Name that tank!

SkylineDrive: That photo has been the subject of a six year long thread on WW2 Talk. No one can get it. My guess (and I do mean guess) is that it is some prototype of the ARL-1937 french tank -- the tracks are identical, the only problem is that the project was supposedly cancelled before anything was built.

Some people identify this as a Grosstraktor, but the tracks don't match. Among other things, this one has a sharper angle on the rear piece, and the Grosstraktor's road wheels do not fully extend beyond the bottom of the hull.

 

I think we are looking at the back of the vehicle here, as I believe behind the guys is the exhaust box, Just thinking out loud

 

Hope VP is not looking at this every time that pic comes up he gets nightmares .

Any drawing of the 1937 French design you were thinking about ? was it possibly the "Tracteur B" ?


or the AMX 1939


The AMX 1938 was built but has a straigth upper hull.



The post-war ARL 44 does show a similar track layout with an apparently non straight upper track run so it's probably something French "in between"

 

I think this is a bit of a conundrum as I don't think anyone knows the answer, unless you do Skylinedrive

 

This was my guess (as posting on WW2Talk):

View attachment 16650

The general track shape is right (I am assuming it basically follows the upper deck), as are the road wheels. Its obiovusly lacking the upper track covers, the turret and hull mounted gun.

 

For the ARL 1937 it's not just lacking track covers but apparently side doors and side MG ports, could be but I'm not not conviced.

BTW your drawing looks very much like the ARL 40 that existed as prototype and didn't have a straight upper track.

http://www.chars-francais.net/new/images/stories/photos/arl40_01.jpg

 

I saw that photo before, and the track shape is substantially different. It appears to be symmetrical as well. The tank I posted was apparently cancelled while it was still in the paper phase. As far as I know, no production models were built. The mystery vehicle COULD be some sort of prototype for the ARL-1937, or maybe even a mockup without a drivetrain. IF that is the case, that would explain the substantial differences that you mentioned. I'm not saying that the mystery vehicle is the ARL-1937 -- that was just my best guess and is solely based on the unique track shape.

 

I have to confess that I do not know the tank, I hoped someone over here would know it! I found the pic on japanese site a while back and saved it on my hard disc but I never had any success with my research. I might have looked in the wrong direction though, to me it looked a lot like an US amphibian tractor!

I hope you won't hang me for playing this little trick!

 

We will not, can't speak for the guys at ww2talk that have been banging their heads on it for years with no success, they are a bit sensitive on the subject . Post another one !
BTW my first impression was also some sort of LVT.

 

Sorry, it's a double pic, didn't find anything else!

 

They've been at it for six years now.

 

The first pic was a tank made I believe by Holt and I quote General Swinton visited Benjamin Holt in Stockton, California, to salute him for his contribution to the war effort and to inspect the Holt one-man tank prototype. Because the war ended, the tank was never manufactured.

 

The second vehicle is also American, based on a tractor, but I just can't think of the name, ( something to do with Cider I think )

 

Got it 'the three wheeled steam tank' from 1916/17 built by Holt

 

Well I don't know what to post anymore! You are right Darren. Your turn!

 

This could well be too easy
View attachment 16670

 

Russian T-28?

 

A little more info would be good

 

It's a T-35, "Land Battleship"