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The development history of the Ratte originated with a 1941 strategic study of Soviet heavy tanks conducted by Krupp, the study also giving birth to the Panzer VIII Maus super-heavy tank. The study led to a suggestion from Krupp director Grote, special officer for submarine construction, who on June 23, 1942 proposed to Hitler a 1,000-tonne tank which he named aLandkreuzer. It was to be armed with naval artillery and armored with 9 inches (23 cm) of hardened steel, so heavily that only similar weapons could hope to affect it. To compensate for its immense weight, the Ratte would have been equipped with three 1.2 metre (3.9 ft) wide treads on each side with a total tread width of 7.2 metres (24 ft). This would help stability and weight distribution, but the vehicle's sheer mass would have destroyed roads and rendered bridge crossings completely impractical. However, it was anticipated that its height, and its ground clearance of 2 metres (6.6 ft) would have allowed it to ford most rivers with ease.
Hitler became enamored with Grote's concept and ordered Krupp to begin development on it in 1942. As of December 29, 1942 a few preliminary drawings had been completed, by which time the concept had been named Ratte (Rat). Albert Speer canceled the project in 1943 before any were actually constructed.
[edit]Propulsion

The Ratte was to be propelled by two MAN V12Z32/44 24 cylinder marine diesel engines of 8,500 hp (6.2 MW) each (as used in U-boats) or eight Daimler-Benz MB 501 20 cylinder marine diesel engines of 2,000 hp (1.5 MW) each (as used in E-boats) to achieve the 16,000 hp (11.8 MW) needed to move this tank. The engines were to be provided with snorkels also like those used by German submarines. The snorkels were of course designed to provide a way for oxygen to reach the engine, even during amphibious operations passing through deep water.
[edit]Armament

The Ratte's primary weapon would have been a dual 280 mm SK C/28 gun turret. The turret was to have been a modified  triple gun turret, removing one of the guns and loading mechanism.^[1]
Further armament was to consist of a 128 mm anti-tank gun of the type used in the Jagdtiger or Maus, two 15 mm Mauser mg 151/15 autocannons, and eight 20 mm Flak 38 anti-aircraft guns, probably with at least four of them as a quad mount. The 128 mm anti-tank gun's precise location on the Ratte is a point of contention among historians, most believing that it would have been mounted within the primary turret, with some others thinking a smaller secondary turret at the rear of the Ratte more logical. Some concept drawings exist to suggest a flexible mount on the glacis plate. The tank was to be provided with a vehicle bay sufficient to hold two BMW R12 motorcycles for scouting, as well as several smaller storage rooms, a compact infirmary area, and a self-contained lavatory system. http://www.militaryf...p1000-ratte.jpg
  Schwerer Gustav (English: Heavy Gustaf, or Great Gustaf) and Dora were the names of two massive World War IIGerman 80 cm K (E) railway siege guns. They were developed in the late 1930s by Krupp for the express purpose of destroying heavy fortifications, specifically those in the French Maginot Line. They weighed nearly 1,350 tonnes, and could fire shells weighing seven tonnes to a range of 47 kilometers (29 mi). Designed in preparation for World War II, and intended for use against the deep forts of the Maginot Line, they were not ready for action when the Wehrmacht outflanked the line during the Battle of France. Gustav was used in the Soviet Union at the siege of Sevastopol during Operation Barbarossa. They were moved to Leningrad, and may have been intended for Warsaw. Gustav was captured by US troops and cut up, whilst Dora was destroyed near the end of the war to avoid capture by the Red Army.
It was the largest calibre rifled weapon in the history of artillery to see actual combat, and fired the heaviest shells of any artillery piece.^[1] It is only surpassed in calibre by the French Monster Mortar (36 French inches; 975mm), the BritishMallet's Mortar (36 inch; 914 mm) and the American Little David mortar (36 inch; 910 mm).^[2]
[edit]Development

In 1934 the German Army High Command (OKH) commissioned Krupp of Essen, Germany to design a gun to destroy the forts of the French Maginot Line which were then nearing completion. The gun's shells had to punch through seven meters of reinforced concrete or one full meter of steel armour plate, from beyond the range of French artillery. Krupp engineer Dr. Erich Müller calculated that the task would require a weapon with a calibre of around 80 cm, firing a projectile weighing 7 tonnes from a barrel 30 meters long. As such, the weapon would have a weight of over 1000 tonnes. The size and weight meant that to be at all movable it would need to be supported on twin sets of railway tracks. In common with smaller railway guns, the only barrel movement on the mount would be elevation, traverse being managed by moving the weapon along a curved section of railway line. Krupp prepared plans for calibres of 70 cm, 80 cm, 85 cm, and 1 m.
Nothing further happened until March 1936, when during a visit to Essen, Adolf Hitler enquired as to the giant guns' feasibility. No definite commitment was given by Hitler, but design work began on an 80 cm model. The resulting plans were completed in early 1937 and approved. Fabrication of the first gun started in the summer of 1937. However, technical complications in the forging of such massive pieces of steel made it apparent that the original completion date of spring 1940 could not be met.
Krupp built a test model in late 1939 and sent it to the Hillersleben firing range for testing. Penetration was tested on this occasion. Firing at high elevation, the 7.1 tonne shell was able to penetrate the specified seven meters of concrete and the one meter armour plate.^[3] When the tests were completed in mid-1940 the complex carriage was further developed. Alfried Krupp, after whose father the gun was named, personally hosted Hitler at the Rügenwald Proving Ground during the formal acceptance trials of the Gustav Gun in the spring of 1941. Hitler was so awe-struck, he commanded that the 11 tonne shell could only be used at his discretion. As he never gave permission, it was never deployed.

http://bits.wikimedia.org/static-1.20wmf2/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.pngAn 800 mm shell next to a Soviet T-34-85tank at the Imperial War Museum, London

Two guns were ordered. The first round was test-fired from the commissioned gun barrel on 10 September 1941 from a makeshift gun carriage on the Hillersleben firing range. In November 1941, the barrel was taken to Rügenwald where 8 further firing tests took place using the 7,100 kilogram armor-piercing (AP) shell out to a range of 37,210 meters.
In combat, the gun was mounted on a specially designed chassis, supported by eight bogies on two parallel sets of railway tracks. Each of the bogies had 5 axles, giving a total of 40 axles (80 wheels). Krupp christened the gun Schwerer Gustav (Heavy Gustav) after the senior director of the firm, Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach.
The ammunition for the gun consisted of a heavy concrete-piercing shell and a lighter high-explosive shell. A super-long-range rocket projectile was also planned with a range of 150 km that would require the barrel being extended to 84 meters.
In keeping with the tradition of the Krupp company, no charge was made for the first gun. However, they did charge seven millionReichsmark for the second gun Dora, named after the senior engineer's wife.http://www.militaryf...sm/monster2.gif
Edited by xxXWVWXxx, Jun 08 2012 - 01:02.

Why did you waste your time assembling all of that? This topic has come up 843 times

Awesome wall of text...love the pics. Really cool. Also, not to be an ass, but your font hurts my eyes.

for the sake of knoledge

CanadianGuitar, on Jun 08 2012 - 01:03, said:

  An error occured.
You are out of negative votes.




Boo.

DestroyersG, on Jun 08 2012 - 01:03, said:

it hurts mine to

ratte

I've seen the Dora before.  I have seen archival footage of it even shelling of Sevastopol.  The thing is a freaking monster.  I do remember, however, that it had an identical twin called Gustav.  Why hasn't it been included in the poll?

please dont comment " Dora the explora can use here map to go to the store with 3 obsticals in its way to buy rat poison and kill the german ratte "

The Dora was actually fielded.   Used to shell Sevastapol.  Used 4 railroad tracks to move its limited area.  It was assembled on the spot.   Years ago someone made a limited run model kit of this in 1/35 scale.   At the time it sold for a whopping $800.  The gun barrel was made of steel and was the size of a broomstick

xxXWVWXxx, on Jun 08 2012 - 01:06, said:

Dora the explora can use here map to go to the store with 3 obsticals in its way to buy rat poison and kill the german ratte

I want one of these in my backyard...if it would fit.

again??

JagdTiger_23, on Jun 08 2012 - 01:09, said:

Bacon?

Option C: None of the above...

Option C : DRINK

http://pad.wikihow.c...shots!-2980.jpg

Hey i got a good idea maybe we can make Tier 11 and the ratte would be a upgrade from the Muas and E-100

But what does a picture of a K5 280mm rail gun has to do with Dora?

http://media.onsugar.../fb/Gustav2.jpg

That was copied and pasted FROM WIKIPEDIA!!! Seriously, stop your stupidity PLEASE!!!

Ome_Joop, on Jun 08 2012 - 01:15, said:

your profile pic reminds me of this https://encrypted-tb...kn8YiwnEPZjwyVg