Landmaster
{{other uses|Landmaster (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox weapon
|name = Landmaster
|image = landmaster.jpg
|image_size = 250
|caption = Promotional picture of the Landmaster from Damnation Alley
|origin = Studio City, California
|type = Amphibious APC
|is_vehicle = yes
|service = 1976 —
|used_by = (Fictional) 123rd Strategic Missile Wing, United States Air Force, Tipton Air Force Base, Mojave Desert, California, United States
|designer = Dean Jeffries
|design_date =
|manufacturer = Jeffries Automotive
|unit_cost = US$350,000
|production_date = 1976
|number = 1
|variants =
|spec_label =
|weight = {{convert|23000|lbs|abbr=on}}
|length = {{convert|35|ft}}
|part_length =
|width =
|height = {{convert|12|ft}}
|diameter =
|crew = 4
|armour = {{Fraction|3|8}}-inch (1 cm) steel plate
|primary_armament = 2 top mounted rocket launchers
4 side mounted autocannons
2 front mounted retractable bazookas
2 front mounted flamethrowers
|secondary_armament =
|engine = {{convert|391|in3|L|adj=on|lk=on}}
|engine_power =
|pw_ratio =
|transmission = 5-speed Allison
|payload_capacity =
|suspension = 12-wheel tri-star
|clearance = {{convert|2|ft}}
|fuel_capacity =
|vehicle_range =
|guidance =
|steering = hydraulic rams mounted in the center section junction
}}
The Landmaster is a unique 12-wheeled amphibious articulated vehicle constructed by Dean Jeffries at Jeffries Automotive in Universal City, California, for the 1977 science fiction film Damnation Alley (itself based on a novel by Roger Zelazny). Despite the appearance of two Landmasters in the film (achieved with process photography and models), only one was built, at a cost of $350,000 in 1976.{{cite journal|last=McComb |first=Gordon |author2=J. Steven York |author2-link=J. Steven York |title=Automotive Fantasies—And The Men Who Make Them |url=http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/landmaster/pics/lanarticle4.jpg |journal=Science & Mechanics |issue=unknown |pages=66–67 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107052409/http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/landmaster/pics/lanarticle4.jpg |archive-date=2011-01-07 }}
History
A staple of southern California car culture for many years, the Landmaster was parked in full view next to Dean Jeffries' automotive shop on Cahuenga Boulevard in North Hollywood, California from 1977 to 2005.
The Landmaster was sold to a private owner in 2005 and was restored to its original condition as featured in Damnation Alley. The Landmaster was then on the show car circuit for several years.[http://www.wwwmwww.com/Macross/landmaster1.png Landmaster picture from its recent showing.] In 2007 it was featured at the San Francisco Rod & Custom Show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco[http://www.sfcustomshow.com/navigation/eventguide.html 2007 San Francisco Rod, Custom and Motorcycle Show Event Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215103008/http://www.sfcustomshow.com/navigation/eventguide.html |date=2009-12-15 }} as part of special exhibit with other notable movie and TV cars.
Sometime in the late 2000s, the Landmaster was vandalized while in storage. The damage was relatively minor, but repair and restoration were required again. In March 2014, Landmaster was moved from its storage location in Campbell, California to a new maintenance and storage facility in central California (see photos and gallery).
In 2016, the Landmaster was moved to Gene Winfield's Custom Shop on Sierra Highway between Rosamond, California and Mojave, California, and in 2022, Winfield sold the vehicle to an unknown party, where it will undergo restoration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/@34.9405402,-118.1493591,3a,75y,273.52h,87.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2cI5hZuaEFoWI1LZMvR6CQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192|title=Google Maps}}
Construction
Popular Science described the Landmaster:
{{Blockquote|Three independent drive sources running from a gasoline power plant. Uses semi truck parts in the drive train. Can operate with the front or rear wheel trinary out of commission. Side and top hatches on the main unit and rear and top on the after section. Full running lights and brake lights for urban street use. External video camera is mounted on the forward pylon located just behind the front top hatch. Could also house the antenna. All pylons are hardened and armored. Can operate in water and will remain sealed when fully submerged. Can float while half full of water.{{cite journal |last=Scagnetti |first=Jack |title=Monster vehicle to star in movie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KAEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA83 |journal=Popular Science |issue=March, 1977 |page=83 |date=March 1977 }}}}
While the film is fiction, the Landmaster vehicle is real. In the story, the Landmaster was designed to use as many standard truck parts as possible, so that any junkyard would have whatever was needed for repairs. The real Landmaster is powered by a {{convert|390|in3|L|adj=on|lk=on}} Ford engine, and uses the rear-ends of two commercial trucks and an Allison automatic truck transmission. It features a fully functional, custom-built "tri-star" wheel arrangement, which could actually help it crawl over boulders. All 12 wheels are driven, but only eight are normally in contact with the road surface at any one time.{{cite journal |title=CB Supercar: The Incredible Landmaster |journal=CB Guide |issue= unknown |pages=12–15}}
The vehicle was steered not by turning the front wheels, but by bending the middle section with hydraulic rams to effect a turn, similar to large construction equipment. The Landmaster's bodywork was made with {{Fraction|3|8}}-inch (1 cm) steel plate, which helped it tip the scales at over 10 tons. The design's strength allowed it to survive a {{convert|25|ft|adj=on}} jump during testing with no damage.
Gallery
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-09.JPG|Front view, just prior to loading on trailer.
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-02.JPG|Gantry/entry into cockpit. Raises/lowers via a motor driven cable system.
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-04.JPG|Close-up of trinary wheel system.
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-15.JPG|Closeup of section pivot and drive system
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-01.JPG|Landmaster was driven under its own power onto trailer shown.
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-11.JPG|Landmaster just after driving onto trailer
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-13.JPG|Loaded onto a heavy duty trailer for transport
File:2014-3-28-Landmaster-16.JPG|Rear view, loaded onto a heavy duty trailer for transport
Other appearances
- Amoco "the Road Worrier" (1980s) commercial with a Mad Max type character.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9fFhwGoVNo |title=the Road Worrier |publisher=YouTube |first=Steve |last=Herold |date=June 23, 2013}}
- "The Wild and the Young" (1986) music video by Quiet Riot.{{Cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrtKmjGjhro |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/TrtKmjGjhro| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Quiet Riot - the Wild and the Young |publisher=YouTube |date=July 1986 |people=Quiet Riot}}{{cbignore}}
- Highway to Heaven: "Merry Christmas From Grandpa" (1989) TV episode.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOPaFMhVn9c |url-status=dead |title=Merry Christmas From Grandpa (4) |publisher=YouTube |date=August 1989 |people=Landon, Michael (director) |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412112935/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOPaFMhVn9c }}
- The Wizard of Speed and Time (1989) parked on sidewalk about 17 minutes in.{{Cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ldOTw60Ozg#t=1032 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/3ldOTw60Ozg| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=The Wizard of Speed and Time |people=Jittlov, Mike}}{{cbignore}}
- Get A Life: "Paperboy 2000" (1990) TV episode.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2v0scUyWf8 |url-status=dead |title=Get a Life - S1E06 - Paperboy 2000 - Part 3/3 |publisher=YouTube |date=November 1990 |people=Baldwin, Peter (director) |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419063715/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2v0scUyWf8 }}
- A.P.E.X. (1994), time travel movie.{{Cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ_fwz40CEE&NR | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214181446/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ_fwz40CEE&NR| archive-date=2013-02-14 | url-status=dead|title=A.P.E.X 2/7 |publisher=YouTube |date=1994 |people=Roth, Phillip J. (director)}}
- Dino Island (c. 1996), pre-ride video at the Sony MovieGlide Theatre.{{cite web |url=http://www.trudang.com/simulatr/dinosim.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090419223858/http://www.trudang.com/simulatr/dinosim.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 19, 2009 |title=Dino Island |work=Motion Simulators |first=Trey |last=Stokes |publisher=The Truly Dangerous Company |date=January 4, 2002}}
- Hybrid (1997), post-apocalyptic movie.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119339/ |title=Hybrid |website=IMDb |first=Fred Olen (director) |last=Ray |year=1997}}
- Battle Angel Alita: Last Order (2001) Manga author paid some respect by creating his own version in chapter 1 and 2.{{cite book |title=Battle Angel Alita: Last Order Omnibus Vol. 1 |first=Yukito |last=Kishiro |isbn=978-1612622910 |publisher=Kodansha Comics |date=2013 |pages=12 & 17}}
- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (2009) video game.{{cite web |url=https://nijiko.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/007-sabias-que/ |title=007 – ¿Sabías Qué… (Did You Know?…) |date=2 December 2013}}
See also
- Ark II – armored vehicle from the eponymous 1976 TV series, which has been confused with the Landmaster.
- Armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) – actual military vehicles related to the Landmaster's film portrayal.
- Category: wheeled amphibious AFVs – A list of related military vehicles.
- Sandcrawler – contemporary fictional vehicle with similar purpose.
- EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle - a fictional armored personnel carrier from 1981 American war comedy film Stripes
Sources
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{commons}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/landmaster/ |title=Damnation Ally: Landmaster Web Page |date=2003-04-15 |first=Richard |last=Hallock |publisher=Snowcrest.net/fox |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305143804/http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/landmaster/ |archive-date=2005-03-05 }}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PKZK9ggRQA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/4PKZK9ggRQA| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Landmaster for Trainz |author=Dreddmanz13 |date=December 30, 2006 |publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.amphibiousvehicle.net/amphi/L/landmasterspecial/landmaster.html|title=Landmaster |publisher=AmphibiousVehicle.net (archived)|date=2008-05-11 |first=Hans |last=Rosloot|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516010751/http://www.amphibiousvehicle.net/amphi/L/landmasterspecial/landmaster.html |archive-date=2018-05-16 }}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuC_mcWKn8o Youtube video] of the Hawkwind song 'Damnation Alley' with video of the Landmaster from the movie
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9fFhwGoVNo Youtube Amoco commercial] featuring Landmaster
Category:All-wheel-drive vehicles
Category:Wheeled amphibious vehicles