10-25-2020, 05:28 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Feb 2014
|
Unsually modified Tanks
What were some unusually modified tanks, modified for a specific job in mind:
Flame thrower tanks i.e ( Flammpanzer I, Panzer II Flamm, Flammpanzer III Tanks, StuG III (Flamm) and (Flammpanzerwagen half-track) Bullshorn Plough: A mine plough intended to excavate the ground in front of the tank, to expose and detonate any land mines. Crab: A modified Sherman tank equipped with a mine flail, a rotating cylinder of weighted chains that exploded mines in the path of the tank. Centaur Bulldozer: A Centaur tank with the turret removed and fitted with a simple winch-operated bulldozer blade. Canal Defence Light: A powerful carbon-arc searchlight carried on several types of tank inside a modified turret. Anyone got any other modifications? |
10-25-2020, 05:57 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
I know there was one with extendable ramps in front and back to act as a bridge for others tanks,
And another with demolition charges mounted on a front extension. And I think one with a big roll of heavy cloth, to lay a road over soft ground as it advanced. Edit: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobart%27s_Funnies |
10-25-2020, 06:22 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
Some of those are described in GURPS WWII: Dogfaces , p97-98, by the way.
And also several in Gurps WWII: Motor Pool, with full 3E vehicle stats. Given your recent posts, the Gurps WW2 line would be worth looking at ! Last edited by Celjabba; 10-25-2020 at 06:34 AM. |
10-25-2020, 08:17 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
The UK contribution are known collectively as Hobart's Funnies - you've tagged most of them already, although the Churchill AVRE and Crocodile need adding (the Crocodile being probably the most alarming flamethrowing tank ever built).
The US also had a roller equipped anti-mine tank and invented the Cullen hedgerow device for penetrating bocage. |
10-25-2020, 08:39 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
"Armored Recovery Vehicles" -- "tow trucks" for tanks, which in WW II were often conversions of tanks or rebuilds of damaged ones, adding a crane of some sort and often removing the turret. Sometimes they were purpose-designed and -built.
The US 23 Headquarters Special Troops had inflatable Shermans made out of rubber. They staged all sorts of deceptions throughout the war, famously in the D-Day buildup, but also on the Continent afterward. |
10-25-2020, 11:57 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Jul 2006
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
The other interesting rebuild of tanks would be "kangerooing" - de-turretting and stripping out to turn them into prototype APCs. Not very good APCs, but heavily armoured ones for the period and an idea much emulated by the Israelites into the present day.
|
10-25-2020, 03:37 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London, UK
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
Support Tanks with Howitzers instead of high velocity Tank Gun . Sherman with 105mm & Churchills with hull mounted ones (some had both a hull AND turret mounted Howitzers) .
I've taken this idea on for Car Wars: Tanks & mount both a 90mm Tank Gun & 105mm Howitzer in Turret of 55 Ton Tank . With lots of Ammo for both of course ;-) Multiple Grenade Launchers & automatic anti-missle small arms mini Turrets seem to be a thing on the next generation Russian MBTs . Add in top mounted medium sized automatic Mortar - latest Merkava's have 60mm ones - and you have a great Urban Warfare Tank . Couple of HVMG (12.7mm Mini Guns) & a Grenade Launcher on a Light Tank also make an excellent vehicle for tight urban environments . With late 21st Century (2050 & beyond) all Electric/Fuel Cell Power Plants , true Submarine/Amphibious Tanks or Tank-Personal Carriers can be designed for Assault or Special Forces Missions . Crawl along underwater or eject external weaponry/ballast & sealed Tank can bob to surface & engage propellers . EWP mounted Torpedoes , Foxers & Depth Changes - not to mention Targeting Lasers in Telescopic Turrets - have become a big thing on Tanks for our games . Mini Nuclear Power Plants for Super Heavy Tanks , mean with Electrolysis & Air Scrubber accessories (plus Galley & Porta-Potties) from net pages , they can stay undetected underwater for several days . Your imagination is more or less the limit !
__________________
Five Gauss Guns on a Camper !!! The Resident Brit . Last edited by Racer; 10-25-2020 at 03:42 PM. |
10-25-2020, 04:35 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Luxembourg
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
Don't forget also the water boiling device added on (in) centurion Tank in WW2, and later to all UK tanks !
|
10-25-2020, 07:42 PM | #9 |
☣
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
A few common in WWII I don't think have been mentioned:
__________________
RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats. |
10-25-2020, 07:58 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Central Europe
|
Re: Unsually modified Tanks
I think there were also some carrying a plain old howitzer on the roof. The German army in particular had all those PzII and Pz38(t) and when they were no longer useful on the battlefield they stripped off the turret and turned them into self-propelled guns. This is not the same concept as the assault gun/Sturmgeschütz
There was a supply tank in the British Mark series from WW I, it was supposed to carry 10 tons of supplies for Plan 1919. Command tank: contains a good radio and more space for the commander. Some of the Renault FT tanks were rigged like this. Amphibious tanks Tanks with lots of handles welded on so infantry can ride them
__________________
"It is easier to banish a habit of thought than a piece of knowledge." H. Beam Piper This forum got less aggravating when I started using the ignore feature |
Tags |
tank, wwii |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|