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T28/T95 Super Heavy Tank

February 14th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

Model of the American WW2 super heavy tank prototype. Features full suspension, drivetrain with a subtractor, lights and advanced main gun control system.

Datasheet:

Completion date: 13/02/2010
Power: electric (Power Functions)
Dimensions:  length 73 studs (including main gun’s barrel) / width 30 studs / height 16 studs (not including aerials)
Weight: 2.2 kg
Suspension: pendular bogies
Motors: 2 x PF Medium, 2 x PF XL

T28 was an unusual project. Started in Spring 1945, it was designed to break through German defenses and to counter German super heavy tanks such as Maus or E100 (none completed, fortunately). The designers focused on the armament and armour of the tank at the cost of its mobility, and they decided not to use a typical turret as it would not be needed against fortifications. T28 had one of the thickest tank armours in history, but it was driven by an V8 engine providing merely 500 HP – a very little power for a tank of such weight. It was also one of few tanks to move around on 4 tracks. The outer set of tracks could be removed for transportation by train. The tank could drive on a road on inner tracks, towing the outer ones behind.

Out of 25 planned T28s, only two were built. The war ended before they were operational, and in 1947 they were subjected to evaluation. It went bad – one prototype was completely destroyed by engine fire, and the other one proved that a 500 HP engine can barely move it. Both were supposed to be scrapped, but the undamaged one was found in 1974 in a back field at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. It is unknown where it was earlier, and it is unknown how a tank of this size can remain unnoticed inside a military base 🙂

The model is relatively simple on the technical side. It uses only 4 motors, two to drive and the other two to control the main gun. Just like in the real tank, the main gun has limited traverse and elevation. The drivetrain consists of a subtractor and two PF XL motors, one for drive and one for steering, on assumption that it takes quite a torque to steer a tank that wide and with 4 tracks. The model is not entirely accurate – one of departures include a V6 piston engine in the back, instead of fuel tanks. The real machine was driven by V8 engine, but only 6 pistons can be seen through a 8×8 grill, so I used a V6 engine. It has internal lighting, with lights pointed at each piston, and all the lights are coupled with the drive engine, so the faster tank goes, the brighter the engine is.

Another departure is the shape of the front of the hull. It was changed mainly to house the main gun control mechanism. The real tank had its gun mantlet attached to the hull, while the model’s mantlet is attached to the barrel and moves together with it, hence it needs a certain margin of free space around it.

The most challenging element of the model was its suspension system – not because it’s advanced, but because it’s so expanded. Each of the four tracks uses four pendular bogies, each with two road wheels. It sums up to the total of 16 bogies with 32 road wheels. Each track’s suspension is separate and independent, and each track consists of 123 tread links. Together with the spare track section on the armour, it sums up to over 500 tread links used for the model.

The model looked really well, and it definitely paid off to build it in dark grey instead black. It performed well, although the main gun’s barrel was a bit wobbly. It also seemed to experience problems with the drive motor – it could drive backwards and turn very well, but it seemed that driving forwards put more and more tension on the motor. The problem seemed to be getting worse over time, and it is possible that the PF XL motor used for drive was defective. Because of that, the model appeared very slow on the video, whereas given a properly functioning motor it should have been faster. Still, it was my first tank in dark grey, and came highly acclaimed for its look.

Photos:

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Video:

Categories: Military Tags: , , ,
  1. Sariel
    April 17th, 2014 at 22:09 | #1

    @Andrew
    Sorry, your beliefs have NOTHING to do with facts. Seems like you have mistaken playing World Of Tanks for learning history. T28 and T95 are TWO NAMES FOR THE SAME VEHICLE. World Of Tanks lied to you, they made two tanks out of one. They removed outer tracks from the original T28/T95 (the real tracks were detachable for easy transport), changed its front armor and got a non-existent vehicle they called T28. This is just a game developer’s fiction. Learn solid facts here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T28_Super_Heavy_Tank

  2. Andrew
    April 17th, 2014 at 20:55 | #2

    @Sariel
    I do believe that the t28 American tank destroyer had only two tracks, one one each side. The t95 had 4 tracks, two on each side. Either way, this model is amazing and way out of my realm of creating. Great job!

    @Sariel
    The T95 was an American tank destroyer, which looks like the model you have made. The t95 had 4 tracks, two on each side, while t28 American tank destroyer had only two tracks, one one each side.

  3. Sariel
    June 5th, 2013 at 22:14 | #3

    @SpeedyCraft51
    To both questions: of course not.

  4. SpeedyCraft51
    June 5th, 2013 at 20:34 | #4

    Just awesome !

    Have you made a guide or a shematic (with lego digital designer) to create it ?
    Or do you sell it ?
    I’m very interested.

  5. Sariel
    April 19th, 2013 at 15:45 | #5

    @nitwity
    I recommend you remembering that World Of Tanks is a game and not a history book.

  6. nitwity
    April 19th, 2013 at 14:01 | #6

    My mistake, they both were real but this looks more like the T95, if you play world of tanks you can see a difference, the T28 is much thinner and doesnt have double tracks on each side and I recommend world of tanks anyway there is a ride variety of tanks and artillery you could copy @Sariel

  7. Sariel
    March 8th, 2013 at 09:49 | #7

    @Nitwity
    Only existed in blueprints? Explain this then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kO5IsVHlTo

  8. Nitwity
    March 8th, 2013 at 09:39 | #8

    Sariel :
    @tyler
    No mister. This is not T95. T95 was a medium tank from fifties. Also, it’s not directions, it’s instructions and I don’t intend to make or sell any.

    No, the T95 is an even bigger tank destroyer then the T28 (this) it was only a prototype or only existed in blue prints and this looks more like the T95 anyway

  9. Sariel
    November 10th, 2012 at 21:23 | #9

    @Zachary
    It’s soundtrack from 28 Weeks Later.

  10. Zachary
    November 10th, 2012 at 19:24 | #10

    You have amazing builds, and this is personally one of my favorites.
    I watched this video on youtube a few years back, and I was wondering what was the name of the song that you used in this video?
    It compliments the tank perfectly.

  11. June 20th, 2012 at 10:14 | #11

    @tyler
    Yup, thats right because when i played WoT (WorldofTanks), i a little bit confused– but nice tank.!! 🙂

  12. Borealis
    June 16th, 2012 at 21:23 | #12

    I like this it is well designed though i do wish I knew how to build it any who if you do tell thats fine i’d love to have my own T28. But there is one thing that puzzles me i looked up on google about the T28 and they said it was I quote “Called the T28 but during WW2 is was re designated as the T95 if you don’t belive me I looked up on wiki and in other online sources. Yet if you could tell me,give me tips, or instructions on how to build this I would love it!

  13. Sariel
    September 28th, 2011 at 08:23 | #13

    @tyler
    No mister. This is not T95. T95 was a medium tank from fifties. Also, it’s not directions, it’s instructions and I don’t intend to make or sell any.

  14. tyler
    September 28th, 2011 at 01:26 | #14

    oh ya can you make and sell directions for that

  15. tyler
    September 28th, 2011 at 01:22 | #15

    actually Sariel that tank is a t95

  16. jake greene
    March 30th, 2011 at 01:54 | #16

    OMFG! You are truly an insane lego builder! You are my idol!!!!

  17. Sariel
    September 28th, 2010 at 19:03 | #17

    @jason b
    Sorry, I’m into mechanics, not into magic.

  18. jason b
    September 28th, 2010 at 17:51 | #18

    why not make it a challenge to get your vehicles with guns to actually shoot?
    could be fun! =)

  19. Sariel
    May 2nd, 2010 at 18:00 | #19

    @NXTnut
    Yes, and half of the comments at youtube will be like “FAKE!!!!”.

  20. NXTnut
    May 2nd, 2010 at 17:09 | #20

    In the video for another tank, think you could take a video, cut a picture out of that video, add a flame into that picture, put it back in the video. Now for a split second, it will look like the gun fires live bullets!

  21. Sariel
    April 24th, 2010 at 19:55 | #21

    @NXTnut
    It’s a Lego barrel at the tip.

  22. NXTnut
    April 24th, 2010 at 17:38 | #22

    how do you do the very end of the gun barrel?

  23. Sariel
    March 6th, 2010 at 14:39 | #23

    @NXTnut
    Listen, this is American T28: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T28_Super_Heavy_Tank
    and this is Soviet T28: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-28
    All it takes is some 3 seconds of using Google.

  24. NXTnut
    March 6th, 2010 at 14:25 | #24

    I looked it up, it’s an American tank.

  25. Sariel
    March 4th, 2010 at 22:07 | #25

    @NXTnut
    You have to build them around some frame that will support them. There are pics of the building process of this model at my Facebook site, so you can see how it’s built inside.

  26. NXTnut
    March 4th, 2010 at 22:04 | #26

    I’m a lego builder, to but I have one question, how do you make the amour and side skirts? I have tried but failed on stability.

  27. Sariel
    February 28th, 2010 at 22:02 | #27

    @NXTnut
    Soviets called all their tanks T-number, so they obviously had their T-28 tank but it was something completely different. You could google it out easily.

  28. NXTnut
    February 28th, 2010 at 19:52 | #28

    Sweet tank as always! Although, I’m a bit confused, although you say it’s a American tank, one of my sources says it’s a Soviet tank. Can you please clear this up?

  29. Jail
    February 20th, 2010 at 23:09 | #29

    awesome! it looks soooooo niicee to drive it!

  30. Sariel
    February 20th, 2010 at 01:51 | #30

    @NxT bUiLdEr
    Polish.

  31. NxT bUiLdEr
    February 20th, 2010 at 01:31 | #31

    @Sariel
    excuse me, but what languages do you speak?

  32. Sariel
    February 19th, 2010 at 11:20 | #32

    @NaturalBornuser
    Ma 4 study a między nimi otwór na axla, więc lufa przez niego przechodzi, nie trzyma się na nim.

  33. NaturalBornuser
    February 19th, 2010 at 10:50 | #33

    Z ciekawości – ten talerz, do ktorego przymocowana jest lufa ma jeden stud na środku czy cztery? Bo widzę, że mimo większych drgań lufa nie odpada. Jeśli chodzi o wygląd to Twój najbardziej dopracowany czołg.

  34. icanhaslego
    February 14th, 2010 at 21:45 | #34

    it looks awesome, very menacing and wide. shame it wasnt ready for the tv appearance, but all good nonetheless

  35. Alex
    February 14th, 2010 at 19:29 | #35

    Great proportions! Looks massive .. that’s really aggressive man.
    I like the idea of the lights with variable brightness. And what about all the details..
    The armour looks like one of the StarWars series spaceships :)))
    Super cool!

  36. Sariel
    February 14th, 2010 at 13:23 | #36

    @Brian
    Pendular bogies. See the pics.

  37. bobsurankle
    February 14th, 2010 at 13:20 | #37

    And also in the first picture it says “more ar sariel.pl” I think you meant “at”. Sorry, but Im a bit picky like that.

  38. Brian
    February 14th, 2010 at 13:17 | #38

    AWESOME!
    how did you build the suspension?
    tell me!
    I need to know!

  39. bobsurankle
    February 14th, 2010 at 13:17 | #39

    :O -that says it all. I have to agree with you and think that grey was a good colour scheme. It is shame about that faulty motor though. Keep up the good work.

  40. miklouf
    February 14th, 2010 at 10:50 | #40

    bravo sariel , tu es le meilleur , encore bravo !!!

  41. Mihály Stépán
    February 14th, 2010 at 10:46 | #41

    It has a low build, it’s wide, it’s big, looks menacing. Congratulations, Sariel, this model was worth waiting for!

  42. Chili
    February 14th, 2010 at 10:11 | #42

    I’d say this is the most beautiful model youve ever made, but the task it can do (raise gun etc..) wont win the simple, yet great S-tank.
    It was totally wort making this greay, i love how it looks.

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