T34 Heavy Tank

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This article is about the American heavy tank. For other uses, see T34.
T34 Heavy Tank
T34Heavy tank in Aberdeen Proving Ground 1947.jpg
A T34 at the Aberdeen Proving Ground
TypeHeavy tank
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In serviceTrials only
Used byUnited States Army
Production history
Designed1945-1948
No. built2[1]
Specifications
Mass65.1 t
Length43 ft 3 in (13.18 m) gun forward
32 ft 10 in (10.01 m) gun aft
Width12 ft 5 in (3.78 m) over sand shields
Height10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) over cupola
Crew6 (driver, gunner, loader, assistant loader, commander, assistant driver)
Armorhull front 102–203 mm (4.0–8.0 in) maximum
gun shield 279 mm (11.0 in) maximum
turret front 303 mm (11.9 in) [2]
Main
armament
120 mm T53 L/60 rifled gun (34 rounds)
Secondary
armament
2 x .50 in (12.7mm) M2HB AA (1,500 rounds), coaxial & pintle-mounted
1 x .30 in (7.6 mm) Browning M1919A4, bow & coaxial (2,500 rounds)
Engine1,649 cu in (27.02 L) Continental AV-1790-3A1 air-cooled
810 hp (600 kW) net at 2800 rpm
TransmissionGeneral Motors CD-850-1 crossdrive, three speeds (two forward, one reverse)
Suspensiontorsion-bar
Fuel capacity350 US gal (290 imp gal; 1,300 L)
Maximum speed 22 mph (35 km/h) (on road)

The T34 Heavy Tank was an American design for a heavy tank. It evolved from the T29 Heavy Tank and T30 Heavy Tank in 1945, sporting a 120 mm (4.72 in) modified 120 mm Gun M1 anti-aircraft gun.[3] Extra armor plating was applied to the rear of the turret bustle as a counterweight for the heavier 120mm T53[4][5] main gun. The vehicle was deemed too heavy and no production orders were placed.[6]

Development[]

In 1945, encounters with German heavy tanks and tank destroyers such as the Tiger II and Jagdtiger led to a new project to create a vehicle that could counter these new threats. It was built on the same chassis as the earlier T29 and T30, which was a lengthened version of the T26E3 chassis.[7]

Survivors[]

There is at least one surviving example on display in the National Armor and Cavalry Museum, Fort Benning, Georgia.[8][9]

References[]

  1. ^ Hunnicutt, R.P. (1988). Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank. Presidio Pr. pp. 94. ISBN 978-0891413042.
  2. ^ Hunnicutt, Firepower, p.197.
  3. ^ Thearmoredpatrol.com: The 120 mm T53 (Retrieved 2021-12-22)
  4. ^ Sirchby, ~ (2018-01-20). "The 120 mm T53". The Armored Patrol. Retrieved 2019-04-23.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Hunnicutt, R.P. (March 1, 1988). Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank. Presidio Pr. pp. Page 94. ISBN 978-0891413042.
  6. ^ "Heavy Tank T34". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  7. ^ Sirchby, ~ (2018-01-20). "The 120 mm T53". The Armored Patrol. Retrieved 2019-04-23.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Holloway, Mark (2018-08-23), T34 Heavy Tank, retrieved 2019-11-22
  9. ^ "The museum where the Army's tanks never die, they just get repainted (PHOTOS)". Guns.com. 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2019-12-02.


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