T-29

Overview
The T-29 was an experimental American heavy tank of the WWII and post-war period. Development started in 1944 on a vehicle intended to combat the German Tiger I, Panther, and King Tiger tanks. The Result was the T-29, a heavily armored, powerfully armed heavy tank that weighed around 70 tons. However the T-29 was not completed in time to take part in WWII.

Design
The T-29's hull and running gear were based off those of the T26E3, however they were lengthened to accommodate more wheels. The vehicle featured 8 double-wheels per side riding on torsion-bar suspension, and above these were seven return-rollers. The drive sprockets were placed at the rear, as well as the transmission, and the idler was used for keeping track tension.

The Turret was absolutely massive, and carried the powerful 105 mm T5E1 gun with a barrel 7.06 meters long. The gunner received an optical sight, and coincidence rangefinders were mounted on the turret sides.

The T-29 was heavy at around 71 tons, and was underpowered. This resulted in a poor top speed, as well as diminished reliability.

Variants
There were several variants of the T-29, the main difference being in armament. The T-30 was almost identical, however it mounted a 155 mm gun and had a more powerful engine as well as a second loader. The T-34 (Not to be confused with the Soviet T-34 tank) was also almost the same as the T-29, however it mounted the 120 mm M1 anti-aircraft cannon and had an extra 101 mm of armor on the turret rear and bustle. This was most likely to add counter-balance to the heavier gun. Only two such vehicles were produced, one from the T-29 Pilot Tank, the other from a T-30. The T-29 and the T-29E2 both used the same 105 mm gun, while the T-29E1 and T-29E3 both used a different version. Some sources state that the T-29 was a Super-Heavy Tank, however its weight is more like that of a Heavy Tank.

Action
The T-29 never saw action, which was also the case for all its variants. However the vehicle did provide very important information during the course of its trials, much of which helped with the development of the M103 Heavy Tank.