedouin (and other tribes). Beau Geste was more than a little based on fact.

During the first world war most people are unaware that the French had thousands of troops, often in small and large skirmish action, against the tribes taking advantage of their distraction elsewhere.

Quite apart from the colonial history and "freedom" movements they traveled through areas with centuries old traditions of caravan robbing, murderous local warlords and fanatic sects - exactly like it is today.

If we did the trip even with an M-60 on the vehicle I doubt there would be much success against a hundred blokes with AK-47's and RPG's all fueled with fanatic religious and political motivation.

Lang

Linn halftrack
 

Linn was one of the first customers of Lombard who made a "camper" halftrack for Linn. Very satisfied, Linn worked for Lombard as salesman demonstrating Lombard log hauler. He started his own company after patenting his track. The US Army was trying to develop a halftrack after WWI and, in 1936, they choose the Ford-Marmon-Herrington T-9 with it's front driven axle. But the US Navy did ordered some C-5 which was also front wheel drive; the transfer case could disconnect the tracks with the idle rear wheels down for faster speed on good roads (35 mph instead of 6 mph).
http://flinflonheritageproject.com/w...67/1038957.pdf