Hi all, seeking info & photos of WW1 trenching machines etc.
Have 1 photo of a German Vollmer? rotary trench-digger & a French tunnel digger. Also have several of various French barbed-wire crushers (most from this site).
Ventilation shaft drill at http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/E01689. I'm sure I've seen a picture of a German tunnelling machine somewhere (maybe here) - will post if I come across it again.
Not exactly machines, but may be interesting: these (Canadian?) pioneers are apparantly working on a railway embankment, with a plough and an earth scraper. The picture reveals some of the harnassing of the horses/mules too. I am looking further,
thanks guys, that Schutzengrabenbagger (such a cute name) is the "trench-digger" I've got in a recent book by Tom Laemlein.
How many more machines are there ?? Anyone want to go to France & retrieve the 2 Whitaker diggers that were buried ? Finds elsewhere would indicate that they should be in reasonable condition for a museum.
I sent an email John McEwan at Revirsico and suggested the idea of a white metal A7V trench digger. I'll see if I get a reply.
Otherwise, There's some pics of the schutzengrabenbagger and a French trench digging machine, (Which to the trained modeler could be used to fill in blanks as to the rear view of the A7V variant) in Osprey's books on German Panzers 1914-18 and Fortifications of the Western front 1914-18.
Greetings, Josh
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"General, you have nobly protected your forts. Keep your sword...to have crossed swords with you has been an honor, sir." General der Infantrie, Otto von Emmich
I had heard that there were 2 WWI Whitaker Machines in France and as I was heavily involved with the restoration of the 12ft 1922 Channel Tunnel Machine I would be very interested in helping out in any way I could!