For a long time, tanks were considered vehicles that were not able to integrate effectively into a combat situation. However, with the outbreak of World War I, the opinion of leading strategists changed. The largest tanks at that time were a wonderful sight: several towers and machine-gun nests around the perimeter of the tank. The main objective of the machine was to break through the enemy's defenses, and for this extra heavy machines were created, which we will talk about.
Heavy Tanks
In order to enter the elite club of the largest tanks, it was necessary to have a mass of more than 80 tons. They were designed to slowly break deep into the enemy’s defense. Utopian designers eagerly took up the creation of such tanks, while they did not take into account the slowness and slowness of such vehicles.
It was not difficult for the enemy to knock out a large "tractor" or come close to him, showing obscene signs to crew members. According to the designers, such a tank should be invulnerable. Which is theoretically possible, but the metal costs of the tank design would be prohibitively large. And such equipment was not suitable for mass production.
The history of development
It is worth noting that during the First World War, army headquarters received design proposals from ordinary citizens of the Russian Empire. Almost all of them were considered, but not a single application was accepted. Again, all because of the utopianism of ideas.
Self-taught engineer proposed to create a tank, somewhat reminiscent of a huge loaf. According to his idea, he had to literally trample the enemy in the mud and compare him to the ground. But his ideas were abandoned because of slurredness, how to manage him and transport him from place to place.
In the history of the largest tanks in the world, only a few copies were created. The rest remained as prototypes that would never be created. The development of super-heavy was carried out until the 1960s.
Basic building concepts
At one time, many eyes were riveted to them, more than one commander hoped for superheavy tanks. The designers believed that due to the increase in mass and size, more armor plates could be fixed to the tank. And as a result, this will give greater security to the car.
And due to protection, he was supposed to become a kind of breakthrough machine, which sweeps away everything in its path. However, in practice, everything looked different. The largest tank was equipped with expensive equipment, which significantly increased the cost and weight of the machine.
Oversized tanks
As noted, their main task is to break through enemy barriers. However, not one superheavy vehicle saw the battlefield. The largest tank in the world Maus was released in duplicate. And he also did not have time to fight, Adolf Hitler banned the production of cars, because the German Reich did not have enough production capacity to produce other weapons products. You probably want to know which is the largest tank? For this, a top of 5 cars was created.
Object 279
The "Horseman of the Apocalypse", which was supposed to ride all kinds of soil and ground. Outwardly, the tank looked like a flying saucer due to flattened body shapes. He weighed more than 60 tons, and in length was about 10 meters with a height of 3.6 meters.
On the sides of one of the largest tanks are two pairs of tracks with a system hydraulic suspension. This was to improve the properties of the tank in terms of patency. However, he was not allowed to test because of his slowness.
Tog 1
Due to the design features, this tank can safely be called a "sausage." He is clumsy, oblong, and he only has to dream about armor. It was created in 1940 by designers from the UK.
For unknown reasons, they used technologically obsolete technologies and it came out, to put it mildly, none. It was not difficult to overtake TOG on foot, its speed was about 6-8 km / h. And he weighed 65 tons with a growth of 3 meters and a width of 3.1 meters, and a length of up to 10 meters. Until it reaches the desired flank, the battle usually ends.
T-28 Turtle
The triple name of the tank is Turtle. This is one of the largest tanks of World War II, but it was never released into mass production. The tank came out slow and clumsy, the Americans were engaged in its creation. The tank had to withstand the Tigers and Panthers, as the T-28 received a good reservation.
But this was the reason for his failure, the tank did not provide for a tower. And this did not fit into the concept of creating a tank destroyer of American troops. Typically, these machines were designed with light armor and high mobility. The tank was later renamed the T-95.
A-30 Tortoise
The first prototype of the machine was created in 1943, the "cake", as it was affectionately called, weighed about 78 tons. The designers of the tank got lazy, and development went on at a slow pace, and with the start of World War II it was completely curtailed. The tank could boast of its magnificent gun and a top speed of 19 km / h. This is not bad for a super heavy tank. Below is a photo of the largest tank in English tank building.
E-100
A miracle of German tank building, one of the largest tanks in the Third Reich. The car came out large and heavily armored, but was not widely used in the army. This is due to the loss of Germany in World War II.
Despite the fact that they wanted to make the tank low, its height reached about 3.6 meters and a length of 10 meters with a width of 3.5 meters. And the car weighed more than 140 tons.
Maus
Affectionately nicknamed the German giant "mouse", although the tank had nothing to do with a small animal. The largest German tank was created on the personal instructions of the German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, he planned to create about 10 vehicles of this kind.
However, in connection with the surrender of the Third Reich, they had to abandon their "Napoleonic" plans. In total, two prototype tanks were created, which were blown up so that Soviet troops would not get it. The mouse weighed about 180 tons.
FCM F1
The development of the tank began in 1939. This unit turned out to be two towers, which were located at different heights. Weighed this miracle of technology of those times about 145 tons. With the onset of the German offensive and their swift capture of France, the creation of one of the largest tanks of World War II had to be curtailed.
It is worth noting that one prototype of the machine was created. However, it was not possible to find out what happened to him. According to some reports, the French themselves destroyed it so that developments in the field of tank building did not get to the enemy.
