Landkreuzer P. 1000 “Ratte”: A Wunderwaffe Too Big for the Battlefield

Although it was never developed past the concept stage, the design's sheer audacity makes it deserving of a spot among Germany's Wunderwaffe.

More than a tank, the P. 1000 Ratte was a vehicle. The vehicle, which weighed more than 1,000 tons, served as a mobile battle platform rather than a tank. The vehicle was built with four 128mm anti-aircraft guns for defense and two 280mm gun platforms. The entire apparatus would be run by 20 to 41 soldiers.

Albert Speer canceled the project before any prototypes could be built, despite the fact that Hitler was enamored with the idea and could see no use for such an absurdly large tank. Of course, this list only represents a small portion of the Wunderwaffe that the Nazis actually used or imagined. Some of the designs were utterly absurd, others were science fiction that would take decades to build, and still, others were downright lethal. If there is one thing we can be certain of, it is that the vicious and unstoppable Nazis did not lack originality.