The ultimate manifestation of the British concept of the heavily armoured, but slow, ‘Infantry’ tank.
The Tortoise Heavy Assault Tank was intended as a vehicle that could break through networks of bunkers and other fixed fortifications. By the time it was ready in 1945, the Allies had already overcome heavy German defences like these and such a specialist tank was no longer needed.
Six prototypes were built. Our vehicle is ‘P1’ – the very first prototype built. P4 and P5 were sent across to Germany in 1948 to see whether infrastructure in the area where British forces were based could suppose such a heavy vehicle. Only one other Tortoise survives today – P6, which is currently on the Kirkcudbright Training Area in Scotland – having been used as target practise.
The Tank Museum’s Tortoise
Our vehicle is P1, the first of six prototypes built. P1 is unarmoured – generally a bad thing on a tank, but it should make manufacture cheaper and easier. On a prototype, having armour is unnecessary, as it will never see combat.
Constructed in 1945, it was used for testing and experimentation, then sent to Larkhill in 1949 for firing trials. It came to The Tank Museum in 1951.
