Sticking with vehicles of one type or another; what's this, and what's so special about it?
Regards, Ned.
Sticking with vehicles of one type or another; what's this, and what's so special about it?
Regards, Ned.
'I do not think we can hope for any better thing now.
We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course, and the end cannot be far.
It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. SCOTT.
Last Entry - For God's sake look after our people.'
In memory of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans. South Pole Expedition, 30th March 1912.
Holzbrenner “Wood-burning” Volkswagen Kübelwagen
In WWII, Europe was in a real fuel shortage. Oil imports were largely blocked, and what oil was available was used for aviation and tank fuel. Germany had a lot of coal, but no oil deposits. To make up for their huge lack of oil, German ingenuity turned to gasification of coal to make synthetic fuel. To run cars without using their precious oil, the German government and many European civilians tried a method of running a car by burning wood, and it apparently worked! Ford, GM, and other car manufacturers made kits, and many cars were converted to run on wood, either using a mass produced conversion kit, or a homemade version. A car using a factory built kit would run for 100,000 miles fairly problem free.
Holzbrenner “Wood burning” Volkswagen car from 1942
Holzbrenner “Wood-burning” Volkswagen Kübelwagen during WW2
The way this worked was that wood was heated until it began to break down chemically. When wood burns in a normal fire, the wood decomposes chemically due to the heat, and some of the gasses produced by the wood are flammable, and they burn as they are released. That is the flame that you see.
With the WWII era wood burning cars, however, wood was heated to a temperature hot enough to decompose the wood, but the gas was not allowed to burn. It was stored in a chamber, and injected into the cylinders of a regular internal combustion car. Some of the German made wood-burning cars were the VW Kdf Wagen (postwar Beetle), and the German Army Kübelwagen.
GERMAN/ALLIED BATTLEFIELD SYNTHETIC FUEL USAGE
During WWII, it was not unusual for some German tanks to be towed to a combat staging area. Once at the battlefront, the tanks would then be converted to burn synthetic fuel in battle. The tide of war had turned against Germany when the synthetic fuel plants were bombed and fuel production stopped. So the SS had developed a series of wood-burning electrical generators, vehicle engine conversion kits, and armored vehicle conversion kits. They were called “Holzbrenners” (Wood burners) and were made primarily by Porsche.
Cut-away illustration of the US Sherman tank possibly with a
synthetic fuel conversion kit
Last edited by Eric Zentner; 06-11-2012 at 06:27 AM.
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
Well done Ez! Over to you buddy!
Regards, Ned.
'I do not think we can hope for any better thing now.
We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker of course, and the end cannot be far.
It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. SCOTT.
Last Entry - For God's sake look after our people.'
In memory of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans. South Pole Expedition, 30th March 1912.
What is this?
VIKERS.jpg
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
Ok here is a hint, captured in Belgium.
Eric
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
Another hint, it is not a tank but a tractor.
Eric
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
Is the german designation of Artillerie Schlepper VA 601(b) acceptable?
or how about Vickers-Armstrong Armored Utility Tractor?
You got it good job....These tractors were manufactured under license from Vickers-Armstrong by the Belgian company Familleheureux in two version, infantry and cavalry.
Your turn.
Eric
[h=3]e plu·ri·bus u·num[/h]
What bombed out city is this, and what German force was trained as MPs in the area after surrender?
Hint : city was surrendered 21 October '44
germany.jpg
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