• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

Trans-Antarctic Expedition "Common Wealth"

Some clips in the 1st film.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 6.png
    Picture 6.png
    79.6 KB · Views: 225
  • Picture 5.png
    Picture 5.png
    135.7 KB · Views: 232
  • Picture 4.png
    Picture 4.png
    104.9 KB · Views: 225
KRISTI SNOWCAT IN ANTARCTICA? It looks like a KT2 pickup version.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 14.png
    Picture 14.png
    109.3 KB · Views: 225
  • Picture 17.png
    Picture 17.png
    124.7 KB · Views: 222
More please....

Very cool. I wonder how they pre-heated those beasts to start after they cooled down to ambient temps.
 
Last edited:
Snowcat Operations said:
KRISTI SNOWCAT IN ANTARCTICA? It looks like a KT2 pickup version.
Click to expand...
Mike, I don't think so. The KT2 tracks should be much more visible if that was a KT2. The leading front edge of the tracks on a KT2 or a KT3 will be nearly in line with the front of the fiberglass nose of the unit. That said, the photos don't show tracks that would fit that description, there is something white where the tracks should be, could be the tracks but I don't think so. And the Kristi KT2 had vertical exhaust stacks that should be visible in that photo, even in a fuzzy photo, but there are no exhaust stacks showing. I don't know what that is in the photo. You've certainly piqued my curiosity. But I don't think it is a KT2.

There are some good shots of a Studebaker Weasel in some of the clips. Those are pretty cool units, fast too! Obviously some great shots of the Tuckers too!
 
I guess my latest post didnt make it. Its a Bombardier. BUT it didnt make the whole trip. Somewhere they left it. In fact of the 8 snowcats they only had enough fuel for 4 to make it back out. They crossed the entire continent. BUT it was planned from the beggining to have only 4 come out.

Heres the next best shot of it. It has a funny nose like a Kristi.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 21.png
    Picture 21.png
    117.6 KB · Views: 218
B_Skurka said:
Mike, I don't think so. The KT2 tracks should be much more visible if that was a KT2. The leading front edge of the tracks on a KT2 or a KT3 will be nearly in line with the front of the fiberglass nose of the unit. That said, the photos don't show tracks that would fit that description, there is something white where the tracks should be, could be the tracks but I don't think so. And the Kristi KT2 had vertical exhaust stacks that should be visible in that photo, even in a fuzzy photo, but there are no exhaust stacks showing. I don't know what that is in the photo. You've certainly piqued my curiosity. But I don't think it is a KT2.

There are some good shots of a Studebaker Weasel in some of the clips. Those are pretty cool units, fast too! Obviously some great shots of the Tuckers too!
Click to expand...





BOB, Its a Bombardier. I couldnt see the whole thing till later in the film when they just filmed it going over a Cravice. Even then they just showed the lower half and not the cab. From what I have been able to piece together it had a very unusual cab design. It was shaped like a bullet that hung out forward of the tracks. The driver would sit about just behind the leading edge of the tracks. The top half of the "Bullet Cab" would swing up and over the front. This is how access was gained to the drivers positioned. Kinda like how the engine compartment top swings up and over on a Kristi KT2 and KT3. I was hoping for a verified Kristi Snowcat in Antarctica! Guess not. :pat:
 
I havn't seen the video, but National Geographic ran a detailed article about this expedetion. I've sent a copy to Bob S. and have more copies. Included in this expedition were also some converted wheel tractors, I think they were massey furgeson's with bombardiere tracking attachments. According to the article they abandon them along the way as they used up the fuel they were hauling. they also specifically mention a bombardier Muskeg tractor. It was the model in the Invention Documentary about the bombardier company and it's developments. It's a Great documentary that has a B12 pulling a bunch of logs on skids,,,, FAST! also there is footage of early snowmobile competition including an early wreck. I let my copy out to someone and it never came back. The tractors & muskeg used for freighting extra fuel were abandon along the way. Sir Edmond Hilliary ( Everest Climber), went ahead of the expedition with a dog sled and placed snow markers for the expedition to follow. There's a great shot of one of his dogs looking out the round window of one of the support aircraft used to haul him and his team. Oh Yeah, It's Jan 1959, the cover says:"Crossing of the ends of the Earth". The preceeding article in this same edition covers the first submarine trip under the North Pole.
 
Pretty good video's! Now I wish I kept my Tucker that I restored! I see there is also an Army weasel in some of the footage too! Nice post thanks for your efforts.
 
Yah I really LOVE this kinda stuff! The Weasel surprised me as did that Bombardier. At first when I saw that pointy nose I thought just maybe it might be a Kristi. BUT later on you can see the tracks. Bombardier for sure. Sometime in January we are looking to do a 200 miles trip through the Wilderness of the River of No Return. We will film everything we can and post here of course!
 
Mike,
Do you have a route planned yet? Who is going? We need details...........will this happen at the same time as the Elk City rendevous or has that been shelved for a future date? I wont have my snow master ready but I would love to drive down and see everyone elses.
 
We havent really set a date but I did put it in the calender here on the forums just to get a fire lit. The plan was during the First annual rendevous. The route has not been plotted yet but I would imagine it will be the summer route. Its approx 100 miles there and 100 miles back. So far there are 3 Snowcats for the trip.
 
Just an observation, but it would appear that JUST the Tucker's actually made the 2000 Mile jaunt across the south pole. In their day Tuckers Ruled! Also one might note that of all the machines, Bombardier Muskeg tractors are the only ones STILL in service. (There may still be some Tucker 400 series machines still in use, but the ones used for the Antarctic Expedition were 600 series) Army Weasels (all 25,000), Massey Tractors with Tracking attachments, Snow Trac's, Kristi's, and Thiokol "have all gone the way of the DODO bird" Tucker has modified their desing to a belted track, but the Bombardier Muskeg is esentially the same as it was 50 years ago. Also for those interested, the actual machine that fell in the crevasse, shown both in the video and in the Jan.1958 Nat. G, can be seen. It has a prominent place at the Tucker manufacturing facility, in Medford Oregon. It's nicely restored and looks like the day it was made. Another of the 4 tuckers to successfully cross the south pole is in England and I believe photos of it have shown up on this site.
 
Re: Correction

Correction: The Antarctic machines were probably not the 600 series, but the 700 series. The 600 series was much much larger than the 700 series. On a 600 series, the rollers, instead of being 2.75 inches in diameter like on a standard tucker 443, 543, or kitten, were a full 6 inches in diameter. Very few were built. According to the factory rep, a tucker 443 would fit on the rear luggage rack of a 600! The last and perhaps only one he difinatively knew the location of was at Mt. Batchelor in Oregon. It was no longer operational, but he said they would tow it up to the top with 2 other machines and use it as a warming hut that could hold 40 people! I'd like to see this machine!
 
The Tuckers used for the expedition were 743 models with a four 24x103 pontoons.

There is a 1962 model 743 for sale @$15,000, not sure of all the details.

I have never seen any details on a model 600, but I did previously post details for the special build model 800 used in the Antarctic.

I will try and post the link to the one for sale.

Deep Enough
Donald McMullin
 
Lyndon said:
Also for those interested, the actual machine that fell in the crevasse, shown both in the video and in the Jan.1958 Nat. G, can be seen. It has a prominent place at the Tucker manufacturing facility, in Medford Oregon. It's nicely restored and looks like the day it was made. Another of the 4 tuckers to successfully cross the south pole is in England and I believe photos of it have shown up on this site.
Click to expand...

Lyndon, I was under the impression that the machine that fell into the crevasse was lost and never recovered according to any of my past research on this expedition. As far as I know, the 743 tucker in Meford, Oregon is actually the one with the door code "B". I beleive the four machines were named: (A) Able (B) Rock 'n roll (C) Haywire and "County of Kent" which had no door code.
 
Here are the cats side by side to compare
 

Attachments

  • (B) CAT.jpg
    (B) CAT.jpg
    19.6 KB · Views: 145
  • tucker for sale.jpg
    tucker for sale.jpg
    111.1 KB · Views: 149
They are both 743 freighters. One is for passengers and the other is for cargo. They get about 2 miles per gallon! I guess back in the 50s and 60s gas was REALLY cheap! But at 7,000 lbs 20 feet long and 8 feet wide you wont be getting "GOOD" fuel economy.
 
Thanks for all the corrections. I didn't take notes when the head salesman from Tucker was giving me all the 'Low Down' and history lesson on their machines, but I much prefer the "Real Story" over hearsay. That big machine looks awfully tempting. Thanks again for the corrections. I also appreciate everyone's efforts and input. Lyndon. >>>>"The Truely Wise Man is Well Aware of How Little He Know's"
 
Awesome picture in post 19 by Robert.
Were they able to save that snowcat?
What a ravine. :eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top