In 1939, in Germany, the Borgvard company developed a prototype of a "heavy charge carrier", which is better known in the domestic literature as the remote-controlled tankettes "Goliath".
At first, it was believed that the main task of the new type of weapon would be the clearance of minefields and the remote destruction of fortifications. However, it quickly became clear that the remote-controlled tankettes could be effectively used against tanks.
It was a low-noise wedge, which was driven by two electric motors located in caterpillar tracks. The "stuffing" was made up of batteries and explosives. There was a reel with a three-wire wire at the back.
The operator controlled the machine using a remote control with only three buttons. Using the left and right buttons, the car could be turned in the appropriate direction, slowing down one or another caterpillar. By pressing the central button, the charge was detonated at the right time.
Serial modifications:
Sd. Kfz.302 (E-Motor) - a small-sized teletanket on a caterpillar track.
The hull was divided into three compartments: the front contained the explosive, on the average - the control mechanisms, in the rear - the coil with a three-core cable. Two 12 V Varta rechargeable batteries made it possible to operate the torpedo tankette for 40-50 minutes without recharging the batteries.
Sd. Kfz.303a / 303b (V-Motor) - teletanket with an internal combustion engine.
The main difference from the Sd. Kfz.302 was that an internal combustion engine was installed. As a result, the dimensions, the mass of the vehicle and the explosive charge were increased, which was increased to 75 kg, and on machines of the latest releases, up to 100 kg.
The first units to receive the Goliath were the 811th and 815th Panzerpionier Kompanien and the 600th Motorized Engineer Battalion of the Typhoon High Command Reserve (600 Heerespionierbataillon (mot) zbV (Taifun)). into service with the 627th Engineering Assault Brigade (627 Pioniersturmbrigade).
The efficiency of the tankettes turned out to be not high, tankettes were used to a limited extent, which is due to the technical features of the Goliaths.
A two-wheeled cart was designed especially for the transportation of Goliath teletankettes, which was rolled by two people. But this cart was designed to be transported by crew exclusively on the battlefield. Over long distances, the wedge was transported exclusively in the bodies of cars.
This weapon was not considered successful (although more than 7,500 were produced) due to the high cost, low speed (9.5 km / h), low cross-country ability of this invention, the vulnerability of the wire and thin armor (10 mm) that was unable to protect self-propelled mine from any form of anti-tank weapons. Late model Goliaths cost approximately 1,000 Reichsmarks (Sd. Kfz. 302 approximately 3,000 Reichsmarks!) - in comparison, a Pak 40 75mm anti-tank gun cost 12,000 Reichsmarks.
