For a long time, tanks were considered machines that are not able to effectively integrate into the combat environment. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, the opinion of leading strategists changed. The largest tanks at that time were a wonderful sight: several towers and machine gun nests around the entire perimeter of the tank. The main task of the machine was to break through the enemy defenses, and for this, super-heavy machines were created, which we will talk about.
Super 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 intended for a slow breakthrough deep into the enemy's defenses. Utopian designers zealously set about creating such tanks, while they did not take into account the slowness and slowness of such machines.
It was not difficult for the enemy to knock out a large "tractor" or come close to it, showing obscene signs to the crew members. According to the designers, such a tank should be invulnerable. Which is theoretically possible, but the cost of metal for the design of the tank would beexceedingly large. And this technique was not suitable for mass production.
Development history
It is worth noting that during the First World War, the 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 utopian ideas.
The 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 into the dirt and compare him to the ground. But his idea was also abandoned due to the slurring of how to manage it and transport it 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 will never be created. The development of super heavyweights continued until the 1960s.
Basic Building Concepts
At one time, many eyes were riveted on them, more than one military leader hoped for super-heavy tanks. The designers believed that by increasing the mass and size, more armor plates could be attached to the tank. And as a result, it will give more security to the machine.
And due to the protection, he was supposed to become a kind of breakthrough machine that sweeps away everything in its path. However, in practice, everything looked different. Expensive equipment was installed on the largest tank, which significantly increased the cost and weight of the vehicle.
Large Tanks
As noted, their main task is to break through enemy barriers. However, not a single super-heavy machinesaw the battlefields. The largest tank in the world Maus was produced in two copies. 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 what is the biggest tank? For this, a top of 5 cars was created.
Object 279
The "Horseman of the Apocalypse" that was supposed to ride on all sorts of soil and terrain. Outwardly, the tank looked like a flying saucer due to the flattened shape of the hull. It weighed more than 60 tons, and was about 10 meters long and 3.6 meters high.
On the sides of one of the largest tanks are two pairs of caterpillars with systemic hydraulic suspension. This was supposed to improve the properties of the tank in terms of patency. However, he was never allowed to test because of his sluggishness.
TOG 1
Due to the design features, this tank can be safely called a "sausage". He is clumsy, oblong, and he can only dream of armor. Created in 1940 by British designers.
For unknown reasons, they used technically outdated technology and it came out, to put it mildly, no. It was not difficult to overtake the TOG on foot, its speed was about 6-8 km / h. And he weighed 65 tons with a height of 3 meters and a width of 3.1 meters, and a length of up to 10 meters. As long as it reaches the desired flank, the battle, as a rule, ends.
T-28 Turtle
The second name of the tank is "Turtle". it's oneof the largest tanks of the Second World War, but it was never put 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", since the T-28 received good armor.
But this was the reason for its failure, the tank did not have a turret. And this did not fit into the concept of creating tank destroyers of the American troops. Typically, such vehicles were created with light armor and high mobility. The tank was later renamed T-95.
A-30 Tortoise
The first prototype of the car was created in 1943, "cake", as it was affectionately called, weighed about 78 tons. The designers of the tank were lazy, and development was slow, and with the outbreak of World War II, it completely curtailed. The tank could boast of its magnificent gun and a maximum 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 it 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 was about 3.6 meters, and the length was 10 meters with a width of 3.5 meters. And the car weighed more than 140 tons.
Maus
The German giant was affectionately nicknamed "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, their "Napoleonic" plans had to be abandoned. In total, two prototype tanks were created, which were blown up so that the Soviet troops would not get it. "Mouse" weighed about 180 tons.
FCM F1
The development of the tank began in 1939. This unit got two towers, which were located at different heights. This miracle of technology of those times weighed about 145 tons. With the onset of the German offensive and their rapid seizure of French territory, the creation of one of the largest tanks of the Second World War had to be curtailed.
It is worth noting that one prototype 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 would not fall to the enemy.
Tsar Tank
It was created by Russian designers in 1915, just during the First World War. But the army was never adopted, and all because of its impressive size. He unmasked at a distance of 5-6 kilometers on a flat surface, because his height was 9 meters. And he had to weigh 60 tons, which in orderenough time.
