The Göbel Landpanzerkreuzer – Germany’s Walking Tank Concept

Among the more unusual armored vehicle ideas of the First World War, the Göbel Landpanzerkreuzer stands out as one of the most ambitious — and arguably strangest. Designed by Otto Göbel, this German concept envisioned a massive, walking land cruiser, or Landpanzerkreuzer, intended to cross trenches, climb rough terrain, and terrify enemies with its size alone.

Though never built for combat, the idea spanned several years, with design concepts existing between 1913 and 1917. The project received brief attention — even earning a second look from a member of the German monarchy — but was ultimately rejected.

🧩 What Was the Göbel Landpanzerkreuzer?
Type: Experimental walking land cruiser

Country: German Empire

Designer: Otto Göbel

Design Period: 1913–1917

The vehicle was described as a mechanical walker powered by internal combustion engines, using legs instead of tracks. Its movement was based on a gear-driven leg mechanism, aiming to mimic natural motion to overcome battlefield obstacles like trenches, barbed wire, and shell craters.

Unlike the far-fetched sci-fi mechs of modern imagination, Göbel’s approach was relatively grounded, drawing on real mechanical principles of the time. His machine was to be heavily armored, possibly armed, and crewed like a traditional land vehicle — but with legs in place of tracks.

🧪 Reality Check
Despite the novelty of the idea, the machine was never developed for military use, even after prototypes based on the walking concept were built and tested. A member of the German monarchy gave the project a second chance during the war, but after further testing, it was once again rejected.

Several major limitations were clear:

The walking mechanism, while innovative, was too complex and unreliable for the battlefield

Mobility and stability would be difficult to maintain in combat environments

Germany’s wartime focus shifted toward more practical technologies

📖 In Trench 1915: Volume 2 – Eastern Storm
Although the Göbel machine never made it into military service, it inspired a fictional counterpart within the Trench series. In Volume 2, a modified version of the machine appears as a rescue and recovery vehicle, used to extract a high-value individual from behind enemy lines or in the midst of battle. For example it was mention during an explosive arc in the Book where the K.W.S. Battalion's commander was badly hurt and in danger. Then came the machine to transport him out.

Based on existing patent images and test photos, the author reimagined the Göbel walker as a small-to-medium-sized support unit — not for combat, but for non-combat utility, such as medical evacuation or transport across ruined terrain. This adaptation reflects a grounded approach that respects WWI technological limits while drawing on rare, real-world inventions.

🧾 Final Thoughts
The Göbel Landpanzerkreuzer may not have influenced armored warfare like the British or French tanks of the era, but it represents one of the more inventive — and eccentric — ideas of early 20th-century engineering. In both historical archives and fictional adaptations, it serves as a lasting reminder of how far imagination stretched in the face of industrial war.

https://coff.ee/jakebarrettbooks