Landships II

There was a plan for an A7V recovery version with a central gantry and fore-and-aft travelling crane, but it was never built. There's a drawing of it in Hundleby & Strasheim's book on the A7V.

Hi dubliner, In the french tank arm, FT17 companys were said to be equipted with 3 recovery tanks (FT17 variants?) probarbly because of the number of tanks that had mechanical failures or ditched....however I have not as yet been able to identify a definate recovery version....

Cheers

Just wondering if anyone had information on british tank recovery, thanks.

-- Edited by ghalpern at 19:21, 2008-05-20

Hi!

The vehicle is known as Schneider CB and was unarmoured, used as carrier and recovery tractor for the FT bataillons until the beginning of the WW2.
according to P danjou Trackstory n°5, 500 ex was ordered in 1917.
I've seen 2 or 3 pics showing FT17 loaded on the plateforme but I don't remember were. I will search again!

The 2 pics are from the 1940 campaign, I don't know the origin so use them as for discussion purpose only :





Regards
Gilles

Hello Gentleman

     Sorry for the short answer, I dont have much time at the moment.

YES, they were used during The Great War. Also the German constructed an armored version as well during World War 2.

All the Best

Tim R.

Gilles, great photo's, do you have any more??

-- Edited by Tim R at 00:06, 2008-05-22

Eduardo

   Here is a drawing of the A7V recovery vehicle, I was going to use it in my A7V variant article, but I have not had time to finish it. I hope this helps.

I based the drawing on a rudimentary drawing in Walter J. Spielbergers Die Rad- Und Vollketten-Zugmaschinen Des Deutschen Heeres 1870-1945
All the Best

Tim R.

If you would like a clear drawing, I will email you one.

-- Edited by Tim R at 19:31, 2008-05-27

Apparently, some Mk IV Supply Tanks were fitted with a jib and winch for recovering and handling damaged vehicles at the Tank Corps workshops at Erin in France. Don't know how many. Pic enclosed.

Most had only a jib and a "Weston's Purchase". What's that?

-- Edited by James H at 09:22, 2008-05-28

I'm sure the men would have approved of each tank being equipped with a wench.

The caption on the pic says that it was a recovery vehicle. I think the winches for Hush were a different thing.

D Fletcher says that some of the vehicles were "equipped with power-operated winches and a short ramp that hung . . . from the nose of each machine". After dropping and climbing the ramp "those tanks equipped with winches would pay out a line and haul up other vehicles and equipment". I'm assuming he's referring to the same winches on each occasion.

The winches in this case were fitted on the hull sides behind the sponsons, (presumably on both sides) and protected by armoured shields. Pics enclosed. Sorry the "screen" is so obvious on the second pic - the original is tiny and the cutout hasn't blown up too well.

Any news on what a Weston's Purchase was?

Oh, I'm interested Tim!

Would love a file of it e-mailed across.

Thanks

Paul

I'll settle for that, Ivor. Thank you. Of all the bits of knowledge I've acquired through Landships, there is a strong case for that being the most useless, but you never know when it might come in handy.

For really tall Tanks, I believe he invented the Higher Purchase.

Hi, I have the honour of having worked one of these during my time in a small boatyard here in Western Scotland. In fact the yard had two,one fitted with a small boom and the other used as a small winch. Two men could easily lift upto a ton on the boom and you could control both up and down lifting. The same was true of the winch,but the tonnage could be increased considerably by the use of turning blocks. The only downside to using them was a lack of a safe braking mechanism. To release the brake one or two men had to take the strain whilst the "dog" was released. The two of them were scrapped with the tightening of health and safety regulations.
Paul

Gwyn, really your not pulling my leg.... these tanks obviously were not user friendly.....I suspected as much but I dont have any pics of engines being removed...
Paul thanks for the insite into the hoist use.. where was the boatyard?


Cheers

Still wanna see Tim's new A7V / Ubw variant mentioned above...

Compound Eye

   Here is the drawing I was speaking of, understand it is unfinished, and it remained only a paper project.
All the Best
Tim R


Well I guess I need to add the drawing

-- Edited by Tim R at 02:54, 2008-06-12

MZ

 

  I have been working on A7V variants for years, and in the last couple of years, I have been studying up on German recovery operations. During this period, I have befriended a gentleman (From Belgium) who has devoted years to studying these operations, and the unique methods the Germans employed in the recovery of Tanks. One such method was drawn up by a Gentleman (who unfortunately will have to remain unnamed at this time) drew up some plans of employing a railway crane on a Gelandewagen, with large amounts of ballast to augment the weight of the Tank being lifted. As stated this is only a paper project. The Gentleman in question is writing a book on the subject of recovery operations, so until then, thats all I can tell you.

So basically a field modification, that never took place!!

 All the Best

Tim R.

Hi Paul , not been to Rosneath a bit off the beaten track for me , the closest would be the A82 past Loch lomond on the way to Oban where I spent 10 very nice days doing some filmwork for "see me see you".......

Cheers

-- Edited by Ironsides at 10:24, 2008-06-13

dubliner wrote:

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I have seen pictures of the two Gun Carrier Mark I based salvage tanks and I have read an account stating how the AEF field modified some their FT-17s to serve as ad hoc maintenance and recovery vehicles, but were there others?

Thanks in advance,

Chris.

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 Here's a couple of Gun Carrier Salvage tank and an FT Dozer photos, in case like me others haven't seen them before