728
Tanks felines.
Tanks felines.
Part 1 - Leopard 42 photos via- liveguns.ru/tanki/leopard
2 ...
3 ...
4 ...
5 ...
6 ...
7 ...
8 ...
9 ...
10 ...
11 ...
The main tank "Leopard-1»
Germany Developing tank began in 1957 in cooperation with France. However, the attempt to create a single "European" (standard) tank failed. Practical work in both countries were conducted in parallel, and in 1963, even before the comparative trials of German and French tanks, the German refused to cooperate with France. Each country began to create their own national tanks - "Leopard" in Germany and AMX-30 in France. When designing the tank "Leopard-1" among all the combat capabilities was preferred firepower and mobility. In the future, with a change in the views of German designers on the value of security in the modern battle tank, a series of activities related to the increase in its urovnya.Pervy order for production of 1,500 tanks was placed in 1963, and in September 1965 the first production tank "Leopard" ceremoniously handed over to the Bundeswehr. The total demand in the German army tanks "Leopard" was determined to be 2437 units. By the mid-70s the industry has completed the planned program by issuing several series of tanks with a variety of improvements. They were designated "Leopard 1A1", "Leopard-1A2", "Leopard-1A3" and "Leopard-1A4". In the mid-80s it was decided to upgrade the tanks, "Leopard-1A1», using some of the technical solutions developed under the "Leopard 2". In December 1986, the first modernized tanks, designated "Leopard 1A5", arrived in bundesver.Tank has a classic overall layout scheme. The driver is located in the bow of the hull, his workplace is offset to starboard. Tank commander and gunner are located in the fighting compartment to the right of the gun and loader - left. Engine-transmission compartment with a longitudinally mounted engine occupies a volume of 6, 2 cu. m at the stern of the hull. All fuel tanks capacity 985 liters are in logistics. Ammunition gun placed in front of the cabinet to the left of the mechanics of the driver (42 shots), and in the fighting compartment (18 shots). The total volume of the tank was booked 18 2 cu. m, of which four, 2 cu. m falls on bashnyu.Osnovnym armament is a 105mm rifled gun L7A3, is manufactured in Germany by the British license. The ejector installed in the high pressure and due to the eccentrically located on the barrel does not diminish the descent angle gun. Accuracy enhanced by the use of the heat shield, and recoil devices that create small resistance rollback before the departure of the projectile out of the barrel. The barrel has a quick disconnect tube breech. It is designed to produce at least 400 shots. The maximum pressure of powder gases when firing up to 4300 kg / sq. cm. Can firing 105mm shells not only produced in Germany, but is made by Canada, France, Great Britain, Israel and the United States. Ammunition gun 60 shots unitary. It includes armor-piercing, cumulative and armor-piercing explosive shells, and shells with ready-striking elements. The MSA provides duplicate fire control from the commander. His daily panoramic sight is dependent stabilization of the visual field. As night sight uses a prefix to the thermal channel of the main sights navodchika.Osnovnoy Gunner EMES-18 combined with a laser rangefinder. Thermal channel provides firing of guns at night at distances up to 2000 meters. Field of sight is independent stabilization in two planes. The tank is installed automatically built-in sight adjustment and control system functioning fire control system. Besides the main gunner's sight an auxiliary articulated telescopic sight FERO-Z12. Gunner and commander sights are equipped with self-closing shutters, excluding short-term blindness when fired at night. Electronic ballistic computer generates a correction for the target speed, crosswind, range to the target, roll pins guns, air temperature and atmospheric pressure, the speed of its own tank and barrel wear. The tank is two-plane stabilizer arms electrohydraulic type. As an auxiliary weapons used two 7, 62-mm machine gun (coupled with the gun and anti-aircraft) .Korpus tank welded from monolithic armor plates. The upper sheet has a front angle of 60 degrees. The boards are protected sectional protivokumulyativnymi screens of rubber-coated steel sheets with thickness of 10 mm. Tower Cast (in versions starting with 1A3 - welded), with additional armor protection. The tank is equipped with fire-fighting equipment and HLF, similar to those used on the tank "Leopard 2". For smoke-screens used grenade launchers, eight (four on each side of the tower). The tank is covered with a deformable paint, makes it difficult to detect both daytime and infrared night vision devices. Reduced heat radiation of the power plant is provided by mixing the exhaust gases of the engine with the air flow from the cooling fans in a special kamere.V MTO in a single unit with the transmission and service systems installed multifuel four ten-diesel liquid-cooled MB 838 CaM-500. Unit weight - 4600 kg. Start the electric motor is made, construction of the transmission allows the engine starting with the tugboat. Dual-stream hydromechanical transmission 4HP-250 includes a comprehensive one-pot hydraulic drive with locking clutch, planetary gearbox and steering gear differential type. Planetary gearbox with two degrees of freedom has an automatic switch. To control the rotation of the wheel is used. You can duplicate traffic control from the commander. In addition, the device is designed for remote control of the movement of the tank by cable or radio (for example, by overcoming water obstacles on the bottom). To control the operation of machines and systems for the power block has a built-in diagnostic equipment. Caterpillar tracks comprises 7 core and 4 support rollers on board, idlers with tension mechanism, the drive wheels, tracks with rubber-metal hinges. The suspension system is applied torsion bar suspension with telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 knots. Caterpillar has a rubberized running track and removable rubber pads. The guide wheels are interchangeable with road wheels. Mileage to overhaul installed 10,000 kilometers. The tank has a telephone, VHF simplex radio SEM-90 with a range of operating frequencies 30-80 MGts.Modifikatsii tank "Leopard-1»
"Leopard-1" (1965-67 gg.) - The basic pattern.
"Leopard-1A1» (1967-1972 gg.) - Characterized by the installation of the heat shield on the barrel of the gun, board protivokumulyativnyh screens and the use of the stabilizer arms (after 1971), a new design of the tracks with removable rubber pads and snorkeling equipment.
"Leopard-1A1A1» - «Leopard 1A1" with heavy armor protection turret guns and masks. The weight of the tank increased by 760 kg.
"Leopard 1A2" (1973) - differs from the "Leopard 1A1" extra armor protection towers, improved protection from weapons of mass destruction and installation of active-passive observation devices commander and driver.
"Leopard 1A3" (1973-1974.) - The tank instead of the cast is set welded turret with spaced armor and a wedge-shaped armor mask gun, and introduced improvements introduced in the tanks earlier modifications.
"Leopard 1A4" (1974) - equipped with new fire control system, includes a laser rangefinder sight, ballistic computer, commander panoramic sight with independent stabilization of the visual field.
"Leopard-1A5» (1986) - equipped with new fire control system, which includes imager, quick fire suppression system, and also has a higher level of armor protection on conventional weapons in comparison with the tank "Leopard-1A1". On the basis of the tank "Leopard-1" set up self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon "Cheetah", Bram BPz-2 "Standard", launched bridge "Bieber" and armored engineer vehicle "Pionirpantser" (produced by "Krupp MaK"). On the basis of bridge layer "Biber" in 1983 developed a self-propelled multi-span bridge.
Manufacture and export delivery
Serial production of tanks, "Leopard-1" was organized at tankosborochnyh factories firms "Krauss Maffei" and "Krupp MaK" since 1965. Since 1971, the tanks of the first four episodes upgraded to "Leopard-1A1». 232 tank "Leopard-1A2" were made in 1973 and 110 tanks "Leopard 1A3" -in 1973-74. In 1974 it was released 250 tanks "Leopard 1A4" (the last, the sixth series). In 1985 it was decided to modernize the 1,300 tanks "Leopard 1A1A1" to "Leopard 1A5". Total until 1992 was upgraded in 1275 tanks, and the rest planned to convert by 1995. Since 1967, Germany exported tanks "Leopard 1" Belgium (334 units), the Netherlands (468 units), Norway (78 units), Australia (90 units), Denmark (120 units), Canada (114 units), Turkey ( 227 units) and Greece (106 units). Tanks "Leopard-1" in other countries sometimes called differently, for example, in Canada - S1.TAKTIKO SPECIFICATIONS
Combat weight, t 42, 4
Crew 4
Specific power, hp / t 19.6
Ground pressure kg / cm2 0.87
The maximum speed on the highway, km / h 64
Obstacles,
m Depth ford,
without preparation 1.2
Partial preparation 2.25
Cruising on the highway, 600 km
Cannon caliber (type) 105 (TM)
Ammunition, 60 pcs
Penetration shells, mm / 60 ° Subcaliber (D = 2 km) Up to 120
Up to 200 cumulative
Machine guns, the number of x
caliber 2h7.62
Ammunition, 60 pcs
The thickness and inclination of the forehead. armor, mm / deg Tower (casting) 162/30 + Screen
housing 100/60
Engine Type 4-stroke diesel
Brand MB-838 500 Ca M-
Power, hp 830
The capacity of the fuel tanks, l 1007
Trasmissiya brand 4HP-2500
type HMT
the number of gears, forward / reverse 4/2
type of fur-ma turning Differ
... 12 Leopard 2 - grown young
13 ...
14 ...
15 ...
16 ...
17 ...
18 ...
19 ...
20 ...
21 ...
22 ...
23 ...
24 ...
25 ...
26 ...
27 ...
28 ...
29 ...
30 ...
31 ...
32 ...
33 ...
34 ...
35 ...
36 ...
37 ...
38 ...
Fifteen-year program of arms procurement for the armed forces of Germany provides for the replacement of all the tanks, "Leopard-1" new tanks Panzer kampfwagen-2000, but these plans were canceled, and instead of developing a new project, the possibility of further modernization of the tank "Leopard 2". "Leopard 2A5" is the second stage of modernization, "Leopard 1" should replace tanks, upgraded in accordance with the third stage. We are considering the possibility of installing a tank 140 mm smoothbore gun with an automatic charging mechanism. The tank must be installed promising fire control system, integrated into the overall strategic control system actions of diverse forces on the battlefield and inertial navigation system with a satellite navigation system receiver. The central point of the third stage of the modernization is to create a new twin tower design. A promising solution is considered to place the commander and gunner in tandem, which would reduce the frontal projection of the tower and reduce its weight by reducing the amount; Estimated weight of the tower in this case is 20 tons.
Even more original is the project of modernization of the "Leopard-2" with the placement of all crew members (commander, gunner, driver) within the housing; instead of the usual tower mounted rotating the reserved remote-controlled 140 mm smoothbore gun and two magazines with ammunition.
On the basis of the tank "Leopard 2" have been developed and produced for the armed forces of Germany and the Netherlands training tank, the type of training tank "Leopard-1" Bram "Buffel". Let us consider some aspects of the assembly, testing, maintenance and crew training tank "Leopard 2". SPECIFICATIONS
The Leopard 2
Combat weight, t 50.5
Crew 4
Length with gun forward,
9 m, 74
The length of the body,
7 m, 73
Width with side shields,
m 3, 54
The height of the roof of the tower,
m 2, 49
Clearance, front / rear,
m 0, 54/0, 49
Specific ground pressure, kgf / cm 0, 83
The maximum speed, km / h 68
Cruising on the highway, 550 km
The capacity of the fuel tanks, l 1200 39 ... Leopard 3
40 ...
41 ...
"Leopard 3"
(Nicholas M., Rastopshin MM H 64 tanks "Leopard" (Germany). - M. Victoria, 1998)
In the early '70s, along with the tank "Leopard 2", intended to replace the "Leopard-1", were working on a very original design, informally called "Leopard 3". The development of this unusual turretless tank, armed with two guns, led by an engineer of the company MaK Wolfgang Matos.
Tests of two prototypes of the tank VT1 (Versu-chstrager 1) began in 1972. The first car VT1-1 were two 105mm rifled gun L7, the second - VT1-2 - two 120mm smoothbore gun Rh-120. The guns are fixed in the horizontal plane, the axis of bores intersect at a distance of 1500 m.
Chassis tank "Leopard 3" was designed based on the tank chassis with 70-MW hydro-pneumatic suspension, but instead of six road wheels on board, established five. Setting forced to 1500 liters. from. up to 2000 liters. from. diesel engine MV873Ka-500 at a mass tank 38 t allowed to obtain a very high power density - 52/5 l. c. / m. It should be noted that both prototypes were manufactured from a conventional, rather than armor, steel. The tank VT1-1 both guns were installed automatic loading mechanism, while on VT1-2 one gun operated manually, and the other was autoloader. Engine VT1-2 forced to 2200 liters capacity. a.
Places commander and gunner to the left of the axis of the tank; both mounted periscope sight PERI R12 firm Zeiss.
Testing tanks continued for several years. As became clear during their practical impossibility aimed fire on the move because of one shot gun led to the departure of the tank with a track and a tank, so when shooting moving zigzag. Accuracy with space was higher than the tower tank, so the target NATO standard size 2 3 x2 3 m amazed at the first shot with a probability of 90%.
The development program of the tank "Leopard 3" was terminated in 1976, but in the early '80s revived in connection with the development of the concept of "Tank-90." At present, all work within the framework of this concept collapsed because the bet is placed on the further development of the design of the tank "Leopard 2". It is worth noting that a number of the leading figures of German tank in the middle of the 80s, on the one hand, considered "Leopard 2" the best in the world, and on the other - not seen in his designs no room for improvement, why, and appealed to the rejected draft turretless tank "Leopard 3".
[Leopard 2 (it. Leopard) - German main battle tank.
Leopard 2 is one of the most successful and widespread, according to many estimates, and also the most advanced in the world MBT. To date, produced about 3,500 tanks of this type, which are in the armies of Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Greece and others. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. If you have interest in the topic the following positions on the Panther and Tigre.S Yours!
Source:
Part 1 - Leopard 42 photos via- liveguns.ru/tanki/leopard
2 ...
3 ...
4 ...
5 ...
6 ...
7 ...
8 ...
9 ...
10 ...
11 ...
The main tank "Leopard-1»
Germany Developing tank began in 1957 in cooperation with France. However, the attempt to create a single "European" (standard) tank failed. Practical work in both countries were conducted in parallel, and in 1963, even before the comparative trials of German and French tanks, the German refused to cooperate with France. Each country began to create their own national tanks - "Leopard" in Germany and AMX-30 in France. When designing the tank "Leopard-1" among all the combat capabilities was preferred firepower and mobility. In the future, with a change in the views of German designers on the value of security in the modern battle tank, a series of activities related to the increase in its urovnya.Pervy order for production of 1,500 tanks was placed in 1963, and in September 1965 the first production tank "Leopard" ceremoniously handed over to the Bundeswehr. The total demand in the German army tanks "Leopard" was determined to be 2437 units. By the mid-70s the industry has completed the planned program by issuing several series of tanks with a variety of improvements. They were designated "Leopard 1A1", "Leopard-1A2", "Leopard-1A3" and "Leopard-1A4". In the mid-80s it was decided to upgrade the tanks, "Leopard-1A1», using some of the technical solutions developed under the "Leopard 2". In December 1986, the first modernized tanks, designated "Leopard 1A5", arrived in bundesver.Tank has a classic overall layout scheme. The driver is located in the bow of the hull, his workplace is offset to starboard. Tank commander and gunner are located in the fighting compartment to the right of the gun and loader - left. Engine-transmission compartment with a longitudinally mounted engine occupies a volume of 6, 2 cu. m at the stern of the hull. All fuel tanks capacity 985 liters are in logistics. Ammunition gun placed in front of the cabinet to the left of the mechanics of the driver (42 shots), and in the fighting compartment (18 shots). The total volume of the tank was booked 18 2 cu. m, of which four, 2 cu. m falls on bashnyu.Osnovnym armament is a 105mm rifled gun L7A3, is manufactured in Germany by the British license. The ejector installed in the high pressure and due to the eccentrically located on the barrel does not diminish the descent angle gun. Accuracy enhanced by the use of the heat shield, and recoil devices that create small resistance rollback before the departure of the projectile out of the barrel. The barrel has a quick disconnect tube breech. It is designed to produce at least 400 shots. The maximum pressure of powder gases when firing up to 4300 kg / sq. cm. Can firing 105mm shells not only produced in Germany, but is made by Canada, France, Great Britain, Israel and the United States. Ammunition gun 60 shots unitary. It includes armor-piercing, cumulative and armor-piercing explosive shells, and shells with ready-striking elements. The MSA provides duplicate fire control from the commander. His daily panoramic sight is dependent stabilization of the visual field. As night sight uses a prefix to the thermal channel of the main sights navodchika.Osnovnoy Gunner EMES-18 combined with a laser rangefinder. Thermal channel provides firing of guns at night at distances up to 2000 meters. Field of sight is independent stabilization in two planes. The tank is installed automatically built-in sight adjustment and control system functioning fire control system. Besides the main gunner's sight an auxiliary articulated telescopic sight FERO-Z12. Gunner and commander sights are equipped with self-closing shutters, excluding short-term blindness when fired at night. Electronic ballistic computer generates a correction for the target speed, crosswind, range to the target, roll pins guns, air temperature and atmospheric pressure, the speed of its own tank and barrel wear. The tank is two-plane stabilizer arms electrohydraulic type. As an auxiliary weapons used two 7, 62-mm machine gun (coupled with the gun and anti-aircraft) .Korpus tank welded from monolithic armor plates. The upper sheet has a front angle of 60 degrees. The boards are protected sectional protivokumulyativnymi screens of rubber-coated steel sheets with thickness of 10 mm. Tower Cast (in versions starting with 1A3 - welded), with additional armor protection. The tank is equipped with fire-fighting equipment and HLF, similar to those used on the tank "Leopard 2". For smoke-screens used grenade launchers, eight (four on each side of the tower). The tank is covered with a deformable paint, makes it difficult to detect both daytime and infrared night vision devices. Reduced heat radiation of the power plant is provided by mixing the exhaust gases of the engine with the air flow from the cooling fans in a special kamere.V MTO in a single unit with the transmission and service systems installed multifuel four ten-diesel liquid-cooled MB 838 CaM-500. Unit weight - 4600 kg. Start the electric motor is made, construction of the transmission allows the engine starting with the tugboat. Dual-stream hydromechanical transmission 4HP-250 includes a comprehensive one-pot hydraulic drive with locking clutch, planetary gearbox and steering gear differential type. Planetary gearbox with two degrees of freedom has an automatic switch. To control the rotation of the wheel is used. You can duplicate traffic control from the commander. In addition, the device is designed for remote control of the movement of the tank by cable or radio (for example, by overcoming water obstacles on the bottom). To control the operation of machines and systems for the power block has a built-in diagnostic equipment. Caterpillar tracks comprises 7 core and 4 support rollers on board, idlers with tension mechanism, the drive wheels, tracks with rubber-metal hinges. The suspension system is applied torsion bar suspension with telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 knots. Caterpillar has a rubberized running track and removable rubber pads. The guide wheels are interchangeable with road wheels. Mileage to overhaul installed 10,000 kilometers. The tank has a telephone, VHF simplex radio SEM-90 with a range of operating frequencies 30-80 MGts.Modifikatsii tank "Leopard-1»
"Leopard-1" (1965-67 gg.) - The basic pattern.
"Leopard-1A1» (1967-1972 gg.) - Characterized by the installation of the heat shield on the barrel of the gun, board protivokumulyativnyh screens and the use of the stabilizer arms (after 1971), a new design of the tracks with removable rubber pads and snorkeling equipment.
"Leopard-1A1A1» - «Leopard 1A1" with heavy armor protection turret guns and masks. The weight of the tank increased by 760 kg.
"Leopard 1A2" (1973) - differs from the "Leopard 1A1" extra armor protection towers, improved protection from weapons of mass destruction and installation of active-passive observation devices commander and driver.
"Leopard 1A3" (1973-1974.) - The tank instead of the cast is set welded turret with spaced armor and a wedge-shaped armor mask gun, and introduced improvements introduced in the tanks earlier modifications.
"Leopard 1A4" (1974) - equipped with new fire control system, includes a laser rangefinder sight, ballistic computer, commander panoramic sight with independent stabilization of the visual field.
"Leopard-1A5» (1986) - equipped with new fire control system, which includes imager, quick fire suppression system, and also has a higher level of armor protection on conventional weapons in comparison with the tank "Leopard-1A1". On the basis of the tank "Leopard-1" set up self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon "Cheetah", Bram BPz-2 "Standard", launched bridge "Bieber" and armored engineer vehicle "Pionirpantser" (produced by "Krupp MaK"). On the basis of bridge layer "Biber" in 1983 developed a self-propelled multi-span bridge.
Manufacture and export delivery
Serial production of tanks, "Leopard-1" was organized at tankosborochnyh factories firms "Krauss Maffei" and "Krupp MaK" since 1965. Since 1971, the tanks of the first four episodes upgraded to "Leopard-1A1». 232 tank "Leopard-1A2" were made in 1973 and 110 tanks "Leopard 1A3" -in 1973-74. In 1974 it was released 250 tanks "Leopard 1A4" (the last, the sixth series). In 1985 it was decided to modernize the 1,300 tanks "Leopard 1A1A1" to "Leopard 1A5". Total until 1992 was upgraded in 1275 tanks, and the rest planned to convert by 1995. Since 1967, Germany exported tanks "Leopard 1" Belgium (334 units), the Netherlands (468 units), Norway (78 units), Australia (90 units), Denmark (120 units), Canada (114 units), Turkey ( 227 units) and Greece (106 units). Tanks "Leopard-1" in other countries sometimes called differently, for example, in Canada - S1.TAKTIKO SPECIFICATIONS
Combat weight, t 42, 4
Crew 4
Specific power, hp / t 19.6
Ground pressure kg / cm2 0.87
The maximum speed on the highway, km / h 64
Obstacles,
m Depth ford,
without preparation 1.2
Partial preparation 2.25
Cruising on the highway, 600 km
Cannon caliber (type) 105 (TM)
Ammunition, 60 pcs
Penetration shells, mm / 60 ° Subcaliber (D = 2 km) Up to 120
Up to 200 cumulative
Machine guns, the number of x
caliber 2h7.62
Ammunition, 60 pcs
The thickness and inclination of the forehead. armor, mm / deg Tower (casting) 162/30 + Screen
housing 100/60
Engine Type 4-stroke diesel
Brand MB-838 500 Ca M-
Power, hp 830
The capacity of the fuel tanks, l 1007
Trasmissiya brand 4HP-2500
type HMT
the number of gears, forward / reverse 4/2
type of fur-ma turning Differ
... 12 Leopard 2 - grown young
13 ...
14 ...
15 ...
16 ...
17 ...
18 ...
19 ...
20 ...
21 ...
22 ...
23 ...
24 ...
25 ...
26 ...
27 ...
28 ...
29 ...
30 ...
31 ...
32 ...
33 ...
34 ...
35 ...
36 ...
37 ...
38 ...
Fifteen-year program of arms procurement for the armed forces of Germany provides for the replacement of all the tanks, "Leopard-1" new tanks Panzer kampfwagen-2000, but these plans were canceled, and instead of developing a new project, the possibility of further modernization of the tank "Leopard 2". "Leopard 2A5" is the second stage of modernization, "Leopard 1" should replace tanks, upgraded in accordance with the third stage. We are considering the possibility of installing a tank 140 mm smoothbore gun with an automatic charging mechanism. The tank must be installed promising fire control system, integrated into the overall strategic control system actions of diverse forces on the battlefield and inertial navigation system with a satellite navigation system receiver. The central point of the third stage of the modernization is to create a new twin tower design. A promising solution is considered to place the commander and gunner in tandem, which would reduce the frontal projection of the tower and reduce its weight by reducing the amount; Estimated weight of the tower in this case is 20 tons.
Even more original is the project of modernization of the "Leopard-2" with the placement of all crew members (commander, gunner, driver) within the housing; instead of the usual tower mounted rotating the reserved remote-controlled 140 mm smoothbore gun and two magazines with ammunition.
On the basis of the tank "Leopard 2" have been developed and produced for the armed forces of Germany and the Netherlands training tank, the type of training tank "Leopard-1" Bram "Buffel". Let us consider some aspects of the assembly, testing, maintenance and crew training tank "Leopard 2". SPECIFICATIONS
The Leopard 2
Combat weight, t 50.5
Crew 4
Length with gun forward,
9 m, 74
The length of the body,
7 m, 73
Width with side shields,
m 3, 54
The height of the roof of the tower,
m 2, 49
Clearance, front / rear,
m 0, 54/0, 49
Specific ground pressure, kgf / cm 0, 83
The maximum speed, km / h 68
Cruising on the highway, 550 km
The capacity of the fuel tanks, l 1200 39 ... Leopard 3
40 ...
41 ...
"Leopard 3"
(Nicholas M., Rastopshin MM H 64 tanks "Leopard" (Germany). - M. Victoria, 1998)
In the early '70s, along with the tank "Leopard 2", intended to replace the "Leopard-1", were working on a very original design, informally called "Leopard 3". The development of this unusual turretless tank, armed with two guns, led by an engineer of the company MaK Wolfgang Matos.
Tests of two prototypes of the tank VT1 (Versu-chstrager 1) began in 1972. The first car VT1-1 were two 105mm rifled gun L7, the second - VT1-2 - two 120mm smoothbore gun Rh-120. The guns are fixed in the horizontal plane, the axis of bores intersect at a distance of 1500 m.
Chassis tank "Leopard 3" was designed based on the tank chassis with 70-MW hydro-pneumatic suspension, but instead of six road wheels on board, established five. Setting forced to 1500 liters. from. up to 2000 liters. from. diesel engine MV873Ka-500 at a mass tank 38 t allowed to obtain a very high power density - 52/5 l. c. / m. It should be noted that both prototypes were manufactured from a conventional, rather than armor, steel. The tank VT1-1 both guns were installed automatic loading mechanism, while on VT1-2 one gun operated manually, and the other was autoloader. Engine VT1-2 forced to 2200 liters capacity. a.
Places commander and gunner to the left of the axis of the tank; both mounted periscope sight PERI R12 firm Zeiss.
Testing tanks continued for several years. As became clear during their practical impossibility aimed fire on the move because of one shot gun led to the departure of the tank with a track and a tank, so when shooting moving zigzag. Accuracy with space was higher than the tower tank, so the target NATO standard size 2 3 x2 3 m amazed at the first shot with a probability of 90%.
The development program of the tank "Leopard 3" was terminated in 1976, but in the early '80s revived in connection with the development of the concept of "Tank-90." At present, all work within the framework of this concept collapsed because the bet is placed on the further development of the design of the tank "Leopard 2". It is worth noting that a number of the leading figures of German tank in the middle of the 80s, on the one hand, considered "Leopard 2" the best in the world, and on the other - not seen in his designs no room for improvement, why, and appealed to the rejected draft turretless tank "Leopard 3".
[Leopard 2 (it. Leopard) - German main battle tank.
Leopard 2 is one of the most successful and widespread, according to many estimates, and also the most advanced in the world MBT. To date, produced about 3,500 tanks of this type, which are in the armies of Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Greece and others. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. If you have interest in the topic the following positions on the Panther and Tigre.S Yours!
Source: