SciTech Tuesday: Goliath Tracked Mine

US Navy Official photography, Gift of Charles Ives, from the collection of The National WWII Museum

Seventy years ago today, US Navy personnel examined the German Goliath in Normandy. The tracked mine was developed for use beginning in 1942. Goliath operators used a joystick control box connected by 2,000 yards of wire to steer the battery powered device. Carrying over 200 pounds of high explosives the device was intended for one-time use including destroying tanks, disrupting troop formations and demolishing structures.

Slow moving and highly visible Goliath’s command cables were often severed, and its thin armor provided minimal protection during battle. Despite its limited success, technology used to develop the Goliath helped to lay the foundation for modern remotely operated vehicles.

Learn more about student robotics at The National WWII Museum

Post by Annie Tête, STEM Education Coordinator