Panzerkampfwagen E-100

Infobox Weapon
is_vehicle= yes
name= E-100


caption= E-100 Tank
type= Superheavy tank
origin= Nazi Germany
crew= 6
length= 10.27 m
width= 4.48 m
height= 3.29 m
weight= 140 tonnes
armour= 60 - 240 mm
manufacturer= Henschel
number= 1 partial prototype
primary_armament= 150 mm KwK44 L/38 or
170mm Kwk44
secondary_armament= co-axial 75 mm KwK 44 L/36.5
7.92 mm MG34
engine= V-12 Maybach HL230 - prototype
700 hp (522 kW)
V-12 Maybach HL234 - proposed
1200 hp (895 kW)
engine_power=
suspension= Belleville washer coil spring
speed= 40 km/h
pw_ratio=
vehicle_range= 190 km on roads

The Panzerkampfwagen E-100 (Gerat 383) was a German super-heavy tank design. The basic design was ordered by the Waffenamt as a parallel development to the Porsche Maus in June 1943. It was the heaviest of a family of vehicles meant to standardize as many components as possible [cite book
last = White
first = B. T.
title = Tanks and other Armoured Fighting Vehicles of World War II
publisher = Exeter Books
date = 1983
location = New York
pages = pp. 298-299
isbn = 0-671-06009-0] . After 1944 work continued at a very slow pace and canceled in favor of the Maus. The first prototype was never completed and was found by allied forces on the factory floor in 1945. The partially completed vehicle was removed by the British Army for evaluation and then scrapped.

The prototype had a HL230P30 engine rather than the HL234 due to the unavailability of production units from Maybach. The prototype would have had the 15cm Kwk44 though the final selection between the 15cm Kwk44 and the 17cm Kwk44 had not been made.

See also

* List of prototype WWII combat vehicles
* Super Heavy Tank
* Panzer VIII Maus, a competing German super heavy tank design.
* T-28 Super Heavy Tank - the possible American challenger to the E-100.

References

* Chamberlain, Peter & Doyle, Hilary (1999) "Encyclopedia Of German Tanks Of World War Two"