1915 Giant Russian War Tank Prototype - by Homespunmagixx

"The Tzar Tank of Capt. Lebedenko - In the history of armored fighting vehicles, probably the strangest would have to be The Russian Lebedenko or Tzar Tank. Developed in the earliest days of tank development, it was not alone amongst many other strange designs. Conceived by the engineer N. Lebedenko in 1914 who at that time was employed by a private firm working for the Russian War Dept., the tank was essentially an enlarged gun carriage. Working with N. Zhukovskiy and his nephews, B. Stechkin and A. Mikulin, they designed a motorized battle machine weighing approx. 40 tons with 2 large spoked wheels in the front about 9 meters in diameter tapering in the back to a much smaller double wheel used for steering. Between, the hull of the tank �hung� from the front wheels supported on a pair of tuning-fork like arms. The large front wheels, it was hoped, would give the tank the ability to cross practically any obstacle". - Homespunmagixx

"Na história de veículos blindados de combate, provavelmente o mais estranho de todos talvez seja o tanque russo Lebedenko ou Tzar Tank. Desenvolvido nos primeiros dias do desenvolvimento dos tanques de guerra, ele não estava sozinho entre muitos outros modelos estranhos que estavam sendo criados. Concebido pelo engenheiro N. Lebedenko em 1914 que na época era empregado de uma empresa privada que prestava serviços ao Departamento de Guerra russa, o tanque era essencialmente um canhão agigantado. Trabalhando com N. Zhukovskiy e seus sobrinhos, Stechkin B. e A. Mikulin, eles projetaram uma máquina de combate com motor pesando aprox. 40 toneladas com duas grandes rodas raiadas na frente com cerca de 9 metros de diâmetro e uma roda muito menor na traseira, que servia como direção. Com as enormes rodas dianteiras, esperava-se atravessar praticamente qualquer obstáculo. Inicialmente chamado de Nepotir, o tanque veio a ser batizado Lebedenko, o nome de seu principal criador". - Homespunmagixx

The Real Thing

..."The construction progressed pretty quick and at the end of July 1915, the Nepotir was ready for it’s first trials. Because of it’s weight and size, it was designed to be transported in sub-assemblies, to be assembled again before action at the front (like it was later envisioned for the huge German K-Wagen). This procedure was followed, and the sub-assemblies were transported to the testing ground, some 60 km from Moscow. At the re-assembly it was found out that the weight of the machine exceeded calculations with some 50%, due to the use of thicker metal. In August the test began in front of a high commission. It started well. The vehicle moved well over some firm ground, crashed a tree, but then went into a soft patch, where the small double wheel got stuck in a ditch. Soon it was obvious that the engines were to small, as they were unable to free the rear double wheel. After this fiasco, two of the designers, Mikulin and Stechkin, worked on equipping the vehicle with more powerful engines, but this plan was never fulfilled. The military had decided against the project. It was simply too expensive, it had thus far cost some 250.000 roubles. Also the vehicle (and then primarily it’s wheels) was deemed to be too vulnerable to artillery fire, which probably was quite true. (And by this time both France and Britain were near to completing new types of all-terrain armoured fighting vehicles, running on caterpillar tracks.)
The Lebedenko stood there, bogged down, for the rest of the war, but was finally scrapped in 1923". - read the complete text at: Landships.Freeservers.Com/Lebedenko


Link: 1915.Giant.Russian.War.Tank.Prototype.by.Homespunmagixx


More WWI and Military Vehicles related posts:

WWI Mendelejev Tank - by Gerald Marschall - Tanque da Primeira Guerra

Sopwith F.1 Camel WW1 Plane - by Kota - Avião Biplano WW1

Triplane Fokker Dr I - by Recortecole - Avião Triplano - WWI

Albatros DrII WWI Plane - by Paper Inside - Avião da Primeira Guerra