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John Walter ChristieAmerican designer, engineer, inventor and racer
Date of Birth: 06.05.1865
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of John Walter Christie
- Accident and Recovery
- Inventions and Tank Designs
- International Dealings
- Later Years and Legacy
Biography of John Walter Christie
Early Life and CareerJohn Walter Christie, an American designer, engineer, inventor, and racer, is best known for proposing the concept of fast tanks and developing the Christie suspension, which was used in wheeled and tracked tanks during World War II, including the Soviet BT and T-34 series, the British Coventanter and Crusader, and the cruiser tank Comet. Christie was born on May 6, 1865, in New Milford, New Jersey. He started working at the age of 16 at the Delamater Iron Works and simultaneously attended Cooper Union School in New York City. Later, Christie became an engineering consultant for several steamship companies and worked on his first submarines in his spare time. After the Spanish-American War, John patented his carousel lathe, designed for machining turret parts of naval guns. During this period, he also worked on creating a front-wheel drive racing car. In 1907, Christie became the first American to compete in the French Grand Prix with his racing car powered by a 19,891cc V4 engine. However, the car withdrew from the race due to engine problems after four laps.
Accident and Recovery
On September 9, 1907, Christie was seriously injured in an endurance race in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was thrown out of the car and flew six meters through the air. Before the arrival of an ambulance, John received first aid from a spectator in the stands, Mark Baldwin, a former Major League Baseball player turned doctor. Christie suffered a broken left wrist, a serious cut to his right eye from shattered glasses, and significant back injuries. The doctors treating him were concerned that he might be left crippled or lose vision in the injured eye. These news were kept secret from Christie's wife, who was herself seriously ill. The racer remained in the hospital until September 19, 1907, before returning to New York.
Inventions and Tank Designs
In 1909, John built the front-wheel drive "Christie Racer" car, which was piloted by Barney Oldfield. In 1912, the inventor started producing a range of fire tractors with front-wheel drive systems. Christie sold dozens of these tractors across the country, primarily to the New York City Fire Department. The tractors allowed the continued use of steam-powered pumps and eliminated the need for horses to be brought to fire scenes.
While World War I raged in Europe, Christie developed a prototype four-wheel carriage for the U.S. Army Ordnance Council in 1916. The council requested modifications to the carriage design, which the stubborn John refused to make. Later, the inventor presented his light tank-amphibian prototype ten years before the birth of Donald Roebling's "Alligator." The tank was transported to a training area aboard the USS Wyoming (BB-32). Christie continued to introduce his new projects to the Ordnance Council, but none of his inventions were deemed acceptable. One of the obvious reasons was the difficulties in off-road mobility due to limited suspension capabilities.
Over time, Christie paid attention to this issue. He spent around $382,000 and five years to present the revolutionary M1928 tank chassis prototype. The new threaded inserts, allowing each wheel to have its own spring unit, were revolutionary. The M1928 model also featured sloping armor, increasing the resistance of the armor plate. The U.S. Army acquired several prototypes for testing and Christie's patent for manufacturing other tanks. Subsequently, the M1928 was handed over to the motorized troops for further evaluation. Ultimately, the U.S. Secretary of War rejected mass production of the M1928, citing excessive costs. Disgruntled Christie, confident that his inventions were worth the money spent, began offering his advanced chassis and suspension systems to foreign governments.
International Dealings
Poland, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain expressed interest in Christie's inventions. Long and complex negotiations between Christie and foreign governments ensued. The negotiations were technically illegal since John never obtained approval from the U.S. State Department, U.S. Army Ordnance Council, or U.S. Armed Forces to transfer his projects to potentially hostile governments.
Initially, Christie planned to sell the M1928 project to the Polish government. On February 16, 1930, a special commission led by Colonel Tadeusz Kossakowski arrived in the U.S. The commission signed a contract with John's company in March 1930 for the production and delivery of one M1928 tank. However, the inventor went back on his agreement and did not fulfill his contractual obligations. He was forced to return the payment, and the Polish government never received the M1928.
Soviet OGPU agents managed to obtain the specifications for the M1928 through a series of machinations in 1930. In April of the same year, Christie's company, U.S. Wheel Track Layer Corporation, agreed to sell two M1928 tanks to the AmTorg joint-stock company for $60,000. The tanks, along with spare parts worth $4,000, were supposed to be delivered to the USSR within four months of signing the deal. Additionally, the Soviet Union obtained the right to produce, sell, and use the tanks within the country for ten years.
Sold as agricultural tractors in the documents, the two M1928 tanks were sold without prior approval from the U.S. Army or the U.S. Department of State. Later, the Soviet Union improved Christie's design, using rational armor to create the BT series. The fast tank, in turn, contributed to the development of the Soviet T-34 medium tank during World War II.
Later Years and Legacy
John Walter Christie died on January 11, 1944, practically bankrupt, despite his tanks based on his designs having influenced world history.
