typical british veteran - they know their stuff inside/out. I've met his aviation equivalent and it was phenomenal: all the de havilland jets... and i mean every last inch of these things inside them, metals, materials, frames, engines, weapons, early ejection seats, canopies...
Plus he is great to listen to. Good well paced delivery and no gimmicks. Great that these videos are recorded to share on RUclips. If you get chance to visit Tank Museum at Bovington - do so.
Beside motorcycles, NSU, after the war , also made micro-cars, some smaller than the Volkswagen, up til the early 70's. NSU also developed the Wankel (rotary) engine which they licensed to Mazda. If you look at the stampings on a Mazda rotary engine, you'll probably see NSU patent numbers, etc.
And lots of NSU technology went to Volkswagen when they bought NSU in 1969. It is unpopular opinion (but I am automotive engineer and I have done my research on it) but Passat and Golf were extension of previous developments in NSU. And Prinz was licenced/copied in Soviet Union and Yugoslavia pretty extensively.
The Kettenkrad may have been "over-engineered" (that btw, is an OVER used term, lol) but it was developed not with the military in mind but the European logging industry.
Yes, I too would like to be able to buy a remote controlled, tracked demolition charge. I can think of so many uses. Oh, you weren´t talking about the Springer? Nevermind.
The British did a light halftrack (bigger then the Kettenkrad) but not massive. They also looked into offroad vehicles and decided the wheeled vehicles 6x6 and 8x8 were cheaper and better. Although there were many proposals for truck conversions to halftracks.
To be honest, reproductions of this are already made. The main issue is the market for it, not many people are willing to buy it. It's not practical and is only used for show off with to be able to say "i have one" mind set
Not sure I'd call it love, exactly, from Ian. He described it as scary to drive, and waiting to roll over and kill you. OK, that was for him personally - he did give it a lot of positives in the video. But the first part is fun to point out.
I often suspect the kettenkrad's popularity with infantry wasn't particularly for it's capabilities, but more because it was a better option than walking and carrying stuff (and also fun to drive).
So many military vehicles have cramped and uncomfortable seating. I imagine anyone riding in one for more than half an hour must keep reminding him/herself "it's better than walking, it's better than walking."
During the '50s, NSU came out with other motorcycle designs that had excellent engineering though I doubt the designer of this tracked vehicle had much to do with them. The NSU Max was a top-of-the-line 250cc OHC single that had little competition for excellence and quality.
My grandfather rode on one of these during the war. He was also laid on top of a Willy's Jeep hood when the allies brought him to a military hospital. A British scout car crew gave his mother a lift, so she could visit him when he was in the POW camp after the capitulation. The British had the reputation of treating German POWs best out of all the allies.
Have fun with the maintenance of those individually lubricated track links... ;) I'd get one myself if I could, get some kind of reinforced rubber or double pin dry track and swap the engine for a modern drive train modified to fit the original chassi while conservating the original parts so that the whole vehicle can be fully restored with the original parts without need for cutting or welding.
How would they rate for going on a off road motorbike tour? There might be a specialty market for a _updated modern reconstruction?_ Base it off a good off-road bike and engine, they're a few diesel dirt bikes for military use (logistics, you don't need a separate fuel supply, unless you're running Abrams) that would be appropriate, and the engine could always be donated from a larger vehicle or even fitted as a diesel electric drivetrain. And there may be something of appropriate size that could be used for the tracks (maybe a small bobcat), or just some reliable tracks designed. The only question is do they try to make it look like the original, or a sleek modern interpretation?
@@SonsOfLorgar the original plans are free available. you could build one from scratch or with modern materials. Aluminum tub, Carbonfiber track wheels, selflubricating sealed bearings etc.etc.
The first time I heard of the Kettenkrad was an article I read in Easy Rider motorcycle magazine back in the late 1970's, since then, I've always wanted one.
@@richieb7692 and then the Swedes take the german design, simplifies it, improves it and sell it flat-packed with a name no non-scandinavian could even hope to pronounce properly.
The picture of the "Springer" and other vehicles at 13:38 is really cool. I especially like the stacked tank hulls and turrets in the background. ☺ Thank you to David and all at The Tank Museum for the outstanding content and presentation! ☺
@@badlandskid The handlebar system had a necessary hydraulic system that let the tracks do the steering, however, if you were going at speed, the wheel in the front would turn the vehicle a small bit, as when you are changing lanes while driving down the highway.
@@LeveretteJamesClifford1955 also, the motorcycle frontwheel allowed the kettenkrad to traverserse steeper steps that its tracks could do, you see you push the motorcycle frontwheel against an obstacle and the wheel wanders up the obstacle whilst the tracks push from behind, once the wheel is atop the obstacle the vehicle can follow thus allowing it to take some higher steps (trenches or similar) than a comparable full-tracked vehicle would be able to
At low speeds and less harsh corners the wheel actually does steer you before the hydraulic system took over to control the tracks. ….I have driven one!
I remember seeing one of these at a Kaserne in 1990. It was cammo grey with an iron cross on it. It really was a tease because we saw all these rare German WWII tanks and armor but couldn’t take pictures. The things I saw that day.
7:39 the Kettenkraftrad without the front wheel looks like a personal carrier version of that Panzerkampfwagen I Ausführung C, i think it's tracks inspired the design of the late Panzer I and II variants
The front wheel is a mud rudder. That's the reason the front wheel is solid and not made with spokes or cutouts to make it lighter like a typical wheel.
On another note about the front wheel, per a comment on the ForgottenWeapons Kettenkrad video recently, apparently during the war some maintenance types working on these would occasionally take it driving without the front wheel... straight through groups of regular soldiers while loudly (feigning) panic and yelling that's out of control. :D
The man that came up with the idea for the Kettenkrad, Ernst Kniepkamp was huge by the end of the war as regards tanks. He was to go back and forth between the army and the higher ups and work out what they wanted in future vehicles, then he was to go direct to industry. He was running around with the design briefs for the E-100, E-75 .ect in his sachel.
I like the way it steers using the motorcycle front wheel. For harder turns the one track will slow and the other track will keep speed up to assist with the turn.
I had one of these which I got from the German forestry service. Put it together, and had fun with it on California streets where I licensed it as a NSU motorcycle. Drove it around Torrance and Redondo Beach, and finally sold it to Harrod's Club in Reno, NV for $4,500 back in the 1970's..!
Well, this is wonderfully timed! I've been gathering as much info on the Kettenkrad as possible recently with the idea of making my own bootleg version. I even nabbed a copy of the patent files. I'm not the first one to do so by a long shot, and this is definitely not a small project but as far as tracted vehicles go, this isn't as complicated as people think. I mean, the drive and steering system is outright simpler than a modern car's. Only thing that's still up in the air are the tracks. I either make them faithful to the original or just buy a pair off the shelf from a manufacturer. The original track links are just so damn over-engineered, especially when you compare them to more modern implements.
The problem with rubber tracks is that slim ones can twist and come out of the track on tight turns, and the tracks on the Ketten are some of the thinnest track ever seen in the field.
@@tacomas9602 I'd pretty much have to make the same tracks, except probably with a better bearing system that I don't need to oil every two days. I'd obviously simplify the process since the original Kettenkrad tracks are cast steel. I could probably get away with fashioning tracks out of quarter-inch steel plate. Draw, bore, cut, shape, add an extra quarter inch steel bushing and weld it in place, and ream. Do that like a hundred times and I might have a set of tracks.
I can't see this in the comments anywhere, but the Kettenkrad is registered as a Luftwaffe vehicle (WL = Wehrmacht Luftwaffe) - in the video David Willey mentions that it may have had an earlier role with a Panzer Division. Did they change the registration letters when the user changed, for example from WH to WL when a vehicle moved from Heer to Luftwaffe use or WL to WH vice versa?
This is Great , just subscribed. The significant other just rolls hers eyes and shakes her head , but, l am watching all of these twice . thanks well done
Look like they'd be useful today. I've seen quads used on the fields and forests around here, but some of the tracks through the forests are so bad, quads struggle.
*Always liked the Kettenkrad....always take one for a spin in Forgotten Hope 2 on way to my sniper positions on the map* *Bonham Auctions sold one and it went between 70-100k...wow*
With a little modification and a modern look I could see where the kettenkrad and springer could go back into production for those true backwoods hunters and offroad enthusiasts. They would certainly give ATVs decent competition.
newatlas.com/mtt-136-personal-electric-sled/30932/ comes pretty close, it has the drive part (track, engine, batteries) but you will need some extras to turn it into a vehicle. Electric engines are great for instant torque. (and for military applications stealth as they are less noisy, with the distinct disadvantage of loading time).
I assume you are too young to remember the "Ski-Do Alpine"; twin 18 inch tracks and the front ski was merely a guide, but you could pull your truck out of the ditch with it.
It used a controlled differential that was licensed to be built for it as a forestry vehicle from the Cleveland tractor company in America. The same setup that the Sherman tank used...a cletrac differential. Much more efficient than normal diff braking but didn't allow for full braked turns.
My kid brother liked these so much he built a very crude version in the late 80s. We used "3 Wheeler" ATVs as a cheap donor vehical and spare parts. It still works. I prefer to use horses or mules to drag logs. But sometimes they get tired and I use it instead of a whip. My draft animals are more like pets. Some want to work more than 6 hours but I don't work them more for their longevity. Just use my brother's "Lil Mule" half track motorcycle to pull logs instead.
I always wondered how the Kettenkrad overcame monumental understeer from that ineffectual looking front wheel. The answer as explained here, is turning the handlebars also engaged the tracks. Like "Hobart's Funnies", the Kettenkrad was one of the weird-but-effective mobile devices WW2 threw up.
I have somewhere a photo taken in the 60s of me around 6 or 7 years old sat in the drivers seat of that actual Kettenkrad at the Tank Museum (unless they have two!) I went back a year a two ago and showed them the photo, they seemed quite interested, I asked if I might be allowed to recreate it, they said no.
My grandfather said he was in a unit wich operated these remote controlled explosive vehicles. Gerät... somethingsomething Now i know what he was talking abou, thank you!
My grandfather grabbed one left by the Germans in 45. Used it as a tractor on the farm until the late 70’s when he gave it away to a fellow that chopped it to pieces to make a home made tracked vehicle, such a shame.
What a fascinating little vehicle, I might almost call it cute if it wasn't military. Interested to see it was used up until the 1960s. I wonder why they didn't continue production with a modernized model ? Perhaps that was when the 3 and 4 wheeled ATVs came in for off road work.
2:25 Correction: "Kleines Kettenkrad" literally means "Small tracked motorbike". "Krad" is short for "Kraftrad", which means "powered wheel" and refers to motorbikes.
I said it on ians video that cover this and i say it again. I feel like this video would be better with a detailed explanation of how to adjust track tension and a " oh my the track vechial is on fire!" Drill. Good job on the history.
i tend to forget that in wwII there were no wireless communications. If you wanted a word with someone, you needed to lay down cables. seems a fitting vehicle.
I would love to have one of these myself. A bike that can go damn near anywhere AND can pull a pretty substantial amount of weight. Course Id hate to use it for work because they are pretty rare these days I imagine.
Steering system from Cletrac, an American maker of crawler tractors. Later Cletrac was purchased by Oliver. The steering system provides power to both tracks while ( whilst😅) turning.
Wait.... You can put snow chains on a Kettenkrad? 8:43 Trying to wrap my mind around that, Forgive my naivete, please, but isn't the whole point of dual tracks being weight distribution over a large(r) surface area to thus provide maximum traction? (Whle not sinking into the muck as readily as wheels/tires.) I suppose chains would help when a rather steep, icy, slope is being navigated, but otherwise - why bother to carry along snow chains? I'm trying to image that.... Sort of like imaginning a Tiger or Sherman meandering through the Arden with snow chains mounted.
@@wwiiinplastic4712 There are also lots of pictures of them towing bomb sleds, ammo crates and things around airfields. Not seen one used as a crew taxi - I suspect if you put an entire He.111 crew on a Kettenkraftrad, it would just refuse to move!
For a lot of people interleaving wheels = overengeneered, and I guess the tracks are a bit maintnance heavy from a modern perspective. Though I would say the long term sucess the vehicle has in the civilian sector proves the the vehicle was capable and reliable enough to do the job. Though as a counterpoint, since there is no modern equivalen of the Kettenkrad, it seems to have been a evolutionary dead end.
Zafran Orbian idk about dead end while I doubt that there is any direct linkage to snowmobiles, snowmobiles share some superficial similarities. In that it’s a “half tracked” vehicle of a small size, useful in snow, and serves well in utility roles. Snowmobiles are deftly more specialized however. Either way super cool vehicle.
Matter of perspective, if you take a bike with a sidewagon for comparism? But if you compare it to Universal carrier instead, it is not overengineered at all. You'd probably get 75% of the abilities of the carrier for 50% of the resources to manufacture one.
@@zafranorbian757 There have been several equivalents made over the years, Bombardier mad the Imp, and our family used to have the Ranger tracked vehicle. They have all been surpassed in utility for the most part by wheeled vehicles or snow specific machines. Still, what a great little replacement for a mule.
10:20 here we can see the tiger I was COMPLETELY useless on its own, as it required to be supported by a kettenkrad, people often sadly undermine that the kettenkrad was the truly most important vehicle, forgetting the fact all vehicles rely on the kettenkrads existence
What a great orator, he hardly paused for breath. Don't know if he was reading a autoque, but he sure knew his stuff.
typical british veteran - they know their stuff inside/out. I've met his aviation equivalent and it was phenomenal: all the de havilland jets... and i mean every last inch of these things inside them, metals, materials, frames, engines, weapons, early ejection seats, canopies...
Yes very good , makes it clear an interesting 👍
Plus he is great to listen to. Good well paced delivery and no gimmicks. Great that these videos are recorded to share on RUclips. If you get chance to visit Tank Museum at Bovington - do so.
David Willey knows everything.
Please take note YT wannabees who can't even post a long sentence without a cut in the middle.
Beside motorcycles, NSU, after the war , also made micro-cars, some smaller than the Volkswagen, up til the early 70's. NSU also developed the Wankel (rotary) engine which they licensed to Mazda. If you look at the stampings on a Mazda rotary engine, you'll probably see NSU patent numbers, etc.
Awesome to see you watch this channel!
And lots of NSU technology went to Volkswagen when they bought NSU in 1969. It is unpopular opinion (but I am automotive engineer and I have done my research on it) but Passat and Golf were extension of previous developments in NSU. And Prinz was licenced/copied in Soviet Union and Yugoslavia pretty extensively.
The Kettenkrad may have been "over-engineered" (that btw, is an OVER used term, lol) but it was developed not with the military in mind but the European logging industry.
I recently saw a very cool postwar nsu scooter. Lovely and well engineered.
These should be publicly available and built again. They're so cool.
Yes, I too would like to be able to buy a remote controlled, tracked demolition charge. I can think of so many uses.
Oh, you weren´t talking about the Springer?
Nevermind.
The British did a light halftrack (bigger then the Kettenkrad) but not massive. They also looked into offroad vehicles and decided the wheeled vehicles 6x6 and 8x8 were cheaper and better. Although there were many proposals for truck conversions to halftracks.
yes!
To be honest, reproductions of this are already made. The main issue is the market for it, not many people are willing to buy it. It's not practical and is only used for show off with to be able to say "i have one" mind set
Yeah but they probably use four times more fuel than an average motorcycle.
Between this, Military History Visualized, and Forgotten Weapons, the Kettengrad has gotten a lot of love recently, really enjoying it!
I wish Meccanno would make a kit
IKR i personally love this vehicle so its cool to hear more about it
@@MrDaiseymay
Tamiya and Revell make model kits.
Any model shop can get them, also there are quite a few on Amazon
Cobi, a not-lego company, have a rather lovely kit for it too
Not sure I'd call it love, exactly, from Ian. He described it as scary to drive, and waiting to roll over and kill you. OK, that was for him personally - he did give it a lot of positives in the video. But the first part is fun to point out.
I often suspect the kettenkrad's popularity with infantry wasn't particularly for it's capabilities, but more because it was a better option than walking and carrying stuff (and also fun to drive).
Or better than a horse - famously most of the Wehrmacht was NOT motorised.
So many military vehicles have cramped and uncomfortable seating. I imagine anyone riding in one for more than half an hour must keep reminding him/herself "it's better than walking, it's better than walking."
Comments: "It doesn't look that over-engineered."
Kettenkrad designers: "The wheel is optional."
And it weights over 1200 kilograms
Something like 124 lubrication points on this beast. Almost as bad as a Hummer.
@Paul Beduhn but the wheel is optional
HAHAhaaaarrrhhhrhgh!
During the '50s, NSU came out with other motorcycle designs that had excellent engineering though I doubt the designer of this tracked vehicle had much to do with them. The NSU Max was a top-of-the-line 250cc OHC single that had little competition for excellence and quality.
My grandfather rode on one of these during the war. He was also laid on top of a Willy's Jeep hood when the allies brought him to a military hospital. A British scout car crew gave his mother a lift, so she could visit him when he was in the POW camp after the capitulation. The British had the reputation of treating German POWs best out of all the allies.
One of the most aesthetically pleasing German vehicle
I was going to say the opposite. It just looks goofy to me. It's no Panther.
I think it's disproportionate. Like a fat guy with a very small head.
Tsar Alexaner, spreading the Deza
good russian )
lol what
@@LamgiMari Do not speak ill of the kettenkraftrad, for it's silly appearance belies It's capability to crush you under it's formidable thread.
It's good vehicle when you and your bud are travelling across the post apocalyptic wasteland in winter
A vehicle fit for true masters of cute nihilism.
Sounds like fun
Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou
Ah yes, another girl's last tour comment
How many cases of beer could it carry??
I always loved these machines. What a great vehicle in snowy weather.
The Kettenkrad is my first purchase when I win the lottery.
They look good, and I've heard that they are a total blast to ride..
Have fun with the maintenance of those individually lubricated track links... ;)
I'd get one myself if I could, get some kind of reinforced rubber or double pin dry track and swap the engine for a modern drive train modified to fit the original chassi while conservating the original parts so that the whole vehicle can be fully restored with the original parts without need for cutting or welding.
Get that sorted in a morning. Go for a blast in the afternoon
Or, as I've won the lottery, someone else can do it for me.
How would they rate for going on a off road motorbike tour?
There might be a specialty market for a _updated modern reconstruction?_
Base it off a good off-road bike and engine, they're a few diesel dirt bikes for military use (logistics, you don't need a separate fuel supply, unless you're running Abrams) that would be appropriate, and the engine could always be donated from a larger vehicle or even fitted as a diesel electric drivetrain.
And there may be something of appropriate size that could be used for the tracks (maybe a small bobcat), or just some reliable tracks designed.
The only question is do they try to make it look like the original, or a sleek modern interpretation?
@@SonsOfLorgar the original plans are free available.
you could build one from scratch or with modern materials.
Aluminum tub, Carbonfiber track wheels, selflubricating sealed bearings etc.etc.
Schwimmwagen
YES! I have been waiting for this tank-chat for ever.
Thank you David, excellent as usual
The first time I heard of the Kettenkrad was an article I read in Easy Rider motorcycle magazine back in the late 1970's, since then, I've always wanted one.
German language is famous for having a word (often long compounds) for everything.
But there is no German equivalent to "over-engineered".
It doesn't mean exactly the same and is a neologism, but "verschlimmbessert" just came to my mind :D
@@bratzo0815
One of my favourite terms but, doesn't fit very well in this case.
@@bratzo0815 that would rather fit soviets XD or "überentwickelt" as a close call tho not so sure About that
cause over engineering doesnt exist. its just british jealousy
@@soundofeighthooves
Yep.
'Over-engineered' - standard practice for the Germans. I think the Germans could over-engineer a screwdriver.
R Roberts Inbus is a German invention.
For most jobs you can knock screws in with a Hammer.
But it will last you a lifetime.
Doctor Who has on over engineered screwdriver.
The Germans would still improve it, though
@@richieb7692 and then the Swedes take the german design, simplifies it, improves it and sell it flat-packed with a name no non-scandinavian could even hope to pronounce properly.
Engineer:"Do you want a motorcycle or a tank?"
Hitler:"Yes."
@MichaelKingsfordGray you don't need to describe yourself, buddy.
Best comment so far😂😂
MichaelKingsfordGray lowbrow asshat trollololol
The picture of the "Springer" and other vehicles at 13:38 is really cool. I especially like the stacked tank hulls and turrets in the background. ☺ Thank you to David and all at The Tank Museum for the outstanding content and presentation!
☺
I see... this is the EXACT vehicle portrayed in the [Girls' Last Tour] anime series.
Every details is on point.
"The motorcycle wheel does nothing, we just added it to make the machine more complicated." -Germany
Haha, I was scrolling down to see who had beat me to this comment. 👍🏼
@@badlandskid The handlebar system had a necessary hydraulic system that let the tracks do the steering, however, if you were going at speed, the wheel in the front would turn the vehicle a small bit, as when you are changing lanes while driving down the highway.
@@LeveretteJamesClifford1955 also, the motorcycle frontwheel allowed the kettenkrad to traverserse steeper steps that its tracks could do, you see you push the motorcycle frontwheel against an obstacle and the wheel wanders up the obstacle whilst the tracks push from behind, once the wheel is atop the obstacle the vehicle can follow thus allowing it to take some higher steps (trenches or similar) than a comparable full-tracked vehicle would be able to
@@corbindrollinger1948 thanks for that, a sensible comment here for a change.
At low speeds and less harsh corners the wheel actually does steer you before the hydraulic system took over to control the tracks. ….I have driven one!
Thanks for going in depth on this unique military vehicle!
People can be as rude about it as they like (David Willey isn't; he's just informative) but I still want one. Always have, always will.
These really are excellent presentations. Having just discovered them I’m just binge watching the lot.
I would love to have a Kettenkraftrad. Such an amazing little vehicle! I've long admired them and didn't know production continued after the wars end.
I love the kettenkrad. It’s such a unique and cool little vehicle. One day I’ll try and get ahold of one.
I remember seeing one of these at a Kaserne in 1990. It was cammo grey with an iron cross on it. It really was a tease because we saw all these rare German WWII tanks and armor but couldn’t take pictures. The things I saw that day.
As the Springer was a WWII German vehicle does that make it a “Jerry Springer?”
Tobias Gibson booooooo 🙄
Ha!
Comedy gold.
i prefer Tommy Cookers
Thanks for that - just spat out my cup of tea from laughing! Bravo.
This little rabbit is my hands-down favorite vehicle from WWII.
The orator does a great job. Can’t wait to visit this tank museum
Great tank chat possibly one of the best , always look it out when I’m down at the museum
7:39 the Kettenkraftrad without the front wheel looks like a personal carrier version of that Panzerkampfwagen I Ausführung C, i think it's tracks inspired the design of the late Panzer I and II variants
The front wheel is a mud rudder. That's the reason the front wheel is solid and not made with spokes or cutouts to make it lighter like a typical wheel.
On another note about the front wheel, per a comment on the ForgottenWeapons Kettenkrad video recently, apparently during the war some maintenance types working on these would occasionally take it driving without the front wheel... straight through groups of regular soldiers while loudly (feigning) panic and yelling that's out of control. :D
When David politely asks me to please subscribe if I enjoy tank chats, and I love them, and I have been subscribed for years...
The man that came up with the idea for the Kettenkrad, Ernst Kniepkamp was huge by the end of the war as regards tanks. He was to go back and forth between the army and the higher ups and work out what they wanted in future vehicles, then he was to go direct to industry. He was running around with the design briefs for the E-100, E-75 .ect in his sachel.
The Kettenkrad is the "sidekick" character in the Japanese anime _Girls' Last Tour._
an absalut masterpiece of an anime.
ok zoomer
As a weeb I am happy to find this in every single Kettenkrad video I've been to.
@@Brahmdagh I've been watching anime since the 90s and I love those cold potatoes
Be gone WEEB
A light tracked runabout...almost seems like an equivalent to the British Universal Carrier, in role at least if not in design.
That could get me to some nice fishing, hunting spots !
Thank you These Kettenkrads did great service. So easy to say over-engineered. What else works in the snow & mud??
Just a forerunner of the snowmobile.
I like the way it steers using the motorcycle front wheel. For harder turns the one track will slow and the other track will keep speed up to assist with the turn.
I like the picture of the two Springers with the Tiger II hulls and turrets in the background.
location is Kassel near the Henschel company, the Tiger hulls are taken from production line by US Troops they are incomplete and wait for scraping.
I had one of these which I got from the German forestry service. Put it together, and had fun with it on California streets where I licensed it as a NSU motorcycle. Drove it around Torrance and Redondo Beach, and finally sold it to Harrod's Club in Reno, NV for $4,500 back in the 1970's..!
So there's at least 2 Kettenkrads in America then.
Nice photo at 13:40 with the panther hulls stacked up in the background. Thanks for this very interesting non tank Tank Chat!
Those are tiger hulls. Notice the turrets.
Sir Moke Tiger 2 and Panther Hull does look lot alike though
Those are tiger 2 hulls... And those 2 turrets looks definitely like Henschel turrets for Tiger 2.... Really nice photo....
Thank you for finally clearing up how these steer
The first time I saw the Kettenkrad was in a article of "Easy Rider" motorcycle magazine here in the US back in the mid 1970's
Fascinating vehicle. Great research and presentation. Thanks!
I love this thing, it is just so weird and unique
Spielberg managed to get a hold of one for the final scene of Saving Private Ryan. (1998).
I was born lucky!
Get on the rabbit!
He better have bought it from the owner and kept it for personal use.
Well, this is wonderfully timed!
I've been gathering as much info on the Kettenkrad as possible recently with the idea of making my own bootleg version. I even nabbed a copy of the patent files. I'm not the first one to do so by a long shot, and this is definitely not a small project but as far as tracted vehicles go, this isn't as complicated as people think. I mean, the drive and steering system is outright simpler than a modern car's.
Only thing that's still up in the air are the tracks. I either make them faithful to the original or just buy a pair off the shelf from a manufacturer. The original track links are just so damn over-engineered, especially when you compare them to more modern implements.
make rubber ones.
@@tacomas9602 buy rubber ones
The problem with rubber tracks is that slim ones can twist and come out of the track on tight turns, and the tracks on the Ketten are some of the thinnest track ever seen in the field.
@@axelord4ever youd have to get metal ones made up, or use thick rubber with metal on both sides..?
@@tacomas9602 I'd pretty much have to make the same tracks, except probably with a better bearing system that I don't need to oil every two days. I'd obviously simplify the process since the original Kettenkrad tracks are cast steel. I could probably get away with fashioning tracks out of quarter-inch steel plate. Draw, bore, cut, shape, add an extra quarter inch steel bushing and weld it in place, and ream. Do that like a hundred times and I might have a set of tracks.
always amazing just how much stuff you guys manage to put into your videos, love it!
I can't see this in the comments anywhere, but the Kettenkrad is registered as a Luftwaffe vehicle (WL = Wehrmacht Luftwaffe) - in the video David Willey mentions that it may have had an earlier role with a Panzer Division. Did they change the registration letters when the user changed, for example from WH to WL when a vehicle moved from Heer to Luftwaffe use or WL to WH vice versa?
This is Great , just subscribed. The significant other just rolls hers eyes and shakes her head , but, l am watching all of these twice . thanks well done
Kettenkrad was the coolest vehicle ever made!!!! A motorcycle with tank tracks, I want one!!!!!!!!!
Look like they'd be useful today. I've seen quads used on the fields and forests around here, but some of the tracks through the forests are so bad, quads struggle.
Managed to see a couple of Kettenkrads at the War and Peace show, looks as good in the metal as it does in the images.
*Always liked the Kettenkrad....always take one for a spin in Forgotten Hope 2 on way to my sniper positions on the map*
*Bonham Auctions sold one and it went between 70-100k...wow*
With a little modification and a modern look I could see where the kettenkrad and springer could go back into production for those true backwoods hunters and offroad enthusiasts. They would certainly give ATVs decent competition.
They already have them, they’re called Argo’s.
Charles Martin I can see what you mean. Your comment just reminded me of the Rokon, the other ATV competition no one seems to know about.
Tank Museum's Last Tour.
Girl's Last Tour is has such a depressing story though
3rd from top and still too low
Dakara 1 2 3 de arukidase!!!
The tracked vehicle preferred by potatoes.
It's the best vehicle for exploring the post apocalyptic world with your best friend.
Eternal Goddess In a post what you said you’ve eaten your best friend.
Danny Church *eat out
if manufacturers would produce something like this today they would sell faster than ATV's.
I'd like to have one or two.
newatlas.com/mtt-136-personal-electric-sled/30932/ comes pretty close, it has the drive part (track, engine, batteries) but you will need some extras to turn it into a vehicle.
Electric engines are great for instant torque. (and for military applications stealth as they are less noisy, with the distinct disadvantage of loading time).
@@57thorns Looks like a retrograde compared to this.
I assume you are too young to remember the "Ski-Do Alpine"; twin 18 inch tracks and the front ski was merely a guide, but you could pull your truck out of the ditch with it.
Argocat. Can have tracks with an optional kit.
13:49 What's in the background? Are those Tiger II hulls? The turrets look about right for Tiger II turrets.
It used a controlled differential that was licensed to be built for it as a forestry vehicle from the Cleveland tractor company in America. The same setup that the Sherman tank used...a cletrac differential. Much more efficient than normal diff braking but didn't allow for full braked turns.
Great history of the Kettenkrad! Never knew about the Springer.
I think alot of people don't know that fact.
It could be the name springer comes from the German word sprengen (detonate)
My kid brother liked these so much he built a very crude version in the late 80s.
We used "3 Wheeler" ATVs as a cheap donor vehical and spare parts.
It still works. I prefer to use horses or mules to drag logs. But sometimes they get tired and I use it instead of a whip.
My draft animals are more like pets. Some want to work more than 6 hours but I don't work them more for their longevity.
Just use my brother's "Lil Mule" half track motorcycle to pull logs instead.
I’m told post-war they were used extensively by farmers, even using them to plough as well as general farm use and forestry.
Superb vehicle, plus bonus variation vehicles. Thank you. 😉
A very interesting topic, thanks.😃👌👏👏👏👏
"Krad" stands for "Kraftrad", meaning motorcycle (literally: Kraft = power, Rad = Wheel). Not "vehicle" ... that would be "Fahrzeug" or "Vehikel".
Ketten = chain, Kraft = power, rad = wheel : Chainmotorcycle
Those things are so neato.
I always wondered how the Kettenkrad overcame monumental understeer from that ineffectual looking front wheel. The answer as explained here, is turning the handlebars also engaged the tracks. Like "Hobart's Funnies", the Kettenkrad was one of the weird-but-effective mobile devices WW2 threw up.
Very interesting chat about this vehicle!
But on the Springer; not being sure if the ones captured saw any use, well they obviously didn't blow up ;)
I have somewhere a photo taken in the 60s of me around 6 or 7 years old sat in the drivers seat of that actual Kettenkrad at the Tank Museum (unless they have two!) I went back a year a two ago and showed them the photo, they seemed quite interested, I asked if I might be allowed to recreate it, they said no.
My grandfather said he was in a unit wich operated these remote controlled explosive vehicles. Gerät... somethingsomething Now i know what he was talking abou, thank you!
My grandfather grabbed one left by the Germans in 45. Used it as a tractor on the farm until the late 70’s when he gave it away to a fellow that chopped it to pieces to make a home made tracked vehicle, such a shame.
Always wondered about this vehicle and if it was really practical. It was.
I think they should make a modern version of this. I am sure it would be popular and fun to drive.
What a fascinating little vehicle, I might almost call it cute if it wasn't military. Interested to see it was used up until the 1960s. I wonder why they didn't continue production with a modernized model ? Perhaps that was when the 3 and 4 wheeled ATVs came in for off road work.
I stayed at a small hotel in bavaria once.. the owner had one of these and used it as little tractor for his farm work. Because why not.
2:25 Correction:
"Kleines Kettenkrad" literally means "Small tracked motorbike". "Krad" is short for "Kraftrad", which means "powered wheel" and refers to motorbikes.
🦾10:13 Amazing pulling power!🦾
I said it on ians video that cover this and i say it again. I feel like this video would be better with a detailed explanation of how to adjust track tension and a " oh my the track vechial is on fire!" Drill.
Good job on the history.
Well visibility is great and no roof or hatches means it is very easy to get out especially if you are in the back
i tend to forget that in wwII there were no wireless communications. If you wanted a word with someone, you needed to lay down cables. seems a fitting vehicle.
Not exactly.
The Kettenkrad is the most beautifull vehicle that ever drove on any road.
.. or off road!
The Looftwaffe David? looving it 🖒..great vid
Mannnn...... that thing looks fun as hell just to go ride around in the woods.....
Thank you for another outstanding video!
I would love to have one of these myself. A bike that can go damn near anywhere AND can pull a pretty substantial amount of weight. Course Id hate to use it for work because they are pretty rare these days I imagine.
My life goal is both to know as much about tanks as David Willey and to dress as well as David Willey. I doubt I will ever achieve either.
14:38 One of the earliest drones ever used. Clever.
The Americans were also experimenting with remote control bombers towards the end of the war to cut down on aircrew casualties
That think is awesome! would be super handy on the farm!
10:12 I'm presuming the Tiger is being serviced, not towed in that picture!
CheshireTomcat68 no way the kettenkrad could tow a tiger
No no it’s definitely towing the tiger
@@realtissaye :-)
Might be helping a Tiger with a dead starter to roll-start?
Sure not, you need 2 or 3 18t FAMO Halftracks to tow a Tiger.
Add golf bags and it would be great on a links style course. Surprised they didnt turn it into an SPG. Cheers!
Great video
Steering system from Cletrac, an American maker of crawler tractors. Later Cletrac was purchased by Oliver. The steering system provides power to both tracks while ( whilst😅) turning.
Wait.... You can put snow chains on a Kettenkrad? 8:43 Trying to wrap my mind around that, Forgive my naivete, please, but isn't the whole point of dual tracks being weight distribution over a large(r) surface area to thus provide maximum traction? (Whle not sinking into the muck as readily as wheels/tires.) I suppose chains would help when a rather steep, icy, slope is being navigated, but otherwise - why bother to carry along snow chains? I'm trying to image that.... Sort of like imaginning a Tiger or Sherman meandering through the Arden with snow chains mounted.
Have been in one of these. Do not travel through rough terrain if you have tooth fillings.
Ultimate utility vehicle.
Kettenkrads are often displayed as tugs/tractors in the museum's in Germany. Guessing it was more commonly used that way than you think.
It was often used to tow aircraft to runways and such to save using aircraft fuel to taxi. This was especially true for the Me 262.
@@wwiiinplastic4712 There are also lots of pictures of them towing bomb sleds, ammo crates and things around airfields. Not seen one used as a crew taxi - I suspect if you put an entire He.111 crew on a Kettenkraftrad, it would just refuse to move!
@@anotherianp Yes, they weren't Indian buses.
Wicked handy, clever design
This is my new favorite military vehicle
I totally don't see how this is "over"-engineered.
For a lot of people interleaving wheels = overengeneered, and I guess the tracks are a bit maintnance heavy from a modern perspective. Though I would say the long term sucess the vehicle has in the civilian sector proves the the vehicle was capable and reliable enough to do the job. Though as a counterpoint, since there is no modern equivalen of the Kettenkrad, it seems to have been a evolutionary dead end.
Zafran Orbian idk about dead end while I doubt that there is any direct linkage to snowmobiles, snowmobiles share some superficial similarities. In that it’s a “half tracked” vehicle of a small size, useful in snow, and serves well in utility roles. Snowmobiles are deftly more specialized however. Either way super cool vehicle.
DasPanzermuseum
True. Actually very simple indeed.
Just a bunch of wheels and a tiny engine to take care from time to time
Thats it.
Matter of perspective, if you take a bike with a sidewagon for comparism? But if you compare it to Universal carrier instead, it is not overengineered at all. You'd probably get 75% of the abilities of the carrier for 50% of the resources to manufacture one.
@@zafranorbian757 There have been several equivalents made over the years, Bombardier mad the Imp, and our family used to have the Ranger tracked vehicle. They have all been surpassed in utility for the most part by wheeled vehicles or snow specific machines. Still, what a great little replacement for a mule.
10:20 here we can see the tiger I was COMPLETELY useless on its own, as it required to be supported by a kettenkrad, people often sadly undermine that the kettenkrad was the truly most important vehicle, forgetting the fact all vehicles rely on the kettenkrads existence
Such a awesome machine
I'd just love to turn up at a motorcycle rally with one of these LOL!!!
Yeah rock up to some old guys at Sturgis with Harleys with airbrushed flames while blasting Ein Heller und ein Batzen on an '80s stereo.