I have a pretty great book about (mostly) German wonder weapons of WWII. The book goes out of its way to explain why most of them were stupid or impractical.
Actually, the monster was barely even considered. It's 1000 ton sibling, the Ratte, however, was much more detailed and actually got some plans. It is believed that a prototype turret was completed.
They actually build the Maus, a 188 ton beast that destroyed roads and bridges when it passed. I guess its impracticality sufficed to discourage the Germans.
To adapt a quote from a quote from the back of a great book...
> Only the slow-witted are reading this anywhere other than in line at the cash register. Ask an adult to help you if you’re still not sure you want to buy the book tank.
This illustration is from an amazing book called "My Tank Is Fight!", which also contains a variety of other awesome/insane concepts and prototypes from WWII.
The Germans designed (and even built, in some cases) some really nasty shit. The Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte would've decimated Allied morale when it showed up on the battlefield - that is, if the project hadn't been cancelled.
And let's not forget about the Panzer VIII Maus, which actually made it through to the prototype stage. It weighed four times as much as a Tiger tank - so much that it couldn't travel on normal roads without heavily damaging them, cross bridges (it was supposed to ford rivers instead), or move faster than roughly 8 mph.
You should read this book. It discusses the Monster too :)
If anyone is interested more in planned Nazi superweapons, I highly recommend the book 'My Tank is Fight'.
It discusses, amongst other things, WWII plans to build an aircraft carrier out of sawdust and ice, a giant AT-AT style tank/battleship on land and helicopter hats (yes).
Each section even has a little fictional story of the hypothetical deployment history of each project, usually following an individual soldier's experience using or encountering said weapon. Really great read.
My Tank is Fight! is a great book about crazy weapons of W.W.II. It has a bunch of crazy weapons from both the axis and allies. The author also gives a fictional what-if production and deployment of the weapon which is really cool. link: http://www.amazon.com/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
Hey, since you responded and I have random knowledge pertaining, check out My tank is fight its a semi comedy semi historical look at crazy WWII projects that never saw the light of day. Your dad might like it?
I have a pretty great book about (mostly) German wonder weapons of WWII. The book goes out of its way to explain why most of them were stupid or impractical.
you might like Mein Tank Ist Fight
My Tank is Fight!
Actually, the monster was barely even considered. It's 1000 ton sibling, the Ratte, however, was much more detailed and actually got some plans. It is believed that a prototype turret was completed.
They actually build the Maus, a 188 ton beast that destroyed roads and bridges when it passed. I guess its impracticality sufficed to discourage the Germans.
THe book "My tank is fight" has a chapter on it. http://www.amazon.com/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
To adapt a quote from a quote from the back of a great book...
> Only the slow-witted are reading this anywhere other than in line at the cash register. Ask an adult to help you if you’re still not sure you want to buy the
booktank.This illustration is from an amazing book called "My Tank Is Fight!", which also contains a variety of other awesome/insane concepts and prototypes from WWII.
http://www.amazon.com/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
The Germans designed (and even built, in some cases) some really nasty shit. The Landkreuzer P. 1000 Ratte would've decimated Allied morale when it showed up on the battlefield - that is, if the project hadn't been cancelled.
And let's not forget about the Panzer VIII Maus, which actually made it through to the prototype stage. It weighed four times as much as a Tiger tank - so much that it couldn't travel on normal roads without heavily damaging them, cross bridges (it was supposed to ford rivers instead), or move faster than roughly 8 mph.
You should read this book. It discusses the Monster too :)
If anyone is interested more in planned Nazi superweapons, I highly recommend the book 'My Tank is Fight'.
It discusses, amongst other things, WWII plans to build an aircraft carrier out of sawdust and ice, a giant AT-AT style tank/battleship on land and helicopter hats (yes).
Each section even has a little fictional story of the hypothetical deployment history of each project, usually following an individual soldier's experience using or encountering said weapon. Really great read.
You can find it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
There is a book written about these and other insane WWII ideas. It's not too serious. It's pretty good though.
http://www.amazon.ca/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
My Tank is Fight! is a great book about crazy weapons of W.W.II. It has a bunch of crazy weapons from both the axis and allies. The author also gives a fictional what-if production and deployment of the weapon which is really cool. link: http://www.amazon.com/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
Hey, since you responded and I have random knowledge pertaining, check out My tank is fight its a semi comedy semi historical look at crazy WWII projects that never saw the light of day. Your dad might like it?
Maybe you would like this book https://www.amazon.com/My-Tank-Fight-Zack-Parsons/dp/0806527587
> Hammerfight
My Tank Is Hammerfight!
See also: My Tank is Fight!
Covers 20 of the crazier weapons built or envisioned in WWII. Most of them by the Nazis. Very funny too.