Part 1: Landkreuzer P1000 Ratte origins of the myth
Landkreuzer P1500 Monster the origins of myth
Landkreuzer P1500 Monster was a further developement of Landkreuzer P1000. It was a Krupp proposal in December 1942. The vehicle basically was a Dora / Schwerer Gustav on tracks. It would have to share the same gun of Dora, a huge 800mm gun. The real difference between the two vehicles was in destination of use: Dora / Schwerer Gustav was a railway gun (long range artillery), Monster should have been a self propelled gun or assault gun. The project was canceled by Albert Speer in 1943. The vehicle was too bigger, slow moving with a massive size, a perfect target for Allied aerial raids
Il Landkreuzer P1500 di Monster è stato un ulteriore sviluppo del Landkreuzer P1000. Fu una proposta Krupp del dicembre 1942. Il veicolo fondamentalmente era un Dora / Schwerer Gustav su cingoli. Avrebbe dovuto condividere lo stesso cannone del Dora, un enorme 800 millimetri. La vera differenza tra i due veicoli era la destinazione d’uso: il Dora / Schwerer Gustav era un cannone ferroviario (artiglieria a lungo raggio), il Monster avrebbe dovuto essere un cannone semoventi o d’assalto. Il progetto venne annullato da Albert Speer nel 1943. Il veicolo era troppo grande, lento in movimento con una dimensione enorme, un bersaglio perfetto per le incursioni aeree alleate.
Armament and armor: Monster had to be armed with 800 mm Dora/Schwerer Gustav K (E) railway gun, secondary guns (two 150mm sFH 18/1L/30 howitzers) and multiple 15mm MG 151/15 autocannons. The armor was supposed to be 250mm on front
Dimensions: Landkreuzer P1500 was to be 42m long for 1500 tonnes of weight. It had to be equipped with four MAN U-boat (submarine) marine diesel engines.
Source – Porter, David (2010). Hitler’s secret weapons, 1933-1945:The Essential Facts and Figures for Germany’s Secret Weapons Programme. London, UK: Amber Books
Armamento e corazza: il Monster doveva essere armato con il cannone ferroviario da 800 millimetri del Dora / Schwerer Gustav K (E), con armi secondarie (due 150 millimetri SFH 18 / 1L / 30 obici) e cannoni automatici AA da 15 millimetri MG 151/15 in numero imprecisato. La corazza doveva essere 250 millimetri sulla parte anteriore
Dimensioni: il Landkreuzer P1500 doveva essere lungo 42m per 1500 tonnellate di peso. Doveva essere equipaggiato con 4 motori marini o sottomarini MAN U-boat diesel.
