--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Renaud OLGIATI <rolgiati@bigfoot.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2000 07:51:10 -0300
Subject: Re: [MV] HALF TRACK
Message-ID: <00122408030200.17211@cerrocora.3662>
References: <list-633042@skylee.com>
On Sat, 23 Dec 2000, bolton8@juno.com wrote:
<snip>
> With the first germination of this idea in 1770, through the
> development of the concept during the 19th Century, it wasn't until the
> 1930's that half-tracks as we know them were perfected. The American
> White Motor Company in 1938 tested the T8 half track personnel carrier
> and the T14 reconnaissance vehicle, which on 19 Sep 1940 were adopted
> respectfully as the M3 White Personnel Carrier and M2 Half Track Car.
> While Germany's Bussing-NAG developed the Sd Kfz 250 and Hanomag the Sd
> Kfz 251 around 1937. Of the 41,000 half tracks manufactured in the
> United States approximately 1,000 are still in front line service by
the
> Israeli Defence Force.
I understand your desire to trumpet the achievments of the White company,
but I respectfully submit that they were not the first to produce
commercially half-tracked vehicles.
As early as 1921, Citroen was producing half-tracked versions of its "A"
and "B2" types motorcars, using a tracked propulsor that had been
developped by Mr Kegresse, who was an engineer to the Tsar of all
Russias,
as early as 1911.
Over 1100 of these "autoneige" were produced on the "B2" basis alone.
These half-tracks gained popularity when they were used in 1924 for the
"Coisiere Nire", when a group of eight of those crossed Africa, joining
Madagascar from Colomb-Bechard, with a diversion to Cape Town.
This was followed in 1931 by the "croisiere Jaune" which took a number of
"C4F" and "C6F" based halftracks from Paris and Peking, to meet in
Central
Asia. This expedition was the subject of a TV serie in the 1970's,
entitled
"La cloche thibethaine"; a number of C4Fs were built specially for the
shooting of the film.
Mr Kegresse developped his tracked propulsor to allow the Tsar to go on
motoring at times when the roads were covered with snow; his invention
was
later perfected by Mr Hinstin.
Cheers,
Ron the Frog, on the banks of the Paraguay River.
--
Reality is for people who lack imagination.
--- http://personales.conexion.com.py/~rolgiati ---
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