| Monegeeta Proving Ground Page 2 | |||
| Continued from Monegeeta 1. Author: Mike Cecil, Head of Military Heraldry and Technology, Australian War Memorial |
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The test tracks within the Monegeeta complex included steep grades and inclines, and various specialized test track sections, such as ground and axle clearance tests, articulation tests that twisted a truck chassis, a platform for measuring the centre of gravity, various ditch and obstacle crossing tests, and water splash and immersion tests. The 95-metre long sleeper course was a particularly grueling test track, with timber railway sleepers embedded 50 mm into the ground, and spaced 3 metres apart. A vehicle driven across this course could easily become airborne as a result of the violent bouncing. The course was designed to test axles and springs, but the bodies of the drivers no doubt got a drastic workout as well! |
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| Not a lot of diff clearance for this Chevrolet C15A ARN 61824 undergoing testing at Monegeeta. | |||
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The infrastructure progressively built at Monegeeta during the war was substantial, so rather than return the property to the original landowner in the post-war period, the land was permanently acquired. The post-war period saw a continuation of testing and experimentation, and the establishment of more or upgraded infrastructure as the years went by, including a deep wading pool. Monegeeta is still the centre of testing and trials for the Australian Army, and is currently a division of Land Engineering Agency (LEA). (end of article) |
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| An interesting test done at Monegeeta was to bring a CMP to a similar power to weight ratio as the Dodge Weapons Carrier. | |||
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| Ford F15A ARN 132159 was the vehicle chosen for the trial, seen here wading. | Note the sunshine roof and already bent AALMG mount. | ||
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| And here's the result - quite a strip-down and of course quite useless for army jobs! The "X" on the tac sign denoted experimental. This photograph has been "deep etched" or whited out for use in a report. | |||