The Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101

The Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101

One Of WWII's Strangest Vehicles

It's said that innovation is spurred by necessity, and there is no time where innovation is needed more than a war. Sometimes great leaps in innovation are made. Other times we end up with something as strange as the HK 101, which is essentially a cross between a motorcycle and a tank. 

As strange as it sounds, the HK 101 actually worked. ore than that, it was proven to be very useful for the Axis forces in WWII. There were over 8,000 of these built during the war for the purposes of laying communication cables, towing heavy loads such as aircraft, and carrying loads through deep mud. 

It essentially looked like a motorcycle in the front with a bed and tank treads in the rear. The steering would mostly be done by the handlebars in the front. When tighter turns were necessary, the motion of the handlebars would engage track brakes for either side, allowing for a shockingly tight turning radius for such a clunky-looking vehicle. It was powered by a 4-cylinder in-line engine and when not under load could get up to 44 MPH. It could climb effectively at grades over 24 degrees. Although it weighed almost 3,400 lbs., it was small enough to fit into many carriers other utility units could not.

Today, you'd be hard pressed to find one in functional condition. Still you can check one out at the Lyan Air Museum in Orange County, California or at at handful of other museums in the U.S. or Europe. One recently sold in the U.S. for roughly $130,000, so if you have the money, you too may be able to purchase one of these strange hybrids!

We at Womack Auto Body of Portland, OR strive to provide you with informative and entertaining content. Do you like what you've read? Let us know!

Written By: Todd Hendrickson
Source: lyanairmuseum.org