WZ-111 heavy tank

The WZ-111 heavy tank was a heavy tank that was developed by the People's Republic of China during the 1960s but was eventually cancelled in 1966 due to many mechanical problems.

History

The WZ-111 featured a 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.