Joined Jul 2012
3,000 Posts | 6+
Abilene, Texas
1,000 tonnes (1,100 [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_ton"]short tons[/ame]; 980 [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_ton"]long tons[/ame])Length35 m (115 ft)Width14 m (46 ft)Height11 m (36 ft)Crew20+, possibly as many as 41
150–360 mm (5.9–14 in)Main
armament2x 280 mm 54.5 SK C/34Secondary
armament1x 128 mm KwK 44 L/55
8x [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_cm_FlaK_30"]20 mm Flak38[/ame]
2x [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151"]15 mm MG 151/15[/ame]Engine8x Daimler-Benz MB501 20-cylinder marine diesel engines
or 2x MAN V12Z32/44 24-cylinder marine diesel engines
16,000 to 17,000 hp (12,000 to 13,000 kW)Operational
range~120 miles (190 km)Speed40 km/h (25 mph)
The true land battle ship
Here's a gun that was being developed with it before they both got canclled by Albert Speer in 1943:[FONT=.HelveticaNeueUI]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landkreuzer_P._1500_Monster[/FONT]
[FONT=.HelveticaNeueUI]
[/FONT]
The development history of the Ratte originated with a 1941 strategic study of Soviet heavy tanks conducted by Krupp, the study also giving birth to the Panzer VIII Maus super-heavy tank. The study led to a suggestion from Krupp director Grote, special officer for submarine construction, who on June 23, 1942 proposed to [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler"]Hitler[/ame] a 1,000-tonne tank which he named a Landkreuzer. It was to be armed with [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_artillery"]naval artillery[/ame] and armored with 10 inches (25 cm) of hardened[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel"]steel[/ame], so heavily that only similar weapons could hope to affect it. To compensate for its immense weight, the Ratte would have been equipped with three 1.2 metre (3.9 ft) wide treads on each side with a total tread width of 7.2 metres (24 ft). This would help stability and weight distribution, but the vehicle's sheer mass would have destroyed roads and rendered bridge crossings next to impossible. However, it was anticipated that its height, and its [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_clearance"]ground clearance[/ame]of 2 metres (6.6 ft) would have allowed it to ford most rivers with ease.
Hitler became enamored with Grote's concept and ordered Krupp to begin development on it in 1942. As of December 29, 1942 a few preliminary drawings had been completed, by which time the concept had been named Ratte ([ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat"]Rat[/ame]). Albert Speer canceled the project in 1943 before any were actually constructed.
[edit]Propulsion
The Ratte was to be propelled by two [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAN_SE"]MAN[/ame] V12Z32/44 24 cylinder marine [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine"]diesel engines[/ame] of 8,500 hp (6.2 MW) each (as used in U-boats) or eight Daimler-Benz MB 501 20 cylinder marine diesel engines of 2,000 hp (1.5 MW) each (as used in E-boats) to achieve the 16,000 hp (11.8 MW) needed to move this tank. The engines were to be provided with [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_snorkel"]snorkels[/ame] also like those used by German submarines. The snorkels were designed to provide a way for oxygen to reach the engine, even during amphibious operations passing through deep water.
[edit]Armament
The Ratte's primary weapon would have been a dual 280 mm SK C/28 gun turret. The turret was to have been a modified [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegsmarine"]Kriegsmarine[/ame]triple gun turret, removing one of the guns and loading mechanism.[1]
Further armament was to consist of a 128 mm anti-tank gun of the type used in the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdtiger"]Jagdtiger[/ame] or Maus, two 15 mm Mauser [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_151"]MG 151[/ame]/15 autocannons, and eight 20 mm [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak_38"]Flak 38[/ame] anti-aircraft guns, probably with at least four of them as a quad mount. The 128 mm anti-tank gun's precise location on the Ratte is a point of contention among historians, most believing that it would have been mounted within the primary turret, with some others thinking a smaller secondary turret at the rear of the Ratte more logical. Some concept drawings exist to suggest a flexible mount on the glacis plate. The tank was to be provided with a vehicle bay sufficient to hold two BMW R12 motorcycles for scouting, as well as several smaller storage rooms, a compact infirmary area, and a self-contained lavatory system
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Think it would be disasterous if it where deployed because the armor would be almost impenetrable and those naval guns could bust anything. But I think the allies would carpet bomb it and I'll bet it would break down like the Tiger. If used today not as devastating. All of our missiles, nukes and if a T90, M1 Abrams, Leopard II, and Challenger 2 tank teamed up, they would have defeated the landkeuzer
