The T14: A heavily armoured assault tank that never entered service
The T14 was developed, at the request of the British, as an alternative to the A33 Excelsior design.
The Excelsior was based on the Cromwell tank, while the T14 was designed around Sherman components.
Design work began in March 1942, and two pilot models were built by the American Locomotive Corporation (ALCO) – the first was delivered to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland in July 1943.
The hull was welded, and the turret cast (although plans were drawn up for a cast hull version as well.)
Armament could be varied – the turret was initially designed to take a 75mm gun, though was actually fitted with a 105mm Howitzer or the British 6 Pounder. The hull machine-gun position could take either the .30 or .50 Browning and, unusually for an American tank, also had telescopic sights.
The engine was a modified version of the Ford GAA V8, and its suspension was, in effect, a double width version of the Sherman system with double width tracks to take the extra weight.
By the time two pilot vehicles were sent out for trials, any plans to build the tank in quantity had been dropped – the Americans believed it made more sense to continue production of the Sherman, and by this point, the M26 Pershing was already in development.
The Tank Museum’s T14
Our tank is the second of the pilot models, and is the only survivor. From Aberdeen, the First Pilot went to Fort Knox, Kentucky for further trials. The Second Pilot was sent direct to the Chester Tank Depot for shipment to Great Britain.
In fact by then any plans to build the tank in quantity had been dropped; the original order had been for 8500 vehicles. The Americans believed it made more sense to continue production of the Sherman and in any case a far better design was already being developed, the M26 Pershing.
