Panzer VII Löwe

The Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe (Lion) was a design for a super-heavy tank created by Krupp for the German government during World War II. The project, initially code-named VK 70.01 (K), never left the drawing board, and was dropped on 5–6 March 1942, in favor of Porsche's heavier Panzer VIII Maus.[1][2]

Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe (VK 70.01/72.01(K))
TypeSuper-heavy tank
Place of originGermany
Service history
WarsWorld War II
Production history
DesignerKrupp
Designed1 November 1941–20 July 1942
Specifications
Mass
  • 70 t (69 long tons; 77 short tons) (specified)
  • 76–90 t (75–89 long tons; 84–99 short tons) (as designed)
Crew5 (driver, commander, gunner, loader, radio operator)
Armor
  • Frontal:
  • 140 mm (5.5 in) (specified)
  • 100–140 mm (3.9–5.5 in) (as designed)
  • Side:
  • 100 mm (3.9 in) (specified)
  • 80 or 100 mm (3.1 or 3.9 in) (as designed)
  • Turret front: 100 or 140 mm (3.9 or 5.5 in)
  • Turret top: 40 mm (1.6 in)
  • Hull deck: 40 mm
Main
armament
Secondary
armament
1 × coaxial machine gun
Engine
Maximum speed 27–35 km/h (17–22 mph)

Variants

The Löwe was designed in two variants, unofficially designated Leichter Löwe (light lion) and Schwerer Löwe (heavy lion), both with a crew of five:[1]

Leichter Löwe/VK 70.01 (K)
It was to weigh 76 t (75 long tons; 84 short tons), with 100 mm (3.9 in) of frontal armor, a rear-mounted turret, a 10.5 cm (4.1 in) L/70 high velocity gun, and a coaxial machine gun, with a top speed of 27 km/h (17 mph). It was later cancelled by Adolf Hitler.[1]
Schwerer Löwe/VK 72.01(K)
It was to weigh 90 t (89 long tons; 99 short tons), with 120 mm (4.7 in) frontal armor, a center-mounted turret, a 10.5 cm L/70 high velocity gun, and a coaxial machine gun, but only managing a top speed of 23 km/h (14 mph). After redesign it had 140 mm (5.5 in) frontal armor, 8.8 cm (3.5 in) L/71 gun, and a top speed increased to 35 km/h (22 mph).[1][2]

See also

Tanks of comparable role, performance and era

References
  1. Achtung Panzer (1996)
  2. B. 2015.

Sources
  • "Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe (Lion)". Achtung Panzer. 1996. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  • B., David (11 February 2015). "Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe (VK 70.01) Heavy tank – Paper project (1942)". Retrieved 23 July 2017.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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