Attackers from either side had to cross hundreds of meters of machinegun-swept territory under artillery assault to initiate an offensive against the other. Several British officers were developing ways to protect infantry on the assault, and British Lt. Ernest Swinton came up with the idea to weaponize a recent American invention, the Holt Caterpillar Tractor.
Invented by Benjamin Holt in , the machine used tracked wheels to cross soft sand, mud, and other obstacles on the farm. Swinton figured that the tractor could be put to better use attacking German machine gun and artillery positions with armor plating and its own mounted artillery. The British brass were largely unimpressed with the idea, but the suggestion eventually made its way to First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill.
To keep the project a secret, the British filled out shipping documents that claimed the cargo was water tanks. Silcox suggests it was nine tanks and three extra armor sets, but gives no date as to when the order was placed. Crimson, it is suggested that ten were ordered. In any case, the order was reportedly shipped in to Karachi, India now Pakistan , and sent via train to Kabul, Afghanistan.
A holiday was supposedly declared, and the tanks were paraded in the city square. It is unknown how long these vehicles were in service for, although they appear to have been used at least until after WWII. It seems as though they were, at some point believed to be after , fitted with a pair of grills at the front of the engine compartment cut into the original armor plate , probably to avoid engine overheating. Their operational colors are unclear — most modern photos show them to be sand yellow, but one in the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul was painted dark green with an Afghan roundel.
Strangely, the same tank is believed to have been seen in a scrapyard in sand yellow livery. There are no further details of their use in Afghanistan. Surviving Vehicles in Afghanistan The earliest reported sighting of a Disston by a US soldier was perhaps as early as Since then, a common figure for the current number of Disstons remaining is two or three, but this does not appear to be the case — it seems that all five Afghan Disstons have been accounted for by modern photographs.
Reports from soldiers in Afghanistan is the best source to find out where these vehicles now lie, but reports from soldiers and photographs do not match up. Kingston Montgomery Winget who was in Afghanistan in has said that he has seen three. Ian Parker who was in Afghanistan in has reported only seen two but believes that there are three in Afghanistan. Other soldiers, namely, Dean Larsen, who served in Kanadahar in , and Steve Tyliszczak, who served primarily in Regional Command East, are helpful with their information on vehicles being scrapped in Afghanistan.
The varying figures are fairly simple to explain — not looking for Disstons specifically might seem obvious, but it must be noted that according to Dean Larsen, Soviet vehicles had been cut up by locals and parts were likely re-purposed. Worse still, a modern LAV III was abandoned overnight, and once the crew returned to recover it the following morning, all the tires were gone, and someone was even stripping down the armor plates! Similarly, Steve Tyliszczak recalls that small tank graveyards have been consolidated into larger graveyards, and the Chinese have been cutting up vehicles for scrap in several different provinces.
Based on this information, it is quite likely that local salvagers or more likely, military clean-up and scrap operations have meant that the vehicles have been moved, damaged further thus making the same vehicle in different photos hard to identify , or scrapped entirely. However, based on the reports of the aforementioned soldiers and photographs, the author has pieced together a likely set of locations for the remaining Disston Tractor Tanks: One vehicle likely located near Darul Aman Garrison, south of Kabul, last seen A Disston was reported at Darul Aman Garrison in , by testofbattle.
He believes that the one he saw at Darul Aman garrison still had its suspension and gun intact, and therefore, is the famous one from the National Museum of Afghanistan. This vehicle was kept outdoors, but the museum closed in the early s when rival Taliban factions fought for control of Darul Aman palace located over the road from the museum , and it was looted many times.
It is probable that the Disston at the museum has been removed by looters and was probably abandoned nearby. Three Disstons can be seen together in — apparently all long track types although it is hard to tell with the vehicle on the far left.
According to the poster on g According to sources, this photo was most likely taken between Forward Operating Base Scorpion and the Armor Branch School on the north-west side of Gharib Ghar, close to Range One and Two, and some old, bombed-out buildings. These vehicles appear to have been moved around over time, and may now be slightly further apart than the photo shows for aforementioned reasons. The fourth Disston at Pol-e-Charkhi is believed to be in a different tank graveyard area, and is most likely the only short-track type in existence.
According to Kingston Montgomery Winget, a single Disston is likely located at the fence line east of the Armor Branch School with many old Soviet vehicles, just before the firing ranges. This is evidenced further by Charles Lemons ex-curator of the US Armor and Cavalry Museum as he suggests that this short track vehicle was last photographed circa Lemons has also provided photos of this skeletal Disston tank , which he suggests were taken at KMTC.
Assuming this to be true, as it is hard to tell, but it appears to be a long-track type , then this short track type is a fourth vehicle at Pol-e-Charkhi, and is, as Winget suggests, located at the fence line east of the Armor Branch School. Final note on likelihood of locations However, due to the lack of photographs, the fact that available photos were taken over five years, the likelihood of further damage to the vehicles from scrapping thus making it exceptionally difficult to identify individual vehicles , and the fact that some may have been moved around over time, it is near impossible to say where these vehicles are currently, what condition they are in, and how many vehicles are actually left.
The ANA Afghan National Army would not even begin to entertain the offer without substantial bribes at multiple levels. He reports that he was offered a T , but in his opinion, getting it out through Pakistan would have been more trouble than it would have been worth.
The attempt to sell Kuwait and Romania Disston Tractor Tanks, and the successful sale to Afghanistan is documented with primary sources and clear photographic evidence. However, there were three more reported attempts to sell the vehicle. In some cases, there has been difficulty obtaining the original source material for the claims, however, additional research on the claim has been undertaken in each case. Sources will suggest that at some point between and , the US Army was offered the tanks, but refused to buy any.
In the same time frame, the USMC was reportedly interested and briefly operated sixteen. One source suggests that these tanks were from a diverted order from the Chinese, but this is not a substantiated claim. There is no photographic evidence for any of these suggestions, nor are there any available primary sources. Charles Lemons has stated that there is no photographic evidence for the Disston ever being in US military service.
He suggests that the USMC would certainly have taken photographs if they ever did operate any. It is his opinion that the Disston would not have been a good choice for the Marines because of its weight and size, and therefore, none were bought by the USMC. The later Bob Semple tractor tank from was a very similar design because it was built using a postcard depicting a Disston Tractor Tank.
The Bob Semple was based on the similar Caterpillar RD8 from , featured suspension that was lengthened in nearly the exact same manner, a similar turret design, same hatch designs, and even featured the exact same pistol port design. The proposal was rejected because the tanks were simply too slow. Regardless, there are no other sources to substantiate this claim, and the National Defense Headquarters and The Library and Archives Canada have both stated that they have no documents relating to this subject.
China is reported to have received or at least ordered four tanks. Silcox, four tanks were built in and delivered in because of security concerns. Many other book sources also suggest that China received some tanks, too.
There are no records of any negotiations or attempts to sell the Chinese the vehicles. Even if there were, it seems possible that the Chinese would not be interested in the vehicle. Whilst the situation was dire in the mid-late s, especially as Sino-German cooperation was coming to a close by , and it might logically follow that the Chinese would now be willing to buy tractor tanks, there is no credible evidence for even the marketing of Disston Tractor Tanks ever taking place.
If the Disston Tractor Tank was ever sold successfully to China, it is likely that a successful sale would involve Sutton, if he was not, by this time, busy with his mining operation in Korea. The leading academic on the western armaments trade to China in the early 20th century, Anthony B.
Chan was contacted, but unfortunately he has given no comment on the subject. The Disston Tractor Tank was, frankly, a get rich quick scheme, and the quality of the machine reflects this. Whilst it might be easy to accept the slick advertisements as fact, it was still little more than a tractor, slow and overburdened with some armor plate and a pair of guns.
The claims about China receiving tanks as late as or have not been substantiated, but could be true. It seems more probable than not that the vehicle was marketed to more nations than recorded in this article — however, relevant documents may remain undisturbed in national archives.
Prototype Disston Tractor Tank, circa This one was allegedly made in two hours from scrap metal. There were two types — most had lengthened track assemblies, but one retained the original and unmodified Caterpillar Model 35 track assembly. Five Disston Tractor Tanks on parade in Afghanistan, circa — the fifth is just out of shot to the right, but the tip of its engine deck and tracks can just be seen. The center tank does not have a lengthened track assembly.
This is the only photograph to show Disstons with their armaments. Several Disston Tractor Tanks in Kabul. These vehicles are likely to have been moved apart before These all appear to have long-track suspensions — important to note, as a fourth vehicle with a short track assembly is reported at Pol-e-Charkhi.
More recent view of what appears to be the vehicle in the far right of the above. It appears as though the vehicle has rusted further and the turret and what remains of the gun have been moved. It may have been moved apart from the other three over time Courtesy of Charles Lemons. Short-track type Disston Tractor tank, circa According to information provided by Kingston Montgomery Winget, this one likely located in a separate vehicle graveyard at the fence line east of the Armor Branch School, along with many old Soviet vehicles, just before the firing ranges.
Courtesy of Charles Lemons. Different view of the above. Different view of above, possibly at an earlier point in time. Disston Tractor Tank, believed to be at a garrison near Darul Aman Palace in southern Kabul circa — this is believed to be the one on display at the National Museum of Afghanistan, because it features the dummy gun and clear Afghan marking, now somewhat rusted.
The museum closed in the s when rival Taliban factions fought for control of nearby Darul Aman Palace. The engine grill is probably an Afghan modification to stop the engine from overheating. Holy cow, that thing looks derpy as hell I want it, and I want it naow! Just looking at it draws a smile on my face, it would be so much fun to troll players in this thing.
It had initial promises as mobile pillboxes, but you know what happens when a teeny tiny tank bumps up against a bigger tank Disston tractor tank. Greetings from Poland. Forums closed, discord our new home! Read more Search In. Sign in to follow this Followers 2. Staff posts. Recommended Posts. Report post. Posted November 24, edited. Armored Model A Tractor Armored Car Shortly before the US entered the Second World War, a respectable businessman and patriot John Deere, owner of the company of the same name, was concerned about the lack of sufficient armored vehicles from his own army, offered her his services.
Armament: two 7. Christiano Edited February 15, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites. SilvaRodrigo 1, Posted November 24, Posted November 25, Then we just need something that's built over a harvester. Flint74 Meanwhile, over in Britain Posted February 15, BrandonSolo10 3, On at AM, Flint74 said:.
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