JF Ptak Science Books   Post 2389

These spectacular images of monumental monumentality appeared in the December 1916 issue of Popular Science Monthly.  The author Frank Shuman (1862-1918) had some major inventing chops, not the least of which was some very forward-thinking work (in theory and practice) on solar power (one of which was a solar powered steam engine and another a liquid O₂ propulsion system for submarines), so these suggestions for gigantic land battleships came with a fair amount of gravitas. This is some grand thinking, and as Shuman tells us, the beast below would weigh about 5,000 tons (the weight of several hundred Sherman tanks¹) and would roll along on 200′ diameter wheels.  Unfortunately, outside of  seeing some sort of (steam) power plant, there is no mention of how those wheels would be turned–I’d’ve liked to read about that.  There is a mention of shock absorbers, but only so, jsut a bare hint.  

[Image source is Google Books–I have this volume in a 40 year run of this periodical down in the warehouse, but the book was really too thick to lay flat ont he scanner, and so the Google Books scan was used..]

 And for whatever reason there is no heavy artillery on this thing. The damage to the enemy would be done via the three wheels, and also by the enormous chains that hang from the front of the enormity, like a flailing slow-moving monster from a 1950’s B-movie. 

My guess is that this wouldn’t do so well in the rain.