Adoration! Mechanical designs that exist but are absolutely beyond your imagination

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Repost: Many people are in awe after seeing the imaginative mechanical designs from the former Soviet Union and Germany. With human progress and technological advancement, people have always been thoughtful and innovative in the field of mechanical design. Today, I’d like to share with you something special – some of the mechanical devices and design sketches created in those early days. You may have never seen them before, but these innovative ideas were actually brought to life; one can only be in awe of them! 1 Armored motorcycle: A design proposal for an “armored motorcycle” was submitted in December 1940, featuring a movable arc-shaped armored cover mounted on the motorcycle. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/a8adf1acb1514aa2b2c217179ebe07f8.jpeg This mobile armored fortress brings the concept of permanent fortifications to tanks; it is equipped with a tank armor thickness of 600 millimeters, as well as large-caliber guns, small-caliber guns, machine guns for firing at ground targets, and anti-aircraft guns. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/c43dd403a98246109b958916365326f4.jpeg A manual tractor with multiple functions such as transportation and plowing. The designers believe that a multi-stage chain drive can achieve a larger gear ratio, providing a pulling force 5 times greater than that of ordinary bicycles, sufficient to pull plows for farming. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/bf0b00bb15ae41e8b32412ba76388760.jpeg A costume for a bird-man; in 1955, Leo Valentin, the bird-man, hoped to fulfill humanity’s dream of flying by attaching a pair of large wings to a suit. Unfortunately, in 1956, Valentine died after falling to the ground while jumping from an airplane to test this invention. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/45ef8a4546f849e5830459fbf4132ec0.jpeg The 5-duck-foot pistol was a popular weapon used by captains in the 19th century; it had 4 barrels that resembled duck feet, allowing it to attack 4 enemies at once! ! But when actual combat takes place, it is unable to attack targets directly in front of it. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/0591a57c239d477483e23a52745a1c95.jpeg This is a design for the walking mechanism of an amphibious tank armored vehicle; it was submitted on March 2, 1944, by Lieutenant B.K. Grigorenko. Before joining the army, this lieutenant worked as a mechanic; after enlisting, he served as a technician in a tank unit’s repair shop, and later worked as an automobile mechanic in a cavalry regiment. During the war, he saw many muddy roads, so he proposed using screw rods to replace wheels and tracks to propel the tank forward. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/a7c98a85a147468aaf750750b99442c0.jpeg It can be said that this concept was highly innovative; years later, similar vehicles did appear in the Soviet Union, namely the SHN-1 off-road vehicle. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/d2cfff0ed0c84a3bb809acd31e7eac86.jpeg 7 Combat vehicle “Kalar”: The total height of the “Kalar” is about 3 meters; it has 1 crew member who serves both as the driver and the gunner. It is equipped with 6 spring-loaded legs, with movement controlled by an engine located at the bottom of the turret. It moves by jumping; a motor compresses a spring to drive the support legs to contract and release, allowing it to advance 5-20 meters with each jump. “The combat chamber of the “Karl” is spherical with a diameter of 1.25 meters. As per the designer’s concept, it is made of alloy armored steel plates and can rotate; its weapons consist of 4 fixed PPsh41 submachine guns. To deal with tanks, the “Karl” also considered installing anti-tank guns later on, with infantry flamethrowers also being under consideration. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/c552091ac5dc4745b902e86fd3c75e0e.jpeg The Krummlauf is a rifle with a curved barrel; its design allows the barrel to bend by up to 90 degrees, which gives it an advantage in urban combat. The soldiers could hide in corners while still being able to see what was happening behind them through mirrors; it’s truly a genius design. But the tricky problem of changing the bullet’s direction needed aliens to help solve it. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/66e1dd9ace114293917cc3b56b51a8dc.jpeg 9 Human radar: During World War I, in Italy, radar did not yet exist; air defense relied on people using their eyes to observe and their ears to hear the sound of aircraft engines. But human hearing is limited after all, so someone invented this device. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/3c5f82d948ef4b9f96ac5e4991cf94cb.jpeg This is a type of tank with two turrets; the rear turret can be raised or lowered at a speed of 2 meters per second, with a maximum height of 10 meters. The lifting mechanism is powered by hydraulic rods, while the ammunition feeding system and access passages for personnel are concealed within accordion-style pneumatic hoses. The designer believes that this elevating turret can be raised in the woods to conduct concealed observation of distant targets ； It can also shoot at high-rise targets in urban combat ； It can also approach the building when it is on fire, allowing the people inside to evacuate to the ground via a lifting turret. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/c8d1204f5b6c483c8f4a47f7640234db.jpeg 11 The steel armor does indeed seem overly bulky, but it is truly capable of withstanding bullet attacks. In times of danger, one simply needs to lower the protective iron cover over the eyes, kneel down, and pull the limbs behind the iron shield. Was this the prototype of Iron Man later on? http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/fef862afae654165a9666d4ef7635199.jpeg The 12-jet tank is powered by solid rocket engines; it has wheels for movement, which can be replaced with ski runners in winter. It has 2 crew members: the driver and the gunner, who sit in a low-profile armored cabin. The weapon system consists of 6 RS-82 rockets, arranged in two launchers on the left and right sides; a ShKAS machine gun is located between the two launchers. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/8ff8d14d4ed945959133178219160f4d.jpeg The solid rocket engine of the “PT jet tank” is actually a direct adaptation of the RS-132 rocket motor, using electric ignition. The designers believe that this jet tank has a low profile, can reach a top speed of 100 km/h, and is difficult for the enemy to hit. In combat, jet tanks can be used in concentrated and sudden attacks; the RS-82 rockets can be used to target enemy tanks, while machine guns can eliminate infantry. Additionally, the roaring sound of their rocket engines can inflict a significant psychological shock on the enemy forces. 13 Circular Warships: In the early 1870s, Russian Admiral Popov put forward a bold idea to design warships in a circular shape. This design would allow for the greatest tonnage to be achieved with the lowest draft and smallest size, thereby enabling the installation of artillery of equal caliber to that on larger warships. After evaluation, the Russian Naval Technical Committee deemed this plan feasible, and a team was established to carry out the design. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/2a6af258180541599d84113beb6bc482.jpeg Soon, several circular warships were completed and put into service; these ships had a diameter of 30.8 meters, and were equipped with 1 11-inch cannon, 2 4-pound cannons, 16 37-mm guns, as well as 12 torpedo tubes. Due to its flat bottom, it shakes violently when the wave height exceeds 1 meter, which severely affects shooting accuracy and makes it impossible to operate; even the Dnieper River, with a speed of only 3 knots, is enough to make this vessel spin around wildly. It spins even more violently when firing, and the ship loses control due to the ocean currents; everyone on board gets dizzy. 14 Heavy Battle Tank: This was a heavy battle tank conceived in March 1944 by a reserve officer of the rank of lieutenant. He designed retractable side armor plates for the tracks on either side of the tank; these plates could be lowered in combat to cover the sides of the tracks and drive sprockets, a concept similar to the side skirts found on modern tanks ； A pair of large rollers were also designed in front of the tank; they were connected to the driving chain and track system and could rotate together. Their purpose was to cover the front of the tank’s tracks and prevent them from being destroyed by shells fired from the front, which is similar to the mine-clearing rollers used on modern mine-clearing tanks. Comrade Lieutenant also suggested increasing firepower by equipping tanks with a large-caliber automatic cannon. However, he didn’t seem to mention the specific structure of this cannon. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/c9176507ab504f8caeeccaf6c463fec1.jpeg The Type 8 Rat tank, designed by the father of Porsche, is characterized above all by its large size – it is indeed the largest super-tank in history to date! If the intelligence officers at the time had not conducted a thorough investigation but relied solely on assumptions, they would definitely have suffered heavy losses. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/4ae6df334f004e58ab815cb035c34388.jpeg This 188-ton monster is so heavy that it can even crush bridges; therefore, strange breathing tubes are used to connect two mouse-type tanks so that they can dive across the river together. It was halted by Hitler’s orders, putting an end to Germany’s ambitions regarding super tanks. The 16-wheel tracked tank features a four-track design, with two additional tracks added to the tank to improve its ability to navigate in extremely difficult terrains. However, this was rejected because it would increase the weight by 5-6 tons, and the exposed chain drive at the bottom could easily get stuck in stones or soil, causing failures. However, the design with four tracks did not disappear from then on, as there was also the well-known Project 279 nuclear battle tank. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/10389038116c4ac28dff0a74b706e1cd.jpeg The designer of the 17 Steel Melting Tank not only equipped it with ordinary tank guns and machine guns, but also invented a truly astonishing weapon – a steel melting projector. He installed a molten iron generator inside the vehicle – using iron oxide powder and aluminum powder to form a thermite mixture; before being ejected, this thermite mixture was ignited, causing intense combustion that reduced the iron oxide to molten iron, which was then ejected to damage the target. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/c99dca4543054d79a4b238413ede3050.jpeg 18 balloon bombs: During World War II, Japan used balloons carrying 9,300 bombs in an attempt to destroy the United States and Canada completely. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/958fd8702fcc4eafad68992f2b53197f.jpeg But in the end, only 357 hit their targets; two others returned to Japan and destroyed their own people. I’m curious how it’s possible to have 357 devices that can hit their target; does hitting the target mean they can explode on U.S. soil? 19 The sticky grenade was invented by the Brits; sticky glue was applied to it, and when it was thrown at a tank, it stuck to the tank. Then explode and win the war! http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/7829113b4d00448fb3205c01a62ea2e7.jpeg Initially, the military was opposed to the production of such weapons, but then British Prime Minister Churchill ordered that they be produced on a large scale. As a result, 2.5 million sticky grenades were produced. But in actual use, a problem arose: it seemed that the Germans weren’t very clean; their tanks were extremely dirty, with mud all over them, and the sticky grenades simply couldn’t stick to the enemy tanks! ! In 1933, two prominent airships—the U.S. Navy’s Akron (ZRS-4) and Macon (ZRS-5)—crashed due to atmospheric turbulence. “The “Akron” was named in 1931 by President Hoover’s wife. Two years later, on April 4, 1933, it had flown 74 times, with a total flight time of 1,700 hours. It encountered a severe storm off the coast of New Jersey, its hull broke, and it sank into the Atlantic Ocean. “The “Macon” was an aircraft carrier that carried 4 Curtis F9C-2 “Hawkeye” reconnaissance planes. At the time of the crash, it was off the coast of California, heading toward Cape Spear south of Monterey, and had just recovered the last aircraft. A sudden gust of wind hit, causing the airship to roll violently; its cross tail fins fell off vertically, tearing three of the helium balloons. After 40 minutes of fierce struggle, it finally fell into the sea. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/a230ec76472a46b7a6c926431cac65df.jpeg During World War II, the Germans tried to develop fighter planes with powered wings for vertical takeoff and landing (Triebflugel). This aircraft has its tail upright, and it features a rotatable ring on its fuselage; three thin wings are mounted on this ring, with jet engines positioned at certain angles at the tips of those wings. When the engine starts working, it can take off vertically like a helicopter. Unlike helicopters, this type of aircraft can fly at high speed in level flight. But the Germans soon realized that this plan was useless, as it was difficult to land with the propeller attached to the engine. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/867cbf1897e2477e95baeef97a643ca9.jpeg The 22 Tsar Tank is also known as the “Bat Tank,” owing to its triangular shape, which resembles an inverted bat. In August 1917, the first prototype was rejected on the spot during its initial demonstration in front of the emperor, as its rear wheels were unable to overcome obstacles while moving. The immobile “Tsar’s tanks” were nothing but living targets for the enemy’s artillery. And this single “Tsar’s War Machine” was sent to a scrapyard before it even reached the battlefield. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/1f6535a3157f4df4be6f1429e2e9f7dc.jpeg 23 Motorcycle cannon – this was a cannon used by the French in Vietnam during the 1950s. This combination of motorcycles and cannons was used because France lacked the funds to provide more advanced weapons, so it had no choice but to make do with what was available locally. This type of vehicle is mainly for paratroopers. However, we can say with certainty that such vehicles have poor protection, and the reloading of their artillery is also a major problem; as a result, their role in war is very limited. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/f5d9573e69e844f0991c77cbc82339b5.jpeg The Dora gun was a long-range artillery piece developed by Germany during World War II. It was a super-large cannon created secretly after Hitler came to power. The Dora gun had a barrel length of 32.48 meters, an overall length of 42.9 meters, a caliber of 800 millimeters, and its total weight was 1329 tons. This is the largest-caliber cannon in the world; a soldier can crouch inside its barrel. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/a28400bec2c641e7a5c131135d911012.jpeg This cannon is very difficult to maintain; the total number of people involved in its command, operation, and security exceeds 4,000. Its ammunition is also extremely dangerous. Each armor-piercing shell weighed 7.1 tons, while each high-explosive shell weighed 4.8 tons. The propellant fuel amounted to 1.8 to 2 tons. Only a few dozen shells were fired throughout World War II, resulting in a huge waste of human resources. http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20181127/07cb3cb50856455c89445dfb01dffd0b.jpeg