THE TANKS OF MIKLÓS STRAUSSLER

Abstract

The work of Miklós Straussler (Nicholas Straussler, 1891-1966), Hungarian-born British inventor and engineer is not that well known, even though than not one of his creations made noticeable impact in the Hungarian and international military technology. Perhaps one of his most significant invention was the Duplex Drive flotation system which made it possible to the Allied tanks to swam ashore during the Normandy landings on July 6, 1944 in the Second World War.
Nevertheless, before World War Two, in the second half of the 1930’s he offered  his services not only to Great Britain but also to his fatherland. In cooperation  with the Weiss Manfréd corporation he designed the first Hungarian armoured  car together with the first ever tank produced in Hungary, the V-4. This latter  was developed with the greatest secrecy at this time. This armoured fighting  vehicle which at the end did not see service will be the topic of this study along  with the circumstances of its birth, its political and economic background, the  process of its development and any Hungarian or international events related to  it.