Landwasserschlepper

Infobox Weapon
name="Landwasserschlepper"


caption=
origin=flag|Germany|Nazi
type=
is_vehicle=yes
length=
width=
height=
weight=34 t (74,957 lb)
primary_armament=none
secondary_armament=
armour=none
suspension=tracks
speed=35 km/h (21 mph) road, 12 km/h (7½ mph) water
vehicle_range=
engine=Maybach HL120, V12, petrol, 11,867 cc (724in³)
engine_power=300 hp (224 kW) at 3000 rpm
pw_ratio=
crew=2 plus 20 passengers

"Landwasserschlepper" was an amphibious tractor produced by Germany during World War Two.

Ordered by the "Heer" "Waffenamt", [Hogg, I.V., & Weeks, J.W. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles" (London: Hamlyn, 1980), p.307, "Landwasserschlepper Light River Tug".] the "Landwasserschlepper" was intended as a lightweight river tug with some capacity to operate on land. [Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare" (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 16, p.1704, "Landwasserschlepper".]

Designed by Rheinmetall- [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borsig_%28Unternehmen%29 Börsig] of Dusseldorf, [Hogg & Weeks, p.307.] the hull was very like a motor launch, and it resembled nothing more than a tracked boat, down to twin the rear-mounted tunnelled propellors. [Fitzsimons, Volume 16, p.1704, "Landwasserschlepper".] On land, it rode on steel-shod tracks and four pairs of bogies "per" side. [Hogg & Weeks, p.306.] It was intended to aid river crossing and bridging operations.

Due to protracted development, [Hogg & Weeks, p.307.] "Landwasserschlepper" did not enter service until 1942, remaining operational until 1945, with some success. [Hogg & Weeks, p.307.] It never served in large numbers. [Hogg & Weeks, p.307; Fitzsimons, Volume 16, p.1704, "Landwasserschlepper".]

References

Notes

ources

*Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare", Volume 16, p.1704, "Landwasserschlepper". London: Phoebus, 1978.
*Hogg, I.V., & Weeks, J.W. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles", p.306-7, "Landwasserschlepper Light River Tug". London: Hamlyn, 1980.