VK 3001 (P)

VK 30.01 (P)
Type Prototype Heavy tank
Place of origin Nazi Germany
Production history
Manufacturer Porsche
No. built 2 turretless prototypes
Specifications
Weight 30 tonnes
Length 6.58 m
Width 3.05 m
Height 2.8 m
Crew 5
Armor 40–80 millimetres (1.6–3.1 in)
Main
armament
 7.5cm KwK L/24 or 10.5cm KwK L/28 or 8.8cm KwK L/56 (Krupp Turm only)
Secondary
armament
 7.92mm MG-34
Engine 2 x Porsche Type 100 V10 engines
210 PS per engine, 420 PS total
Power/weight 14 PS/tonne
Suspension Longitudinal torsion bars
Speed 60 km/h (37 mph)

The VK 30.01 (P) was the official designation for a medium tank prototype produced by Germany between 1940 and 1941. Two prototype hulls were made. The tank never entered serial production, but was further developed into the VK 4501 Tiger (P). The VK 30.01 (P) was sometimes known, and referred to, as the Porsche Typ 100.[1][2]

Beginnings of the VK 30.01 (P)

In 1939, the German Army expressed the need for a 30-tonne tank.[1] Projects to meet the demand were designated VK 30.xx (X)[lower-alpha 1] and were developed to varying degrees by four different companies: Porsche, Henschel & Son, MAN, and Daimler Benz. The Porsche version was thus named the VK 30.01 (P).[1][3]

Development

The requirements for the new development of a 30-tonne schwerer Panzerkampfwagen included the ability to mount at least the 7.5cm KwK L/24 main gun with a desire to fit the 10.5cm KwK L/28 if possible.[1][2][3] Later, in 1941, the German Army encountered unexpectedly-heavily armoured enemy vehicles such as the Soviet T-34 and KV-1. Plans were then made to instead mount the more effective 8.8cm KwK L/56.[2]

Krupp were directly contracted by Porsche to produce the turret to house the 8.8cm KwK L/56 and the two teams worked together to develop it for the VK 30.01 (P) chassis. A fully developed drawing with the Krupp turret was completed, dated 5 March 1941.[2] The Krupp turret would go on to be used on both the Tiger (P) and the Henschel-built Tiger I.

Uncommon for tanks at the time, Porsche selected a Gasoline-electric drive train.[1][2] The front drive sprockets for the tracks were driven by two electric motors mounted forward in the hull. Two air-cooled V-10 gasoline engines, mounted toward the rear of the vehicle, were each connected to a generator to produce electricity. The generated electricity was then used to power the motors.[2] Each engine produced 210 PS at 2500 RPM; a total of 420 PS was therefore available to drive the generators.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ VK from the German Voll Ketten meaning fully tracked; 30 for the approx. weight of 30t; and the final 2 digits xx denoting 1st/2nd/3rd design from the respective manufacturer. The X in brackets denotes manufacturer.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Porsche Type 100, VK 3001(P)". fingolfen.tripod.com. 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The History of the Porsche Typ 100 and 101 by Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary L. Doyle
  3. 1 2 Gudgin, Peter (1991). The Tiger Tanks. Arms and Armour press. ISBN 0-85368-929-6.
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