I just watched Saving Private Ryan again. In the scene where they are preparing to defend the bridge two guys take off to scout the advancing German forces on an odd little vehicle. The front half looks like a motorcycle but the rear half is dual treads like a tank. I have never seen this listed in the sites on American military vehicles. What’s it called and were a lot of these in use?
That’s something called a “Kettenkrad”, and it’s a German piece of equipment.
The vehicle in question was a mortorcyle tractor called the kleines Kettenkrafttrad Sd.Kfz.2
Thanks
I thought the U.S. had a vehicle like that too, but I’m unable to find it with Google. I thought it was called the Alligator, but searching on that turns up a big amphibious craft.
My question about the Kettenkrad is, did the front wheel do all the work in steering, or were the handlebars connected to a differential which allowed the tracks to steer it more tank-like?