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  • Eastern front hovercraft

    What if...
    The Russians have always had General Mud on thier side. It certainly screwed the French and the Germans. What if the Germans in WW2 had operated hovercraft (Ground Effect Vehicles) as rapid assault platforms etc. or as a mud proof tank with a recoiless gun mounted. A neblewerfer? Too fast for a T34 to hit in the days before fletchette rounds (Ithink)
    Where's the bloody gin? An army marches on its liver, not its ruddy stomach.

  • #2
    Did the capability exist to make hovercrafts back then? I could have sworn someone had them in WW2.

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    • #3
      It was not until 1955-60s.
      But even if Hitler had them, they would be of a little use in 1941. That was an extremely cold year, with a 1st snow on Sept. 1st and a freeze to follow.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by lurker
        It was not until 1955-60s.
        But even if Hitler had them, they would be of a little use in 1941. That was an extremely cold year, with a 1st snow on Sept. 1st and a freeze to follow.
        This is a "what if" and GEVs were a Brit invention anyway (early 50's). How could snow effect something that "flies" above it?
        Where's the bloody gin? An army marches on its liver, not its ruddy stomach.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by The Chap
          This is a "what if" and GEVs were a Brit invention anyway (early 50's). How could snow effect something that "flies" above it?
          It's not the snow, it's the immense cold that frose all the fachist machinery, andd ground troops.
          I doubt that Germans were able to use hovercrafts fuel-wise also.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by lurker
            It's not the snow, it's the immense cold that frose all the fachist machinery, andd ground troops.
            I doubt that Germans were able to use hovercrafts fuel-wise also.

            True on both counts. What I was initially thinking was use from the beginning of Barbarossa when fuel was not the constraint that it later became. A spring offensive could have been over before winter with that kind of mobility. Spring and Autumn being the muddy seasons, the Germans would have had a massive mobility advantage. Admittedly Winter would have screwed them for the reason you site, but they would provide a deep strike rapid retreat capability as well as SpecOps insertion. Great for outflanking too esp. given the terrain. Scouting, re-supply. :)
            Where's the bloody gin? An army marches on its liver, not its ruddy stomach.

            Comment


            • #7
              This seems to have been on a morphine drip fo some time...

              So dear Mods if no-one responds to the following, please give this thread a bottle of Scotch and a service revolver.

              On another thread where various individuals were having a bit of a cat fight over the issue of limbed mobility vs. tracks or wheels, some bright spark mentioned legs with wheels that lock for walking. Nice to know that Masamune Shirow has
              influence still!

              I have a fondness for GEVs. One drawback (of several) is that if up armoured they turn into an American Muscle car with the driving skill of a Woodstock roadie.

              I think the remedy could exist in deployable wheels inside the skirt. It could take the strain from the power train and thirst, allow slow advance on inclines and if slammed down at speed (say, rear left) let the craft turn rather than drift over the horizon.:)
              Where's the bloody gin? An army marches on its liver, not its ruddy stomach.

              Comment


              • #8
                Banvagen (Bv-206/Viking) would have been more useful. and more feasible . And it could have been a ´tank´ too - 75mm. on first half and off you go.
                If i only was so smart yesterday as my wife is today

                Minding your own biz is great virtue, but situation awareness saves lives - Dok

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                • #9
                  germans also had functional helicopters before ww2, yet it didn,t even see much of the war. and didn,t help nazis much either
                  "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by omon View Post
                    germans also had functional helicopters before ww2, yet it didn,t even see much of the war. and didn,t help nazis much either
                    well submarine based helicopters to better spot tankers sound only good on the paper

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                    • #11
                      Where are my flying tanks. I want my airmobile mechanized corps!
                      All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
                      -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by The Chap View Post
                        What if...
                        The Russians have always had General Mud on thier side. It certainly screwed the French and the Germans. What if the Germans in WW2 had operated hovercraft (Ground Effect Vehicles) as rapid assault platforms etc. or as a mud proof tank with a recoiless gun mounted. A neblewerfer? Too fast for a T34 to hit in the days before fletchette rounds (Ithink)
                        Ok, which is it, a hover craft or a GEV?

                        the supporting technology for GEV's certainly existed, not so sure a small ut powerful enough power plant existed for hover craft. Assuming Germany did have the GEV, the Eastern Front is a bad place for them. They can't really do much more than go in a straight line, and Russian HAAMG's would have ripped them apart. Plus where are they going to land?

                        But I'll twist your what if just a bit. It's 1939 and the Germans have 300 such craft Ju-52 sized that can cross the channel at a 180mph. And another 40 the size of the Condor both configured like sea planes not normal aircraft. We know the era built really big sea planes- so the technology base exists, and we know some of them like the Catalina were amphibians so lets give real limited ability to land on the water extend some sort of gear to climb smooth beaches to unload cargo and men directly on the beaches.

                        We will call these craft the Kurzflugelboot KFB-1Frog and KFB-2 Toad.

                        How does this change the battle of Britian? Now its not river barges, but craft so fast the RN cannot intercept them crossing. instead the RN has to sally forth to either the launch or landing points and thus under German air cover.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Triple C View Post
                          Where are my flying tanks. I want my airmobile mechanized corps!
                          yea sergant bilko made one.;)
                          "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Triple C View Post
                            Where are my flying tanks. I want my airmobile mechanized corps!
                            They show up in Vietnam: Snakes and Hueys.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              But do they have tanks that shed wings?

                              The Antonov A-40 Krylya Tanka (Russian: "tank wings") was a Soviet attempt to allow a tank to glide into a battlefield after being towed aloft by an airplane, to support airborne forces or partisans. A prototype was built and tested in 1942, but was found to be unworkable. This vehicle is sometimes called the A-40T or KT.
                              All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
                              -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

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