About these pages

Twister
	The twister has two bodies joined with a pivotal yoke. This gives the front part three degrees of freedom in pitch, roll and yaw. The body is built from 1/4" thick aluminium alloy. 4130 steel was used for the suspension, yoke and other stressed components.
	The Twister was build as a prototype by Lockheed between 1969 and 1971 One 06 test bed, one amphibious test bed and the XM-808. Most of the pictures on this page are scans of photo copies from 1975, send in by Chip Metz, that have faded a bit through time. ;-) The information and the rest of the pictures where send in by Harold Smith.
	A picture of the original prototype of the twister. The second generation twisters are longer and wider.
	A picture of the amphibious twister that had extra flotation devices fitted. The amphib was completed in June 1970 an tested until December. It has a water jet giving 2600 lbs of trust to 2 thrusters on each side of the rear body. Water control is by deflection, water speed is 6 mph. The twister can leave the water on a 40% mud bank or 60% firm bank.
	This picture realy shows that nothing can stop a twister.
	The articulation is: Roll 30° Pitch +35° -27° Yaw 31.5° Step obstacle 36" Tread 87.75"
	The Twister has 2 water cooled 440 Cu V8 Chrysler/Corvair engines total 582 hp and 2 Allison transmissions with 6 forward and 1 reverse gears. Independent 12 volt system for each engine: 55 amp alternator and 35 Ah battery in front body. 55 amp alternator and 90 Ah battery in rear body. It does 0 to 45 mph in 11 sec on 84 gallons it can cruise 350 miles. The original twister had one 17 gallon tank for each engine.
	Front body: independent unequal length wishbones with coil springs. Whole front body acts like a walking beam. Rear body: Wheels mounted in tandem on a separate solid centre-pivoted walking beam on each side of the vehicle. The wheel travel without articulation is: 1 axle 12 inch 2 axle 12 inch 3 axle 27 inch 4 axle 27 inch
	This is a line art of the combat version behind, the driver sits the gunner. The top view of the line art is not realy true. Twister test report page 01 - pdf Twister test report page 02 - pdf Twister test report page 03 - pdf Twister test report page 04 - pdf Twister test report page 05 - pdf Twister test report page 06 - pdf Twister test report page 07 - pdf Twister test report page 08 - pdf Twister test report page 09 - pdf Twister test report page 10 - pdf Twister test report page 11 - pdf Twister test report page 12 - pdf
	This was the combat version the M808 and it did not swim. The XM-808 has a fully enclosed cab and was armoured and armed with a 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannon.