MISSION STATEMENT

This website is to serve as a catalog of historical information for various tanks, across various stages of development, created for use by the United States from Pre-WWII through to the 1970s. However, the primary purpose for this website is to illustrate a proposal for what an "endgame" could look like for the US tech tree in the game, World Of Tanks, and to show that there's still plenty of life left to breathed into this game.

My aim is to see as many tanks in the game about tanks as possible, and I hope to show that in a way that respects both the historicity of the tanks shown and the balance of the game overall. As such, I will not be going into great detail on individual statistics. Rather, I will only be showing the possible modules for each tank, changes that could be made to make it more historically authentic, a historical overview, and how the tank's playstyle may be represented in-game. I will also attempt to future-proof this by including alternate hulls, half-tracks, and wheeled vehicles.

This is certainly not perfect and everything is subject to change. This is still a work in progress, and updates are frequent if not daily. This is a fan project and a labor of love. Do enjoy.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Baker 4x4


In the Spring of 1941, the development of a new series of armored vehicles dubbed the "Turtle" series outlined the need for a highly mobile and lightly armored vehicle suitable for air transport. It was decided a wheeled vehicle would best suit this requirement and two basic models were studied: a four-wheel and eight-wheel variant, intended the carry the 40 mm Gun M1 and the British 17-pdr respectively. However, a variety of guns were considered for both vehicles.

For both vehicles, each wheel was individually powered and featured a hydraulic anti-recoil system. However, the most unusual aspect of these vehicles was that they utilized a new independent suspension system, designed to allow the vehicle to jump over ditches, fences, and other obstacles. The suspension was capable of very high energy absorption, permitting the chassis to squat before being accelerated upwards with enough energy for the entire vehicle to leave the ground.



Although no actual pilot was built, a full scale test unit of one wheel and its associated apparatus was completed. Testing concluded the vehicle could clear a height of 49 inches, or a distance of 47 feet at a speed of 40 miles per hour. The 4x4 version was estimated to weigh approximately 5 tons, with a wheel base of 137 inches and a width of 121 inches. Design work on the jumping vehicle was carried out by the Baker Manufacturing Company, so the vehicles were frequently referred to as the Baker tanks.




As with other armored cars in development of the time, the Baker tanks were intended to be sent overseas for use by the United Kingdom, hence the variety of British armaments being considered. The 4x4 variant had a limited-traverse turret, but it was capable of carrying almost any gun equal to or less than 77 mm. However, the inability to find interested buyers killed the project before either vehicle could enter the prototyping stage.

Clearly, if the jumping mechanism can be implemented in game, it absolutely should. It would be a fun and unique mechanic that might open up entirely new paths. But there's the obvious downside that if you misjudge your jump, you're going to crash and likely damage to yourself. 

The Baker 4x4 is kind of slow for an armored car, and its turret doesn't have full traverse, but even at Tier VIII it should still be a credible threat when equipped with a 17-pdr. The armor values and engines are unknown to me, so I've gone and left them blank. However, the armor should practically be nonexistent and the engines shouldn't be too powerful, which in and of itself isn't much of an issue given how lightweight the vehicle is it. A simple truck engine around 100 horsepower or so as a top option would do just fine.



Guns: 40 mm Gun M1 (autoloader); QF 6-pdr Mk. V; QF 17-pdr Mk. IV; QF 17-pdr Mk. VII

Engines: ??

Turrets (Turret Armor (mm)): Baker 4x4 (??/??/??)

Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): Baker 4x4 (4.53); Baker 4x4 Improved (4.53)

Hull Armor (mm): ??/??/??

Top Speed: 65 km/h

Crew: 4 (Driver; Gunner; Commander/Radio; Loader)



Parent: Staghound III
Children: CGC Scout, Cascaval
See Also: Baker 8x8

Sources:
Hunnicutt, R. P. Armored Car, 2002.
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/usa/ac_baker.htm

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