8 most bizzare automotive weapons from WWII
Here's our roundup of some of the most formidable and quirky war machines that participated in World War II;
Kettenkrad
It was a motorcycle built with tank tracks, designed in 1939 and in service throughout much of World War II. Just too bizarre, the machine has since become a sort of collectible for those into war history. The “bike-tanks” had a variety of uses and were produced up until 1944. Originally, a Kettenkrad was designed to be dropped at battle sites via the Junkers Ju 52 aircraft. While it was not armoured, the Kettenkrad was clearly a bike that incorporated the make of a tank.
The “bike-tanks” had a variety of uses and were produced up until 1944.
Antonov A-40 Flying Tank
The giant gliding contraption was to fly into the battlefield, where the tank would detach from the airborne equipment and head off into battle. The idea did not work out too well, but it was certainly unlikely and innovative. The Antonov A-40 Krylya Tanka, translating to “tank wings” in Russian, was ultimately scrapped but certainly showed the bizarre innovations that result from wartime logistic predicaments. The machine was tested in 1942 but the concept was scrapped after it failed to generate much traction.
The Antonov A-40 Krylya Tanka, translating to “tank wings” in Russian.
Bachem Ba 349 Natter
Desperation to stop Allied bombing raids created some admittedly outlandish German interceptor projects during World War II. Really a human-occupied surface to air missile, the Bachem Ba 349 “Natter,” translating to “Adder” and also known as the “Viper,” was one of the strangest and scariest creations of the Reich, both in its intention and due to the danger posed to the pilot. Designed by Erich Bachem, famed for creating the Fieseler Storch (Stork), the Natter was constructed largely of plywood. The program was stopped before it launched by testing issues and the Allied capture of Natter launch sites.
The Natter was constructed largely of plywood.
Gustav
To move this gun, you would need a train, and it wouldn’t fit in many buildings. The gun had been created based on the calculations of engineer Erich Müller of Krupp, considering what it would take to shoot through either approximately 23 feet of reinforced concrete or around 3.3 feet of steel armor. The Gustav was viewed as an asset that would permit breach of the Maginot Line, a heavily fortified obstacle in the way of Hitler’s invasion of France. However, the gun was not ready for the invasion, and was tried later elsewhere, but found to be impractical.
The Gustav was viewed as an asset that would permit breach of the Maginot Line.
Focke-Achgelis Fa-223 Drache
A Nazi helicopter project might be the last thing on anyone’s mind, but the keen military historian may be aware of an interesting German Air Force project to equip the Luftwaffe with helicopters. The Focke-Achgelis Fa-223 was a project to equip Hitler’s armed forces with hovering aerial capacity as the world’s first wartime helicopter. The design was quite curious, with booms extending to each side like wings, upon which a rotor was mounted.
The Focke-Achgelis Fa-223 was a project to equip Hitler’s armed forces as the world’s first wartime helicopter.
Zveno-SPB
The bizarre missions met with a measure of success, achieving hits on a Romanian oil refinery aligned with Nazi interests in a bold daylight attack when regular bombing had previously fallen short of success. The planes were released by their carrier 25 miles out from the target and returned to base themselves. Even the formidable Messerschmitt Bf 109 was potentially vulnerable to this unique innovation – two were shot down by Zveno-SPB mission fighters on additional sorties. The Zveno-SPB carrier-parasite fighter sets are thought to have completed approximately 30 missions.
The Zveno-SPB planes were released by their carrier 25 miles out from the target and returned to base themselves.
Goliath tracked mine / Doodlebug
Known as the "Doodlebug" by American troops, the Goliath was run with a joystick operated by a controller. It had coiled within its compartments 2,145 feet of cable leading back to the controller. The mini-tank was powered by two electric motors, later replaced by gas burners, and able to carry more than 100 pounds of high explosives. The Goliath was meant to slide under Allied tanks and deliver its explosive payload to their vulnerable undersides. However, it proved to be susceptible to cord-cutting, and later on, radio-controlled models were introduced. The Germans built 7,500 Goliaths during the war, which suggests that they met with some success.
The mini-tank was powered by two electric motors, later replaced by gas burners.
Panjandrum
To find a way to breach the German's concrete defences in Normandy, the British military devised a large carriage-like contraption called the Panjandrum. But during testing, the device repeatedly lost control and veered off its intended path. In one testing incident, generals had to flee for cover and a cameraman was nearly moved down.
Panjandrum were large carriage-like contraptions devised by the British military.
These war machines once traversed the battlefields, have now become mere relics from the bygone times of WWII. Nonetheless, the ingenuity that went into their creation has led to the innumerous breakthroughs of today.