Selasa, 19 Maret 2013

Kupchak Landship

Source: http://aviarmor.net/tww2/tanks/canada/kupchak_landship.htm
Source origin: comrad_34 (RU server) - Спасибо, товарищ!

This particular vehicle might serve as a lowtier premium UK (Canadian) tank destroyer. Behold, the T15, also known as the Kupchak landship!

 
This was a late WW1 design for an armored tracked vehicle, proposed by Ing.Stephen Kupchak. It was to be based on the Holt tracked tractor chassis, but with some significant improvements. The construction was simple - really - a box-like hull (the sides had no slope whatsoever). The crew combat compartment was situated in the front and in the middle, there was the engine and transmission compartment. The fuel tanks were situated on the sides - one big on the left and two smaller on the right. 




The frontal part was shaped like a dull wedge and was designed to hold a long-barrelled gun. The ammo rack was placed in the nose, on the right side of the gun (it's visible on the top view). The vehicle was also armed with multiple machineguns for protection against infantry assaults. The vehicle was entered and exited via doors, installed on the left side and on the roof, there was a copula (presumably for the vehicle commander) for looking outside. The suspension - parts of which were "borrowed" from the Holt tractor - was of Kupchak's design however. It was a simple design - three small roadwheels connected with vertical springs, which were attached to a beam, which in turn was attached to the vehicle hull. The propeller wheel was the rear one.

Kupchak introduced his project by the end of 1918 to the British War Office. It was too late - the war was already almost over and the Allied soldiers had better vehicles back then. Mr.Kupchak even requested to build a prototype, but was denied. Some time after the war, the War Office contacted Mr.Kupchak and asked him to build a prototype vehicle, but offered no financial aid to accomplish that whatsoever.

As for the design itself, Mr.Kupchak didn't submit his design with any particular engine selected, so the powerplant remains a mystery. The same goes for its gun - the design doesn't mention any particular type and caliber that might have been used - this was because Mr.Kupchak thought that he'd get that provided by the War Office (along with funds) if they approved his design. There is also the concern that the vehicle would be too heavy (30-40 tons projected) for its suspension. 

Weight: cca 30 tons
Crew: 6-8
Length: cca 7 meters
Width: cca 3 meters
Height: cca 3,5 meters
Weapons: one 75-100mm gun and two 7,62-8mm machineguns
Transmission: mechanical

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