Agricultural Tractors in the 1930s: Historical Aspects of Development and Testing

Author
Oksana Bulgakova

Journal
ICON, Volume 30, Issue 2 (2025)

DOI
https://doi.org/10.11590/icon.2025.2.01

Abstract
This article presents the findings of a study on certain aspects of the historical development of various agricultural tractors worldwide, their adoption in Ukraine, and subsequent testing to determine the technical parameters that would ensure their effective operation. The period under review spans from the end of the nineteenth century, which was marked by attempts to develop the world’s first agricultural tractors, to the 1930s, when the mass production of domestic models began in Ukraine.

The methodological framework adopted for this study includes dialectical analysis and synthesis, source studies, generalisation, problem-chronological, historical-comparative, and biographical methods.

The article presents the objectives and results of research and testing of tractors designed to successfully aggregate with heavy agricultural machinery, introducing methods used for comparing technical data, challenges in repair and maintenance, maintainability, fuel consumption per horsepower per hour, and other factors.

The study also explores the transition from animal to mechanical power in agriculture, evaluation of the tractors’ suitability for local conditions, and the selection of technical characteristics for tractor–machinery integration. Particular attention is given to the semi-diesel engine, which was known for its operational simplicity.

The article also presents interesting forgotten and little-known facts about testing agricultural equipment in America and Europe almost a century ago, providing new insights into the history of science and technology as applied to agricultural equipment.

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