The A39 Tortoise was built to counter German armour after the experience of the Desert War. The vehicle's armour at 225 mm was meant to be proof to any known German anti-tank gun. The Tortoise mounted a 32-pounder (95mm or 3.7 inch) gun which was capable of firing a 32lb APCBC shot at 2,880 ft and was probably capable of demolishing the Tiger II and Jagdtiger easily.
However, like the Jagdtiger and Ferdinand, the Tortoise was limited by its size and weight, being highly immobile and of limited tactical value.
Work on the Tortoise continued in late 1944 but with victory in sight and the end of the war drawing near, the pilot models were only completed in 1946-47.
Tank Museum, Bovington: July 2006
2 comments:
Too bulky like a Sumo wrestler that might have the power but low in stamina. Shame we didn't see it in action.
The operational range was definitely low.
Strategic mobility can be a problem too.
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