| War Tank America | |
|---|---|
.png) War Tank America barrels through the streets of Boston in 1918 | |
| Type | Tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | United States Army |
| Wars | World War I |
| Production history | |
| Designer | E.F. Miller |
| Manufacturer | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Unit cost | $60,000 |
| Produced | 1918 |
| No. built | 1 |
War Tank America (also known as America) was the name of one extremely large tank designed and constructed during World War I by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the United States Army. War Tank America was privately financed by American bankers as the vehicle was so expensive it exceeded available U.S. Army funds to build. On its maiden drive, it traveled 16 miles before breaking down.
History
editBackground
editThe goodwill visit of the very large, British Army experimental tank Britannia to Boston, Massachusetts in 1918 was well-received by enthusiastic crowds who watched it, according to the Boston Globe, "pulverize masonry" and, at one point, crush "three sections of the walls of the old Technology Building back of the Hotel Westminster". As Britannia drove away, she was ecstatically "pursued by a mob which seemed bent on casting themselves under her grim caterpillar tracks" before proceeding to destroy several more walls in downtown Boston.[1] [a]
Development and debut
editFollowing the visit of Britannia, it was decided the U.S. should also possess a very large tank. War Tank America was assembled at a cost of $60,000, with the money to construct the machine being donated by Boston bankers as the cost exceeded available U.S. Army funds for the project.[3] A contemporary Boston Globe report declared that War Tank America could "swallow the Britannia and not even be threatened with indigestion".[4]
War Tank America broke down almost immediately on its first test drive, grinding to a halt in Cambridge, Massachusetts while en route to Boston where it was due to lead the Patriot's Day parade. Despite that, the Boston Globe declared that the 16 miles it traveled before stalling was further than Britannia had managed to move during its tour.[5][3]
General John Johnston, commanding officer of the U.S. Army Department of the Northeast, blamed German saboteurs for War Tank America's lackluster performance.[4]
By June, War Tank America had been fully repaired. It was sent to France in September of 1918 where it was demonstrated for General John Pershing. The war ended before War Tank America could be deployed into combat.[3]
Design
editAmerica was designed by E.F. Miller, a professor of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Construction began on January 25, 1918 and the machine was completed by the following April.America was described by historian Steven Zaloga as the "largest and most sophisticated tank built in the United States" during World War I.[3][4]
The vehicle weighed 45 tons, was 35 feet long and 11.5 feet wide. In addition to side guns, it mounted a flamethrower that could project fire 90 yards, and a golden crucifix on its front.[6][3][7]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Later, Britannia was moved to Washington, D.C. where it was exhibited at the White House for President of the United States Woodrow Wilson who burned his hand after he grabbed the tank's muffler pipe.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Tank Britannia Goes Over the Top for Crowd of Cheering Bostonians". Boston Globe. April 9, 1918. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ "President Wilson Burns Hand in Tank Britannia". The Republican. April 19, 1918. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Zaloga, Steven (2017). Early US Armor: Tanks 1916–40. Bloomsbury. pp. 5–6. ISBN 1472818091.
- ^ a b c "Boston's Own Regiment Will Parade Tomorrow". Boston Post. April 18, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ Anderson, Richard C. (2024). American Thunder: U.S. Army Tank Design, Development, and Doctrine in World War II. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 29. ISBN 0811773825.
- ^ "Tank America Breaks Down". Boston Globe. April 17, 1918. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Sign of the Cross for Tank America". The Republican. April 17, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2024.