Merg Beschieter
| Merg Beschieter | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Type | Experimental tank |
| Manufacturer | Schroeter Traktoren |
| Model code | M.Beschiet.I |
| Production | 1921–1922 (2 built) |
| Model years | 1921 |
| Designer | Ferdinand Schroeter |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Armoured fighting vehicle |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 8.765 L ST-Motorwerkmerg-5A21 I5 (petrol) |
| Transmission | 6 forward gears, 1 reverse |
| Propulsion | Tracked |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 3.91 m (chassis) |
| Width | 1.527 m (chassis) |
| Curb weight | 16.214 tonnes |
| Specifications | |
| Crew | 3 |
| Main armament | 50 mm cannon |
| Armour | 5–25 mm |
| Suspension | Torsion-bar |
| Fuel capacity | Approximately 193 L |
| Chronology | |
| Era | Vader Era |
The Merg Beschieter (M.Beschiet.I, short for Merg-Bescherming Schieter I) was a Dutch experimental tank designed by Ferdinand Schroeter and manufactured by Schroeter Traktoren. Introduced in 1921, it was the company's first armoured vehicle. Two were built, but neither entered regular military service.
One of the tanks was later restored and remains privately owned by a member of the Schroeter family. It is occasionally driven in Vriendendam, where its use on paved roads was prohibited after its steel tracks damaged the road surface.
Development and production
[edit | edit source]Ferdinand Schroeter designed the M.Beschiet.I in 1921, when Schroeter Traktoren began developing armoured vehicles alongside its agricultural machinery. The company completed the first tank that year and built a second in 1922 for further trials. Neither was adopted for military service, and development ended by 1924 without further production.
Schroeter Traktoren continued working on armoured vehicles and introduced the PRM.I in 1925, followed by further designs in the Pantserrupsmerg series.[1]
Design
[edit | edit source]The M.Beschiet.I weighed 16.214 tonnes and carried a 50 mm cannon in a rotating turret. The gun could be elevated to +20 degrees and depressed to −10 degrees, while the turret had a full 360-degree traverse. Its turret ring measured 1,093 mm in diameter.
The tank had a crew of three, with one position in the hull and two in the turret. Armour thickness ranged from 5 to 25 mm, with 10 mm plates covering much of the hull and turret.
The M.Beschiet.I was powered by the ST-Motorwerkmerg-5A21, a naturally aspirated five-cylinder petrol engine developed by Schroeter Traktoren. It had a bore of 120 mm and a stroke of 155 mm, giving a calculated displacement of 8.765 litres. The engine used a carburettor and pushrod-operated overhead valves, with a compression ratio of 5.0:1. An engine-driven centrifugal pump circulated coolant through a radiator fitted with a mechanical fan. The same engine was subsequently used in the Rijdendkalk 500, introduced in 1922.[2]
Power was transmitted through a gearbox with six forward gears and one reverse gear, with a final-drive ratio of 10:1. The tank used torsion-bar suspension and steel tracks measuring 581 mm in width. Its chassis measured 3.91 metres in length and 1.527 metres in width. Three fuel tanks provided a calculated capacity of approximately 193 litres.
Restoration and later use
[edit | edit source]One of the two M.Beschiet.I tanks was restored and is privately owned by a member of the Schroeter family. The vehicle is said to have been disarmed, although this has never been confirmed.
The restored tank attracted attention when its owner began driving it through Vriendendam. Its steel tracks damaged paved roads, prompting the private Noordraad to file a complaint with the municipality. The municipality subsequently prohibited the tank from using paved roads.
Since the ban, the tank has been driven in the Hoge Veluwe part of Vriendendam. It is also regularly displayed during races and track days at Vriendendam Racetrack.
The whereabouts of the second M.Beschiet.I remain unknown.
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Interwar years". Schroeter Traktoren. Vrienden Universe Wiki.
- ↑ "Design". Rijdendkalk 500. Vrienden Universe Wiki.