Landships II

Centurion · Legend

What is it?

Roger Todd · Legend

Good God, it is the Austro-Daimler of 1904! Thanks for that Centurion! I have a load of photos of the car at home, though I imagine someone else will beat me to it posting them here. But it's definitely the Austro-Daimler!

EDIT: Alternatively, just look at this old thread...

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=63528&subForumID=169814&action=viewTopic&commentID=3874350

-- Edited by Roger Todd at 17:24, 2006-05-22

Centurion · Legend

I'd thought it might be but as it was never bought by the KuK forces I had a doubt but I guess this covers it.

"The Austro-Daimler was demonstrated to the German Imperial Army at the Kaiser Manoeuvres of 1905, and again to the Austo Hungarian Army at there Manoevres of 1906."

This must have been taken in 1906

BTW this vehicle is said to be the first turreted armoured car but in fact the Simms car early in its development was fitted with two turrets (later removed). - see my drawing elsewere on the forum.

Roger Todd · Legend

Centurion wrote:

I'd thought it might be but as it was never bought by the KuK forces I had a doubt but I guess this covers it. "The Austro-Daimler was demonstrated to the German Imperial Army at the Kaiser Manoeuvres of 1905, and again to the Austo Hungarian Army at there Manoevres of 1906." This must have been taken in 1906 BTW this vehicle is said to be the first turreted armoured car but in fact the Simms car early in its development was fitted with two turrets (later removed). - see my drawing elsewere on the forum.

It's said that the Austro-Daimler frightened the Emperor's horses, and that's why the KuK didn't buy it. Sounds like one of those apocryphal tales to me...

Are you sure the Simms War Car actually had the turrets fitted? I know they're on the patent drawings, but all the photos I've ever seen (which isn't that many, to be sure) show only shielded guns. Can't remember what David F says, I'll have to look it up at home later.

Centurion · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:
It's said that the Austro-Daimler frightened the Emperor's horses, and that's why the KuK didn't buy it. Sounds like one of those apocryphal tales to me... Are you sure the Simms War Car actually had the turrets fitted? I know they're on the patent drawings, but all the photos I've ever seen (which isn't that many, to be sure) show only shielded guns. Can't remember what David F says, I'll have to look it up at home later.

From what I've read of Franz Ferdinand its sounds just the sort of logic he would apply.

No not a hundred percent sure about the turrets and the Fletcher book is not definite either way. The drawing in question is not the patent but the one in Autocar. As far as I can discover no photos were issued until the official unveiling. Other sources are also ambiguous including one that states that the turrets were intended as a later development. I guess that all we can be absolutely certain of is that it started as a design with turrets and ended up without them. I have seen somewhere that they were still 'there' when construction started.

Roger Todd · Legend

Centurion wrote:

From what I've read of Franz Ferdinand its sounds just the sort of logic he would apply. No not a hundred percent sure about the turrets and the Fletcher book is not definite either way. The drawing in question is not the patent but the one in Autocar. As far as I can discover no photos were issued until the official unveiling. Other sources are also ambiguous including one that states that the turrets were intended as a later development. I guess that all we can be absolutely certain of is that it started as a design with turrets and ended up without them. I have seen somewhere that they were still 'there' when construction started.

Aye, the big old Austrian weirdo.

I just had a look at Fletcher myself. The Autocar drawing is very similar to the patent drawing, so not much help there. Maybe they had problems trying to make the turrets, maybe they just felt that for a demo vehicle it didn't really need them and it saved a few bob just using shields instead! It'd be nice if a photo showing turrets turned up one day, but until then... *gallic shrug*