The Maus Super-Heavy Tank
TLDRThe video script details the development and history of the Panzerkampfwagen 8 Maus, the heaviest tank ever constructed. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the Maus was a product of Hitler's desire to surpass the Allies in tank technology. Despite its impressive armor and armament, the tank faced significant mobility issues due to its enormous weight. Only two prototypes were built before the project was canceled in October 1943. The first prototype, V1, had a dummy turret and demonstrated the impracticality of its weight. The second, V2, featured a real turret and improved systems but still showed limited enhancements. Both prototypes were eventually captured and tested by the Soviets, with the V1 hull and V2 turret now displayed at the Kubinka Tank Museum. The video also mentions the free-to-play online game War Thunder, which features the Maus tank among its realistic military vehicles.
Takeaways
- 🚀 The Panzerkampfwagen Maus, or 'Mouse', was the heaviest tank ever built, weighing almost 190 tons.
- 🛠️ Only two prototypes of the Maus were completed by the end of 1944, and it never saw combat due to its immense size and weight.
- 🧐 Hitler's desire to surpass the Allies in heavy tank development led to the creation of the Maus, with Ferdinand Porsche designing it.
- 🔩 The Maus was initially named 'Mammut' but was later renamed to 'Maus', reflecting its enormous size.
- 🔨 The tank's design featured very thick armor, with the turret being 220mm thick at the front and the hull 200mm at the front.
- ⚙️ The Maus was to be equipped with a 128mm main gun and a 75mm secondary gun, along with a 7.92mm MG34 machine gun for close combat.
- 🚗 Porsche intended to use a petrol-electric drive system, which was projected to give the tank a speed of 20km/h, although tests showed it could only reach 13 km/h.
- 🌉 The Maus's weight was so great that it could not cross any European bridge without causing damage, leading to the development of a snorkel for river crossing.
- 🛤️ The tank's size and weight were its main drawbacks, limiting its tactical use and mobility.
- ⏳ Despite Hitler's initial enthusiasm and order for 150 units, the project was eventually canceled in October 1943 due to its impracticality.
- 🔧 The Soviets later tested the remaining Maus prototype, which is now on display at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
Q & A
What was the Panzerkampfwagen 8 Maus designed to surpass?
-The Panzerkampfwagen 8 Maus was designed to surpass the Allies', particularly the Soviets', heavy tanks in terms of size and power.
Who was tasked with designing the Maus tank?
-Ferdinand Porsche, the leading German Tank Constructor, was given the task of designing the Maus tank.
What was the initial name of the Maus tank project?
-The initial name of the Maus tank project was 'Mammut', which was later changed to 'Maus' or 'Mouse'.
How many Maus tanks did Hitler initially order for production?
-Hitler initially ordered a run of 150 Maus tanks for production.
What were the dimensions and weight of the Maus tank?
-The Maus tank was 10.1 meters (33.13 feet) long, 3.67 meters (12 feet) wide, 3.63 meters (11.9 feet) high, and weighed almost 190 tons.
What was the main armament of the Maus tank?
-The main armament of the Maus tank was a 128mm kwk 44 gun, capable of eliminating almost any allied tank within the range of 3500 meters.
What type of engine system was planned for the Maus tank?
-Porsche intended to use a petrol-electric drive system for the Maus tank, similar to the one used on their version of the Tiger tank.
Why was the Maus tank considered to have limited mobility?
-The Maus tank's limited mobility was due to its staggering weight of 188 tons, which made it difficult to move and resulted in a low projected speed of 20km/h (12 miles per hour).
What was the German weapons agency's stance on the Maus tank?
-The German weapons agency, HWA, protested against the Maus tank, stating that it was not needed and that they could not formulate a tactical plan for it.
Why was the order for 150 Maus tanks cancelled?
-The order for 150 Maus tanks was cancelled because of the tank's limited mobility, high silhouette, and the belief that resources could be better used for other projects.
What happened to the Maus tank prototypes at the end of the project?
-The V2 prototype was destroyed by the Germans when the Red Army approached the testing grounds. The V1 hull was taken by the Soviets, who mounted the V2 turret on it for their own tests, and is now exhibited at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
What is War Thunder and how can viewers get involved?
-War Thunder is a free-to-play military online game available on PC and PlayStation 4. Viewers can register using the link provided in the video description to receive a free premium tank or aircraft and three days of premium account time as a bonus.
Outlines
🐭 The Maus Tank: Hitler's Super-Heavy Dream
The first paragraph introduces the Maus Tank, a super-heavy tank project by the Germans during World War II, which was sponsored by the online game War Thunder. The Maus, designed by Ferdinand Porsche, was intended to be the heaviest and most powerful tank ever, surpassing all others in size and armament. Despite Hitler's initial enthusiasm and order for 150 units, the project was fraught with issues, including limited mobility due to its immense weight of 188 tons. The tank was armed with a 128mm main gun and a 75mm secondary gun, and its armor was exceptionally thick. However, the impracticality of the design, including its inability to cross most bridges and the high silhouette making it an easy target, led to the cancellation of the project in October 1943. Only two prototypes were ever completed, with the first, the V1, featuring a dummy turret and the second, the V2, having a real turret and an upgraded engine. The V2 prototype was destroyed by the Germans before the Red Army could capture it, and the V1 hull with the V2 turret is now on display at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
💣 The End of the Maus Tank Project
The second paragraph discusses the challenges and eventual cancellation of the Maus Tank project. The V1 prototype was equipped with a snorkel to allow it to cross rivers by submerging, highlighting the tank's inability to use bridges. The V2 prototype, introduced in mid-1944, featured a real turret, an upgraded engine, and advanced systems, yet it only showed slight improvements. Tests were conducted at Coomer's Dorf but were plagued by engine failures and delays due to Allied bombings. In August 1944, production was officially halted, and when the Red Army approached in April 1945, the remaining V2 prototype was destroyed. The Soviets took the V1 hull and mounted the V2 turret for their own tests. The paragraph also includes a humorous note about the difficulty of creating subtitles for the video, credited to 'The Soviet Cosmonaut,' and a closing statement expressing frustration with the task.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡War Thunder
💡Maus Tank
💡Ferdinand Porsche
💡Super-Heavy Tank
💡Krupp
💡Armour
💡Armament
💡Petrol-Electric Drive
💡Mobility
💡Allied Bombings
💡Kubinka Tank Museum
Highlights
The Panzerkampfwagen 8 Maus was the heaviest tank ever built in human history.
Only two prototypes of the Maus were completed by the end of 1944, and it never saw action in battle.
Hitler's obsession to surpass the Allies in heavy tank development led to the creation of the Maus.
Ferdinand Porsche, a leading German Tank Constructor, was tasked with designing the super-heavy tank.
The VK-100.1 type 205 tank was approved by Hitler and was intended to weigh 150 tons.
The Maus was initially named 'Mammut' but was later changed to 'Maus', meaning 'Mouse'.
Hitler ordered a run of 150 Maus tanks for production after being pleased with the wooden mockup.
The final blueprints of the Maus had it measuring 10.1 meters long, 3.67 meters wide, and 3.63 meters high, weighing almost 190 tons.
The Maus' crew was to consist of six men, including a commander, gunner, loaders, driver, and radio operator.
The Maus' armor was exceptionally thick, with the turret at 220mm and the hull at 200mm at the front.
The main armament of the Maus was a 128mm kwk 44 gun capable of eliminating almost any allied tank within 3500 meters.
The Maus was designed to have a powerful engine to move its massive weight, with a projected speed of 20km/h.
The Maus' size was its prime feature but also its greatest drawback, with limited mobility and a high silhouette making it a big target.
The German weapons agency, HWA, protested against the Maus, stating it was impractical and no tactical plan could be formulated for it.
The Maus could not serve as a tank hunter due to its limited mobility but could work as a mobile fortress.
The order for 150 Maus tanks was cancelled in October 1943, and development ceased the following month.
The V1 and V2 prototypes of the Maus were tested but faced numerous issues, including engine failures and production delays due to Allied bombings.
The official end of the Maus tank project came in August 1944 when Krupp was ordered to cancel production and scrap the hulls.
The V2 prototype was destroyed by the Germans as the Red Army approached, and the V1 hull was later used by the Soviets for their own tests.
The combined V1 hull and V2 turret now stands exhibited at the Kubinka Tank Museum.
War Thunder, a free-to-play military online game, is available on PC and PlayStation 4 and features over 1000 realistic aircraft, tanks, and ships.
Transcripts
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