WW1 Tank Track Curvature 

I always looked at this design as a way to more easily cross trenches, nothing more. That just made sense in my head as a kid, when I first saw British tanks like the Mark IV or the MK VIII in Indiana Jones. Didn't think at all about ground pressure, steering with tracks, or how much of it was actually touching the ground. Kid me was just thinking, "well, if you stop moving one track, the other track will turn it, easy."

Video subject is interesting, but more than anything, I'm blown away to learn there's a combat vet WWI tank still intact and wearing its original paint.

He is just talking about male tank curves, totally normal.

The Chieftain is happiest when we is talking tracks.... he is a Tanker.

"Very easy to steer" as long as any one of the 4 people doing it hadn't passed out

This shows a great deal more cleverness to this design than I would previiusly grant

The first Mark Is had two wheels behind the tank that would act like a rudder to improve steering. But many of them were destroyed in combat and didn't affect the steering at all so subsequent tanks were built without them

It is interesting how late "trench crossers" like T-35, Independent and TOG had reversed the angle/position of the rear sprocket putting it up while earlier "romboid" tanks had it down to better push against vertical wall of a trench for climbing out.

WOAAH! A Mark IV veteran still in its original paint? What a gorgeous beast!

The same physics work for snowmobiles. Longer tracked sleds (usually used in deep snow in the mountains as there's more track surface to spread out the weight) don't steer well because the skis are trying to drag a long length of track sideways across the snow. Trail sleds have short tracks so they steer well on groomed trails but are likely to get stuck powder.

It's interesting how old school vehicles dealt with issues like this. For example the Model T had thin tires compared to modern vehicles which meant that they'd dig into the dirt more easily but, if they did get stuck, it also meant they were easier to pull out. Which, in the days when your "tow truck" was mostly likely going to be a team of horses, was the important consideration.

It is funny, but the Rhombohedral design with those wrap-around tracks, and the protected suspension ( and the sponson guns/MG's) was "optimal" for the thick wire obstacles and trenches of WWI. A modern day MBT would never have made across "No-Man's Land". I say that from having driven an original M1/XM1 ,in Ft. Polk , for a year. I luved challenges of terrain and obstacles, and got an ARCOM for driving. I had a bad-ass tank, but I can say with certainty, my tank "Death Machine -serial number 0054" could not have driven across "No-mans land" with those 10' high 20' thick barbed wire obstacles or cross deep trenches , like those old "Mothers" . Plus they carried a "Fascine" to fill a really deep trench. I stand in awe, that a 100hp tank could go through chit , that I could not go through with a 1500hp tank😎. I have seen M-1's stopped by 1 roll of Constantino, or a simple 3 strand barbed wire fence. Those WW1/MkIV tanks could roll over mountains of wire and trenches I would not phuck with, in the "bestest" M-1.- -------------------------------- *Also I "sorta" researched the ground pressure of the M1 compared to Mk IV , even asked the AI/chat bot, about it. End result , the UK MK IV of WWI had 13 psi compared to the US M-1 at 15 psi. Take it for what it is worth as to crossing "soft ground".

Love WWI tanks! So industrial and kinda steampunk-ish - also love that it has its original 100+ year-old paint :)

That is something I've never known. THANK YOU!

Interesting. My point of reference would be caterpillar-style tracked farm and construction vehicles of that era. They seemed to have moved along a significantly different path of development, but I never thought much as to why. Vehicle size and speed certainly played a role, as did maneuverability.

as kid i had this explained to me by an old guy. he had joined the british army in the late 20s and worked on tanks till his demob in 1945. even as a kid i could see this was a very elegant solution to the problem. but the enthusiasm of this crumpled up old man of 70 plus years. really why it stuck in my mind.

I would've chalked that curve up to an optical illusion if you didn't point it out.

I'm pretty sure the Chieftain is building a killdozer in his garage.

A very clever and elegant solution.

That’s really interesting and smart considering how early in the grand scheme of things this was. Still got the advantages of tracks with the surface area once it starts to ‘settle’ into softer ground. But for manoeuvring you’ve got the mobility of the small surface area

I didn't know this about these tanks. Brilliant. Thank you for this. ☮

Merry Christmas & have a happy & safe New Years Chieftan!

Clear and to the point. TY. 👍

I believe the 'tank curve' is a carry over from an extreme design by the RN and is basically the quadrant of a 60 foot diameter wheel.

The curve on the top of the tank helps to keep the track snug and stops it from slapping around - my opinion

Super interesting, thank you for that!

in boat design its called rocker

Ok, first real comment here it seems! Very cool, albeit short video about the track curvature of the Mark series rhomboid tanks! I had semi-noticed this in Gmod when toying around with a Mark V and driving it around! Thanks for the explanation, and I hope you have a great night!

The science of tanks. Just when you thought you were up to snuff The Chieftain goes back to WWI to show you how and why it’s done.

That is pretty amazing! I never realized this before! Thank you for sharing

Great video, and I love the Blackhorse apparel! Much Allons to you!

Cool!

That is very informative as heck.

OMG I've stood at the exact same spot! I've shared the same coordinates as The Chieftain. 🤓

Using geometry instead of complexity to solve a problem. I like it.

Early tank development for design and doctrine is interesting.

Half of me was expecting you to give the end of it a good shove and move it slightly!

Wow, I learned something. Thank you

Short but sweet...And informative. Thank you.

Good talk.

Those engineers were smart cookies.

Thanks! Totally makes sense and is kind of genius, there was a lot of thought in these early designs.

Damn, I was expecting a lengthy video

I've seen tank tracks many times and it always amazed me how they'd only be a few centimeters down even in soft soil I do love how much the tracks lend to the tanks designs and abilites

Most importantly, the Mark I was the first tank to accommodate the sloped armor. According to the Chieftain, that is. Why you may ask? Take a shoe box and look at it at 45 degree angle. There you have it - a sloped armor from all directions !!! Merry Christmas everybody.

reminiscent of lift axles on heavy trucks, though simpler and less flexible.

Huh, yeah, that's an elegant solution. I think Lindybeige has a video where he talks about how there are practical limits to the ratio of width to length, but I can't find it. Searching for it, I see that you and him did a video in 2017.

That's clever!

Hockey skates. Originally a flat, tube-blade. Then in the 70/80’s a rocker blade. Less contact easier turning equaled more mobility.

and that's why first tanks were parallelograms

Simple and fail resistant solution. Briliant.

So this tank has scoliosis

Interesting! I wish there were more tanks and planes with their originl paint on them.

Neat.

The 18 years old conscripts inside were probably thrilled thinking about that, while slowly suffocating due to carbon monoxide poisoning

Het koninklijk militair museum

I thought the curved tracks are to plough through mud better. Steering didn't cross my mind.

That's not a tank, it's a landship (lol)

[flatearther]i see no curvature[/flatearther]

I wonder how practical it was in the end? Also if so I wonder if hydropnuematics could emulate this in some way to turn more easily, especially in the context of certain roads that don't enjoy 60+ ton tanks doing a neutral turn on them.

What about the carriage wheel thing they had on the back of some of them?

So if the tank had more and more track in contact when on soft ground wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of designing it to have a short length in contact in the first place? Especially as they were intended to be used on the churned up mud of no man’s land.

Huh, neat.

Did mud/soft ground affect the ability to turn?

okay. so what about churchill. what was that like to steer?

I understood there was not a original first world war tank in the UK . And the one they had at the museum was a copy made for a film. Interestingly I have read there are 21 original ones in Russia . Which must be a story in it's own right.

No-no-no, not 'my' solution. I wasn't born then. English.

If a female tank sauntered by he would need to get clear quickly or it might get messy..

Like all good women, the more curves the better.

Lol 😆

But how do we know the tank identifies as male?? LOL

20th, 28 December 2023

For mine, it’s an insult to call these ‘male’. An object which has such frontal protrusions, and large proboscis, alluring to buttocks, screams Beyonce, not Kitchner. Although, it has been rumoured that Kitchner battled for the other team. Could it be that the sexual orientation of the Mk. Series of Rhomboidal Armoured Fighting Vehicles can be called into question ? Could it be on the ‘small m’ male tanks, the grenade mesh cover was really a top knot ? Did the crew’s rations include soy latte and smashed avocado on toast ? Was the anti shrapnel steel visor face just the latest Bolle’ of the Day ? Should the Tank Museum restore the FV4007 to answer these questions ? Can Mr. Hewes answer these questions ? I’m only asking questions. Don’t attack me. Cheers.

5th?

A Male ?? Did you just assume this tanks Gender ? 🤣🤣

First

"There's only one tank who would dare give me the raspberry. LODESTAR!"

wasn't the shape intended to follow the curve of a 60' diameter wheel?

Its a mobile rocking chair

first?