Imaginary Wheeled Armoured Vehicle

[martin_3d]

well... to start with...it would probably mount some kind of CTA 40mm gun...plus plus plus...almost Sci Fi ... At this stage, roughing the shapes and look...

See pic below. Comments most Welcome.
As requested by Pablo_nemesis, simple clay render has been added.

[Pablo_nemesis]

Looks good, a little simple i think, post a clay so we can see it cleaner. :)

[Cobra8472]

That looks really nice! I like the design.

Good Work! keep at it!

[Karras]

And the driver ? Since he will see ?

[martin_3d]

Well observed...drivers optics to be added soon... :o)

[Pablo_nemesis]

Looking interesting, add more details , just personal opinion, those armor plates would look nicer and more futuristic if they where thiner(also the screws) or maybe no screws.

(hmm maybe you have seen macross, reactive armour?) XD

[martin_3d]

So, had little time to spend on the project.
I inserted the outscketch of the driver's optics.
Next step should be the refining of the wheels and tyres.

[WonderWheeler]

The flat vertical armor on the sides has a very German look to it, but some writers think that kind of angle doesnt deflect incoming rounds from the side very well. An in Iraq, or city fighting, it's stuff from the side you have to look out for the most.

Am afraid the driver is not going to see much below his own horizon line. If there are any children or people kneeling down in front of the vehicle, they are not going to be seen. Would not want to take a driver's test, parallel parking with this one...

Driver might have to rely on crt screens. Needs a remote camera on the lower slope maybe? Am guessing here.

Note that on many tanks there is a cone shaped cutout or recess in the middle of the tank leading to the drivers area. There is a reason for this cone of vision.

[martin_3d]

Cameras should do the trick !!!
+ this baby shouldn't be alone ...there will be grunts around ;o) (I am a grunt myself...).

[martin_3d]

Wheels are not ready yet...although here is a minor update:
- armour plates removed in front of the drivers' optics;
- 3 antennas added
- biped for scale guestimation

[WonderWheeler]

The camera could be in a solid steel sphere in a socket in the hull. Sort of like the old machine gun mounts. Several cameras could be placed in the sphere such that if one is shot out made dirty, another could roll into position. Sort of like an eyeball with multiple irises! Could be handy for blindspots all over, and little solid state cameras and stepper motors are cheap these days, let alone for a future vehicle.

If you actually wanted to build such a thing, the electrical connection would have to be at one pole of the eye, the wires allowed to rotate through the equivilent of a headphone jack. When it isn't being used the iris could roll out of the way, showing a blind eye to the world.