MACHINERY IN ANTARCTICA.

By Jethro Waldron.

CONTENTS.• Introduction• The caterpillar 966G wheel loader• The hagglunds• The huskies• Balloon tyre vehicles• LeTourneau TC-497• Bibliography

INTRODUCTION.

There are many different types of vehicles

used in Antarctica and most of these

vehicles have to be specially modified to

operate under the harsh Antarctic climate.

Here are some examples of vehicles used in

the Antarctic...

CATERPILLAR 966G WHEEL LOADER.

•It has many attachments including a snow blower and a large blade for pushing snow.

•They use both of these to clear runways in antarctica.

•The caterpillar 966G wheel loader is an articulated front end loader. Which means it steers by moving the middle of the vehicle and has an attachment at the front such as snow blowers.

CATERPILLAR 966G WHEEL LOADER.Other attachments they have are:• Forks for lifting loads.• A variety of buckets for lifting loads also.• A crane jib used for lifting loads by a

hook.• A snow blower for clearing runways.• And a large blade also used for pushing

snow of runways and elsewhere.• Also the 966G needs steel studs in its

wheels for grip in the snow.

THE HAGGLUNDS.•Hagglunds are rubber tracked vehicles which are used for transporting people over snow.

•The hagglund uses tracks instead of wheels to go over the snow because it evens the weight out more than the wheels.

THE HAGGLUNDS.• A thickness of 50 cm of hard ice is

required for a Hagglund to be able to be driven across sea ice.

• Whilst the Hagglund has a range of around 250km, for safety any trips more than 60km from base are usually accompanied by a diesel mechanic.

Photo shows a Hagglund set up to be used as a fire truck.

THE HISTORY OF HUSKIES IN ANTARCTICA.

•Huskies were introduced by the british in 1898 during the british antarctic expedition.

•Huskies were used because they were strong and willing workers. Their warm double coat made them ideal for the job.

THE HISTORY OF HUSKIES IN ANTARCTICA.

• In 1954, huskies were introduced to Antarctica as a species at the first Australian permanent station.

• The huskies were removed from Antarctica in 1991 because the Antarctic treaty said that no introduced species, except man, was allowed in Antarctica.

LIGHTER AMPHIBIOUS RESUPPLY CARGO.•The lighter amphibious resupply cargo (aka the L.A.R.C.) is made of aluminium.

•It can go over water and land and can swap between them with ease.

• It can do surf landings easily. (which means if the waves are really big it can “surf” them into shore and keep on driving once on land

• It was designed by the U.S. Army in 1960 for transporting supplies from shore to land

LIGHTER AMPHIBIOUS RESUPPLY CARGO.

BALLOON-TYRE VEHICLE

(Aka. “The snow bug”)

•This six-wheeled vehicle was designed in russia. •Usually only the centre tyres are driven but the two back axles have drive-trains.

•The snow bugs run on unleaded fuel.•They use Volvo, Volkswagon or Russian Minsk engines. •The snow bugs have six large inflatable tyres so that the weight is spread out more. This makes them ideal going over crevasses soft snow.

BALLOON-TYRE VEHICLE.

BALLOON-TYRE VEHICLE.

•Snow Bugs are so light that they can run over people without injuring them as seen in the photo below.

LE TOURNEAU TC-497• The LeTourneau TC-497 was built for the

US Army to solve the problem of not being able to transport supplies off road.

• It used turbine engines driving electric motors on each wheel to move.

• Each wheel can steer but considering it’s 570 ft. Long train with 10 ft.

Tall wheels its not surprising.

VIDEO OF THE ON-LAND TRAIN!!! http://www.mutantsports.com/blog/?

p=173

Also there is lots of other videos on this webpage and I will show 2 of them

THATS THE END!I hope you liked it!!!!!!!

(special thanks to my dad for helping me find out about the caterpillar 966G wheel loader!)

BIBLIOGRAPHY• http://

www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=21309 Info on all the caterpillar vehicles.• http://

images.google.com.au/images?um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-au&tbs=isch:1&q=966g+wheel+loader+snow+blower&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18

Image of the caterpillar 966G with scoop.• William adams callander 2010.Picture of the caterpillar 966G with a

snowblower• http://

www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=26617 Info on all the hagglunds.

BIBLIORAPHY• http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=6082Info on all the huskies.• http://

www.newzeal.com/theme/antarctic/mil2000.htm + http://www.astronomicaltours.net/Antarctica2/Vehicles.html

Info on the balloon-tyre vehicle/snow bug• http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=27154

+ http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=36997

Info on the L.A.R.C.• http://www.mutantsports.com/blog/?p=173Info on the snow train and video website