Kristi Company
Kristi snowcats were 1950s/1960s tracked vehicles suitable for snow and other terrain and produced originally in Colorado and then later in Washington.
The original Kristi snowplanes [1] were very similar to the earlier Russian Aerosledges which were developed as early as World War I.
The theoretical advantage of the Kristi system in a snowplane would make for safer and faster turns on frozen lakes.
The major advancement of the Kristi tilt ski system apparently made no impact on the commercial or amateur snowplane industry as it did not appear to be used in practical application.
Perhaps because of the mechanical complexity of the original design, no snowplanes are known to exist that employ the "Christi Ski Action" concept.
[citation needed] Snowplanes are well suited to travel on frozen lakes and snowcovered fields or roads but are not suitable for use in mountains or on rough ground.
[2] Further, the front or rear of both tracks could be raised or lowered so the snowcat's cabin could remain level while climbing or descending slopes.
Specifications from the sales brochure for the Kristi KT3 stated that it was 11' long, 7'4" wide and had a height of 5'9" with an empty weight of 2095 pounds.
With a fuel capacity of 20 gallons of gasoline, it claims 15 to 18 hours of operating time and a top speed of 20 mph.
The Kristi action adjustable track suspension will hold the cabin level on slopes with up to a 25% grade.
The KT4 had a fully enclosed fiberglass body while the KT4a was an open version and "a" designated that it was an amphibious unit capable of floating and crossing streams or ponds.
The KWT, according to the prototype's announcement pre-sales brochure, was built for ranchers and farmers as a heavy-duty all-terrain vehicle capable of hauling and towing loads into remote snowbound locations.
The KT7 used a Ford Anglia gasoline engine controlled by governor over hydrostatic Vickers drive with body tilt.
While Kristi was commercially unsuccessful, it did surpass other companies that only developed "snowplanes", largely because tracked vehicles are more suitable for uneven terrain.
