Tank Mendeleev. Specifications. Photo.

The Mendeleev tank, also known as Mendeleev's Armored Car, is the first Russian and one of the world's first tank designs. It was developed by shipbuilding engineer V.D. Mendeleev in the period from 1911 to 1915. This project, which became the first super-heavy tank in the world, was distinguished by the highest levels of firepower and armor protection for its time. Despite a large number of original design solutions and innovations, the project remained at the drawing stage and was not embodied in metal.

The design of the Mendeleev tank was supposed to use four control posts, which allowed each crew member to control the armored vehicle in the event of the driver's incapacity. At the top of the Mendeleev tank, it was planned to install a 360 ° rotating machine-gun turret, which would be lowered inside the tank with the help of pneumatics and would rise out.

Inside the armored hull of the Mendeleev tank, it was supposed to place the internal equipment, chassis, gasoline internal combustion engine, ammunition and power transmission of the tank. A manual transmission would have four forward gears and one reverse gear.

The Mendeleev tank is an example of an innovative approach to the development of armored vehicles at the beginning of the 20th century and demonstrates what high technological possibilities were available to the engineers of that time. Currently, it is regarded as an important object in the history of tank building and serves as a source of inspiration for many designers and engineers.

The engine of the Mendeleev tank was developed with a unique design that allowed changing the direction of rotation of the engine crankshaft by rearranging the camshafts. One of the key design elements of Mendeleev's tank was its air suspension, which allowed the vehicle to move with its hull half down, or lower it fully to the ground when the tank stood still. This provided more effective protection of the undercarriage of the vehicle from enemy fire.

Mendeleev also assumed that his armored vehicle would need to be transported over long distances by rail, and he came up with a special device for mounting a tank on railroad ramps. After being installed on the ramps, the tank could move with the help of a steam locomotive or independently.

To facilitate the control of the Mendeleev tank, the engineer came up with the idea of ​​using pneumatic servo drives for the rotary mechanism and the main clutch of the gearbox. He also suggested the use of pneumatic devices to adjust the tension of the caterpillar mechanism and came up with a special compressor that worked in conjunction with the tank's engine.

Technical characteristics of Mendeleev's tank