A39 Heavy Assault Tank Tortoise
A junior minister at the Ministry of Supply, Duncan Sandy, pushed forward the development of a heavy tank capable of carrying a 94 mm gun.1 It was going to be able to use a discarding sabot ammunition, which could penetrate any tank at the time.1
It was developed by Nuffield Mechanization & Aero.1
Design work first started in 1942.4 With the Germans introducing the King Tiger development was rushed, but the 6 prototypes weren't ready until 1946 and 1947.1
Had a cast one piece superstructure.1
2 of the Besa MGs were in a cupola for anti-aircraft defense.1
2 of the prototypes were scrapped and 2 went to museums.1
| A39 Heavy Assault Tank Tortoise | |
|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver, co-driver, gunner, machine gunner, loader (2).2 71,2,3,4 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 174,720 lb2 78 tons1,3,4 79,250 kg1, 79,252 kg4 |
| Length w/gun | 33'1,2,3,4 10.05 m1, 10.06 m4 |
| Length w/o gun | 23' 9"2 |
| Height | 10'1,2,3,4 3.05 m1,4 |
| Width | 12' 10"1,2,3,4 3.91 m1,4 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 94 mm (32 pdr.)1 32 pdr. OQF2,4 32 pdr3 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 3: 7.7 mm or 7.92 mm Besa MGs1 3: 7.92 mm Besa MGs2 3: 7.92 mm Besa MGs, 2 AA4 2: MG3 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 35 - 2253 35 - 2281 352, 2252,4 |
| Hull Front, Upper | |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Rolls Royce Meteor1,2,3,4 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | V-124 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 6504 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | |
| Steering | |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline4 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 20° left, 20° right2 |
| Max speed | 12 mph1,2,3,4 19 kph4, 20 kph1 |
| Cross country speed | 4 mph2 |
| Road radius | 50 miles1,4 80.4 km1, 81 km4 |
| Cross country radius | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | |
| Fording depth | |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | Bogies1 Box bogie.2 |
| Wheels each side | 16 pairs1 |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | |
| Production |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
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