Bombardier B-12 CS Snowmobile

Maailman ensimmäiset niinsanotut snowmobilet keksi Joseph-Armand Bombardier,joka tuotti ne omassa pajassa Valcourtissa,Quebecissa.Kun tänä päivänä lumessa matkustus ajoneuvot on enimmäkseen varustettu pienillä koneilla kuten Ski-Doo,jonka ensimmäisiä tuotteita olivat multi-matkustaja ajokkeja. Bombardier tunnisti vaatimuksen vieläkin suuremmille ajokeille koulujen ja työmaitten käytettäväksi kaivaus ja rakennus alueilla. Esiteltynä vuonna 1942 B-12 oli varustettu kehitetyllä rata systeemillä jossa oli itsenäiset jousitukset joka akselissa.Sen takia bombardierillä oli helpompi ajaa ja sillä ajo oli hyvin tasaista eikä epätasaista kuten sen edeltäjillä. Enimmät B-12set oli varustettu Chryslerin moottorilla ja ne oli nimetty B-12 CSsiksi.

Bombardier Ski-Doo Olympique 335 Snowmobile 1970

Mutteri rengas/rata systeemillään ja talvi ajoneuvo kokemuksillaan, Bombardier tuotti ensimmäisen kevyen painon snowmobilensa 1959.Massa valmistus kapasiteetti pisti firman hyvin paljon edelle kilpailijoitaan ja nimestä Ski-Doo Tuli snowmobilen nimi kaikkialla ympäri maata

Vuoden 1962 ja 1973 välisenä aikana snowmobile suosion laajus muutti talvi urheilun lopullisesti.Vuonna 1964 Bombardierin kuolemisen vuonna, Ski-Doo Olympique sarja oli päästetty maailmalle. Tyylitetty suunnittelu otti hyödyn lisääntyneestä nopeudesta ja suorituskyvystä jonka tarjosi Itävallassa tehty Rotax moottori. Kun sarja teko lopetettiin 1979,Oli Yli 265,000 Ski-Doo Olympiqueta ehditty myydä.

September 17, 1993

Story by Steve Lane

Millinocket-It was in the fall of 1987 when Gene Nice and the Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile Club's Museum Director Steve Campbell undertook a restoration project they did not realize the magnitude of work and time that lay ahead of them. Nor did they realize the outcome of restoring the Bombardier R-12 that even original inventor Joseph Armand Bombardier would have arisen from his grave to admire.

The Bombardier R-12 (12 for 12 passenger) was discovered in a field in the town of Milford just outside of Old Town in rhetoric condition. The contoured metal cab surrounding the frame showed the harsh weather conditions of years of existence. the interior displayed the tattered upholstery and the weathered wood finish that once gleamed with brilliance. The engine block was full of water and feared ruined. One of the cotton drive lags was almost completely torn off. All the windows had been broken out and some of the rubber idler wheels were flat.

The Bombardier R-12 was a protégé of the B-12. The R-12 series were constructed with an all steel body and the skis were interchangeable with rubber tires to allow travel on soft or rough terrain. The R-12 was produced by the Valcourt, Quebec Bombardier plant for mass transit, ambulance service, as a school bus, mail delivery, and for the delivery of foodstuffs and merchandise to isolated areas. They were the last large snowmobiles built by Bombardier for mass transport. Their lack of success on the market convinced Armand Bombardier that the days of the large snowmobile were over. The R-12 series remained in production until 1979.

The particular Bombardier R-12 that Gene Nice purchased bears the lettering on the door "G.N.P. No. 1". This vehicle was used by the Great Northern Paper Co. in the upkeep and winter maintenance of their telephone line system in the Debsconeag and Rainbow Lake area back in the early 1950's and '60's.

Gene and Steve began the restoration Project in late 1987. The interior was restored with the upholstery of the seats and benches being done as well the original style varnished finish. All the windows were replaced as well as a new lag which was constructed by one of the club's members. The original 6 cylinder Dodge engine was drained of water and was found to be in remarkably good condition. Last but not least was a coat of Midnight Blue paint, the original finish color.

Six years later and approximately 400 hours worth of labor the R-12 was ready to be inaugurated into the Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile Club Antique Museum. On February 12, 1993, Gene and his son Tim drove the R-12 up snowmobile trail I.T.S. 86 3 miles to the museum where Bombardier officials Rick Salley and Jim King were awaiting their arrival. Rick and Jim presented the club, Gene and Steve with a Winners Circle Plaque which features a picture of American race car driver Al Unser and Canadian race car driver Scott Goodyear in a symbolic profile representing Bombardier unity.

Joseph-Armand Bombardier, The Man

Born in Valcourt in 1907, Joseph-Armand Bombardier was the eldest of eight children born to Anna Gravel and Alfred Bombardier, a farmer turned general merchant. From an early age, Joseph-Armand combined a talent for tinkering with a passion for machines.

In 1926, the young man established himself as a garage owner in Valcourt, devoting his spare time to researching and developing vehicles that could travel on snow. On August 7, 1929, he married Yvonne Labrecque and together they had six children: Germain, Yvon, Janine, Claire, Huguette and André.

In 1937, years of research culminated in the production of a seven-passenger vehicle, the B-7, and in the patenting of the sprocket wheel/track system which would later be used in most of the subsequently produced vehicles. That same year, the inventor became an entrepreneur and founded L’Auto-Neige Bombardier, which was incorporated in 1942.

After contributing to the war effort, Joseph-Armand devoted himself to his business and continued his work as an inventor, adapting his vehicles to the needs of the forestry, mining and petroleum industries. His dream of developing of a small personal vehicle led to the production and marketing of the Ski-Doo snowmobile in 1959.

Along with solving the problems of personal transportation on snow, particularly in remote northern regions, Joseph-Armand Bombardier created a vehicle that would give rise to a new sport and a new industry. Before he died in 1964, he had seen the first signs of the huge success of the snowmobile. A man of great vision, he laid the foundation for Bombardier Inc. the large diversified multinational corporation we know today.

Robin-Nodwell RN 110 Tracked Carrier, 1962

Page created on : March 31, 1997 Last updated : April 25, 1998

The RN 110, the first successful tracked vehicle developed by Calgary inventor and entrepreneur Bruce Nodwell, was designed to carry a five-ton load in harsh off-road terrains and extreme cold. It was built in batches, or on a custom basis. The 110, also known as the Nodwell Tracked Truck, was introduced in 1954. The innovative track was made of spliced conveyor belting which was cheaper and easier to repair than continuous belting. It was widely used by both civilians and the military for a variety of transportation uses.