This bizarre 1954 vehicle conquered impossible terrains

Image: John Dominis/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Greek-American inventor Elie Aghnides amassed a fortune coming up with clever inventions. 

One of his more unusual creations was the "Rhino," an amphibious four-wheeled vehicle designed to patrol and defend the vast roadless wastes of Alaska and Canada. 

Weighing in at five tons, the four-wheel-drive machine could hit speeds of 45 miles per hour on the highway.

Defining features were its massive front wheels, which had six-foot diameters and weighed 1,500 pounds each. Their hollow, hemispherical shape gave the Rhino its unique all-terrain capability. As the vehicle sank into mud, sand, or other soft surfaces, the bearing surface of the ribbed wheels increased, giving it greater traction.  Read more...