T14 Heavy Tank

The Assault Tank T14 was a joint project between the United States and the United Kingdom with the goal being to produce a universal infantry tank.

Assault Tank T14
Assault Tank T14
TypeHeavy tank
Place of originUnited States
Production history
ManufacturerAmerican Locomotive Company
No. built2[1]
Specifications
Mass42.6 tons
Length6.19 m (20 ft 4 in)
Width3.17 m (10 ft 5 in)
Height2.99 m (9 ft 10 in)
Crew5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver)
Armor133 mm
Main
armament
75 mm M3 Gun
50 rounds
Secondary
armament
.50 M2 Browning machine gun (12.7 mm)
2x .30 M1919 Browning machine gun (7.62 mm)
9,000 rounds
EngineFord GAA V8
520 hp (390 kW)
Power/weight12.86 hp/ton
SuspensionVertical Volute Spring Suspension (VVSS)
Operational
range
100 mi (161 km) radius of action[2]
Maximum speed 28 km/h (17 mph)

The T14 project never came to fruition, as a pilot model was not delivered to the UK until 1944 by which time the British Churchill tank had been in service for two years and greatly improved over its initial model. US efforts working on a similarly well-armoured tank but with a higher speed for use other than in infantry support led to the T20 Medium Tank.

Design and development

In 1941, the head of the United States Ordnance Department travelled to Britain to learn of their experience, ideas and requirements for the future. Among the discussion was the possibility of designing a well-armed and armoured combat vehicle, one that was stronger than the British Churchill infantry tank then in production.

The tank design would have a British QF 6-pounder (57 mm) or a US 75 mm gun and share many parts with the M4 Sherman; they had the same armour thickness, but with sloped armour at extreme angles, effective armour on the T14 was greatly increased to 101 mm (4.0 in).[3]

The British initially ordered 8,500 in 1942 following which detail design work started. Testing of the pilot model which was completed in 1944 showed the vehicle to be much too heavy for practical use. By this time, the British Army was satisfied with the Churchill and its cruiser tank designs and further production of the T14 was halted.

Only two were built; one tested in the US and the other sent to Britain.[4] The example sent to Britain survives in The Tank Museum, Bovington.[4] The British had developed the Heavy Assault Tank A33 "Excelsior" design to the same specification as the T14 but this did not go into service either.[5]

T14 tank at The Tank Museum in Bovington.

See also

Tanks of comparable role, performance and era
  • British Excelsior - two prototypes built; did not enter service
  • British Churchill - heavy tank, entered service 1941
  • Soviet KV-1 - heavy tank, entered service in 1939
  • American M6 - heavy tank, saw trials but never entered service

References
Notes
  1. Chamberlain & Ellis p157
  2. Bovington record
  3. Steven J. Zaloga, Tony Bryan, Jim Laurier M26/M46 Pershing Tank 1943-53 page 6
  4. Forty, George (1995). World War Two Tanks. Osprey. pp. 133–139. ISBN 1-85532-532-2.
  5. White BT, British Tanks 1915-1945 Ian Allan pages 68-69
Bibliography
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