(CEVs) are armoured vehicles built for Engineering work on the battlefield or for the transportation of Sapper s.
Most CEVs are Armoured Fighting Vehicle s that may be based on a Tank Chassis and have special attachments in order to breach obstacles. Such attachments may include dozer blades, Mine rollers, cranes etc. An example of an engineering vehicle of this kind is a bridgelaying tank, which replaces the turret with a segmented hydraulic Bridge .
- : The bulldozer blade was a valuable battlefield tool on the WWII M4 Sherman Tank . A 1943 field modification added the hydraulic dozer blade from a Caterpillar D8 to a Sherman. The later M1 dozer blade was standardized to fit any Sherman with VVSS suspension and the M1A1 would fit the wider HVSS. Some M4s made for the Engineer Corps had the blades fitted permanently and the turrets removed. In the early stages of the 1944 Battle Of Normandy before the Culin Cutter, breaking through the Bocage hedgerows relied heavily on Sherman dozers.
- : Engineer Corps' Sherman dozer with demolition charge on wooden platform and T40 ''Whizbang'' rocket launcher (the ''Doozit'' did not see combat but the ''Whizbang'' did).
- : The US field-converted a few M4 in Italy with A-frame-supported bridge and heavy rear counter-weight to make the Mobile Assault Bridge. British developments for Shermans included the fascine (used by 79th AD), Crib, Twaby Ark, Octopus, Plymouth (Bailey Bridge), and AVRE ( SBG bridge).
- : British conversions included the Sherman Crab . The US developed an extensive array of experimental types:
- ---: Series of mine resistant Shermans based on the T14 kit. Cancelled at war's end.
- --- (''Earthworm''): Three sets of 6 discs made from armor plate.
- ---: Two forward units with 7 discs only. Experimental.
- --- (''Aunt Jemima''): Two forward units with five 10' discs. Most widely used T1 variant, adopted as the M1. ( picture )
- ---: 16 discs.
- ---: T1E3/M1 w/ smaller wheels. Experimental.
- ---: T1E3/M1 w/ serrated edged discs. Experimental
- ---: British Crab I mine flail.
- ---: Based on British Scorpion flail. Development stopped in 1943.
--: T3 w/ longer arms and sand filled rotor. Cancelled.
--: E1 variant, rotor replaced with steel drum of larger diameter. Development terminated at war's end.
- ---: British Crab II mine flail.
- ---: Frame with small rollers with two discs each. Abandoned.
- --- (''Johnny Walker''): Steel plungers on a pivot frame designed to pound on the ground. Vehicle steering was adversely affected.
- ---: 6' Roller. Difficult to maneuver.
--: Lightened version, but proved unsatisfactory because it failed to explode all mines.
- ---: Remote control unit designed to be controlled by the following tank. Cancelled.
- ---: Six forward firing mortars to set off mines. Experimental.
- ---: 23 forward firing mortars. Apparently effective, but cancelled.
- ---: Direct modification to a Sherman tank, upgraded belly armor and reinforced tracks. Cancelled.
- ---: Plough device. Developed during 1942, but abandoned.
- ---: T4 variant w/ v-shaped plough. E1/E2 was a further improvement.
- ---: T5E1/E2 rigged to the hydraulic lift mechanism from the M1 dozer kit to control depth.
- ---: Based on the v-shape/T5, unable to control depth.
- ---: Based on the T4/T5's, but rigged to the hydraulic lift mechanism from the M1 dozer kit to control depth.
Another good example is the American M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle , which is equipped with a dozer blade and a 165mm Demolition Gun .
Another type of CEVs are armoured fighting vehicles which are used to transport Sapper s ( Combat Engineer troops) and can be fitted with a Bulldozer 's Blade and other mine-breaching devices. They are often used as APCs because of their carrying ability and their heavy protection. They are usually armed with Machine Gun s and grenade launchers and usually tracked to provide enough tractive force to push blades and rakes. Some examples are the U.S. M113 APC , IDF Puma , Nagmachon , Husky AVGP , and U.S. M1132 ESV (a Stryker variant).
Armored Bulldozer . The civilian tractor is fitted with an armor kit, produced by Israel defence industries.]]
CEVs may also include civilian heavy equipment which was modified for military applications. In that case, the heavy vehicle must have some sort of protection - usually Armour Plate s and steel jackets.
Some examples are the IDF Caterpillar D9 Armoured Bulldozer , American D7 TPK, Crane s, Grader s, Excavator s, and M35 2-1/2 Ton Cargo Truck .
These are vehicles specially designed as CEVs for the Military . They have special engineering uses as well as armour protection. A good example is the American M9 ACE .
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