T34 Heavy Tank

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

Not to be confused with T-34.
T34 Heavy Tank
TypeHeavy tank
Place of origin United States
Service history
In serviceTrials only
Used by United 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)

Development

In 1945, encounters with heavy German tanks and tank destroyers such as the Tiger II and Jagdtiger lead to a new project to 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.[6]

Survivors

There is at least one surviving example in National Armor and Cavalry Museum, Fort Benning, Georgia.[7][8]

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. Sirchby, ~ (2018-01-20). "The 120 mm T53". The Armored Patrol. Retrieved 2019-04-23.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. Hunnicutt, R.P. (March 1, 1988). Firepower: A History of the American Heavy Tank. Presidio Pr. pp. Page 94. ISBN 978-0891413042.
  5. "Heavy Tank T34". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  6. Sirchby, ~ (2018-01-20). "The 120 mm T53". The Armored Patrol. Retrieved 2019-04-23.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. Holloway, Mark (2018-08-23), T34 Heavy Tank, retrieved 2019-11-22
  8. "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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