Canadair RAT

The Canadair RAT (Remote Articulated Track) was an articulated tracked snow vehicle developed in Canada in 1956. While Canada's defence research establishment (CADRE) tested a half-scale articulated light snow tractor rig, Canadair built the CL-61 prototype, followed by the CL-70 production model. Both were powered by an air-cooled Volkswagen flat-four of about 35 to 36 hp.

Design

The RAT was 3.98 m long, 1.22 m wide and 1.55 m high. It weighed 682 kg at kerb weight and could carry a 454 kg load. Drive went through a York Gears 4+1 transmission, and power was taken across the articulation joint to the trailing unit. The RAT reached 37 km/h on land and about 3.2 km/h in the water.

Service

The Canadian Army ordered 24 production RATs under the designation 'Carrier, Cargo, Light Articulated'. Canadair toured the vehicle around Scandinavia with little success, though the Swedish Army took two, and the RAT is said to have inspired later, more successful Swedish articulated vehicles. The remaining RATs went to Canadian and American civilian agencies. In 1963 a CL-70 took part in the US Army's RAVE II remote-area vehicle trials. While climbing a dike in a simulated rice paddy, it broke the drive shaft to its trailing unit and finished the course with only the front unit powered. No US orders followed. The fragile transfer joint and an engine that overheated under load led to the redesigned CL-91 Dynatrac.