PzKpfw IX/PzKpfw X

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PzKpfw IX/PzKpfw X
General characteristics
Crew >=12
Length 35 m
Width 14 m
Height 11 m
Weight 1000/1500 tonnes
Armour and armament
Armour 250 mm
Main armament 2x 280mm gun/800mm super heavy mortar "Dora" type/2x 150mm artillery
Secondary armament 128mm gun, 8x 20mm flak 38 AA guns, 2x 5mm Mauser MG 151/15 guns
Mobility
Power plant 2x MAN V12Z32/44 24 cylinder Diesel marine engines/8x Daimler-Benz MB501 20 cylinder Diesel marine engines
17000HP/16000HP
Suspension Unknown
Road speed 40 km/h
Power/weight 17.0 hp/t
Range Unknown

The Panzer IX and Panzer X were some theoretical projects using the latest developments of Panzerkapfwagen Armors, intended to enter in action in 1946-47.

Such vehicles only existed as projects on drawing boards, there are no blueprints showing the realistic look of both vehicles. PzKpfw X was to be wider but lower than Maus and was to be armed with an 88mm or even a 128mm gun. Both designs were very advanced, including many features which can be found in modern tanks of today. According to the latest research it appears that these near-modern tanks were not even considered by the designers but instead were propaganda sketches published in the "Signal" magazine in 1944, to misinform the Allies about the progress of German tank development.

[edit] P 1000 / P 1500

Another prototype project was the P 1000 / P 1500 armour series. On June 23rd of 1942, Dir. Dip. Ing. Grote (along with Dr.Hacker) from the Ministry of Armament, who was responsible for the production of U-Boats, suggested the development of a tank with a weight of 1000 tons. Adolf Hitler himself expressed interest in this project and allowed Krupp to go ahead with it. The project was designated “Krupp P 1000” (Ratte - Rat).This "land cruiser" would be 35 meters long, 14 meters wide and 11 meters high. The P 1000 would be equipped with tracks 3.6 meters wide, each side using three 1.2 meters wide tracks, similar to those used in excavators working in coalmines.

It was planned to power the P 1000 with two MAN V12Z32/44 24 cylinder Diesel marine engines with total power of 17000hp (2 x 8500hp) or with eight Daimler-Benz MB501 20 cylinder Diesel marine engines with total power of 16000hp (8 x 2000hp). According to the calculations it would allow the P 1000 to travel at a maximum speed of 40km/h. The P 1000 would be armed with a variety of weapons such as: two 280mm gun (naval gun used in Scharnhorst and Gneisenau warships), single 128mm gun, eight 20mm Flak 38 anti-aircraft guns and two 15mm Mauser MG 151/15 gun.

In December of 1942, Krupp created new design for a 1500 ton tank - P 1500. Its frontal armour would be 250mm thick and it would be armed with a single 800mm "Dora" type super heavy mortar and possibly two 150mm artillery pieces. The P 1500 would be powered by two or four submarine diesel engines.

In early 1943, Albert Speer cancelled both projects. The only P 1000 turret made ended up as a coastal defence battery (Batterie Oerlander) near Trondheim, Norway.

[edit] References


German armored fighting vehicles of World War II
Tanks
Panzer I | Panzer II | Panzer III | Panzer IV | Panther | Tiger I, II | Panzer 35(t) | Panzer 38(t)
Self-propelled artillery
Wespe | Hummel | Grille | Panzerwerfer | sIG 33 | Wurfrahmen 40
Assault guns
StuG III | StuG IV | StuH 42 | Brummbär | Sturmtiger
Tank destroyers
Panzerjäger I | Marder I , II , III | Hetzer | Jagdpanzer IV | Jagdpanther | Nashorn | Jagdtiger | Elefant
Half-tracks Armored cars
SdKfz 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 250 | 251 | 252 | 253 | 254 Sdkfz 221/22/23 | Sdkfz 231/32/34/63
Self propelled anti-aircraft
Flakpanzer IV: Möbelwagen, Wirbelwind, Ostwind, Kugelblitz | Gepard
Prototypes
Maus | E- series | Panther II | Waffenträger | Neubaufahrzeug
Proposed designs
Panzer VII 'Löwe'
German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
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