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Title: Lancia Halftrack Post by: frankxhv773t on 22 February, 2016, 11:26:55 PM Found on http://stringbagsandrattleboxes.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-landship-project-from-road-train-to.html
Italy’s only interest in Armoured Half-tracks was as a prime mover of their 149mm artillery, offering armoured protection to its four-member gun crew and ammunition. The Italians used the simple expedient of fitting the body and drive-train of their IZ armoured car to the caterpillar tracks of the Holt 5-ton tractor, which were also used by the artillery. The standard Lanzia engine and transmission was retained and ran through a hi/low reduction gear to the Holt caterpillar final drive, providing 19 km/h in low gear to pull heavy loads and 24 km/h in high gear for speed. When Italian 2nd Corp, serving in France, saw the White-Peugeot AH it’s commander, General Alberico Albricce di Gallarate, immediately requested an additional allotment of Lanzia halftracks with armoured car crews be assigned to 2nd Corp and be modified with Peugeot turrets. This was agreed to, in no small part due to the influence of General Foch who was only too happy to have more armour available, and the modifications were completed by July 1918. |