And we think that our time is the only one with crazy ideas. Take a look at this wild article from Popular Mechanics, readers!
Hey, Flying Tanks Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
Unfortunately, they all failed spectacularly.
FEB 26, 2021
- Several countries have tried to make flying tanks, which can self-deploy over long distances.
- The appeal is obvious: A flying tank would eliminate the need for a large cargo transport to carry it.
- While the flying tank concept is theoretically possible, it requires too many design compromises to make an effective tank.
For the last century, the tank has been the decisive arm of land warfare. Heavily armed and armored, tanks are designed to slash through enemy lines on the way to victory. Many countries have tried to solve the tank’s main deficiency, a lack of strategic mobility, by literally making tanks that could fly.
Unfortunately, they’ve all crashed and burned.
The tank came to life in 1915 as a way to break the deadlock of trench warfare on the front lines of Western Europe. Although early tanks were slow and unreliable, rapid wartime development led to fast, powerful tanks that could dominate the battlefield, striking fear into the hearts of lightly armed defenders.
A Song of Joy by Caroline Furlong 