Squirrel Cage for Jeeps

Novel idea tested by the Marines.


(From: Squirrel Cage for Jeeps)

My question is how does the driver steer?

 

Good find SPGunner. Looks like a useable solution, but as you pointed out probably a single direction solution for short distances. Across marshes and the other stuff mentioned, just to get the jeep to the other side to better terrain.

 

I had not thought of that advantage -- no retreat. Advance only.

 

Hello SPGunner,

don't worry you can still reverse

Regards
Kruska

 

I can just picture the officer yelling at the driver. 'Back it up! Back it up!'

anic:

 

Hello SPGunner,

'Back it up! Back it up , but in case there is no such tread on the Forum, maybe you could think about creating one like: nutty vehicles or ideas in WWII.

My personal favourit would be the "Screw Tank" somone is using that on his signature - but I can't remember who.

Regards
Kruska

 

Another photo:
Getty Images

 

I would think that rain gear would be a must for the crew....

And, whatever the driver did stopping would not be an option!

 

When I first looked at it, that was my query as well. But looking more closely at the last photo, I noticed the frame which is attached to the jeep itself, and the "cage" runs inside the frame. It might be a weird experience, and probably "derailed" the cage from the frame as often as not, but it might have allowed gradual changes of direction. (?)

The top being up might be because of the "crud" the system dropped on the crew, instead of "rain gear" they huddled under the canvas top!

 

This reminds me of one of the funny tanks used by the British on D Day that laid out its own roadway.

Bob Guercio

 

Right, that would be the "carpet layer" on the Churchill. But it didn’t re-circulate the carpet like the "squirrel cage" on the jeep would!

See:

Hobart's Funnies Photographs | World War II Database

It does remind a person of it though. All the "funnies" are pictured there, I think.

 

Here's the man to drive it!

 

He will need those goggles for all the mud!

 

looks like it might make my jeep better in the snow, help with my roll over problems maybe? an absolue must for retrieving my moose from the middle of a swamp! ha ha

 

Squirrel Cage was tested on Jeep and larger vehicles postwar, got some pictures I'll scan in if I remember (one of it fitted to a medium Dodge if I recall right).

Along with the obvious near complete inability to steer properly they found that tyres had real trouble gripping against the mesh, and the extra weight of the device negated many of the envisioned sand or soft terrain crossing advantages.
According to Mark Askew in his 'Rare WW2 Jeep' book, what really killed it in troop trials by Marines & Army (amazing it made it that far) was the constant shower of crud it threw over the crew in all conditions.

~A

 

Zee goggles, zey do nossing... (About the awful mud!)