Steam Wheel Tank
Encyclopedia
The Steam Wheel Tank was the official US Army name for the vehicle also known as the three-wheeled steam tank
, the Holt Steam Tank and the Holt 150 Ton Field Monitor. It was an early U.S. produced tank
built by the Holt Manufacturing Company (now Caterpillar Inc.
) sometime between late 1916 and early 1917. It was the third tank to be designed in the U.S. and was completed in 1918.
The Steam Wheel Tank was designed on the basis of the early "Big Wheel" Landship concepts put forward by Great Britain in 1915 and also resembles the German Treff As-Wagen of 1917.
It had two large eight feet diameter wheels with three feet wide treads, located at the front on each side of the substructure. These wheels were made out of several sheets of pressed steel and were not specially manufactured, being of the type used on Holt agricultural machinery of the period. At the rear was a roller wheel to be used for steering. A small skid plate or tail was attached to this roller to assist in trench-crossing. Both front wheels were driven by individual power units which consisted of a Doble
2 cylinder 75 hp steam engine and Doble kerosene fired boiler.
The vehicle's main armament was a 2.95" (75 mm) mountain howitzer mounted low in the front. A .50 caliber Browning machine gun was carried in a ball mount on each hull side.
While it is sometimes known as the Holt 150 Ton Field Monitor, the stated weight was approximately seventeen tons, so it is likely that the "150 ton" nomenclature was either an effort to obscure the design from spies or an error. Its riveted armour plating was between six and fifteen millimetres thick.
One prototype was completed in February 1918 and was evaluated between March and May 1918 at Aberdeen Proving Ground
. Some reports of the evaluation state the tank became stuck after fifty feet, thus ending its evaluation.
Three-wheeled steam tank
The Three-Wheeled Steam Tank was a project created in 1918 and it was several new concepts offered to the United States Army under a program begun enthusiastically the previous year...
, the Holt Steam Tank and the Holt 150 Ton Field Monitor. It was an early U.S. produced tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
built by the Holt Manufacturing Company (now Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
) sometime between late 1916 and early 1917. It was the third tank to be designed in the U.S. and was completed in 1918.
The Steam Wheel Tank was designed on the basis of the early "Big Wheel" Landship concepts put forward by Great Britain in 1915 and also resembles the German Treff As-Wagen of 1917.
It had two large eight feet diameter wheels with three feet wide treads, located at the front on each side of the substructure. These wheels were made out of several sheets of pressed steel and were not specially manufactured, being of the type used on Holt agricultural machinery of the period. At the rear was a roller wheel to be used for steering. A small skid plate or tail was attached to this roller to assist in trench-crossing. Both front wheels were driven by individual power units which consisted of a Doble
Doble steam car
Any of several makes of steam-powered automobile in the early 20th century, including Doble Detroit, Doble Steam Car, and Doble Automobile, are referred to as a Doble because of their founding or association with Abner DobleFox Stephen...
2 cylinder 75 hp steam engine and Doble kerosene fired boiler.
The vehicle's main armament was a 2.95" (75 mm) mountain howitzer mounted low in the front. A .50 caliber Browning machine gun was carried in a ball mount on each hull side.
While it is sometimes known as the Holt 150 Ton Field Monitor, the stated weight was approximately seventeen tons, so it is likely that the "150 ton" nomenclature was either an effort to obscure the design from spies or an error. Its riveted armour plating was between six and fifteen millimetres thick.
One prototype was completed in February 1918 and was evaluated between March and May 1918 at Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. Some reports of the evaluation state the tank became stuck after fifty feet, thus ending its evaluation.