This model represents the Winona “Skeleton Tank,” an unusual American tank prototype developed in 1918 near the end of World War I. Designed and built by the Pioneer Tractor Company of Winona, Minnesota, the Skeleton Tank reflected the experimental nature of early armored warfare, when engineers were still trying to determine what a tank should be.
Unlike the fully enclosed British and French tanks already fighting in Europe, the Skeleton Tank used a radical open-frame design. Its creators believed that a lightweight steel truss structure would reduce weight while still allowing the vehicle to cross trenches and rough ground. The crew compartment and engine were concentrated in a small armored box suspended within the frame, while the tracks ran around the perimeter. The design also emphasized ease of transport, as the vehicle could be partially disassembled for rail shipment.
Despite its ingenuity, the Skeleton Tank arrived too late to influence the war. By the time it was tested, the U.S. Army had already standardized on foreign designs and was focused on proven solutions rather than experimental concepts. The Skeleton Tank never entered production, and only one example was ever completed.
That sole surviving vehicle still exists today, making this tank a rare and fascinating artifact of early American armored development—and a unique piece of Minnesota industrial history. It stands as a reminder that innovation often involves bold ideas that may not succeed, yet still push technology forward.
This is a 1/35 scale resin model, faithfully reproducing the exposed framework, riveted construction, and unconventional layout of the original prototype. The open structure highlights why the vehicle earned its nickname and underscores how radically different early tank concepts could be before doctrine and battlefield experience shaped their evolution.
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