T14 Heavy Tank

Assault Tank T14

Assault Tank T14
Type Heavy tank
Place of origin United States
Production history
Manufacturer American Locomotive Company
Number built 2[1]
Specifications
Weight 41 tons
Length 6.19 m (20 ft 4 in)
Width 3.17 m (10 ft 5 in)
Height 2.99 m (9 ft 10 in)
Crew 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver)
Armor 133mm
Main
armament
 75mm M3 Gun
50 rounds
Secondary
armament

.50 M2 Browning machine gun (12.7mm)
2x .30 M1919 Browning machine gun (7.62mm)

9,000 rounds
Engine Ford GAZ V8
520 hp (390 kW)
Power/weight 12.86 hp/ton
Suspension HVSS
Operational
range
 100 mi (161 km) radius of action[2]
Speed 28 km/h (17 mph)

The Assault Tank T14 was a joint project between the United States and the United Kingdom. The T14 tank was supposed to be a design that was to be shared by both countries to give a heavy infantry tank for both countries.

A pilot model was not delivered to the UK by 1944 by which time the British Churchill tank had been in service for two years and greatly improved over its initial model. The T14 project never came to fruition. US efforts working on a similarly well-armoured tank but with a higher speed for use other than in infantry support led to the T20 Medium Tank.

Design and development

In 1941, the head of the United States Ordnance Department travelled to Britain to learn of their experience, ideas and requirements for the future. Among the discussion was the possibility of designing a well-armed and armoured combat vehicle, one that was stronger than the British Churchill infantry tank then in production.

The tank design would have a British QF 6-pounder (57 mm) or a US 75mm gun and share many parts with the M4 Sherman; they had the same armour thickness, but with armour sloping at extreme angles, effective armour on the T14 was greatly increased to 101mm.[3]

The British initially ordered 8,500 in 1942 following which detail design work started. Testing of the pilot model which was completed in 1944 showed the vehicle to be much too heavy for practical use. By this time, the British Army was satisfied with the Churchill and its cruiser tank designs and further production of the T14 was halted. Only two were built; one tested in the US and the other sent to Britain.[4] The example sent to Britain survives in The Tank Museum, Bovington.[4] The British had developed the Heavy Assault Tank A33 "Excelsior" design to the same specification as the T14 but this did not go into service either.[5]

See also

Tanks of comparable role, performance and era

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Chamberlain & Ellis p157
  2. ↑ Bovington record
  3. ↑ Steven J. Zaloga, Tony Bryan, Jim Laurier M26/M46 Pershing Tank 1943-53 p6
  4. 1 2 Forty, George (1995). World War Two Tanks. Osprey. pp. 133–139. ISBN 1-85532-532-2.
  5. ↑ White BT, British Tanks 1915-1945 Ian Allen p68-69
Bibliography

External links

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