Failed military. The five most shameful failures of the us army. Tank failure of India

Many countries today are proud of their achievements in the military industry, but judging by the facts from history, armies and governments did not always receive the weapons they dreamed of. Even the slightest superiority of the enemy in armament can determine the outcome of the battle. But sometimes the "arms race" gives rise to completely comical models ...

Tank A7V (Germany)

Built and developed in the later stages of World War I by a tractor manufacturer. Hence all the ensuing consequences, both in terms of the materials used and the absurdity of the design. The only plus of that weapon is 7-8 machine guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition on board. Unfortunately, most never made it to the battlefield: the crew would pass out from the heat inside.

Amphibious tank Christie (USA)

Built by inventor J. Walter Christie in 1921. It was intended to be used by the army when landing, as a ground weapon capable of blowing up any enemy resistance. It was armed with a 75 mm cannon, however, the weight of the cannon, combined with the weight of a quarter inch of armor, resulted in a total weight of 7 tons.

british flamethrower jeep

Why not attach a flamethrower to an armored personnel carrier or a jeep? Let them not only be engaged in the transfer of troops, but at the same time beat the enemy to death. Even "better" is to take all the tanks with flammable liquids outside.

In this case, the jeep definitely outperforms the armored personnel carrier - it creates less noise when driving, which provides the driver and crew, surrounded on all sides by tanks and cans of fuel, at least one chance to return from a combat mission.

The jeep was used at the final stage of World War II, and no one knows how successful its use was. The photo shows how the driver is protected from behind by a bottle of fuel for a flamethrower, and in front of him is carefully covered by a gas tank.

The Imperial War Museum in Duxford has a single example of the machine. Which, in general, is predictable, given the number of tanks with flammable liquids brought outside. Fighting in such a jeep is common sense similar to smoking at a gas station.

tsar tank

The domestic military and engineering genius was also noted in the field of very dubious military inventions. One of the most worthy of mention in this context is the "infernal machine" of the First World War called the "Tsar Tank".

A huge wheeled combat mechanism with a design speed of about 17 kilometers per hour could produce a colossal psychological and demoralizing effect on the enemy, but alas, this was where its useful qualities ended - even the simplest volley of shrapnel along the wheel spokes put the car out of action.

Tests showed the unsuitability of the machine in the military field. This whole huge structure rusted in the forest until it was dismantled for scrap already under the new Russian government, in 1923.

airship carrier

Projects for the creation of huge airships-aircraft carriers of the first half of the 20th century seem to us something fantastic, covered with a romantic steampunk halo. However, viable prototypes did occur, both in the United States and in Germany during the interwar period.

Military aircraft of that time - both fighters, bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft, could not boast of current flight range without refueling. Their mass was also lower, so the project to create huge aircraft that could deliver aircraft over considerable distances found its place.

One of the developers was the engineer Karl Anstein, who created the airship Macon USA in April 1933, and after his "sister" - Akron USA. The carrying capacity of Macon allowed five F9C Sparrowhawk aircraft to be lifted into the sky. The mechanism for releasing planes from the airship, as well as returning them back, deserves special attention - it was a hook to which the plane clung, coming close to the airship.

This project was a failure because of its vulnerability - the size of the zeppelins, low speed and low maneuverability made them an ideal target for almost any enemy force. As experience has shown, they did not tolerate bad weather. For example, the already mentioned Macon died on February 12, 1935, unable to cope with the storm.

Bob Semple Tank (New Zealand)

During World War II, New Zealand created its own unique tank. The absence of a military industry forced scientists to invent something new, and a tractor-based tank built in a barn was born. Each tank was equipped with 7 machine guns. However, this tank was extremely inconvenient to control.

"Glory to robots" or a walking truck

The walking robot truck was developed by the American firm General Electric in the late 60s. This design was intended to support infantry on rough terrain, and support was supposed to be expressed through the transfer of cargo.

In fact, this robot was supposed to take on the function of a truck or convoy where an ordinary truck was not able to pass. But, alas, not only did the robot warn of itself for kilometers with strong noise and was not stable, it was still impossible to control it.

He weighed more than a ton and moved at a speed of no more than 5 miles per hour. So, despite all the modern projects like BigDog (four-legged cargo robot with powerful artificial intelligence), horses seem to be retired early.

Armored Quad (UK)

Created in Great Britain in 1899, this armored car looked a little strange. The armor protected the driver/gunner's body well, but did it matter if the legs were left completely open and it was enough to throw a ball at them to disable the structure. It was possible to completely forget about the use on hilly terrain. No mass production.

Armed motor scooter

The French army during the Indochina War decided to provide itself with new "super-penetrating" weapons, without abandoning the usual scooters. To do this, they attached a 75-mm cannon to them, which, as planned, was supposed to "punch" the road.

The gun, mounted on a moped, was recoilless - that is, it did not give such a strong return, which we are used to seeing in films about gunners, and did not need a gun carriage. But the "miracle of technology" did not help the French. They lost the decisive battle for the Dien Bien Phu garrison and were forced to capitulate.

Flying tank Antonov-40 (Russia)

Not only did the tank sweep away everything in its path, passing through any mud, the Russians decided to teach it to fly. However, in order for the tank to take off, it was necessary to reduce its weight, this could only be achieved by depriving it of ammunition, which, in principle, ultimately made it meaningless to use it. The problem was never resolved.

Spherical shell (Germany)

Also known as "ball barrel". It was first seen in 1945 in Manchuria. No other samples were found. The tank was equipped with tiny two-stroke engines and was armed with a machine gun in the hands of the driver.

Focke-Wulf Tribvane

Back in the days when flying was still a miracle, this “plane” could take off from point A and fly to point B. The Nazis added a ramjet to it during World War II. However, the use turned out to be very inconvenient in the end.

Charles de Gaulle

Created in 1986, weighing about 40,000 tons, costing over $4 billion. Charles de Gaulle was the first and only nuclear carrier built outside the United States. However, the screws did not work correctly, the design was not thought out to the end, the nuclear reactor produced radiation in the wrong format in which it was necessary. Failed project.

One Wheel Tank

German invention. One person sitting inside could control two machine guns, if not distracted by the control of the tank itself, of course. In fact, the invention remained useless and was not put into production.

Rocket Belt

It was invented so that the soldier could safely travel short distances, which is comparable to a jump. Invention of the 60s. seemed very promising. In October 1961, it was demonstrated by J.F. Kennedy, but from the mid-1960s the military ceased to be interested in the project - the maximum duration of the rocket flight was 21 seconds, the range was only 120 m.

Tank Tortuga (Venezuela)

Developed in 1934 and, like the Quad bike above, was only equipped with a machine gun. It was conceived as a weapon of intimidation for neighboring Colombia, although the logic of the creators is difficult to understand. "Tortuga" is translated as "turtle" - an animal that is in no way associated with aggression.

Compression 1K17 (Russia)

A fully functional device equipped with lasers, which, of course, did not shoot down alien ships, but were quite capable of turning off enemy missile guidance systems (including on an airplane). Thus, if this contraption hit you, you no longer have options to adequately answer it with your projectile - you will miss.

Crab Sherman Flail (USA)

The main task of the tank was to clear minefields so that other tanks could then drive through it. To do this, drums with chains and a powerful engine were installed in the front part, rotating the entire array. The chains were supposed to capture mines without detonation. However, in the end, the design was never brought to mind.

Tank Corkscrew

Invented by the Russians, the tank was designed to cut a path through rough, rocky rocks. The vehicle was able to maneuver throughout the terrain, incl. snow and ice. Despite this, he had many shortcomings. Including large size, weight, slowness.

1. Zurich putsch

Peasant unrest in 1839, caused by an invitation to work at the local university, the famous liberal David Strauss. Having accepted a petition of 39,000 signatures, the government removed Strauss from office, but the unrest did not subside. In the surrounding villages, under the influence of clerical propaganda, a militia of 8 thousand soldiers was created, which entered Zurich. 13 people were injured in street skirmishes; the well-known botanist Johannes Hegetschweiler, who represented the city authorities in the negotiations, was killed by a putschists' stray bullet. The government resigned, giving way to the Conservatives, led by Bluntschli. The Zurich putsch was the first nominal putsch in history.

* * *
2. Kapp Putsch

A mutiny undertaken by conservative forces in 1920 against the government of the Weimar Republic. At the head of the anti-republican rebellion was one of the leaders of the German Patriotic Party, a major Prussian Junker, Wolfgang Kapp. Defense Minister Gustav Noske urged the army to put down the putsch, but the army refused to fire on its own: the Reichswehr chief of staff, General Hans von Seeckt, said that "the Reichswehr does not shoot at the Reichswehr."

However, the putsch sparked a wave of protests among the workers, who launched a nationwide strike and revolted, forming the Ruhr Red Army and proceeding to establish Soviet power in the Ruhr region. As a result, a number of high-ranking army generals forced the coup organizers to flee to Sweden.

* * *
3. "Beer coup"

An unsuccessful attempt to seize state power made by the National Socialist Workers' Party led by Hitler and General Ludendorff on November 9, 1923 in Munich.

The events of August 18-21, 1991 in the Soviet Union, which were assessed by officials and state authorities in the USSR as a conspiracy, a coup d'état and an unconstitutional seizure of power.

The mutiny of nationalist-minded officers of the Japanese army, which took place on February 26-29, 1936. The ideologist of the putsch was Ikki Kita, whose program work, called the Japan Reconstruction Plan, inspired the officers to rebel. The putsch began early in the morning on February 26, 1936. On the side of the rebels were from 1483 to 1500 soldiers of the Japanese army. These were mainly the 1st, 3rd Infantry Regiments and the 7th Artillery Regiment of the First Division of the Imperial Japanese Army and the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Imperial Guard. The rebels succeeded in capturing the center of Tokyo, including the Houses of Parliament, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense, and killed several influential political leaders. They also attempted to capture the prime minister's residence and the imperial palace, but faced resistance from the Imperial Guard. Despite their claims of full support for the imperial power, Emperor Showa strongly condemned their actions, declaring them illegal.

The demoralized rebels surrendered to government troops on February 29, 1936. 19 coup leaders were executed.

* * *
6. Putsch of the generals

Putsch of the Generals - an armed rebellion in 1961 by the French units stationed in Algeria, against the policy of President de Gaulle, aimed at granting independence to Algeria. The putschists failed to properly coordinate their actions, as a result of which they were defeated and their leaders arrested.

* * *
7. Coup in Burkina Faso

On September 16, 2015, the military from the presidential guard of Burkina Faso broke into a cabinet meeting and took hostage the country's transitional president, Michel Kafando, and members of the government led by the prime minister. A few days later, the rebels released the president, and the leader of the coup, General Gilbert Diendere, even apologized to his fellow citizens. If their attempt to seize power had ended successfully, this coup would have been the second in Burkina Faso and the 38th in the world since 2000.

* * *
8. Coup in Venezuela

In 2002, an unsuccessful coup d'état took place in Venezuela. The reforms of the new Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez caused considerable discontent among the country's business elite and wealthy sections of the population. As a result of the coup, an interim government led by Pedro Carmona Estanga came to power, which dissolved the national parliament, the Supreme Court and suspended the country's constitution. The interim government did not enjoy the support of the majority of the armed forces and subsequently the protection of President Chavez, without bloodshed, captured the Miraflores presidential palace, which led to the overthrow of the coup and the return to power of Hugo Chavez.

The coup d'état lasted only 47 hours and was supported by the United States and Chile, but was not recognized by any of the rest of Latin America.

* * *
9 South Sudan Coup Attempt

On the night of December 16, 2013, armed clashes began in South Sudan in the country's capital Juba, up to 500 people became their victims. Military groups loyal to the current president on the one hand and loyal to former vice president Riek Machar on the other took part in the battles. The organizers of the coup included a number of former ministers and high-ranking officials. Most of them belong to the Dinka tribe, whose representative is also the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir. By December 20, the situation had normalized almost throughout the country.

* * *
10. Coup in Niger

In December 2015, nine officers of the country's armed forces were arrested in Niger after a failed coup attempt. The coup, according to security officials, was to take place on December 18. He managed to uncover thanks to the vigilance and loyalty of a number of officers who regularly informed the authorities about the plans and actions of the conspirators. According to the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Niger, the prosecution has the necessary amount of evidence, including the correspondence of the arrested officers.

The armies of many countries are proud of their achievements in the military industry. Even the slightest superiority of the enemy in armament can determine the outcome of the battle. But judging by the facts from history, armies and governments did not always receive the weapons they dreamed about. Sometimes the "arms race" gives rise to completely comical models ...

One of the developers was the engineer Karl Anstein, who created the airship Macon USA in April 1933, and after his "sister" - Akron USA.

The carrying capacity of Macon allowed five F9C Sparrowhawk aircraft to be lifted into the sky. The mechanism for releasing planes from the airship, as well as returning them back, deserves special attention - it was a hook to which the plane clung, coming close to the airship.

Tank Corkscrew

Tank A7V (Germany)

Single Wheel Tank / Ball Barrel

In addition, despite the fact that the giant wheels of the Tsar Tank really broke birch trees during tests, like matches - it did not differ in high cross-country ability - the rear controlled roller, in the absence of an engine of appropriate power, instantly bogged down in the ground. Tests showed the unsuitability of the machine in the military field. This whole huge structure rusted in the forest until it was dismantled for scrap already under the new Russian government, in 1923.

scooter gun

It was created by the French for use in Vietnam. There were not enough funds for complex structures, which explains the materials used and the strange format. The result was a scooter as a vehicle equipped with weapons. Needless to say, the invention did not pass the test of the war?

In the days when flying was still a miracle, this plane could take off from point A and fly to point B. The Nazis supplemented it with a ramjet during World War II. However, the use turned out to be very inconvenient in the end.

british flamethrower jeep

Cybernetic Machine Walking

An experimental four-legged robot created in 1968 by Ralph Mosher. The car was supposed to help soldiers carry weapons over rough terrain. It never went into production, but a prototype can be found at the US Army Transport Museum in VA. And this is the fifth place in the Top 10 Most Unfortunate Military Inventions.

Charles de Gaulle

Bob Semple Tank (New Zealand)

Rocket Belt

Armored Quad (UK)

Flying tank Antonov-40 (Russia)

21.05.2013

Countries throughout human history have been striving for military power and advantage. Not always, however, their ideas and desires come true when it comes to inventions. This is top 10 most unsuccessful military inventions.

No. 10. Tank Corkscrew

No. 9. Single Wheel Tank / Ball Barrel

No. 8. scooter gun

No. 7. Focke-Wulf Tribfluger

In the days when flight was still a miracle, this one could take off from point A and fly to point B. The Nazis supplemented it with a ramjet during World War II. However, the use turned out to be very inconvenient in the end.

No. 6. Pakla Cannon

Created by James Pakl - writer and lawyer from London. The cannon stood on a tripod, the barrel with a silicon mulled rotating cylinder was capable of firing 63 bullets in 7 minutes compared to the standard 3 rounds per minute from a soldier's musket.

#5 Cybernetic Walking Machine

An experimental four-legged robot created in 1968 by Ralph Mosher. The car was supposed to help soldiers carry weapons over rough terrain. It never went into production, but a prototype can be found at the US Army Transport in VA. And this is the fifth place Top 10 Worst Military Inventions.

No. 4. Russian Tsar Tank

This tank literally resembles children's tricycles. For some reason, scientists thought that such a format would be safe to use in combat. However, miscalculations in weight led to the fact that the rear wheel was constantly stuck in ditches and soil. In 1915, the tests ended.

No. 3. Charles de Gaulle

No. 2. Rocket Belt

No. 1. Flying aircraft carrier - USS Macon / USS Akron

The first flying aircraft carrier was created by German engineers in the early 1930s, the first flight took place in 1933. Both aircraft carriers resembled airships and were able to carry up to 5 aircraft, which could be launched directly during the flight. But due to the imperfection of the format and design, the aircraft carriers quickly crashed.

In the past year, failures have plagued many of the armies of the world, as well as some civilians who have decided to acquire weapons. Among these troubles, there are many events truly worthy of the high-profile title of “epic failure”. The Warspot portal invites you to recall the Top 10 most significant, memorable and simply curious failures of 2017 related to weapons.

Altay "stalled"

The firstborn of the Turkish tank building Altay was "immobilized". In January last year, Tümosan, the supplier of engines for Altay tanks, terminated the contract with the Austrian company AVL List GmbH, which was supposed to transfer engine production technologies to the Turkish contractor. The Turkish Ministry of Defense is looking for a new supplier of tank engines, as of today - unsuccessfully.

Tank Altay.

British nuclear failure

Back in 2016, the British Navy tested the new Trident II D5 intercontinental ballistic missile, launching from the Vengeance submarine. However, in January 2017, the British newspaper The Sunday Times, citing its sources in the military department, reported problems with the missile during testing. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense calls the tests successful and does not disclose their details, citing "obvious national security reasons".

Be that as it may, a serious scandal erupted in the UK, since an unsuccessful launch could put an end to the allocation of funds for the construction of a new generation of submarines carrying nuclear missiles.

Underwater launch of a Trident missile.

Tank failure of India

In the coming years, the Indian army will not receive domestically developed tanks, since the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO, Defense Research and Development) program to develop Arjun tanks has failed. In April last year, the Indian Ministry of Defense proposed that DRDO make changes to the design of the Arjun Mk-2 tank, since in the basic version it is unacceptable for the army.

DRDO said that the changes required by the military department could delay large-scale production by seven years - that's how long it will take to create a new combat vehicle weighing up to 50 tons.

Tank Arjun Mk-2.

The first failure of the American "Raider"

A promising Sikorsky helicopter was damaged during a test flight. On August 2, 2017, a prototype S-97 Raider made a hard landing at the Sikorsky Development flight center located at the West Palm Beach airfield (Florida). The press service of the Sikorsky company reported that the helicopter systems did not work correctly, and instead of a soft landing, the car fell from a height of two meters. The developers called the problem software and announced the start of work to eliminate it.

Photo from the scene of the S-97 Raider crash.

Losses of the American fleet

In 2017, two US Navy destroyers were damaged in accidents. In June, the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with the Philippine container ship ACX Crystal ( see the first photo at the beginning of the article) - 7 American sailors were killed, the ship was seriously damaged.

Two months later, the sister destroyer USS John S. McCain did not miss the tanker Alnic MC (10 people died). At the same time, in both cases, civilian ships received minimal damage. Based on the results of the investigation, the command of the US Navy developed new instructions and made changes to the training program for military sailors.

Tank as a way to quarrel with neighbors

In the United States, buying a tank is not a problem. The real problem is making sure he doesn't disturb the neighbors. In October last year, it became known that in an elite area in central Houston, Texas, neighbors ganged up on lawyer Tony Bazby, who parked his personal tank on the roadway near the house.

According to Busby, he bought the tank out of patriotic feelings with his personal savings. The local homeowners' association did not appreciate Bazby's patriotism and sent him a letter demanding that the tank be removed from the roadway. The claim letter stated that the tank "impedes movement", causes "security issue" and creates "serious problems for neighbors".

Tony Busby and his tank. Screenshot from the plot of the KHOU-TV channel

Indian Air Force rejected Russian "stealth"

The Indian-Russian FGFA project is in jeopardy. In October last year, the command of the Indian Air Force demanded to close the project Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), within which it was planned to create a fifth-generation fighter for the Indian army based on the Russian Su-57 aircraft. In a recent report, the Indian Air Force reported that the FGFA program does not meet their requirements, and within its framework it will not be possible to create an aircraft with capabilities close to the American F-35 fighter.

The prototype of the Su-57 fighter at the MAKS-2011 air show.

"South Korean Abrams" delayed

Last year, production of the second batch of K2 Black Panther tanks was supposed to start in South Korea. Due to problems with South Korean engines that did not show the proper level of reliability, the production of the updated K2 Black Panther was postponed for several years. On October 29, it became known that they would be replaced by K1A2 tanks - a new version of the K1 MBT, created on the basis of the American Abrams tank.

Tank K1A2.

The thorny path of the revival of airships

On November 18 last year, the world's largest airship, Airlander 10, crashed at the English Cardington airfield. On the eve of the accident, the aircraft practiced test flights, after which it was fixed on the mooring mast. Hybrid Air Vehicles, which owns the aircraft, said it was likely that the Airlander 10 was blown off its mountings by a gust of wind. The emergency system depressurized the helium tanks and the airship crashed to the ground.

Airship Airlander 10 after the accident.

German quality failed

For the first time in its history, the German Navy returned the ship to the manufacturer for revision. On December 24, 2017, the BAAINBw Procurement Agency under the German Ministry of Defense announced that, after a series of acceptance tests of the latest Baden-Württemberg frigate, it was returning it to the Blohm + Voss shipyard to eliminate the identified deficiencies. The military department did not specify the reasons for the return, but the German Navy had previously stated that the new frigate had problems with the software and rolled to starboard.

Frigate Baden-Württemberg.