The Baker "Jump Tank" has two basic models, one is a 4×4 chassis and the other is an 8-wheel chassis. The former is equipped with an M1 40mm gun, and the latter plans to install a stronger British QF 17-pounder gun. Today we Let’s briefly introduce some Baker’s 4×4 "jumping tanks". Although
says it is a tank, it should be regarded as a wheeled armored vehicle with a front and rear wheelbase of 3.48 meters and a width of 3 meters. Each wheel has an independent suspension with a hydraulic anti-recoil system. The most special feature of this system is that it can first compress the spring to complete the "squat" and then release the spring under the combined action of springs and hydraulic equipment. The completion of the upward bounce can make the car body completely off the ground, just like a grasshopper bounce. This design allows the tank to cross some obstacles or ditches. The power of the
tank is unknown. According to the analysis of some articles, because the tank itself is very light and its empty weight is only about 4.53 tons, the power output of the engine should be about 100 horsepower. In the test, the tank reached a speed of about 64 kilometers per hour. It can jump up to a height of about 1.25 meters, or a distance of about 1.2 meters forward. After landing, the recoil system can absorb part of the impact, so that the occupants will not be too bumpy. The armor of the
tank is equivalent to no armor, at least on the prototype, which is similar to that of a family car. Perhaps the mass-produced model will consider improving a little protection, at least it should have the ability to defend against light weapons. The main gun of the
tank is a 40mm gun. Its turret is not installed on the top of the car, but on the front half of the vehicle. Similar to the T-28 tank destroyer, the turret does not have the ability to rotate 360°.
Baker’s 4×4 "jump tank" is actually just a good wish of the designer, because the concept of jumping tank itself has problems. The designer hopes to give the tank the ability to jump so as to overcome some obstacles that conventional tanks cannot traverse. Jumping tanks are subject to technical limitations. No matter the height or length of the jump, they will not have an absolute advantage in front of conventional tanks. Instead, the crew members have to bear the impact of jumping.
From the perspective of tank structure, to give the tank the ability to jump, it is necessary to adopt a new jumping structure, which not only intensifies the complexity of the tank, but also limits the weight of the tank, and the corresponding armor protection is also restricted. The integration of the tank The combat capability has been weakened very low.
In addition, some people have suggested that jumping tanks are not feasible in actual use, because the crew of the crew is often unable to accurately judge the height of obstacles and other values. If the jumping height is incorrectly judged, the whole tank may not be When you hit an obstacle, you hit yourself "severely", so jumping a tank is not feasible.
Some people have also proposed to build such vehicles in related games, but the performance of tank bounce itself is very tasteless, and it will also cause some trouble in operation. The introduction of this model may not bring much playability. At most it is a special game collection.
