Ever since they first made an appearance in 1916 at the Battle of the Somme, military tanks have changed the course of many wars and conflicts ever since then.
So how much do tanks weigh?
The first tanks to take to the battlefield in 1916 weighed 26 tons (23,586 kg).
The American M1 tank is currently one of the heaviest tanks in operation, weighing in at a massive 62 tons (56,245 kg).
But, the M1A2 weighs in at 65 tons (58,967 kg).
Tanks are designed to be able to easily go through all types of rugged terrain and produce heavy firepower. These massive fighting machines are also built to keep their occupants and crew safe at the same time.
The first tanks were very basic machines and looked much different to what you see today.
In WWII during the 1940’s, even more powerful, faster models emerged in the United States, Germany, the UK, Russia and other nations that took part in this war.
What are some popular tanks?
Some of the most notable models included Panzers, Tiger’s, Sherman’s, and Soviet T-34’s.
Tanks are enormous machines that are made up of four main components.
These components include the body, also known as the ‘hull’, the turret where its weapons are located, its track that allows it to move and maneuver effectively, and a large gun barrel that’s attached to the turret.
~ Fun Fact ~
Tanks are not the slow-moving machines you might see on the old war movies. The M1 Abrams tank can cruise down the road at a speed of 60 mph.