Super-heavy tank

British TOG2

Super-heavy tanks are armored vehicles of very large size, generally over 75 tonnes. Programs have been initiated on several occasions with the aim of creating an invincible vehicle for penetrating enemy formations without fear of being destroyed in combat; however, only a few examples have ever been built, and there is no clear evidence any of these vehicles saw combat. Examples were designed in World War I and World War II, along with a few in the Cold War.

History

World War I

British Flying Elephant model

The earliest examples of super-heavy designs date to World War I, when the British worked on their Flying Elephant concept as a way to break through any potential defensive line. The Germans developed their K-Wagen (Großkampfwagen). 2 of them were under construction when the war ended and both were demolished.

World War II

During World War II all of the major combatants introduced prototypes for special roles. Adolf Hitler was a proponent of "war winning" weapons and supported projects like the 188 tonne Maus, and even larger 1,000 tonne Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte and 1,500 tonne Landkreuzer P. 1500 Monster. The British, Soviets and Americans all built prototype designs similar to the Jagdtiger, but none of these saw combat as the need for such a weapon turned out to be extremely limited.

Later

The idea of super-heavy tanks saw less development after the war, except in the Soviet Union where some relatively heavy tank prototypes were tested for the Cold War nuclear battlefield. An example would be the Object 279. These might be considered super-heavy by the standards of Soviet tank design, where the emphasis was on small size and low weight, but they were no heavier than the standard U.S. and British heavy tanks of the period.

American T-28 Super Heavy Tank

List of super-heavy tanks

American

• T-28 Super Heavy Tank - self-propelled gun, 86 tons, 5 pilot models built

British

• TOG1 (tank) - 80 tons, 1 prototype
• TOG2 (tank) - 80 tons, 1 prototype
• Tortoise heavy assault tank - self-propelled gun, 78 tons, 6 pilot models built and tested
• Flying Elephant - First World War era project at 100 tons, not built

French

• Char 2C (also known as FCM 2C) - 69 tons, 10 built in the 1920s
• FCM F1 - 139 tons, project only

German

• K-Wagen - 120 metric tons, 2 were nearly complete when the war ended. Both were demolished.
• Jagdtiger - 70 tons, 77 tanks completed.
• Panzer VII Löwe - 76–90 tons, cancelled in favour of Maus.
• Panzer VIII Maus - 188 tons, 2 prototypes. Both were captured by Russians. One can now be seen at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
• Panzerkampfwagen E-100 - 140 tons, 1 hull completed at factory. Captured by Americans and scrapped.
• Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte - 1000 tons, turret was complete, but the project was cancelled. Turret was used for coastal defence.
• Landkreuzer P. 1500 Monster - self-propelled gun, 1500 tons. Tracks were complete when the project was cancelled.

Japanese

• O-I series
  • "Super Heavy Tank" - 130 tons. Purportedly one prototype was produced in 1944 and sent to Manchuria.
  • "Ultra Heavy Tank" - Modification of the O-1 Super Heavy Tank with four turrets. Project only.

Soviet

• Eighty ton tank - at least 1 prototype built in 1926. 80 tons with two 76 mm main guns and 4 machine guns
• Tank Grote (TG-5 or T-42) - 100 tons with 107 mm main gun and four subturrets. One prototype made - 1931
• KV-4 - WWII supertank project. Several different designs were proposed (between about 90 and 110 tons and with one 107mm gun and one 45mm gun), but none were made.
• KV-IV
• Obyekt 279 - 1959, 60 tons, Prototype tested.

References

Bibliography

• Zaloga, Steven J., James Grandsen (1984). Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two, London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-606-8.

See also

• Landship