Antonov A-40: The Soviet Flying Tank That Actually Flew
Soviet designer Oleg Antonov decided in 1942 that the best way to deliver tanks to the battlefield was to strap enormous biplane wings and a tail assembly onto a T-60 light tank and tow it into the air behind a bomber. The Antonov A-40, also known as the "Krylya Tanka" (Tank Wings), was designed to glide down to a landing zone, detach its wings, and immediately roll into combat, the ultimate airborne armored assault.
Incredibly, a prototype actually flew during a test in September 1942. A Tupolev TB-3 bomber towed the winged tank aloft, and the A-40 reportedly glided successfully before landing. However, the towing aircraft struggled badly with the aerodynamic drag, the TB-3's engines overheated and the pilot had to release the tank earlier than planned. The A-40 landed safely, shed its wings, and drove back to base under its own power. Despite this qualified success, the project was cancelled because no Soviet bomber was powerful enough to tow the apparatus reliably. The dream of flying tanks died, but not before the Soviets proved it was technically possible.
