Landships II

Wotan II · Corporal

Best 75 Tracklayer

Rectalgia · Legend

Wotan II wrote:
...I also came across this little gem of info:

"This was a second attempt by Best to make a tank that was acceptable to the United States Military. Built in 1917, this vehicle is on deployment with the California National Guard."

For ease of reference, is that at site http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/UnitedStates/mediumtanks/MediumTanks.html?

That site also has the mythical Holt G9 - ref http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=63528&p=3&topicID=35721271

It looks like a "Search" of this forum will show numerous mentions including http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=63528&p=3&topicID=25688730. But the Holt business has got me wondering about some of these early tanks.

-- Edited by Rectalgia on Monday 17th of May 2010 05:51:09 AM

Poniatowski · Major

We have to remember that after WWI, there wasn't much enthusiasm for keeping military equipment. The War to End all Wars had ended and none of that was needed any more. There was probably a Lieutenant or Corporal in the military who knew who scrapped the thing (or it was converted by a farmer for civilian use).
A lot of things just 'disappear' after big wars and history is lost for good. Who knows, it may turn up burried in the desert somewhere.

It looks like it was based on their half track 'tractors'. Could be that the tractor is still around, but the armor was scrapped.

IMHO, the US didn't know much about tank design and didn't really catch on until the end of WWII. It's almost like they learned nothing from the battle experiences of WWI.

Ron

Poniatowski · Major

http://www.smokstak.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=2535&catid=newimages

It was probably based on one of these...

Cheers!

Ron

-- Edited by Poniatowski on Monday 31st of May 2010 04:58:16 PM

Ironsides · Legend

Hi, you can find quite a lot on Clarence Leo Best�(C.L.Best) on the forum using the search its not perfect though, best is a common word...
Best sold�his patents too Holt...
Holt and Best thread

Later best patent probarbly something like this formed the basis of the "Tank"....
Best Tractor

Best track

google patents is a great resource wink

Cheers smile

Wotan II · Corporal

�Speaking of lost 50 ton monsters, I read somewhere a prototype heavy tank, the TOG I, was taken to Chobham for testing in 1943, which is a well-known fact.��I remember reading that it was after a brutish storm, and the plains were scattered with water-filled test trenches. All the terrain obstacles were flooded with water, and mud puddles covered the whole 6 acres of the field. The tank apperantly got stuck, and it proved too difficult to recover, so there it remained. What happend to it after that, remains a mystery. So far no trace of this 10X3X3 meter, 80 ton super heavy tank has shown up. Why they chose to test the tank on such a horrible day remains to be seen, but so far the tank is gone without a trace. But for all I know its rotting away in a scrap heap, unnoticed. It shares a lot of features with WW1 tanks, exept the Matilda II turret. I have some pictures, for the sake of a complete history lesson.

Rectalgia · Legend

Ah, The Old Gang couldn't take a trick eh?

Some interesting photos of all sorts (including TOG 2, somewhere down the page) at http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Stories/Newsletter2-26-03/index.html.

I was particularly taken by these T-26s with an airship overhead http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Stories/Newsletter2-26-03/zeprus.jpg - what/where on earth? But that's between wars and a long way off-topic.

-- Edited by Rectalgia on Saturday 12th of June 2010 09:28:11 AM