CROSS-COUNTRY VEHICLE AND
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TRACTOR TRIALS.
Some Notes by an Eye-witness of the Military Trials of Cross-country and Six-wheeled Vehicles and Tractors which took Place Recently near Wool.
SOME cross-country trials of Considerable interest and importance were recently arranged and held by the military authorities in the neighbourhood of Bovington Camp, Wool, the actual scene being the Tank Corps Test ,Ground, which is a stretch of most difficult country teeming with natural and artificial obstacles in great variety, these incruding water-splashes, narrow and wide ditches and trenches, patches of soft peat-like surface, quagmires, heatherland with protruding stumps of trees, patches of bog and, finally, a steep hill which had to be ascended and descended.
It will thus be seen that the trials may be classified as really difficult; even for vehicles and tractors designed purely for cross-country work, and yet the seven or so six-wheelers which participated all came through without a single breakdown and gave performances almost, if not quite, equal to those of the specially designed machines. . In fact, the only cases in which they yailed occurred when endeavours were made to cross narrow and deep ditches direct instead of taking them at an angle, in which ease the front wheels uFte ally dropped into the ditches and were forced into the bank at the opposite side. • •
On the other hand, it must be remembered that the six-wheeled vehicle, whilst being equal or nearly equal to the purely cross-country vehicle in the latter's sphere of activity, is on the road even better than the ordinary four-wheeled vehicle and infinitely superior to any crosscountry machine. There are, no doubt, conditions under which the vehicle or machine designed for crosscountry work actually. proves. superior to the multiwheeler, but the difference is not great and it is questionable whether, it he worth while sacrificing what is an excellent proposition from the commercial point of view for types which possess but little value in this respect, for the commercial field for the croe-country vehicle is not great, whereas that for a type which will meet the requirements both of the Army authorities and civilian users has at its command aevast potential market.
So arduous were some of the tests that even some of the Dragons became bogged and had to be towed out by the large Tanks.
Excellent performances were also put up by the machines embodying four-wheel drive, such as the Hathi tractor and the F.w.r.)., which had front-wheel drive in addition to Roadless-Traction equipment. Particular interest also attaches to the performances of the McCormick-Deering and Fordson tractors which had Muir Hill equipment, including the special spring-spudded wheels. Another excellent little machine in the small tractor class was the Cletrac, which successfully hauled a 4.5-in, howitzer in and out of the double trenches, which were 6 ft. deep:
Much atimsement Was caused by the antics of the tiny Carden-Loyd one-man Tank, which is capable of running across country or on the road at over 20 M.p.h. A rather more dignified but very speedy Machine was 036 the Morris-Martell Tank for two men. Particular interest attached to the light six-wheeled Morris car carrying six men and 2-cwt. of stores. It ran in a most satisfactory manner and would appear to be ideal for . the work which it will have to carry out—that of keeping the staff in touch with vehicles travelling both across country and on the road, for' the ordidary fourwheeled car would be quite unsuitable for both classes of work—and equipping the staff with horses Would be of little use now that much higher average speeds can be attained.
Amongst the new machines which were tried out were the Holverta-Vulcan four-wheel-driven car and the F.W.D.-Roadless-Traction machine to which we have already referred. The Holverta-Vulcan appeared to be rather too lightly laden, also the chains around the tyres mere not large enough, with the result that on very soft patches spin occurred on all four wheels, even when the differential was locked. With the heavier load we, have no doubt it would have put up a vastly better performance. It appeared to have plenty of power ef it could have been utilized. .
The-15-cwt. Crosiley-Kegresse was -used as a battery staff Car and carried six men and -6 cwt. of stores. .The Thornycroft six-wheeler was also fitted out for passengers; carrying one machine-gun sub-section comprising 16 men, two machine guns and 32 boxes of S.A.A. The Morris-Roadless-Traction carried a ton load, 'the light six-wheeler Morris and Vulcan machines 1 ton each, and each of the medium-weight machines, such as the six-wheeled Guy and Karrier and the 30cwt. Burford-Kegresse and Crossley-Kegresse, carried 30 cwt. The medium-capacity six-wheeled Guy, a Morris-Roedless-Traction and another CrossleyKegresse,, also a Hathi tractor, each 'towed a 4.5-in. howitzer and its personnel, the weight with limber being about 2 tons. 'Another Hathi tractor and the F.W.D.Roadless-Traction machine each towed 60-pounder guns and limbers weighing about 5e, tons.
There were six main obstacles in the route followed, these being as follow : (1) a splash 2 ft. deep and a bank 3 ft. high leading from the middle of the splash: (2) a stream with soft bottom and a bog patch 20 ins, wide, ending in a slope of 12 degrees ; (3) small trenches 18 ins, wide and 2 ft. deep ; (4) ditches 6 ft. wide with banks 2 ft. 6 ins. high ; • (5) a double ditch with a total span of 45 ft. at an average depth of 6 ft. ; (6) Gallows Hill, which gave alternatives of an average slope Of 21 degrees and an average slope of 18 degrees. The ascent of these had to be followed by a descent of the 18-degree portion.
The total length of the route was only between two and two arid a half miles, but the arrangement was that the vehicles should follow in the sequence of their distinguishing numbers, and althofigh this assisted in keep-, ing them together and so enabled those inspecting the trials to compare the performances at each obstacle, it had the disadvantage that if a vehicle failed it halted all those behind until it was assisted out of its difficulties by a Dragon or Tank.
At the first obstacle—the splash—excellent croings were made by the Crossley-Kegresse, the HelvertaVulcan, the Morris six-wheeled private car and the Thornycroft six-wheeler carrying the machine gun subrection. The 1-ton Morris-Roadless-Traction stopped in the middle of the splash, misfired for a short time, but restarted and made the passage successfully. This was followed by two Morris six-wheelers equipped with their track chains; both these passed the obstacle without any difficulty. The Karrier 30-cwt. six-wheeler began to misfire slightly and hesitated, but got away well. The Burford-Kegresse was misfiring before the test and stopped on the downward slope, but slowly crawled away. A complete stop was also made by the CrossleyKegresse, but this was due to the driver not having changed to a lower gear, and when this was done the vehicle proceeded at once.
Much amusement was caused by the tiny Cletrac hauling a 4.5-in. howitzer. The driver of this thought lie would get through best at speed; unfortunately, he chose a rather deeper portion and the machine stopped with one of its tracks completely under water and its carburetter inlet about 2 ins, under, the driver being marooned, but a Tank was soon to the rescue.
The medium-weight Guy six-wheeler and the McCorwick-Deering tractor, both hauling 4.5-in, howitzers, came throtig,h in fine style. The 1-ton Morris-RoadlessTraction, which j, a most remarkable little machine and appears to heve its front wheels more often off the road than on it, made a plucky rush through the water to the steepest part of the hank. 'It was towing a howitzer and it stopped almost at the top of the bank with its two front wheels in the air. However, two men sat on the front wings to weigh down the front part of the vehicle and it got away quite easily without its gun being unlimbered. A Dragon following the Morris stopped at the same place and had to go back. The
new low-built model F.W.D.-Roadless-Traction with its 60-pounder gun went through without a falter.
We were rather surprised to find that so little difficulty was experienced by all vehicles in passing through the bog patch forming obstacle No. 2 and in climbing the very soft hill with a slope of 12 degrees which followed. The Hathi tractor climbed the hill successfully, but had to take its gun through in stages by letting out its rope and Winding the gun up.
At the third obstacle of small trenches, the HolvertaVrilcan slopped with its front wheels in the trench and brake drums resting on the ground. These drums should, on anything but the softest ground, assist in the driving in such circumstances, but all four wheels and the brake drums spun futilely, showing that it was net power hut adhesion that was lacking. The rest of the vehicles came through without difficulty.
Obstacle No. 4 proved very difficult for most of the vehicles. One Kegresse machine had to be towed out by a Dragon and the Crossley-Kegresse was stopped through the driving pulley slipping in the rubber track. It would seem preferable to have these pulleys fl rr ange d with teeth to engage teeth formed in the rubber tracks, as we,noticed in several cases the successful surmounting of obstacles was prevented by slip .occurring at this point.
A Fo-rdson traetor broke a coupling and left its gun in the ditch. We examined the broken parts and found that these were not part of the standard equipment, but an adaptation to suit the gun, and after fitting the standard hook and a draw rope ...the gun was easily extracted. Between the two ditches was a patch of porous, peaty ground which quivered under the foot and with every movement of the vehicles. It was so bad that one at least of the Dragons became bogged and had to be towed out by a Tank.
The second ditch, which was fairly wide but deep and soft, with almost vertical sides, proved one of the worst obstacles on the whole course. In the main, the c38
half-track machines, owing to the very light weight on the front wheels, got through exceptionally well, and we must give special commendation to the Morris-Roadless Traction, the Crossley-Kegresse and the F.W.D.Roadless-Traction. Some of the six-wheelers, however, owing to being forced to cross the ditch direct, dropped their front wheels into it and stubbed them against the opposite bank, further efforts to proceed merely driving the wheels into the sort peat, and as a result of this, several had to be towed out.
The Hathi tractor came through the softest ground by the process of utilizing a ground anchor of most practical construction and winching itself along, its gun being winched along in stages. We hope to give further particulars of the ground anchor in our next issue.
From the spectators' point of view the wide double trenches proved the most interesting and exciting. It was extraordinary to see the manner in which practically all the vehicles came through these ll-ft. deep trenches with steep banks with apparently little trouble. The Burford-Kegresse stopped at the bottom of the wider trench, but got out successfully. The CrossleyKegresse, which had already had sprocket slip, got so far as the parapet of the second trench, but the trouble recurred and assistance had to be given to this. Quite a cheer was given to the little Cletrac at the remarkable way it came through the two trenches hauling its gun.
At the rise before the first trench the Morris-Road
less-Traction 1-tonner stood on its tail several times before getting its gun on the move, but it came through with flying colours, its front wheels high in the air as it traversed the second parapet. A second CrossleyKegresse came through in good style, hut the gun became unlimbered and the howitzer ran back into the deeper ditch.
At Gallows Hill a 15-cwt. Crossley-Kegresse carrying men and stores provided quite a thrill. It came up the steepest part of the hill at a good speed, but just before it reached the top the front wheels lifted high off the ground and it looked as if it might turn over backwards ; instead of this, having lost steerage, it turned off to the left, dropped its wheels down and rocked sideways on the steep slope; it seemed for a moment as if it would roll over with its crew, but the driver gingerly turned it down the hill again, and much to the relief of the spectators and, we are sure, to the occupants, it proceeded in safety. It was a plucky effort and all but succeeded.
As a result of this episode the remainder of the vehicles were directed to the less difficult part of the hill with its average slope of 21 degrees. The Morris touring six-wheeler climbed this in excellent style, the Thornycroft stalled three-quarters of the way up, and the Karrier hesitated at top, but got over. A very good climb was made by the Morris six-wheeler, and, as showing the difficulty of the slope, even the little Cletrac slipped its tracks and came to a standstill. Here, again, there was a little sensation. because when the gun was unlimbered it ran down the hill, despite the efforts of a number of men, two of whom might very well. have taken no further interest in the trials; luckily, however, they got clear. The little MorrisRoadless-Traction, which was equipped with the new spudded tracks, came up without hesitation with its howitzer and eight men. This applied also to the performance of the Crossley-Kegresse.