Subject:
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Re: Pz.VI TigerI Tank
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.build.military
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Date:
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Sun, 17 Feb 2002 18:52:44 GMT
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Viewed:
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281 times
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In lugnet.build.military, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> In lugnet.build.military, Shaun Sullivan writes:
>
> I counted no less than three different spare tread sections in various
> places... based on the proto pics you posted that's prototypical all right
> but I found it weird. LFB, were the treads so damage prone on this model
> (compared to others) that they needed lots of spares?
Hi Larry,
I'll let Lyndsay comment as well, but here's what I've found:
It was possible to seriously damage treads to the point where they needed to be
replaced - actually, this wasn't quite as intimidating a prospect as it sounds.
The entire track could be laid out on the ground, and the offending link(s)
knocked out and replaced. Reinstallation of the tracks was achieved by simply
driving the tank forward on the laid-out treads, and using the engine to drive
the tracks along and manually guiding them into place. Once the tank has
crawled forward to the end of the track length, the first links would have been
drawn around. The two ends were then lined up, and the holding pins hammered
back into place. Of course, no one was interested in trying to pull this off
during a battle, but it was relatively easy to accomplish given a couple of
hours.
However, there were certainly more tracks draped on tanks than would generally
be expected to fail in any given excursion. The reason: basically, the idea
that "every little bit [of armor] helps." They were used as makeshift armor
plates. Although they would, in reality, do very little, even the slightest
chance that they might deflect or absorb some shot was enough to warrant their
addition.
"German tanks were frequently provided with improvised additional protection in
the form of sandbags, attached wherever possible, and lengths of track secured
over vulnerable parts ... Lengths of track were usually attached across the
upper and lower noseplates. The track on the lower noseplate was generally
held in position by means of a transverse bar welded to the plate at its ends,
while that on the upper nose palte was attached by 'S' hooks to the air inlet
cowls of the track brake cooling system. Tracks were also secured on the front
of the superstructure between the driver's visor and the hull machine-gun, and
draped over the top of the turret and gun mantlet" Encylcopedia of German
Tanks of World War Two, by Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle. Page 256,
Appendix VI, "Supplemental Armor"
This picture is a good example of packing on as many tracks as possible:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=120299
Hope that helps!
Shaun
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Pz.VI TigerI Tank
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| In lugnet.build.military, Shaun Sullivan writes: <snip> Thanks for that detailed answer. I knew about the technique for tread replacement (basically, drive off, fix it, then drive back on) and so understood why SOME treads would be carried (1) but (...) (22 years ago, 17-Feb-02, to lugnet.build.military)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Pz.VI TigerI Tank
|
| In lugnet.build.military, Shaun Sullivan writes: I counted no less than three different spare tread sections in various places... based on the proto pics you posted that's prototypical all right but I found it weird. LFB, were the treads so damage (...) (22 years ago, 17-Feb-02, to lugnet.build.military)
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