SNOW-COMPACTION EQUIPMENT - SNOW PLANES

a commercially available tow-type land plane was modified to a snow plane for the navys coldprocessing snow-compaction techniques. two sizes have been developed. one, for general-purpose use, has a 40-foot span and is called a model 40 snow plane. the other, for specific use on the long-wave sastrugi at the south pole, has an 80-foot span and is called a model 80 snow plane. this report describes the development and evaluation of the model 40. the snow plane is a satisfactory piece of equipment for planing natural and compacted snow, grading drift snow and laterally moving snow to build up or level a snow field. acombination planner bowl and grader blade, operated hydraulically, is provided for planing and grading. as a planer the model 40 can cover up to 3-14 acres an hour and as a grader it can cover up to 3 acres an hour. bases on 1959 prices the cost of the 6120-pound model 40 snowplane is 6000. a hydraulic power take- off on the rear of a snow tractor to energize the snow planes hydraulic system costs about 200. a portable hydraulic power-pack unit to energize the system costs about2000.