VAULTING TANKS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 252, 16 June 1932, Page 7

VAULTING TANKS

MILITARY OFFICERS IMPRESSED BY THE LATEST BRITISH DEYELOPMENT. jumps eight-foot trenchEs. A "pole-jumping" tank is the latest British development. By means of a simple fitting the tank is able to "vault" across gaps nearly twice as wide as could formeriy be crossed by tanks. of the same dimensions. There is no need to emphasise its importance for overcoming ditches, sniall streams, trenches and similar obstacles which may check the tank when travelling across country. The fitting consists of a short spfidelike pole, which is hinged to a pfojecting ann at the front of the tank. It might almost be compared with an elephant's trunk. But the tank diffets from the elephant in having anbther trunk somewhat similar at the baek. When the tank comes to a gap, and its hose pushes out across the void, the front "pole" engages in the bank on the far side of the gap. Then with a quick heave the tank climbs, or "vaults" over, its tail being held tlp and prev'ented from failing into the gap by the rear pole — which mottidntarily engages in the near bank. By the application of this pole-jumping principle and attachment, the light tank is able to cross a gap of abont 8ift, instead of the normal 4Sft. Denionstrations have recently been given by light tanks thus fitted. ILnfantry officers who have seen them seem much impressed by the gap-bqstriding powers of this new means of mobile action, which has carried a big step further the resurrected possibilities of the decisive "cavalary" charge which so often won the battles of past history. '