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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Tanks -> Ghost of the Skeleton Tank
Post Info TOPIC: Ghost of the Skeleton Tank
Centurion


Legend

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Ghost of the Skeleton Tank
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Looking at a web site produced by the French Defence Ministry I discovered an echo of the 1918 Skeleton in a French design study of 1937! As I've mentioned in the thread - Another odd Schnieder - in 1937 the French Defence Ministry requested innovative tank design studies. One of these was specifically  stated to be based on the design concept of the US Skeleton tank onf 1918!
The idea was to take a standard tank hull (which one was not specified but the size and weight proposed for the hull suggest the Char B, This is supported by the criticism made of the design that only a turret gun could be brought to bear, suggesting the original tank had a hull gun ) and replace the track units with a large skeleton framework to produce a much longer tank capable of crossing big spaces and with a low ground pressure. The overall tank would be 13 m (just over 43 ft) long and weigh 110 tonnes. Long distance transport would be achieved by having a railway wagon that would be powered by the tanks own engine (a large version of the Polish FT17 based draisine). The idea was rejected on the basis of a) development time 2-3 years) would be too long and  b) too much tank for too little gun.

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Tim R


Hero

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Very Interesting Centurion, now lets hope some one can dig up some more on this little beastie.


All the Best


Tim R



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Vilkata


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When I used to search for "Skeleton Tank" using the Google Image Search, one of the image results was of some bizarre vehicle... Fore and aft track assemblies, with a skeleton framework linking them, with a cylindrical Fahrpanzer-like turret slung in the middle, able to move with gravity between the two track assemblies, so that even on a severe slope, the turret would still remain vertical - like on flat ground. Very odd concept. The picture was of a model. The caption claimed it to be a concept for a French "skeleton tank". That couldn't be the same thing could it? I can't seem to dig up that photo now that I actually want to find it. Isn't that always how it is...

---Vil.

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Centurion


Legend

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Don't think so, there was another design study in 1937 for a tank where the centre of gravity moved so that the turret was always level no matter what position the rest of the tank was in. I suspect your photo was of this vehicle.

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Roger Todd


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It's the fantastically bizarre Char Squelette:


http://modelarchives.free.fr/Bestiaire/Skeltank_P/index.html


I posted a link on another thread a while ago. Designed by a M. Varlet, nowt to do with M. Boirault. Hope you find out more, Centurion.



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Centurion


Legend

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Zut alor, manifique (or franglaise to that effect). Even if Monseigneur Ugh Le viscomte de Cro Magnon invented the wheel about 12,000 BC this guy had to go one better with the triangular tracked wheel. This vehicle is mentioned in Les vehicules blindes Francais but without any detail. Thanks Roger

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Vilkata


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Yep! That's the beast I was thinking of. Really, really, weird vehicle.

---Vil.

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Centurion


Legend

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Having had another attempt to work my way through various French texts this vehicle does not fit the original specification of the New Skeleton Tank BUT it also appears that once the decision was taken , after the initial design studies, to go for the 'Maximum 'Tank with the New Skeleton as a back up project several companies were asked to provide design submissions for each tank (and they didn't necessarily stick too closely to the original spec) so it is likely that this was one company's response but there would have been others. Be interesting to know what they were. Unfortunately it would seem that much of the paperwork was hidden in 1940 to avoid it falling into German hands (although I suspect it would have done the allies a favour if the Germans had been peruaded to spend scarce resources following up these design dead ends) and not all of it survived through the occupation (or was simply lost and is mouldering in some attic or barn).

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Centurion


Legend

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The original specification was for a hull (capable of movement within the frame) with a length of 21 feet. The track frames were to be 43 feet long.  The hull would weigh 48 tons and the track units 42 tons.   The spacers between the track units would weigh 20 tons. Trench crossing capability would be 27 feet. (source French Defence Ministry).This does not seem consistent with the model shown above. It would be interesting to know the sources from which the latter was drawn.

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