The Alvis Family. Part-One.

A British Success Story.

The basis of many British military tracked vehicles from 1969 to the present have been based on the chassis and engine of the Alvis. Two of the most popular have been the Scorpion light tank, now known as a ARV (armoured reconnaissance vehicle) and the Scimitarr with its 30mm Cannon.

The Scorpion has tow choices of gun, the standard 76mm or the option for the 90mm Cockerel which has proven superior for the role of this vehicle with the Irish Army on UN duties in South-Lebanon.

There are many other versions, numbering about thirty-three in all from engineering, recovery and command. Alvis was also very successful in their wheeled vehicles such as the Saladin prior to tracked. All of its vehicles have a good story in the exportation of and use world wide.

Landing Craft.

LVTP 1-7. (Landing Vehicle Tracked).

The United States took great advantage of developing the amphibious vehicle during the second world war (1939-45), both for the European front and the Pacific campaign. It was the DUWK or 'Duck which was mostly seen in Europe, being a road truck, that slowely waved through water.

This was slow but it did the job, in the Pacific it was the LVTP-1  tracked landing craft, that since successfull use agains the Japanese over the years has been developed into the modern -7 type.

Both the LVTP-5/7 comprise a massive ammount of troop carrying capacity. The -5, a crew of 3/4 and 34 troops, while the -7 is more flexable with a crew of 2/3 and up to 25 troops. Russia and Czechoslovakia developed their own mass types, the BTR-50 (2+20) and  OT-62/64, 2+15/20+).

But i think that the U.S, has had the better over all in this field, as proved with the two Iraqi wars.

Construction Vehicles.

The Bulldozer.

All modern construction across the globe today is supported by a series of vehicles to help tear away the earth, to dig, to tunnel underground and erected up to support building up. We cannot live or do anything without machines. 

The bulldozer has been around now for some time, its origins come from the caterpillar tractor of U.S. 1920's. Tracked vehicles work well on rough and unstable ground, but with the introduction of the JCB double powered 4 wheel machines the bulldozer is not now limited just to heavy construction.

A tractor type based on the Unimog multi-purpose off road vehicle has allowed  a more basic machine to expanded into road building scene. but despite this the old bulldozer cannot be done without. Caterpillar in one of the biggest producers in the world. These Cats' are widely used by the military also.

Armoured Reconnaisance Vehicles.

'ARV's.

Most modern versions of this vehicle are now tracked and carry a crew of three. The ARV can be described as a sort of in between, a heavy armoured car and a light tank.

Many nations use either armoured cars with 76-90mm guns or a light tank with guns up to 105mm, but the ARV has many more options available to it. Such as Surface to air missile systems, anti-tank guided weapons and a wide range of guns. The vehicles are also tracked meaning that they can operate cross country and are not limited to ground type.