US Army "Super Tank" 8 March 1945

[jzichek]

I discovered the attached several years back while researching at NARA; I'm not an AFV guy, so I'm hoping the experts here can shed some light on it. The report dates from June 20, 1945. Does this tank project show up at all in "Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank" by R.P. Hunnicutt? (I wish a 2nd edition of this book would be published, as it is now almost $500 on Amazon). I also wish the Army had put some dimensions or a scale bar on the drawing. Perhaps someone could estimate its size based on the tracks or gun. Anyway, it is an incredible looking beast.

The lettering in the corners of the illustration reads as follows:

Lower Corner, Left Side: "Drawn by Sgt Covington 8 March 1945"
Lower Corner, Right Side: "Proposed by Lt Col FS Brackett, Armored Medical Research Laboratory"

The lettering is kind of blurry, but that's how I read it. Looks like it may be a proposal from a person who isn't even a professional tank designer, so I guess we should take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Chunks]

It is, on page 111 the first page of part II. The only illustration for it is the same as the one you've provided. In fact the only information included is the same as yours only with less detail. It appears to be just a concept to get the engineers thinking along new lines rather then an actual proposal.

 

[jzichek]

Thanks Chunks! Sounds like it's a comprehensive book. I wonder if the Army studied any more of these articulated "semi-trailer" tanks before the concept was abandoned. Seems like the pivot point where the two tracked sections connected would have been particularly vulnerable.

 

[Chunks]

It's a great book if you can find it at a decent price. I've all 10 of Hunnicutt's armour books with most of them coming from the Ft. Knox library system as surplus! This one is stamped "Salvaged from library acct. L1-24.1" and still has a checkout card in the little sleeve inside, marked Barr Memorial Library, Ft Knox, KY. The newest date stamped on that card is Jun 1 93!! Unbelievable, home of the "Armour School"!!

All of them cover development much more then use. This one have quite a few offbeat projects included. I've no scanner or I'd show some of them.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Any chance of getting a good-rez scan of this tank, from either/both of the sources?

 

[RyanC]

I could scan a copy of this at NARA next time I go. But in order to do that.......I need a RG number or at least a rough index as to begin searching from....

 

[Abraham Gubler]

The newest date stamped on that card is Jun 1 93!! Unbelievable, home of the "Armour School"!!

That's probably the date when the Armor School library system went digital...

 

[Triton]

Source:
http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/40529-project-astron-super-heavy-tank/

 

[ouroboros]

Somewhat visually similar to a Twister vehicle. For a tracked vehicle like this, how is steering handled and the split of engine power? Would there be some kind of limiter on the power output of the rear tracks or just some fixed ratio to the forward tracks? Would the rear tracks also be mostly synchronous, except at very low speeds to assist turning? I keep imagining this would handle like a tractor-trailer rig, but those have unpowered rear wheels.