Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: WWII Sizaire-Berwick Wind Wagon - photo

  1. #1
    Supporting Member Altair's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    12,020
    Thanks
    1,365
    Thanked 30,313 Times in 9,998 Posts

    WWII Sizaire-Berwick Wind Wagon - photo

    The Sizaire-Berwick Wind Wagon was a prototype WWII armored vehicle developed for use in the sandy terrains of North Africa. It was powered 110hp Sunbeam aircraft engine, has a crew of two, and was fitted with a 7.71mm Vickers machine gun. Only one was made.




    Previously:

    Hobart's Funnies - photos
    WWII Ford GPA 'Seep' - photos
    WWII flying tractor: LeTourneau D4 Flying Tournapull - video
    1942 Goliath/Beetle tank tracked mines - GIF, video, and photos
    WWII Churchill tank converted into mine clearer

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Altair For This Useful Post:

    KustomsbyKent (Apr 24, 2019), Seedtick (Apr 23, 2019)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,634
    Thanks
    2,185
    Thanked 9,134 Times in 4,366 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Stealth it was not. I imagine the dust cloud behind it could be spotted for a 100 miles

    2,000+ Tool Plans
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  4. #3
    Supporting Member bruce.desertrat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    809
    Thanks
    591
    Thanked 687 Times in 369 Posts

    bruce.desertrat's Tools
    "Only one was made."

    Wasn't that generally true of the A-Team builds???

  5. #4
    Supporting Member Toolmaker51's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Midwest USA
    Posts
    5,334
    Thanks
    7,044
    Thanked 3,011 Times in 1,900 Posts

    Toolmaker51's Tools
    "Only one was made."

    Because crew fabricating the original died laughing; and on hiring replacements, none believed it was real.
    Sincerely,
    Toolmaker51
    ...we'll learn more by wandering than searching...

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to Toolmaker51 For This Useful Post:

    mklotz (Apr 24, 2019)

  7. #5
    Supporting Member tonyfoale's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Spain
    Posts
    1,607
    Thanks
    721
    Thanked 2,706 Times in 726 Posts

    tonyfoale's Tools
    Interesting that the engine is tilted down at the front. That will create a downward component of the prop force, which will press the vehicle down on to the sand. That would increase wheel drag and the tendency to dig in. In sand, that is the opposite of what you need, it would be best to try to float over the surface, especially with those narrow tyres.
    That is assuming that the drive is only from the prop. The machine does have a normal engine compartment at the front, maybe that is a relic of the base vehicle or does it retain wheel drive capability? If so, was it intended to use wheel drive and aero drive together or was wheel only for use on hard surfaces?

  8. #6
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,634
    Thanks
    2,185
    Thanked 9,134 Times in 4,366 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    In thinking about my first post I may have struck upon its intended use the Navy used to use fog generators to mask their positions and movements. why couldn't this have been used as a dust cloud generator for land based operations to do much the same as the fog generators did? The problem with that analogy though is one vehicle would be useless it would require possibly 100 of more to hide a brigade sized unit and dust is 100 times more destructive and detrimental than the oily diesel laden artificially generated fog. So all in all I'd say there is probably a real good reason why only 1 was ever built it just wasn't practical as a reconnaissance vehicle it could not be relied on to traverse loose sand as in the dunes due to the narrow tires, even as a dust cloud generator it would better serve the enemy as a locator beacon than to camouflage a units movement it wouldn't be able to tow an artillery piece or even a trailer with supplies so what good was it.
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

  9. #7
    Supporting Member desbromilow's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    801
    Thanks
    527
    Thanked 362 Times in 207 Posts

    desbromilow's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank S View Post
    In thinking about my first post I may have struck upon its intended use the Navy used to use fog generators to mask their positions and movements. why couldn't this have been used as a dust cloud generator for land based operations to do much the same as the fog generators did? The problem with that analogy though is one vehicle would be useless it would require possibly 100 of more to hide a brigade sized unit and dust is 100 times more destructive and detrimental than the oily diesel laden artificially generated fog. So all in all I'd say there is probably a real good reason why only 1 was ever built it just wasn't practical as a reconnaissance vehicle it could not be relied on to traverse loose sand as in the dunes due to the narrow tires, even as a dust cloud generator it would better serve the enemy as a locator beacon than to camouflage a units movement it wouldn't be able to tow an artillery piece or even a trailer with supplies so what good was it.
    - Or maybe use it in reverse - use one car to make enough dust to make the enemy believe 100 cars were in a particular location, and then have that one car as a diversion/ feinting force, and allow your main column of troops to engage from a unforeseen vector of attack.

  10. #8
    Supporting Member Frank S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Peacock TX
    Posts
    11,634
    Thanks
    2,185
    Thanked 9,134 Times in 4,366 Posts

    Frank S's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by desbromilow View Post
    - Or maybe use it in reverse - use one car to make enough dust to make the enemy believe 100 cars were in a particular location, and then have that one car as a diversion/ feinting force, and allow your main column of troops to engage from a unforeseen vector of attack.
    The desert Patrols of N Africa in WWII used similar tactics sending out Jeeps dragging long poles behind them with chains bolted to them to create a dust cloud as a diversion while a tank unit very slowly made its way across the desert into a firing position



    2,000+ Tool Plans
    Never try to tell me it can't be done
    When I have to paint I use KBS products

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •