What is the best tank ever designed in your opinion?

[yisetab28 89]

So, which tank is the best that was ever built? You can choose any tank from any era you like, from the Leonardo da Vinci's wooden prototype to the new M1A3 MBT. The tanks must be real ones that have been build or at least designed on paper. This means no fictional or video game tanks.

 

 

[walale12 23]

The Challenger II, its Chobham combat armour is so classified we won't even sell it to the Americans. Only one has ever been destroyed, and that was by another Challenger II. One took 40 RPG hits in Afghan, and the only injury sustained on the part of the crew was a broken wrist.

[Daring_Do 552]

Well, that would have to be this one:

 

[yisetab28 89]

its Chobham combat armour is so classified we won't even sell it to the Americans. 

 

Actually they use it on the Abrams south of the border now. 

[Scootaloodle 1,621]

Aspire nautilus

 

 

But if you mean the army type tanks, I don't really know anything about them. They all look the same to me, cool and shoot stuff but a bit samey 

[Kerberossz 1,929]

Tiger, Tiger II. The only problem was the prime cost. If they could have produced as many as light tanks, they would have been unstoppable.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Kerberossz

[IcyHaze 593]

Tiger, Tiger II. The only problem was the prime cost. If they could have produced as many as light tanks, they would have been unstoppable.

 

This, for WWII era at least.

Modern times,. I'd still stick with a german make - The Leopard 2A7. It's a fucking beast of a tank.

[ARagY 1,152]

T-14 Armata..

 

Yeah, I said it

[yisetab28 89]

Tiger, Tiger II. The only problem was the prime cost. If they could have produced as many as light tanks, they would have been unstoppable.

 

They're nice tanks, but they were way too slow for them to be effective, compared to other heavy tanks like the M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo and the IS series. I think the Panthers would be a better choice for WW2 German tanks.

[Kerberossz 1,929]

 

 

They're nice tanks, but they were way too slow for them to be effective, compared to other heavy tanks like the M4A3E2 Sherman Jumbo and the IS series. I think the Panthers would be a better choice for WW2 German tanks.

 

True, but Panthers weren't too effective according to the technical problems they had. 

[DJ Onex 1,673]

I shall say the following:

 

T-90  

[Sweetie-Belle 180]

I don't know much about tanks, but I have a friend who knows basically everything about tanks. I'll edit the post with his answer when he gets back from his vacation.

 

Just remind me, haha. I have kangaroo memory so I'll probably forget.

[walale12 23]

Actually they use it on the Abrams south of the border now. 

Really? Damn, still, the Challenger's got more of it, and a much bigger gun, plus it uses a diesel, so it's got a longer range as opposed to the Turbine of the Abrams.

[Fleur-De-Lis 350]

Pretty much anything German. There were quite a few from WW2 that were leagues ahead of the competition, they still make heads turn even today! (ex. the panzer)

[yisetab28 89]

Pretty much anything German. There were quite a few from WW2 that were leagues ahead of the competition, they still make heads turn even today! (ex. the panzer)

 

Which panzer? There was the PanzerKampfWagen I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VIII, with the first ones having something like 5 different models, the PanzerBefehlsWagen command thanks, the PanzerSpahWagens, not to mention the other conversions like the recovery tanks and ammo carriers, &c. &c. &c.

Edited June 7, 2015 by MCAsomm

[I used to be a stranger 7,989]

This post has been redacted by the author.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Blue

[yisetab28 89]

 

 

So my opinion is that the use of the word "Best" is out of place.

 

Well what other word would you want me to use? I used best designed, not best ever to see other people's opinion. 

 

I also didn't want to compare them to a professional of any kind just like that. Weapons are judged differently, and as I said before, depending on someone's priorities, their opinion on the best ones will differ. Someone who puts an accent on precision and kill-death ratio will like tanks like the Tiger series or the post-war Challengers, who are costly to build but make formidable weapons. Someone who thinks that a weapon should be built to only be used and built faster would like cheaper all-round tanks like the M4 Sherman and the T-34 better. There really isn't a single charter on "The best weapon ever", just opinions.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,700]

I'm quite fond of T-34. I don't have too much knowledge on tanks, but if I'm not mistaken this would be first tank to have used sloped armour design (or at least first time to be widely used).

[APegLegPirate 168]

In my opinion, one of the best tanks ever built has to be the Tiger tank. For its time it was a hell of a beast, just saying its name at the time of its creation was an act of psychological warfare that lowered the morale of all troops after knowing one will be there or perhaps be there. It revolutionised tank warfare to what it is today, just because of how fierce and mighty it was at the time. It changed the way tanks had to be made and how tank battles had to be fought. You really have to give the Germans credit for what they came up with during that time.

 

[yisetab28 89]

 

 

this would be first tank to have used sloped armour design (or at least first time to be widely used)

 

T-50, used it before.

 

Christie tank/BT series also had it. The T-50 was basically a BT tank with a T-34 body.

 

 

[Kerberossz 1,929]

In my opinion, one of the best tanks ever built has to be the Tiger tank. For its time it was a hell of a beast, just saying its name at the time of its creation was an act of psychological warfare that lowered the morale of all troops after knowing one will be there or perhaps be there. It revolutionised tank warfare to what it is today, just because of how fierce and mighty it was at the time. It changed the way tanks had to be made and how tank battles had to be fought. You really have to give the Germans credit for what they came up with during that time.

 

When I was a kid my unlce had always told stories about tanks and this line I have always liked: "A canadian commander once said: Only one thing was good about the Tigers: There were just a few of them."

Edited June 7, 2015 by Kerberossz

[Shadow Beam 1,179]

Taking on account factors like economic viability, speed, fire power and armor I would pick, without the singlest hint of doubt, the T-34 soviet tank.

 

Not the fastest, nor the strongest, but still showcasing an astounding balancing between all its features, in addition of a superb potential of mass-production. These magnificent pieces of engineering, along with the firefly-geared sherman, were enough to stand ground and overwhelm the both giant and complex german Tigers with their numbers and features.

 

Some countries kept using the T-34 in their armies even after the '60s, after that period these tanks were dumped, scrapped or modernized.

 

It was indeed one of the big mechanical heroes of the war.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Shadow Beam

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,700]

@@MCAsomm, Then I am mistaken. I suppose it was more overall design of the tank. But from my understanding was influential; I thought Germans began using sloped armour on their tanks after having faced T-34s; change in armour design from Panzer IV to Panther and Tiger I to Tiger II.

 

I should read more about military hardware; surprised I haven't spend much time dedicated to learning more about Second World War despite having great interest in it.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Tsaritsa Luna

[yisetab28 89]

 

 

But from my understanding was influential

 

Yes, the sloped armor on the T-34 gave it a much higher effective armor thickness than other similar tanks, like the Panzer IV. After realizing they needed sloped armor after the first Tiger, the Nazis produced the Panther and Tiger II which made much more extensive use of sloped and a little rounded armor. 

[Snow Frostflame 3,567]

as much as I love the T-34 I would have to go with the M1 Abrams.... nothing is better than an Abrams.... I watched a documentary on the strongest tanks in the world as a kid and Abrams made it to number 1... as of now I don't know if its still the strongest but its still my favorite