The P1000 Ratte was a proposed German super-heavy tank designed during World War II. It was intended to be a formidable land cruiser, equipped with a battleship-grade gun turret, 25cm thick armor, and anti-aircraft capabilities. The tank would have weighed over 1,000 tons, making it the largest and heaviest tank ever built.
Key features of the P1000 Ratte:
* Length: 39 meters, width: 14 meters, height: 11 meters
* Weight: over 1,000 tons
* Armor: 25cm thick
* Main armament: 2 x 280mm naval guns
* Secondary armament: various anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns
* Power: 2 diesel engines with 16,000 horsepower
* Top speed: 40 km/h
* Range: 190 km
The project was eventually cancelled due to its impracticality, including its size, weight, and vulnerability to airstrikes. The German minister of armament, Albert Speer, cancelled the project in 1943. A successor project, the P1500, was also proposed but never materialized.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. In 1941, the German war effort was looking for a new type of tank to combat the rise of Soviet armor.
2. The study led to the development of the 200-ton tank, the Panzer VIII Mouse.
3. During the development, an idea emerged to put a battleship on land, which was approved by Hitler.
4. On June 23, 1942, the director of Group Edward Grote suggested building a 1,000-ton tank, dubbed the "Land Cruiser" or "Landcruiser."
5. The tank, later named the P1000 Ratte, would have had 25-centimeter thick armor and been its own anti-aircraft gun platform.
6. The P1000 Ratte would have been powered by two diesel engines used in U-boats, with 8,400 horsepower each.
7. The tank would have had a top speed of 40 kilometers per hour and a range of 190 kilometers.
8. The primary weapon of the P1000 Ratte would have been two 280-millimeter naval guns.
9. The tank would have had several other cannons on board, including a single 128-millimeter anti-tank cannon and multiple anti-air auto cannons.
10. The P1000 Ratte would have required a crew of 20 to 41 men, including a commander, gunners, loaders, drivers, radio operators, engineers, and scouts.
11. The tank's size and weight would have made it vulnerable to airstrikes and impossible to hide.
12. The P1000 Ratte project was eventually canceled due to its flaws and the Allies' air advantage.
13. The Minister of Armament, Albert Speer, canceled the project, and the world never saw the P1000 Ratte in action.
14. There was also a proposal for an even larger tank, the Landkreuzer P. 1500, which would have carried an 800-millimeter cannon.
15. The Landkreuzer P. 1500 project was also canceled due to its flaws and the Allies' air advantage.