The role of tanks in warfare grew significantly following their introduction during World War I, and their importance became even more pronounced in the context of the Second World War. During the latter conflict, the United States recognized the imperative of augmenting its firepower to ensure victory, leading to the creation of the T28 Super Heavy Tank.
Regrettably, only two prototypes of this formidable military vehicle were constructed before the project met its untimely demise. While one of these units sustained damage during testing, the fate of the other took a peculiar turn, as it ended up lost for several decades, rather than being destroyed or securely stored.
The US wanted to match the Germany Army’s powerful tanks
The US and its Allies were ultimately victorious in World War II. Along the way, they learned many lessons about conflicts and how they may be conducted in the future.
Even while the war was being fought, the US military was looking to close the gap. One thing the German Army had against the Allied forces was their tank superiority; the vaunted Siegfried Line had made it near impossible for the Allied forces to break into Germany.
Beginning in 1943, the US began devising plans for a new tank, which would later be designated the T28 Super Heavy Tank. The new vehicle was intended to be heavy, with enough power to both break through enemy lines and provide enough security to protect those within the tank.
The United States begins work on developing prototypes
In March 1944, the decision was made to build five of the T28 Super Heavy Tanks, which would each be outfitted with an 105 mm T5E1 anti-tank gun for their main armament and a .50 caliber Browning heavy machine gun as their secondary weapon. The vehicle was built with a much thicker body than other tanks of the era. The metal, as thick as 12 inches at some points, was thought to be durable enough to protect against anti-tank fire.
Issues arose, however, during the construction process. Due to the T28’s size of 95 short tons, the tank could only achieve a maximum speed of around 8 MPH. As well, there were serious problems when it came to driving over obstacles.
The T28 Super Heavy Tank wasn’t really needed at all
As aforementioned, the initial plan for the T28 Super Heavy Tanks was to use them to smash through the Siegfried Line. However, beginning in mid-1944, the Allied forces began an all-out attack on the defensive line, and by early 1945, all of the bunkers along it had fallen.
Those in charge decided the T28s would now be used on the Japanese mainland. However, Japan surrendered before the tanks could be sent overseas, following the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This led the US government to scrap any plans to further develop the vehicles. Only two prototypes were ever completed, with one becoming heavily damaged during testing at Yuma Proving Ground and ultimately sold for scrap.
The remaining T28 Super Heavy Tank was lost for decades
Given the circumstances surrounding the conclusion of the Second World War, the T28 Super Heavy Tank proved to be largely unnecessary. Moreover, extensive testing of the vehicle exposed flaws that would have undoubtedly manifested on the battlefield. Consequently, the US military opted for a different approach, favoring a tank that wasn’t super heavy but rather lighter and more adaptable in design.
In the subsequent years, as the US engaged in conflicts in both Korea and Vietnam, the T28 tank was conspicuously absent from the battlefield. The WWII-era design had faded into obscurity, no longer a part of the military’s strategic considerations.
The T28 Super Heavy Tank was eventually found in the weeds
The military was so focused on new tank models that, somehow, the remaining T28 Super Heavy Tank prototype was completely misplaced. It wasn’t until 1974, 27 years after it went missing, that it was located in a field at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. It had been left to the elements for so long that weeds had started to grow into it.
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Since its discovery, the prototype has been treated with much more respect. It was transferred to the General George Patton Museum at Fort Knox, Kentucky and remained there for a number of years, before being moved to Fort Benning, Georgia’s Patton Park.
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