- Yay :)
- Nay :(
G’day lads, I’ve seen that even though it’s 2024, there are still zero ground vehicles from the Kiwis (aka the inhabitants of New Zealand), so here I am suggesting the most powerful armoured vehicle the Kiwis have to offer, the Bob Semple tank!
Description:
Spoiler
The Bob Semple tank is the all mighty and brilliant tank made by the Kiwis during desperate times. Named after Bob Semple, the Minister of Works at the time, this tank was an improvised solution to the pressing need for armored vehicles in the face of potential invasion from enemies like the Japanese. What they have made is possibly the greatest WW2, if not the greatest tank of all time from just a few materials.
History:
Spoiler
New Zealand had to come up with innovative solutions to bolster its defenses. The Bob Semple tank was one such solution, conceived by Bob Semple, the Minister of Works, and built using a Caterpillar D8 tractor as its base.
The idea behind the Bob Semple tank was to create an armored vehicle using materials that were readily available in New Zealand. The tank was constructed from corrugated iron mounted on the tractor chassis, a design choice driven by necessity rather than optimal military engineering. This makeshift approach reflected the dire circumstances and the urgent need for defensive measures.
Despite its unconventional design and numerous flaws, the Bob Semple tank shows that desperate times call desperate measures. The tank was equipped with multiple Bren light machine guns, but its performance was hampered by its heavy weight, slow speed, and inadequate armor. These limitations meant that the tank was never mass-produced or used in combat.
An interesting aspect of the Bob Semple tank’s history is the proposal to equip it with a 37mm gun, the same one found on the Stuart light tank. This proposal aimed to enhance the tank’s firepower, making it more effective in combat situations. However, this upgrade was never implemented, and the tank remained armed with only machine guns.
Armaments:
Spoiler
The Bob Semple tank was armed with six .303 caliber Bren light machine guns, each supplied with 25,000 rounds. The machine guns were “strategically placed” with one in the turret, one at the rear, one on each side, and two facing forward. Additionally, as i previously mentioned, there was a proposal to equip the tank with a 37mm cannon, which would have been accompanied by five machine guns, but this upgrade was never implemented.
Specifications:
Spoiler
The Bob Semple tank had dimensions of 4.2 meters in length, 3.30 meters in width, and 3.65 meters in height. Its total weight when battle-ready was approximately 18 tons, which included 2 tons of armor plating. The tank typically had a crew of six members, consisting of a commander, driver, and four machine gunners, but it could carry up to eight personnel in total. It was powered by a 6-cylinder Caterpillar diesel engine that produced 95 kW (127 hp), with other sources citing 108 hp (flywheel) and 96 hp (drawbar). The tank could climb gradients of 1 in 2, ford water up to 1.22 meters deep, and overcome embankments up to 1.37 meters high. It was capable of crushing saplings up to 6 inches in diameter and was fitted with a drawbar for towing light field guns or an armored trailer. The armor consisted of 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) manganese steel in a V-corrugated form, backed by 0.31 inch (8 mm) steel plate. The tank had a normal speed of 7.5 mph, with a reduced speed of 1.5 mph using a 2:1 gearbox, and a range of up to 160 km with 60 hours of operational time. It held 90 liters of diesel in two frontal fuel tanks and featured a modified and lengthened RD8 Caterpillar suspension from 1939.
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