M22 Locust light tank leaving a Hamilcar glider. The deflated shock absorbers lowered the fuselage to the ground and allowed vehicles to exit without the use of ramps
Posted on 02/12/2021 12:58:42 PM PST by Onthebrink
One of the lesser-known tanks of the Second World War is the M22 Locust, a small, three-man tank that was intended to fly with airborne troops and augment their firepower on the ground.
M22 Locust: A History
In order to keep up with troops in the air, it was assumed that a small tank should be towed behind an airplane inside a glider. And while technically feasible, it required an especially small tank to be designed that would have both light armor and a decidedly light main gun.
(Excerpt) Read more at 19fortyfive.com ...
In the hands of the British or the Canadians, I’m sure that the Allies would have made it to Berlin before the Russians. Or, at least Montgomery would have so said.
M22 Locust light tank leaving a Hamilcar glider. The deflated shock absorbers lowered the fuselage to the ground and allowed vehicles to exit without the use of ramps
p.s. The Hamilcar was constructed primarily from wood, mainly birch and spruce,* with fabric-covered plywood forming the skin,* and high grade steel reinforcement beams in critical areas.
Weight of the replacement ramp - after the first German tank fell right through an earlier design - was one of the reasons the German pair of large glider/re-engined large transport planes failed.
that’d do it
It would be an interesting landing as those treads instantaneously spun-up to landing speed.
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