German Superheavy Panzer Projects of World War II

German Superheavy Panzer Projects of World War II

Tank design bureaus first became involved in developing very heavy tanks after WWI. In addition to the militaries of Germany and England, the Soviet Union was also fascinated by these monsters. Behind it was the concept of transferring the heavy armament of naval warfare to land warfare. These super heavy vehicles were to move across the land the way battleships moved on the sea and could simultaneously defeat enemy forces from any direction.

German Superheavy Panzer Projects is the follow-up to Michael Fröhlich’s highly regarded work on the Panzerkampfwagen Maus. The author turns his attention to the other superheavy Wehrmacht designs, such as the Grille 17, the Löwe VK 7001, the Räumer S, the Mörser Bär, the E-100 (successor to the Maus), and the 1,100-ton Urling armoured howitzer. Fröhlich comprehensively describes their development, technology, and testing, and the eventual fate of those vehicles that were built or only projected.

Many rare and never-before-published photographs and drawings of the vehicles complement this unique work.

Book Data

Authors: Michael Fröhlich
ISBN: 9780764358654
Pages: 176
Photos: 210 colour & black & white photos & drawings
Language: English (US)
Physical: Hardcover, portrait

Contents

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: From the Panzerkampfwagen “Löwe” (Lion) to “Maus” (Mouse)
  The First Designs: The Krupp W 1648 Project
  New Direction: A 100-Ton (110-Metric-Ton)
  Löwe (Lion)
  From Löwe to Mäuschen
• Chapter 2: From the Tiger Maus to the E-100 Tank 25
  A Completely New Series with Many Identical Parts 25
  Type E-5, Class from 5 to 10 Tons (5.5 to 11 Metric Tons)
  Type E-10, Class from 10 to 15 Tons
  Type E-25, Class from 25 to 30 Tons
  Rheinmetall-Borsig
  The Porsche Designs
  Types E-50 and E-75, Classes from 50 Tons and 75 to 80 Tons
  Type E-100, Class from 130 to 140 Tons
  Weak Point: The Engine
  The Running Gear
  A Clear Case of Copyright Infringement
  Further Development despite the Führer’s Ban
  State of the Project in January 1945
  The E-100: An Interesting Experimental Vehicle
  The Haustenbeck Testing Station
• Chapter 3: The 17-Centimeter-Selbstfahrlafette 17/21 Grille 17
• Chapter 4: The Self-Propelled 110-Ton Räumer S (Mine-Clearing Vehicle)
  The Alkett Design
  The Krupp Design
  The End of the Krupp Project
• Chapter 5: The Tank Projects of Engineer Edward Grote
• Chapter 6: From the 120-Ton Bär Heavy Howitzer to the 1,000-Ton Urling Armored Howitzer
• Appendix
  The Heereswaffenamt (Army Ordnance Office)
  between 1940 and 1944
  Brief Biographies
  Fallacies
  Glossary
  Endnotes
  Bibliography
  Photo Credits