this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2026
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Four British soldiers, one of them a sergeant, with three German captured Goliath tracked mines or beetle tanks shortly after the landing on Normandy during D-Day. The Wehrmacht created and employed this curious vehicle between 1942-1945, although its production was stopped in 1944. Inside the main body there were up to 100 kilograms of high explosives which were used for destroying tanks, disrupting dense infantry formations, and demolition of buildings and bridges. The vehicle was steered remotely via a joystick control box. The control box was connected to the Goliath by a triple-strand cable attached to the rear of the vehicle, which also used for transmitting power to the electric driven version. Two of the strands were used to move and steer the Goliath, while the third was used for detonation. Early models used an electric motor but, later used a simple, less expensive gasoline engine. They were used principally by specialized Panzer and combat engineer units in campaigns such as Italy and the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. By the end of the war 7,564 Goliaths had been produced.

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[–] SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org 33 points 2 days ago

"British soldiers discovered a German tanks nest, still housing three tanklings. The fate of the young creatures is unknown."

[–] Cobrachicken@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago
[–] Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I read that they were so ineffective that the Brits would safe them out and then ride them around for shits and giggles

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

There are photos of allied troops playing with them, though that's not an example of them being ineffective in and of themselves so much as being captured material after a battle. I don't think people were disarming, splicing in their own controls, and riding them around under fire.

[–] HeyMrDeadMan@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] EggInDisguise@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The methods of war has changed.

War itself is still horror.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago
[–] Skullgrid@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago