Matadors 1/76 Track Spuds and Track Torpedoes
 

A big problem soon experienced by the early tanks, was the ever present risk of the vehicle getting stuck while moving on the churned-up ground of the Battlefields of WW1. Remedies for this, and for helping stuck tanks getting free, was sought. And two of the earliest ones was the attachment of tracks spuds and track torpedoes. Track spuds was a small, more or less permanent attachment, simply improving the grip of the tracks. Track torpedoes were, elongated pieces of wood, intended as unditching gear, that was attached to the tracks when a tank got stuck, and then followed the track around, in under the tank, hopefully giving it the grip and "leverage" it needed in order to get free. They were eventually replaced by the more effective unditching beam, that could be seen on all Mk IV's.

Matador has now produce a small but very nice set, that will help anyone that want to build a Mk I-III, equipped with either of these contraptions. The moulding is sharp, no flash to speak of, and it comes with a minute chain, in copper. Very nice!

Its good to see Matador Models back on the Great War track. They done many interesting WW1 kits, extras and conversion kits, and now we will hopefully see even more!

Click here if you want to see some photos of real life Track spuds & Track torpedoes.