Antarctic Snow Cruiser

[Drum]

I only recently heard about the 1939 snow cruiser, brainchild of Thomas Poulter for Richard E Byrd's US Antarctic expedition.

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37 tons with two Cummins diesels that supplied power to an electric motor at each wheel.

It was a mobile base camp with sleeping quarters, kitchen, workshop, dark room and a biplane strapped to the roof.

It was given a test drive of 1600 miles across America, where it managed to cause a 70000 car traffic jam.

Unfortunately, it had bald tyres and once on the snow, could only drive in reverse!

More here

[mercrocker]

Great story, I hadn't seen that although I've read references to it in various Popular Mechanics-type publications.

[DodgeRover]

I've been fascinated by that for ages, they think it's final resting point is the bottom of the sea somewhere as the ice it was left on went adrift.

[Drum]

They found the remains of the camp sticking out the side of an iceberg. The cruiser will likely have sunk.

[Chodweaver]

That bloke Calum has made some nice videos. iirc he did one of restoring a Record vise.

[Chodweaver]

But yeah, fascinating invention the Snow Cruiser. Never heard of it before a few months ago

[Hooli]

I'd never heard of that, thanks.

[paulplom]

It looked the business. It's a shame it didn't go too well.

[PhilA]

They probably just needed snow chains.

They could've stolen the boat's anchor chain, probably would've worked.

[Drum]

They tried chains, see one of the pictures above. The tyres look too soft for the chains to work though. Also not enough chain.