US T30 Heavy Tank

Plastic model kit of a heavy U.S. T30 tank

• Scale 1:35
• Dimensions L x W (assembled): 332 x 109 mm
• 1,100+ parts
• Photo-etched parts included
• Lower hull and turret manufactured using the slide molding process
• Unassembled, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The T30 was a heavy prototype tank from the USA, developed towards the end of World War II and in the immediate postwar period. It was based on the chassis of the T29 Heavy Tank and was designed as a response to heavily armored German vehicles. Its most striking feature was the enormous 155 mm gun, originally adopted from artillery, which possessed tremendous penetrating power but also resulted in a very slow rate of fire due to the two-part ammunition. The tank weighed around 65 tons, had heavy armor, and was operated by a crew of six, including an additional loader due to the heavy ammunition.

Despite its impressive firepower, the T30 proved unwieldy and inefficient in practical use: the large gun made aiming difficult, the rate of fire was slow, and the entire vehicle was logistically complex. Only a few prototypes were built, and the project was eventually canceled as military doctrine shifted towards more mobile main battle tanks. The T30 is now considered a prime example of the transition from super-heavy tanks to more modern main battle tanks.