Thread: Antarctica and Tractors

Ref;South Pole Timeline-1955-1964

Summer 1957-58

Opening flight (10/28).
At a temperature of -60°F/-51°C, the P2V-7 pilot turns his engines off; result: multiple oil leaks, a cracked cylinder and an engine change at Pole. Reporters on the turnaround flight end up staying more than 2 weeks

Second D-2 airdropped (11/10), streams in (parachutes didn't work) and buries itself 45+ feet deep; still today a target visible on LC-130 radar

Seismologist Father Linehan determines from seismic sounding (made at the bottom of the 45-foot-deep D-2 crater) that the station is 8,397 feet above bedrock which is 903 feet above sea level
Station team learns that Pole would continue to be occupied after IGY (12/5);

And here is what the Americans tried and failed with:

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctic_Snow_Cruiser"]Antarctic Snow Cruiser - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

More info in these links.
snowcruiser
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ti...a_hueca_18.htm

Geared too high, no grip from the balloon tyres etc. It features in a Clive Cussler novel too.

Originally Posted by S3ute

Arthur,

Hello from Brisbane.

I had seen one of the tractors in the museum in Christchurch on a couple of occasions between 1977 and 2008, but had not been aware of it being anything other than one of the originals.

Trust the Kiwis to put a con job.

Next thing you know it'll be the origin of something simple like pavlovas..................

Cheers,

There is a copy besides the three originals.



New addition to Sir Edmund Hillary collection at Mount Cook museum
.

http://www.antarctican.org/antarctic...es/ISSUE56.pdf

http://www.antarctican.org/antarctic...es/ISSUE57.pdf

http://www.antarctican.org/antarctic...es/ISSUE58.pdf

The modern version. What the French use for their traverse from Dumont d'Urville (on the coast, roughly due south of Hobart) to Dome C - a bit over 1000kms inland. Pic taken at Cap Prud'homme - the traverse head on the mainland at Dumont. One of the windiest places on the planet (as you can see from the windsock) and where film March of the Penguins was filmed.

The sled containers take fuel in for the Dome C station - which is an incredible place in itself. Max temp around -20°C in the summer, 10600 foot altitude. And bloody good food .

Pretty rude comment really.

So, what Arthur is pointing out is that there is no con. That it is a well publicised act of generosity from a member of the public.

Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

Originally Posted by S3ute

...Trust the Kiwis to put a con job...

There is a copy besides the three originals.

...
New addition to Sir Edmund Hillary collection at Mount Cook museum
.

Ref; File:Map of the McMurdo-South Pole highway.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Ref; Antarctic Traversebb



Ref; Traverse Across Antarctica To The South Pole May Employ Robotic Tractors in the Future - SpaceRef

The huge spotlights aren't used for night driving.... they are used in whiteout conditions to give ground contrast to the snow and create shadows on the ground. Whiteout is a bizarre phenomenon. You can walk along and walk into a mound of snow five feet high you can't see, yet you can see mountains in the far distance.