WZ-111 heavy tank
type of heavy tank

The WZ-111 heavy tank (Chinese: WZ-111重型坦克) was a heavy tank that was developed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) during the 1960s but was eventually cancelled in 1966 due to many mechanical problems.
History
The WZ-111 featured a 750 hp (560 kW) supercharged diesel engine and a torsion bar suspension system. The idler wheels were in front with drive sprockets in the rear. Many of the suspension components were the same type used in Soviet heavy tank designs such as the IS-2.
The first prototype testing phase began in 1964. This prototype lacked a turret, but was fitted with a steel weight to simulate the actual mass of the turret during the tests. Because of many technological problems that surfaced during testing, the design was shelved around 1966.
A WZ-111 tank hull is now displayed at the Tank Museum near Beijing.
“WZ-111 heavy tank” enters the record as type of heavy tank. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what WZ-111, heavy and tank can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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