WWII Churchill tank converted into mine clearer
The Churchill A22 was a WWII British heavy tank. In the 1950s, 42 Churchills were modified for use as mine-clearing flail tanks. They were powered by a Rolls-Royce M120 Meteor V12 engine mounted within the armored flail box on the front of the tank.
The lone surviving specimen was restored to its former glory in 2008. Pics and video below.
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/mine_flail1.jpg
There are many ways to clear mines, among them the use of three types of vehicles: mine plows, mine rollers, and, like the Churchill, mine flails.
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/mine_flail2.jpg
Mine flails work by beating the ground with flails attached to chains, which are in turn attached to a large rapidly rotating drum. The flails beat the ground, simulating the pressure of personnel or vehicles that were originally intended to trigger the mines. The mines are usually either detonated, and explode against the heavy plating of the tank, or they are destroyed by the force of the flails.
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net/mine_flail3.jpg
The flails start moving around 3:50:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf6CsvAffHo
More:
Churchill Toad goes to Jacques Littlefield Collection
Previously:
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...2367#post76229
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...3090#post77418
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...3179#post77586
