The Tractor.

The tractor was probably the first replacement for the horse, oxen drawn plow (plough) on the farm. Before that man had to open the earth literally by hand, but now there was a machine that could do it without him having to push. 

The threshing of cerials was already established through the use of the steam engine, but those heavy engines were not able to go over heavy soils.

Massey Ferguson reveloutionised farming with his tractor machines and nothing much has change since in the design shape. 

In Russia and the United states, the tractor machines are a different in shape and tracked versions have been produced.They of course are also much larger. 

Modern machines meanwhile have all the latest comforts from heating to swivel chairs and double driving cabs, lighting inside and out. Meaning that the machines can work day and night.

But it was the Chinese who came up with the mechanicle plough. In a basic 3-wheel design based on the movement of artillery pieces in Vietnam in the 1970's and since then this simple machine has been mass produced.

Super Tankers.

Today the world needs energy and when it cannot be piped, it has to be shipped. So how big can we get with those ships? 

I suppose what limits size is the ability to be able to pass through, the Suez (Egypt) and Panama (Panama) canals. 

But the deep oceans still have many possibilities for ship sizes. Other factors to the size of ships are docking,and manoeuvrability.  

While all shipping is vulnerable to disasters through human failure or computer error. Spilt crude oil is not nice as was experienced in Alaska, U.S.A. The Shetland islands, N-Scotland, UK and off S-Wales. (UK).

Half-Tracks.

The development and deployment of the half-track vehicle came to ahead during World-War-II (1939-45). This vehicle was rear end tracked and forward wheeled. 

We will look at three models, the German/Czech Skoda Sdfkz, which was developed into different roles from APC (armoured personnel carrier) to anti-aircraft gunnery. The U.S. M-42 and the Russian BTR-152. all of these vehicles were well suited to their uses on the battle-field, particularly off-road. Since 1945 it has been the Soviet BTR-152 which has seen the most extensive production and export world-wide.

All of these vehicles had a similar design and shape. The Czechs had the most protective body, similar in shape to the soviet T-34 tanks. This prevented the type from being destroyed by projectiles, but if a grenade was lobbed into the open top. Boom.

But is this form of vehicle still viable today? And what other ingenious forms of joint traction vehicles will be developed this century or not?

A380 V B747-8.

Today the U.S. Boeing 747-8i and European Airbus A380 are two largest civilian passenger carrying aircraft in the world. 


But which one is better than the other? 


These super large aircraft were developed to carry large numbers of people over the huge distances and to have less refueling stops or as in the case today none. I suppose it is the preference for the operators in choosing which aircraft that suites or can meet their needs of comfort and facilities.


It looks like that both types have further potential if needs do demand and will they both will be developed and improved with time. 


But it is the A350 and B-777 that looks more promising and competitive in the near future.

MBT (Main battle tank).

Since the development of the tank in the first world war (1914-18) the British female Mk-1, great strides have been made to reach the level of today's machines. It was during world-war-II (1939-46) that the tank really came into its own. Nazi-Germany built just over 400 Tigers and believed that was a sufficient number to decimate any opposition. At first this seemed to be proved right, opposing the Germans were light machines, such as the British Matilda's and Crusaders, the Polish had ex-British Mark-ones, while Russia still were developing its T-34 in secret and the U.S. had not yet got involved in the war.


But both the U.S. and Russia came up with lighter vehicles such as the Sherman and T-34, which were more manoeuvrable and fast.


After 1945 both super powers entered into supporting other conflicts and an arms race ensued with many improvement being introduced. Today there are a number of what could be described as great machines. The U.S. Abraham's, Israeli Merkava, German Leopard, Russian T-74/82 family, British Chieftain and challenger.


But what does the future hold? Perhaps computer controlled unmanned vehicles will prove better?