Kégresse track. A Kégresse track is a kind of rubber or canvas continuous track which uses a flexible belt rather than interlocking metal segments. It can be fitted to a conventional car or truck to turn it into a half-track, suitable for use over rough or soft ground. Conventional front wheels and steering are used, although skis may also be fitted. A snowmobile is a smaller ski-only type.

The mechanism incorporates an articulated bogie, fitted to the rear of the vehicle with a large drive wheel at one end, a large unpowered idler wheel at the other, and several small guide wheels in between, over which run a reinforced flexible belt. The belt is fitted with metal or rubber treads to grip the ground.

History

Russia

Adolphe Kégresse designed the original system whilst working for Tsar Nicholas II of Russia between 1906 and 1916. He applied it to several cars in the royal garage including Rolls-Royce cars and Packard trucks. The Russian army also fitted the system to a number of their Austin Armoured Cars.

France
Following the Russian Revolution, Kégresse returned to his native France, where the system was used on Citroën cars between 1921 and 1937 for off-road and military vehicles. Expeditions across undeveloped parts of Asia, America, and Africa were undertaken by Citroën, demonstrating all-terrain capabilities.

During World War II, the Wehrmacht captured many Citroën half-track vehicles and armored them for their own use.

Great Britain
British firm Burford developed the Burford-Kégress, an armoured personnel carrier conversion of their 30 cwt trucks. The rear-axle powered Kégresse tracks were produced under license from Citroën. A 1921 prototype passed trials and the British Army placed an order, but in continuous operation the tracks wore and broke. By 1929, the vehicles were taken out of service and later scrapped.

Poland
Citroën-Kégresse vehicles served in the Polish motorized artillery during the 1930s.

Domestically produced Kégresse half-track trucks included the 1934 Półgąsienicowy - "Half-track car" - or better known C4P derived from the 4.5-ton Polski Fiat 621 truck.

The C4P was designed by the BiRZ Badań Technicznych Broni Pancernych - Warsaw Armored Weapons and Technical Research Bureau in 1934. The engine and cab received some modifications and the front axle reinforced to integrate the 4x4 transmission. Production began in 1936 at Państwowe Zakłady Inżynierii's Warsaw plant. By 1939, more than 400 were produced including at least 80 artillery tractors.

Belgium
The FN-Kégresse 3T was a half-track vehicle used by Belgian armed forces as an artillery tractor between 1934 and 1940. 130 were built, with some 100 in service before the German invasion.

United States
In the late 1920s, the US Army purchased Citroën-Kégresse vehicles for evaluation, followed by a licence to produce the tracks. A 1939 prototype went into production with M2 and M3 half-track versions. More than 41,000 vehicles in over 70 versions were produced between 1940 and 1944.

Sources

External links
Citroën-Kegresse halftracks in the Polish Army
Informationen über Leben und Werk von Adolphe Kégresse (German language)
Register of Kegresse Track vehicles

Automotive suspension technologies
Engineering vehicles