Mouse sizes. Tank "Mouse" - a huge "mouse" that was never released

The Panzer VIII Maus is a Nazi super-heavy tank that never entered mass production. Its story ended at the prototype stage, of which only two were made. The Maus is by far the largest and heaviest battle tank ever built.

German engineers have always been characterized by a desire for gigantomania, and Maus became its apogee. The Germans' love affair with huge tanks began with the Jagdtiger, a very impressive fighting vehicle weighing 71 tons and armed with a 128mm gun.

The Mouse prototype was created under the code name "VK 100.01 Porsche Typ 205". It is important to note that there was no need to develop a new super-heavy tank for Germany. The only reason this project was approved at all was because Hitler wanted to impress his opponents. The tank was supposed to serve the function of intimidating and demoralizing the enemy rather than being capable of carrying out combat missions.

The tank project was proposed to the Fuhrer by Ferdinand Porsche in June 1942. And since it perfectly matched Hitler's aspirations for a giant tank, the project was immediately approved. Hitler signed a contract to build the first test vehicle by March 1944. Mouse was supposed to be a real monster, using the most advanced technological developments to the maximum. Thanks to Porsche's enthusiasm and despite the Wehrmacht's skepticism towards this project, the first Mouse prototype was ready in 1943.

Incredible and pointless engineering

The first prototype was called Mammut, but then it was changed to the humorous Maus. The tank was based on an impressive 128 mm gun, which was also mounted on the .

A big problem for the designers was the huge mass of the Mouse - more than 100 tons. The tank also turned out to be very voracious, consuming huge amounts of fuel and electricity. For this reason, a specialized diesel engine with a huge electric generator was developed for the Mouse, which occupied a third of the tank's hull. The tower had to be moved back to make room for all these elements.

Porsche insisted that this tank be equipped with a newly developed and tested electric powertrain. This led to the fact that the tank driver was completely isolated in the front part of the tank and could only communicate with the commander using radio communication.

The track tracks were also incredibly wide - 1.1 meters. Due to the size of the tracks and narrow hull, the Maus was an extremely unmaneuverable tank. The armor was also extremely thick - 180mm on the sides and rear, and 250mm at the front and turret. These values set a record relative to any other tanks created earlier.

Later, it was decided to add armor to the top of the tank (up to 220 mm) to protect it from attacks by Russian Il-2 attack aircraft.

Armament

An impressive tank needed an equally impressive weapon. The Mouse's main armament was a 128mm gun, which had previously been used for the Jagdtiger. The gun fired huge shells weighing 28 kg each, which were capable of penetrating 200 mm thick armor at a 30 degree angle from a distance of 2000 meters.

A wooden model of the future tank was provided to Hitler on May 1, 1944. It seemed to the Fuhrer that a 128 mm gun was not enough, and he demanded that a 150 mm caliber gun be installed on the tank. However, the first (and last) order for the production of this tank came with a 128 mm gun in the project.

Production was to begin in the fall of 1943. It was assumed that the final weight of the tank would be about 188 tons. Hitler insisted that the tank's weight be increased to 200 tons.

The lack of a machine gun, low maneuverability and the huge size of the tank forced us to abandon its use. Mouse was not capable of fighting other tanks on the battlefield; he needed infantry support. Germany began to lose ground, and Hitler abandoned the production order for the Maus in October 1943, canceling the project entirely in November. Germany could not afford such an expensive project; its production capacity was barely enough to produce other tanks in demand for the war.

Despite this, Porsche struggled to complete the first prototype by December. Already in June 1944, testing of the new tank began.

Testing

Testing revealed serious problems. Due to its enormous weight, the tank's maximum speed was only 20 km/h, but even this speed was never achieved in practice. Even in ideal conditions The Mouse's cross-country ability barely reached 13 km/h.

It was also impossible for Mouse to cross bridges, city streets and railroad tracks due to his bulk. Due to the low speed and the inability to use rails, transporting Mouse to the battlefield became a big problem.

The tank could only move under its own power and very slowly, and for this it was necessary to spend an incommensurable amount of fuel. All this called the further use of the tank into question.

The fate of Panzer VIII Maus

The second prototype of the vehicle was ready in March 1944 and was also cleared for testing. However, it was made without a tower; it was completed a little later. Both prototypes were captured during testing by Soviet troops. There was probably sabotage.

The Soviet command issued orders for both prototypes to be completed and testing to continue. At that time Soviet Union also developed a secret project for the super-heavy tank “Object 257”. Thanks to Mouse's tests, this project was cancelled.

The Soviets saw the undeniable advantages of the Mouse over the Object: the Mouse’s gun easily penetrated the Object’s armor, and soviet tank I was never able to penetrate the Germans. As a result, the Object was gradually modified, and the prototype in these modifications was the captured German “breakthrough tank”. From two captured Mouses, one fully working sample was assembled. At the moment, this tank is in the museum of the city of Kubinka, Moscow region, in a hangar that was specially built around it.

The German super-heavy tank Maus was supposed to destroy any fortifications, be almost invulnerable to enemy shells and have enormous firepower. To do this, he received thick armor, a large-caliber gun and an original design. Later, Mouse became another miracle weapon designed to save Germany from impending defeat.

It is known from history that all these plans ended with a single exhibit standing in the museum today. Why this happened and whether it could have been different if Germany had more resources, you will learn from the article.

Creation

Adolf Hitler loved weapons that stood out in size and power, so it is not surprising that by the end of 1941 he had the idea of creating a super-heavy tank, superior to all existing ones in protection and firepower.

On July 8, 1942, after a meeting on the development of tank forces, Ferdinand Porsche began designing a new vehicle. It was planned to be used to break through well-fortified places, so the armor was supposed to reach 200 mm in the forehead and 180 mm on the sides. The main gun was supposed to be of large caliber - 128 or 150 mm.

On January 3, 1943, Hitler was shown a wooden model, which he accepted with enthusiasm, and on April 6 of the same year, a full-size wooden model was assembled, which was demonstrated to Hitler on May 14.

On August 1, the assembly of the first prototype of the Mouse began, and on December 24, it went for testing under its own power for the first time, however, since the tower did not have time to assemble, a load was installed instead.

From January to April 1944, sea trials took place in Böblingen, which demonstrated the excellent controllability and maneuverability of the Maus tank, the ability to overcome water obstacles and slopes steeper than 40°.

At the end of 1944, due to the increasingly deteriorating situation at the front and an increasing lack of resources, Hitler gave the order to close all work related to super-heavy tanks, and in the spring of 1945, all 3 prototypes were blown up to prevent capture.

In August 1945, two Maus were sent disassembled to a tank training ground in Kubinka, where they were assembled into one, consisting of the body of the first model and the turret of the second. It is he who is now in the museum.

Design and layout

Since Maus had specific requirements, its layout was somewhat unusual. The turret was quite strongly shifted back, the hull was divided by partitions into 4 compartments, and the armor was poorly differentiated, that is, it had approximately the same thickness regardless of location, which made it equally strong.

The weight reached 188 tons, and the crew was 6 people. There was also a rather original electric transmission, beloved by Ferdinand Porsche.

Frame

Frontal armor reached 200 mm at an angle of 55°, side armor 180 mm, but without slope, which sharply reduced protection. To protect the chassis there were screens on the sides of the body with a thickness of 100 mm. The rear armor plate had 160 mm at an angle of 35°. Interesting feature There was a thickness of the bottom, which had 105 mm in the front part in order to withstand mines, and 55 mm in the rest of its part.

The body itself was welded, and its sheets were connected by rectangular tenons with cylindrical pins for greater strength.

Inside, the building was divided by partitions into 4 compartments.

The control compartment was located at the front, with seats for the driver and radio operator, tank controls, radio equipment and fire extinguishers. At the top there was a hatch covered with an armored cover and a periscope, at the bottom there was a spare hatch, and on the sides there were fuel tanks with a capacity of 1560 liters.

Behind it was the engine compartment with the engine, radiators, cooling system and oil tank. This arrangement created inconvenience, since access to the mechanisms was more difficult than in tanks, where the engine compartment was located near the stern.

The fighting compartment was in the middle of the hull and served to accommodate 36 shells, a mechanism for charging batteries and powering the turret drive. Under its floor there was a gearbox and a generator block.

In the stern there was a transmission compartment, which included traction motors and gearboxes.

Tower

The tank's turret also had almost equal-strength armor and a welded structure. Its forehead was 220 mm thick and rounded, the gun mantlet was 240 mm, the sides were 210 mm at an angle of 30° and the rear was 210 mm at an angle of 15°.

The turret was welded to a turret ring, which rested on three trolleys with rollers. Six more trolleys were used for horizontal fixation. The rotation drive was electromechanical with the possibility of manual duplication and had 2 speeds.

Inside there were racks for ammunition, a compressor for purging the main gun barrel and 4 crew members. There was a periscopic sight on the left side, and it was also planned to install a stereoscopic rangefinder on the roof.

On the roof there were 2 hatches and a fan, a periscope sight with armored protection and an embrasure for close combat. A hatch was made on the rear wall for loading shells.

To overcome water obstacles, the tower could be completely lowered onto the shoulder strap, thus ensuring tightness.

Armament

The Maus was equipped with an anti-tank 128 mm Pak 44 L/55, renamed KwK 44 L/55 and having enormous penetration along with good ballistics. In fact, its characteristics were redundant, since only in 1949, after the war, a tank appeared that could withstand its hits - the IS-7.

The role of auxiliary weapons was assigned to a 7.5 cm KwK L/36 cannon paired with the main gun with an ammunition load of 200 shells, 125 of which were stored in the turret, and the rest in the hull. There was also a 7.92 mm machine gun, a mortar and the ability to install an anti-aircraft machine gun.

The design made it possible to conduct targeted fire from any of the guns, but due to their different ballistics, a targeted salvo from both at the same time was impossible.

Engine and transmission

The Maus tank was equipped with a combined power plant similar to that installed on the Ferdinand. An internal combustion engine mechanically coupled to an electric generator that produces current for traction motors.

The gasoline Daimler-Benz DB-603A2 developed a power of 1080 hp. and had a working volume of 44.5 liters. The starter doubled as an additional generator for the equipment and, after starting the engine, performed its immediate duties.

Electric motors had a power of 544 hp. each, reversing and could smoothly change power along with revolutions. This made the Mouse much easier to control and provided various modes of turning and braking.

Chassis

Even at the design stage, it was decided to abandon the torsion bar suspension, which turned out to be not entirely successful, and the huge weight of the tank forced the designers to come up with various tricks.

Therefore, the undercarriage of the Mouse consisted of 24 identical bogies, standing in two rows and attached in pairs to one bracket, which, in turn, was secured between the side and the bulwark of the hull. Buffer springs were used as shock-absorbing elements.

Two road wheels with internal shock absorption were attached to each of the bogies. This design was distinguished by good maintainability, but heavy weight.

Later, on the second prototype, attempts were made to use lightweight rollers, but this idea was abandoned.

The drive wheel was located at the rear, and the guide wheel was at the front and had a caterpillar tension mechanism.

Epilogue

The super-heavy Maus tank failed to become a miracle weapon that, at least theoretically, could lead Germany to victory. Its seemingly impressive armor was weak for the overall mass of the Mouse, and the irrational angles of inclination weakened it even further. The powerful armament was redundant, the tank's enormous size and low mobility made it an excellent target for enemy forces, and its excessive weight made transportation difficult and impossible to cross bridges.

All these shortcomings were complemented by the high cost and complexity of production, and the need for scarce materials.

No matter how powerful and majestic Mouse may seem, on the battlefield it would be ineffective and would not pay for itself. It turned out to be much more rational to produce many simpler and cheaper tanks, as history has proven to us.

Despite the special attention paid by the German command to the development of super-heavy tanks, only a few examples of this class of vehicles were produced during the Second World War. Of the projected supertanks, such as the E-100, Krupp-Maus (VK 7001 (K), Bar (Bear) and Maus, only the latter was fully built and tested. Work on the VK 7001 (K ) and "Baru", although they were carried out quite intensively, did not leave the design stage (Read also the article: "Heavy tank T-VIB. "Royal Tiger")

Project of the E-100 "Tiger-Maus" tank

Construction of the E-100 super-heavy tank was stopped at the chassis assembly stage at the end of 1944

Construction of the E-100 super-heavy tank stopped at the end of 1944 at the chassis assembly stage. After the surrender of Germany, the territories where the Henschel factories were located came under the control of the Anglo-American administration. There, Allied troops discovered an unfinished prototype of the E-100 tank. Subsequently, it was taken to the UK for detailed study and research. Thus, work on super-heavy tank projects in Germany as a whole remained unfinished.

The Mouse tank turned out to be the only super-heavy tank brought to the prototype stage. And although this machine was not mass-produced and did not take part in hostilities, the very idea of its creation and embodiment in metal is of certain interest and deserves attention.

Project of the E-100 "Tiger-Maus" tank

In April 1942, Hitler at a meeting expressed his wish to complete by the summer of 1943 all work on heavy tanks weighing 100 tons, the development order for which was issued back in March 1942. He demanded that the Krupp company begin mass production of heavy tanks from mid-summer 1943 and ensure production of up to five vehicles per month. Regarding the issue of creating super-heavy tanks, part of the German leadership from the very beginning expressed the opinion that this idea was futile and delayed the decision in every possible way this issue. But, despite this, the project of a super-heavy tank, intended for joint operations with lightly armored vehicles, was approved and received the name "Mammut" (Mammoth).


Mause	E-100	Lowe

In the summer of 1942, Porsche received an official order to carry out development work to create a breakthrough tank with the maximum permissible levels of armor protection and weapon power. The project envisaged the creation of a tank with armor: hull front - 200 mm, turret - 220 mm, hull sides - 180 mm, turret side and rear - 200 mm. The combat weight of the tank was supposed to be 160 tons, the maximum speed was 15 km/h, the main armament was a 150 mm gun installed in the front turret, and the auxiliary armament was a 128 mm gun in the rear turret. The development of the tank project was carried out at the Porsche design bureau, located in Stuttgart. After a number of clarifications and changes to the technical requirements for the heavy tank, the project received the designation Projekt Nr.205 or “object 205”, and the tank began to be called “Mauschen” (Mouse). In July 1942, Hitler was familiarized with the preliminary design of the tank, who authorized further work on the project and required an increase in the thickness of the hull bottom armor to 100 mm.

Project 205 V1

From the very beginning, part of the German leadership expressed the opinion that the creation of super-heavy tanks was futile, delaying the resolution of this issue in every possible way.

Porsche designers had to create a tank chassis and an air-cooled diesel engine. The first tests were planned to be carried out on May 5, 1943, and in order to save time, instead of a diesel engine, it was decided to use the DB 603A2 aviation carburetor engine with direct fuel injection as the power plant for testing the first model of the tank. In December 1942, in his report to Hitler, F. Porsche announced the completion of all preparatory work on organizing the production of “Object 205” at the Krupp company, and his readiness to build the first model by the summer of 1943. A full-size wooden model of the Mauschen tank was shown to Hitler on January 4, 1943. This display served as the reason for convening a meeting in Berlin on January 21, where the projects of super-heavy tanks from Porsche and Krupp were discussed in detail. It was decided to complete the production of two prototypes of the Porsche tank by the end of 1943 and, in the event of successful testing of the tank, to begin its mass production.

On February 2, 1943, when work on the creation of the tank was in full swing, the Armament Directorate made changes to the project. A flamethrower with a fire mixture tank capacity of 1000 liters was proposed as an additional weapon. This caused a sharp protest from the project developers, as it entailed an increase in the production time of the machines. But the Department insisted on fulfilling this requirement. At first, in the suspension system of a tank weighing 179 tons, it was supposed to use the previously tested suspension of the experimental VK 4501(P) tank, but with the installation of a flamethrower weighing 4900 kg, the total combat weight of the tank increased by 5.5%. This required the installation of two additional suspension units and, consequently, an increase in the length of the vehicle body. Therefore, together with the Skoda company, it was decided to install a spring-spiral suspension.

The tank prototype is VK.4501(P).

On April 6, 1943, Minister of Armaments A. Speer arrived in Stuttgart on an inspection visit and inspected a wooden model of the tank with the changes made. On April 10, an order was issued to send this model to Berchtesgaden. The model was disassembled and packaged for shipment, but on April 16 a new order was received to assemble the model. On May 1, 1943, at the Main Headquarters in Rastenburg, a wooden model of a tank with a flamethrower was inspected by Hitler. From that moment on, the “Mouse” turned into an adult “Mouse” (the name of the tank was shortened to “Maus”).

By July 1943, the optimal weapons were selected for “object 205” (aka “Mouse”). Were offered various options paired installations:

105 mm anti-aircraft and 75 mm tank guns;
127 mm naval and 75 mm tank guns;
128 mm and 75 mm tank guns;
150 mm special tank or naval and 75 mm tank guns.

Preference was given to a twin artillery system, consisting of a 128 mm KwK44 L/55 cannon and a 75 mm KwK40 L/36.6 cannon. In the future, it was planned to switch to a system consisting of 150 mm and 75 mm guns. At the same time, the production of the electromechanical transmission was completed. From August 1 to December 23, 1943, the first prototype of the Maus tank (object 205/1) was assembled at the Alkett plant in Berlin without installing weapons. Several well-known companies took part in the manufacture of the tank. The hull and turret with weapons were manufactured at the Krupp factories in Essen. At the Skoda in Plzen - the chassis (road wheels, suspension, tracks) and the mechanical part of the transmission (final drives and gearboxes). Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart provided the power plant. At the Siemens-Schuckert factories in Berlin, an electric generating unit, traction electric motors and electrical switching equipment for controlling the electromechanical transmission were assembled for the tank. Other companies were also involved in the production of various components and parts of the tank.

Project 205 V2

Tank 205 V2 project.

Particular attention was paid to ensuring the trouble-free operation of all components and mechanisms of the tank. All of them were subjected to repeated, thorough tests, even before installation in the tank. Thus, after factory testing, the electric generating unit was transported to the laboratory of Professor Kamm at the Daimler-Benz plant in Stuttgart. There they conducted additional bench tests of the “e/g block” together with a carburetor engine. After completing all factory tests, the tank on a specially designed platform with a lifting capacity of 180 tons was sent for finishing work and debugging to the Porsche company, which was also located in Stuttgart. Due to the excessive dimensions and weight of the tank, its transportation itself was an experiment, but it was quite successful.

In total, two prototypes of the Maus tank were manufactured at the Alket plant and shipped to Stuttgart. One of them, "object 205/1", had a specially cast cubic loading tower, and the second, "object 205/2", was sent without a tower. The standard combat turret with weapons was delivered to Stuttgart and installed on the second tank later. At the Porsche factory site near Stuttgart, under the leadership of Chief Designer Professor F. Porsche, final factory tests of prototypes were carried out.

Project 205 V2

To conduct comprehensive tests of the tank, in order to determine the possibility of putting it into service, both prototypes were transported to the military department's tank training ground in Kummersdorf, located in the vicinity of Zossen. In June 1944, sea trials began on the first model of the Mouse tank with a loading turret. In September 1944, the second model, which was equipped with weapons in a standard turret, joined the running and, in addition, artillery tests.

The results of sea trials showed that doubts about the ability of the super-heavy tank to overcome various obstacles were in vain. According to the testimony of an employee of the Alket company, leading engineer Laube, during tests the tank showed good maneuverability, maneuverability and controllability.

Combat and technical specifications super heavy tank Mouse

General information

Combat weight, t................................................... ...............188
Crew, people................................................... ...................6
Specific power, hp/t.................................................... ..........9.6
Average ground pressure, kgf/cm2.................................................... ..1.6

Main dimensions, mm:

Length with gun

forward................................................. ................. 10200
back................................................. ...... 12500
Height................................................. .................3710
Width................................................. ................3630
Length of supporting surface................................................... .5860
Clearance along the main bottom.................................................... ..500

Armament

Gun, brand......KWK44 (Pa44)/KWK40
caliber, mm................................................... ...............128/75
ammunition, rds................................................... ......61 /200
Machine guns, quantity, brand............................................1xMG .42
caliber, mm................................................... ................7.92
Ammunition, cartridges................................................... .........?

Armor protection, mm/angle of inclination, degrees:

Body forehead......................................................... ..... 200/52, 200/35
Hull side........................................................ ....... 185/0, 105/0
Stern................................................. ......... 160/38, 160/30
Roof........................ 105, 55, 50
Bottom................................................. ................105, 55
Tower forehead................................................... ................210
Tower side................................................... .............210/30
Tower roof................................................... ...............65

Mobility

Maximum speed, highway................................................... 20
Cruising range on the highway, km................................................... .......186

Power point

Engine, brand, type...................DB603 A2, aviation, carburetor
Maximum power, hp................................................... ....1750

Communications

Radio station, brand, type...................................10 WSc/UKWE, VHF
Communication range (telephone/telegraph), km.................................2-3 / 3-4

Special equipment

PPO system, type................................................... .........manual
number of cylinders (fire extinguishers).................................................. ..2
Equipment for underwater driving................................OPVT kit

depth of the water obstacle to be overcome, m....................................8
Duration of crew stay under water, min......up to 45

Combat and technical characteristics of the super-heavy tank Mouse

But at the end of 1944, the development of tanks was stopped, since by this time the German tank industry could no longer ensure serial production of super-heavy Maus, even with a minimum production of 10 vehicles per month.

Project 205 V2

Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus

Designed under the leadership of Ferdinand Porsche from 1942 to 1945, the super-heavy Maus tank did not take part in combat operations.

The Mouse tank turned out to be the only super-heavy tank brought to the prototype stage. And although this machine was not mass-produced and not took part in hostilities, the very idea of its creation and embodiment in metal is of certain interest and deserves attention.

In April 1942, Hitler at a meeting expressed his wish to complete by the summer of 1943 all work on heavy tanks weighing 100 tons, the development order for which was issued back in March 1942. He demanded that the Krupp company begin mass production of heavy tanks from mid-summer 1943 and ensure production of up to five vehicles per month. As for the issue of creating super-heavy tanks, part of the German leadership from the very beginning expressed the opinion that this idea was futile and in every possible way delayed the resolution of this issue. But, despite this, the project of a super-heavy tank, intended for joint operations with lightly armored vehicles, was approved and received the name "Mammut" (Mammoth).

By July 1943, the optimal weapons were selected for “object 205” (aka “Mouse”). Various options for paired installations were offered:

105 mm anti-aircraft and 75 mm tank guns;
127 mm naval and 75 mm tank guns;
128 mm and 75 mm tank guns;
150 mm special tank or naval and 75 mm tank guns.
Preference was given to a twin artillery system, consisting of a 128 mm KwK44 L/55 cannon and a 75 mm KwK40 L/36.6 cannon. In the future, it was planned to switch to a system consisting of 150 mm and 75 mm guns. At the same time, the production of the electromechanical transmission was completed. From August 1 to December 23, 1943, the first prototype of the Maus tank (object 205/1) was assembled at the Alkett plant in Berlin without installing weapons. Several well-known companies took part in the manufacture of the tank. The hull and turret with weapons were manufactured at the Krupp factories in Essen. At the Skoda in Plzen - the chassis (road wheels, suspension, tracks) and the mechanical part of the transmission (final drives and gearboxes). Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart provided the power plant. At the Siemens-Schuckert factories in Berlin, an electric generating unit, traction electric motors and electrical switching equipment for controlling the electromechanical transmission were assembled for the tank. Other companies were also involved in the production of various components and parts of the tank.

General information

Combat weight, t......................................... ....... ...............188
Crew, people...................................... ......... ...................6
Specific power, hp/t.................................... ....... ..........9.6
Average ground pressure, kgf/cm2................................. ......... ..1.6

Main dimensions, mm:

Length with gun

forward.................................. ............... ................. 10200
back................................... .............. ...... 12500
Height.................................. ............... .................3710
Width.................................. ............... ................3630
Length of the supporting surface................................................................... .5860
Clearance along the main bottom................................... ........... ..500

Armament

Gun, brand......KWK44 (Pa44)/KWK40
caliber, mm...................................... ......... ...............128/75
ammunition, rounds ................................... ............ ......61 /200
Machine guns, quantity, brand................................... .........1xMG .42
caliber, mm...................................... ......... ................7.92
Ammunition, cartridges................................................... .........?

Armor protection, mm/angle of inclination, degrees:

Body forehead ..................... ................... ..... 200/52, 200/35
Hull side ..................... ................... ....... 185/0, 105/0
Feed................................... ........................ ......... 160/38, 160/30
Roof........................ 105, 55, 50
Bottom............................... ........................ ................105, 55
Tower forehead......................................................... ................210
The side of the tower ..................................... ................ .............210/30
Tower roof................................................... ...............65

Mobility

Maximum speed, highway................................... ......... 20
Cruising range on the highway, km...................................................... .......186

Power point

Engine, brand, type...................DB603 A2, aviation, carburetor
Maximum power, hp.................................... ....... ....1750

Communications

Radio station, brand, type.....................................10 WSc/UKWE, VHF
Communication range (telephone/telegraph), km.................................2-3 / 3-4

Special equipment

PPO system, type................................... ......... .........manual
number of cylinders (fire extinguishers)......................... .................... ..2
Equipment for underwater driving................................OPVT kit

depth of the water obstacle to be overcome, m....................................8
Duration of crew stay under water, min......up to 45

Due to the approach of Soviet troops and the impossibility of evacuating multi-ton vehicles from the territory of the Kummersdorf training ground, it was decided to destroy the tanks. But only one of the two Mouses suffered significant destruction. After the surrender of Germany, both supertanks were discovered by specialists from the Technical Commission of the USSR Ministry of Transport Engineering. One tank (object 205/1 with a loading turret) was located in the area of the western batteries of the Kummersdorf artillery range. The other (object 205/2) is at the Stammlager site near Zossen, 14 km from Kummersdorf. Both tanks were disabled, and the tank located in the Stammlager had its hull destroyed by the explosion. At the direction of the commander of the BT and MB Armed Forces, one “Maus” was assembled from two damaged samples, which was sent to the USSR for detailed study and analysis of its design. On May 4, 1946, the tank arrived at the NIIBT training ground of the GBTU KA (Kubinka village), where to this day it can be seen on display at the Military Historical Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment.
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Salient Features Tank Maus
Layout and General Structure of the Tank Mouse
1. The layout of the tank differs from that usually adopted on modern models, mainly in the location of the power plant.
2. The engine is located behind the control compartment in a common well with the generator block. This placement of the power plant limited access to its main components, complicated installation and dismantling work, and led to a displacement of the fighting compartment closer to the rear of the tank.
3. Other compartments of the tank are located according to the generally accepted layout for tanks with a rear transmission.
4. The volumes of the control, combat and transmission compartments provide convenience for the crew and the necessary access to the units located inside the hull.
Design of the Hull and Turret of the Mouse Tank
1. The tank hull is welded and consists of armor plates with a thickness of 40 to 200 mm. If we compare the thickness of the armor of the Maus tank with the thickness of the armor of other modern tanks weighing 50 - 70 tons, it becomes obvious that the armor protection of the Maus tank does not correspond to its weight. For a tank weighing 180 tons, the armor thickness is clearly insufficient.
2. In the distribution of armor thickness among parts of the hull, the Germans on this model deviated from previously accepted principles. Instead of the existing ratio between the thickness of the frontal and side parts of 0.5 - 0.6, the Maus tank implemented a ratio of 0.925. In general, in the armor protection of the Maus tank there is a noticeable tendency to create an equally strong structure in all parts of the hull.
3. The body configuration does not take full advantage of the large design angles. The hull has a lower frontal plate at an angle of only 35° and vertical side plates. If we compare the hull configuration of the Maus tank with the configuration T-V tank, then the first is a step back.
4. Characteristic is the absence of hatches, a frontal machine gun or cracks on the front plates, which were present on other German tanks and weakened them.
5. The armor plates have tenon joints. The spikes are rectangular. To strengthen the tenon joints, cylindrical dowels were used (meaning pins - Author's note) inserted into the joints.
6. The hull and turret armor is homogeneous, medium hard (Hb = 3.4...4.2) with a high carbon content (0.30 - 0.45), highly alloyed.
7. Tower support of original design. Instead of a conventional ball bearing, two systems of trolleys are used: 3 vertical trolleys provide support for the tower on a horizontal treadmill and 6 horizontal trolleys serve to center the tower in the horizontal plane.
8. A characteristic feature is the device for lowering the turret when the tank is underwater. For this purpose, vertical trolleys can be raised using a worm drive and the tower can be lowered onto the shoulder strap.
Maus Tank Armament
1. The presence of a twin installation of 128 mm and 75 mm guns, although it increased firepower compared to other tanks, but for a tank weighing 180 tons firepower insufficient.
2. The feasibility of installing two guns in one turret, served by the same crew members, with sharply different ballistic qualities, is controversial.
3. The use of a rangefinder makes it easier to determine distances and deserves attention.
Maus Tank Power Plant
1. The tank is equipped with a DB-603A2 aircraft engine, adapted for operation in the tank.
2. The design of the cooling system deserves attention. The use of high-pressure two-stage fans ensured a compact cooling system.
3. Characteristic is the use of liquid high-temperature cooling of exhaust manifolds.
4. Of interest is the system for high-quality mixture control, which also takes into account barometric pressure and temperature conditions.

For designers of domestic tank building, the design of the following units and parts is of interest:

1. Two-stage fan.
2. Steam separator.
3. Water pump impellers.
4. Fluid couplings for the supercharger drive.
5. Air separator for the fuel supply system.
6. Devices for adjusting pump sections to ensure uniformity of fuel supply.
Transmission Tank Mouse
The electromechanical transmission of the Maus tank differs both in design and in the design of individual components and assemblies from the known transmissions of the Ferdinand SU, T-23 and the domestic EKV tank.
Features of the electrical part of the transmission of the Maus tank include:
Independence of systems transmitting power to each of the tracks.
The ability of traction generators to maintain an almost constant amount of power and speed at different loads on the traction motors.
The presence of an auxiliary generator, which is also used as a starter and for recharging batteries in addition to the main task - powering the independent excitation windings of generators and electric motors.
Well-designed air cooling system for electric transmission machines.
The presence of an exciter generator, which ensured that the excitation of the main generators and electric motors was independent of the engine crankshaft rotation speed.
The use of a potentiometric circuit for switching on the controller, which led to a greater smoothness of the change in the excitation current, and, consequently, the magnetic flux and voltage of the generator.
The adaptability of the system to power the electric motors of one tank from the generator of another.
Availability of equipment for automatic protection of electric motors from overloads.
The use of a control system made according to the Leonard scheme, which provides the following advantages:
Wide and smooth regulation of the rotation speed of electric motors, and therefore the speed of the tank, with small losses.
No losses in rheostats when starting up and reversing electric motors.
Easy control of starting, braking and reversing.
Unprotected motor-generator unit from overloads from the electric motor.
Comparative simplicity of switching equipment and control equipment for traction electric motors, obtained through the use of reversal by switching the ends of the independent excitation winding of the generator, and not by switching in the main circuits, as is done in other systems.
Features of the mechanical part of the transmission:
Compact units, especially the final drive (with a gear ratio of 25.446).
Widespread use of gear self-alignment through the use of spherical roller bearings.
The use of circulating lubrication with dry sump and oil filtration in the guitar.
A sharp correction of gear teeth in order to increase their wear resistance and equalize the wear resistance of gears of a mating pair.
Covering the stationary brake pressure discs with a special metallized sintering mass.
Intensification of cooling of disc brakes due to the introduction of radial channels in the rotating brake disc, thereby increasing the cooling surface and ensuring air circulation.
The use of backup (lengthwise) satellites in the final drive, which ensured a more uniform distribution of forces along the length of the tooth.
Rigid carrier design.
Chassis of the Maus Tank
The use of rectangular buffer springs as an elastic suspension element was borrowed from American tanks and was dictated by the desire to increase the number of bogies in order to unload the rollers. Obviously, this solution to the issue of springing was forced, because all other tanks of that period had a torsion bar suspension and this type of suspension could not provide any advantages.
The use of rubber cushions as an additional elastic element that comes into operation at large amplitudes of body vibration and as a limiter for the stroke of the balancers has reduced the reliability of the suspension. As an inspection of the tank's chassis showed, most of the rubber cushions were either destroyed or lost.
Noteworthy is the use of track rollers with internal shock absorption, which ensures their reliable operation under heavy loads on the track rollers. The condition of the skating rink when disassembled was good.
Conclusion on the Maus Tank
The German Maus tank is the first really existing and operationally tested example of a super-heavy tank.
The very fact of creating a tank weighing 180 tons, with a maximum speed of 25 km/h and a specific ground pressure of 1.2 kgcm2 is of interest.
The tank's armor protection (maximum armor thickness 210 mm) and firepower (128 mm and 75 mm guns) do not correspond to its weight. Modern tanks and control systems weighing 60 - 70 tons have armor protection and weapons not inferior to those of the Maus tank.
The excessive weight of the Maus tank is explained by the desire to create armor protection that was equally strong in all parts of the hull and turret, the installation of heavy 100-mm screens to protect the chassis, and an unsuccessful layout that led to excessive dimensions.
The design of the following components and assemblies deserves attention in the domestic tank building:
Electric transmissions.
Mechanical part of the transmission.
Caterpillar propulsion.
Engine cooling and power systems.
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Super heavy tanks MAUS and E-100
Germany

The father of this gigantic machine can rightfully be considered the Fuhrer of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler, who at the end of 1941 ordered the design and construction of a super-heavy tank and set its main tactical and technical characteristics. On July 8, 1942, a meeting was held regarding the development of tank forces, which was attended by Hitler, Albert Speer and Professor Ferdinand Porsche, whom the Fuhrer instructed to begin work on a tank armed with a 128 or 150 mm caliber gun. Another option proposed by Hitler was an assault gun with a 180 mm caliber cannon. In addition to a powerful gun, the vehicle had to have good armor: frontal armor - 200 mm, sides - 180 mm, turret - 200 mm.

Porsche, as usual, accepted Hitler's offer without hesitation. However, there were serious economic and raw materials difficulties, which, without a doubt, should have greatly delayed the appearance of the tank, since both design work and serial production of the tank were largely dependent on scarce raw materials, steel and non-ferrous metals. In addition, there was a widespread belief among tank crews that the combat qualities of such a giant tank would be unsatisfactory. But, despite all this, work on the tank began. On June 8, 1942, it was determined that Professor Porsche would be responsible only for the design and technical side of the work, and Albert Speer would be in charge of implementing the development into production.

Initially, it was planned to install a diesel engine on the tank, which, unlike a carburetor engine, was more economical and, therefore, did not require additional fuel tanks. In addition, diesel fuel was more accessible and cheaper than gasoline, and diesel engines were more resistant to frost, which was very important in the conditions of the Eastern Front. However, Speer asked Porsche to use a serial Daimler-Benz aviation carburetor engine on the tank, because by using a ready-made engine it was possible to save the time needed to create a new power plant. From the very beginning, Speer detailed the design features of the new tank, designated the Type 205 Maus.

The design bureau, which was supposed to begin work on the tank, included many specialists, including:

Engineer Karl Rabe - head of the Porsche design bureau;
- engineer Erwin Komeda - hull designer;
- engineer Leopold Schmidt - designer of the chassis and tracks;
- engineer Ulrich - designer of the planetary gearbox;
- engineer Walter Schmidt - designer of mechanical components;
- engineer Otto Zadnik - designer, electrical equipment (in collaboration with Siemens (Berlin));
- engineer Karl Frohlich - head of the gearbox department at the Porsche Design Bureau;
- engineer Schlichter - responsible for sea trials of the tank;
- engineer Herbert Kaes - responsible for communication with weapons supply companies and with the Kumersdorf training ground;
- engineer Willy Mueller - representative of Porsche in Berlin;
-Karl Gensberger - test driver (it was he who tested the heavy tank VK 4501 - Tiger (P)).
Professor Porsche soon came to the conclusion that it would be best to use the combined power plant on the new tank, which was already used on the VK 4501 Tiger (P) tank. This power plant consisted of an internal combustion engine driving an electric current generator. The generator generated current for electric motors, which rotated the wheels. Although Hitler was against such a scheme on the Tiger (P), such a scheme was adopted on the new machine. The Type 205 tank used one internal combustion engine and one so-called twin generator, while the Tiger (P) had two internal combustion engines and two generators.

Main Directorate of Armaments ground forces(Heereswaffenamt) sent Colonel Haenel to inspect the work being carried out and monitor the deadlines, who, however, was completely incompetent in the design of such large tanks and his only duty was to ensure that the work was completed by May 5, 1943 .

At the end of November 1942, Porsche learned that Daimler-Benz would not be able to provide a new diesel engine for the Type tank in the near future. 205. The only engine that could be used was a carburetor liquid-cooled engine of the Daimler-Benz MB 509 type (the MB 509 was a variant of the aircraft DB603). The new power plant required changes in the design of the hull and modification of the connection to the electric current generator.

On January 3, 1943, Hitler demanded a report from Porsche on the status of work on the Type 205 tank. During their meeting, Porsche showed a wooden model of the future tank, which aroused the Fuhrer's keen interest, although Hitler had previously been very calm about this project.

On January 12, 1943, the Heereswaffenamt identified manufacturers and suppliers of tank components and assemblies. Krupp AG manufactured the hull and turret, Daimler-Benz - the internal combustion engine, Siemens-Schuckert - electric motors and generators, Skoda - the chassis, Almerkische Kettenfabrik - other equipment. In addition, the final assembly of the tank was to be carried out at the Alquette company.

On January 21, 1943, regular negotiations between the Heereswaffenamt and the Almerkische Kettenfabrik took place. The military insisted on accelerating work in order to send new tank to the Eastern Front. One of the representatives of WaPruef 6 (Armored Vehicle Department), engineer-Colonel Kniepkamp, raised the question of the maneuverability of the tank, to which Ferdinand Porsche replied that driving a Type 205 tank would be no more difficult than a Tiger or Panther.

On February 2, 1943, Professor Porsche was in Berlin, where he met with Colonel Haenel, and the latter reported that the Type 205 tank, in addition to artillery weapons, should be equipped with a flamethrower and a supply of combustible mixture of 1000 liters. Despite the objections of the chief designer, the Heereswaffenamt insisted on changing the weapons.

During the next meeting, held on February 10, 1943, all firms participating in the project spoke out against installing a flamethrower on the tank, since this would entail an increase in the weight of the tank by 4900 kg (up to 179300 kg). In turn, an increase in the mass of the tank would require a change in the design of the chassis. Initially, it was planned to use the same suspension on the Mouse as on the Tiger (P), and with an increase in weight, the chassis design would have to be changed.

At the end of February 1943, tests of the power plant and engine cooling system were successfully carried out at the Technical Institute in Stuttgart. The tests were led by Professor Kamm.

On April 6, 1943, Minister of Armaments Albert Speer inspected the progress of work on the Type 205 Maus tank. By this time, a full-size wooden model of the tank was already ready. Porsche received instructions to disassemble the model and transport it by April 10, 1943 to Berchtesgaden for demonstration to the Fuhrer, however, when the model was already disassembled, the transportation was canceled.

On May 6, 1943, the model was again disassembled and taken to the Wolf's Lair - the Fuhrer's headquarters in Rastenburg, where on May 14 it was demonstrated to Hitler. The leader of the 111th Reich did not miss the opportunity to improve the tank and ordered it to be armed with a 150 mm gun rather than a 128 mm one. On June 8, 1943, the Krupp company received an order to change the design of the turret to accommodate a more powerful gun.

During the development of individual components and assemblies, constant delays occurred. These delays were explained by the disunity of the companies producing tank components, their vertical subordination and the lack of horizontal connections between them. For example, work on an electromagnetic gearbox began only after a personal appeal from engineer Karl Rabe to the Supreme Headquarters of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Heeres), and the director of the Zahnradfabrik in Friedrichshafen, engineer von Wiedman, never wanted to start work without a direct order above.

On July 16, engine testing began again, and at the beginning of August 1943, a decision was made to build a second prototype, designated Type 205/2. Production Maus tanks were supposed to be powered by a Daimler-Benz MV 517 diesel engine.

On August 1, 1943, assembly of the first prototype, designated Type 205/1, began at the Almerkische Kettenfabrik GM6X plant. Assembly began late due to the fact that the necessary components did not arrive on time from the Krupp factories damaged by bombing.

On October 27, 1943, a meeting was held to determine the timing of the start of serial construction of the tank, but neither Professor Porsche nor Karl Rabe were able to clearly define them. During the meeting, the size of the first series was determined to be 152 tanks.

On December 24, 1943, the first test drive of the Type 205/1 tank took place. At this point, the turret was not yet ready, and instead, a load corresponding to the mass of the turret was installed on the tank. The test ride took place without the knowledge of the Ministry of Armaments. Another serious violation was photographing the tank, which was also strictly prohibited. The prototype showed very good maneuverability when it was able to leave the cramped assembly room. Tank 205/1 was driven by Karl Gensberg. One of the mechanics painted a mouse on the front armor and wrote MAUS, which was very clever, considering the huge size of the tank. According to people who had the chance to drive the tank, the Mouse was easier to control than even the PzKrfw IV.

At the beginning of 1944, the Type 205/1 tank was sent to Boeblingen, where testing of the vehicle's performance began. Between January 11 and 14, the prototype was loaded onto a special fourteen-axle platform and transported from Berlin to the test site. Arriving at the destination station, Mouse slid down the platform along the attached ramp and at night (23:30) drove about 5 kilometers to the hangar in the Hindenburg Keserne, which belonged to the 7th reserve tank battalion (7 Panzer Ersaz Abteilupg). The next day, steering tests and test runs were carried out around the training ground (about 2000 meters in total). Tests have shown that the tank, even sinking 500 mm into the ground, retains its driving characteristics. The tank was driven in low gears, since the gearbox was not yet sufficiently refined. During reversing, excessive sagging of the track was revealed. To eliminate it, changes were made to the track tension mechanism. In parallel with the tests, the final installation of the tank’s mechanisms and instruments took place. On January 21, 1944, representatives of the experimental center, Colonel Esser and Major Hoffman, observed the tests, and on January 31, 1944, Ferdinand Porsche himself visited the test site. The progress of the tests was documented in detail and filmed. On February 1 and 2, the tank's mechanisms were inspected and adjusted, and on February 3, 1944, in the presence of WaPruef 6 representative Engineer Schmidt, regular sea trials (about 2000 meters) were carried out. In total, by February 3, 1944, the Type 205/1 tank had covered about 16 kilometers. In the period from February 4 to February 25, the next cycle of tests was carried out: Before this, from February 2 to February 6, the lubrication system of the tank’s components and assemblies was completely checked. On February 7, the prototype traveled about 20 km (and Professor Porsche himself drove 8 km on the tank), and the next day another 22.4 km.

The next test cycle took place between February 25 and March 17, 1944 in Böblingen. On February 25, 1944, sea trials were carried out in a circle with a diameter of 4000 meters. On March 1, the tank was moving in a circle with a diameter of about 4,100 meters. During this trip, the tank's maneuverability was tested. Mouse was able to overcome slopes of up to 25°. On March 9, 1944, the tank drove another 5,200 meters. At the same time, tests were carried out on a special gear for driving on an inclined surface. This time Mouse was able to move up a slope of up to 43°. On March 10, 1944, the second prototype 205/2 arrived at the Böblingen training ground. On this day, tank 205/1 covered 8,200 meters. In addition, tank 205/1 was used to tow the second prototype, which arrived in Böblingen without an engine or turret.

On March 14, 1944, prototype 205/1 overcame a water obstacle 1 m deep and a slope of 43°. In November 1943, the 12.8 cm KwK 44 gun, 128 mm caliber, was ready for the Mouse tank. Later, the designation of the gun was changed to 12.8 cm KwK 82. The gun was tested at the Meppen test site. On June 6, 1944, a turret was installed on the prototype 205/1, and on October 3, 1944, weapons were installed and the fully equipped Maus was tested at the Kumersdorf training ground.

The second prototype 205/2 was almost ready by March 10, 1944. However, the turret and engine were not yet installed on the tank. Only in October 1944 was the Daimler-Benz MV 517 diesel installed on it. Immediately after the engine was installed, the tank was sent to Kumersdorf. During engine testing, the driveshaft burst due to an incorrect connection between the engine and the generator. An error in the assembly of the unit was caused by the hasty progress of the work. Both prototypes were tested in Kumersdorf, but there is no reliable information about these tests. It is also unknown whether experimental shooting was carried out.

In mid-1944, experimental road wheels with holes were installed on the 205/2 tank, with the help of which they wanted to somehow reduce the weight of the vehicle, however, they were soon replaced again with solid cast ones.

In 1944, the third prototype of the Mouse tank was probably assembled.

At the end of 1944, Hitler ordered a halt to all work on super-heavy tanks. This order concerned both the Maus and the E-100 tank of the same class, which was being developed in parallel. Enormous design and organizational work was wasted, although it is worth recognizing that many innovative ideas were proposed during the development of the tank, but the insurmountable raw material difficulties of the 111 Reich made the production of super-heavy tanks completely unrealistic from the very beginning. It is worth saying that, as the history of the development of post-war tank building showed, the future lay with medium and heavy tanks. There was no place here for a monster like Mouse.

Combat use
In the spring of 1945, both (or all three?) Type 205 prototypes were in Kumersdorf. All prototypes were prepared for destruction if the Red Army entered the training ground. At the last moment, a new order came, according to which it was necessary to use tanks in the defense of the training ground, which was occupied by the Red Army on April 21, 1945. The dilapidated tank 205/2 was captured near the railway station in Kumersdorf. It is unknown whether the tank was blown up by the crew or damaged in battle. There is no information about how the remaining tanks were used in the defense of the training ground.

Tank Mouse in the museum in Kubinka
In the second half of August 1945, a special captured team transported two Type 205 tanks in a partially disassembled state from Kumersdorf to Stetin. Most likely it was 205/1 and 205/2. Later, both tanks were transported by ferry to Leningrad and further to the tank training ground in Kubinka.

There, one of two tanks was assembled and tested in 1951-1952. The Type 205 Maus tank, exhibited in Kubinka, consists of a 205/1 hull and a 205/2 turret.

Technical description
Frame
The tank's hull was welded from heterogeneous steel armor plates (the surface of the armor plates was given increased hardness using carbon cementation additives). Inside, the body was divided by transverse partitions into a control post, where the driver and gunner-radio operator were located, 1st power department, II power department and III power department. In addition, the body was divided into longitudinal sections.

In the right longitudinal compartment there was a fuel tank with a capacity of 800 liters, oil and water radiators of the engine, a water radiator of the electric generator, a blower fan with an air filter, an exhaust system - muffler, muffler radiator and exhaust pipe. In the same compartment there was an auxiliary engine type 241, an auxiliary electric generator, tool boxes and batteries. An electric motor and racks with ammunition for a 128 mm cannon were also installed here.

In the middle longitudinal compartment there were seats for the driver, gunner-radio operator, the main engine with a twin generator, transmission, two-stroke starting and braking system.

The left longitudinal compartment was completely identical to the right.

Power point
The Type 205 Maus tank had a combined power plant. The internal combustion engine rotated an electric generator, which generated current to drive the tank's two electric motors.

Daimler-Benz MV 509 engine, twelve-cylinder, four-stroke, V-shaped (cylinder camber angle 60°), with fuel injection, liquid cooling. Engine power - 795 kW/1080 hp. The piston stroke is 180 mm, the cylinder diameter is 162 mm, the working volume is 44540 cm3. The compression ratio in the left cylinder block is 1:5.9 (0.1), in the right - 1:6.1 (0.1). Each cylinder had two intake and exhaust valves. The order of ignition of the fuel-air mixture in the cylinders is: 1-11-2-9-4-7-6-8-510-3-12. Ignition system Bosch ZM C R 8 (9-4040E), spark plugs - Bosch DW 225 ET 7 with anti-interference system UKW 9-4080 V. The starter was used to operate a two-stroke Riedel ALM Geraet NQ 9-7033 V engine.

Injection - Bosch PZ 12 HP 120/22 (9-2200 V 1) with Bosch injection nozzle (9-2122 D) and Lorange (9-2261 C). There was one nozzle for each cylinder. The gear type fuel pump Erich Graetz ZD 1000 V (9-2134 V 2) had a working pressure of 1.3 to 1.8 kPa and a capacity of 500 liters per hour.

The engine was equipped with a Daimler-Benz Zahnradpumpe high-pressure gear oil pump, which at a temperature of 750°C had a working pressure of 2.8 kPa at 2300 rpm and a capacity of 42 kg/min. The main oil pump is a paired Daimler-Benz gear pump with a capacity of 65 kg/min at 2300 rpm.

Other engine auxiliary components: auxiliary gearbox oil pump and main gearbox oil pump with a capacity of 45 kg/min at 2300 rpm. The cooling system was equipped with a Daimler-Benz vortex pump with a capacity of 54 m3/hour at 2300 rpm. An additional water pump with a capacity of 18 m3/hour at 2300 rpm was designed to cool the exhaust system. The tank also used a Tefes A 30055/7331 hydraulic pump.

The electric generator generated current for two electric motors with a power of 400 kW/544 hp. every.

Transmission and chassis
The torque of the electric motors was transmitted to the drive wheel axle through the braking system and reduction gear. The drive wheel had two planetary final drives. In addition, a clutch was used to disconnect the engine from the drive wheel axis, for example, if the track suddenly blocked during fast movement. The road wheels were grouped in groups of two into bogies. The carts were suspended on one pendulum and equipped with a special shock absorption system. There were six pairs of such carts on each side. The chassis also included guide wheels, which could change their position and thus tension the track.

Tower
The tower was welded from heterogeneous armor plates. The side plates were inclined at an angle of 30° and the rear plate at an angle of 15°. The turret housed the tank's armament, consisting of a 128 mm caliber gun and a coaxial 75 mm caliber gun. Both guns had a common mantlet. Vertical aiming of the gun was carried out using a mechanical device with a manual drive. One full revolution of the flywheel changed the elevation angle by 1°, but in general it changed from -7° to +23°. In the same block with the guns there was also an MG 34 machine gun.

The tower rotated on three pairs of roller bearings, and in the horizontal plane the tower was supported by six more pairs of so-called tower bearing bearings. A mechanism was provided to allow the turret to be lowered from the bearings, in which case the joint between the turret and the hull became watertight. The tightness of the tower was additionally ensured by a rubber gasket located on the rim of the tower base.

The rotation of the tower was carried out using an electric drive, and for emergency situation manual drive was provided. Two turret rotation speeds were used: fast - 8°/sec and slow - 4°/sec. During the march, the tower was blocked by three stoppers. In addition to the stoppers, the tower's immobility was ensured by a special pneumatic device.

Racks for shells for both guns were installed on the rotating turret floor. At the bottom of the turret there was a compressor designed to blow through the barrel of a 128 mm gun. The compressor was powered by an electric motor DC power 1000 W and voltage 48 V.

The gun mask is cast, the sight is located on the left. The gun barrels were stabilized in the vertical plane. The tower had two hatches and two air filters with a diameter of 180 mm, type CH 2/40. The air filters were electrically driven. In addition, two rotating periscopes, two launchers for Schnellnebelkertzen 39 smoke grenades, a sight and an E-Messer rangefinder were installed there.

There was a hatch in the rear wall of the turret intended for loading ammunition. There was a loophole for small arms in the hatch cover. At the rear of the turret there were mounts for 25 rounds of separate loading of 128 mm caliber.

For lighting inside the tower, three incandescent light bulbs with a power of 5 W and a voltage of 12 V were used. In addition, a carrying socket was provided. The sight was illuminated with a separate lamp. Communication between crew members was provided by a tankophone or, in an emergency, signal lamps and a speaking pipe.

Armament
The main armament of the Type 205 Maus tank was a 12.8 cm KwK 44 L/55 gun of 128 mm caliber, 68 rounds of separately loaded ammunition (25 rounds were placed in the turret and 43 in the hull). Also installed in the turret was a 7.5 cm KwK L/36 cannon of 75 mm caliber, with 200 rounds of ammunition (125 in the turret and 75 in the hull). Additional armament is two Rheinmetall-Borzig MG 34 machine guns of 7.92 mm caliber, 1000 rounds of ammunition in four ammunition boxes.

Space was provided for the installation of anti-aircraft weapons consisting of a Mauser MG 141/15 cannon of 15 mm caliber or a Mauser MG 151/20 cannon of 20 mm caliber.

Fire fighting equipment
The tank's power plant was equipped with an automatic fire protection system. Compressed carbon dioxide, stored under a pressure of 190 atm, was used to extinguish the fire. in two cylinders of 6 kg each. In total, the cylinders contained 3000 liters of carbon dioxide.

If the temperature in the power compartment exceeded 160°, then the automation was activated. First the first balloon was emptied, and then the second. In the event of a breakdown of the automatic system, the cylinders could be opened manually. From the cylinders, gas was supplied through steel pipes with a diameter of 10 mm to outlet nozzles with a diameter of only 3 mm.

On the instrument panels near the driver's and radio operator's positions, warning lights were installed to indicate a fire in the engine compartment. In case of fire, the driver switched the engine to idle speed. In case of a severe fire, the driver could open the reserve carbon dioxide cylinder at the same time as the main one.

After training, Mouse could overcome water obstacles along the bottom. The tank was equipped with three sump pumps (in the electric generator, brake and engine compartments).