--- title: Five Forgotten Military Vehicles description: "Mankind has produced a LOT of military vehicles over the years, and many of these have gone on to become absolute legends of their period; equi-famous to any politician or general. But however, for every Tiger or T-34 of the world, there are ten other models that get none of the fame, none of the glory, and as a result, end up slipping through the cracks of the historical zeitgeist; to sit gathering dust, and languishing in obscurity for time immemorial.\n\nAnd if we do so ourselves, this is a dire shame, because these vehicles, unloved and overlooked as they are, are no less interesting for that fact! So, join us today as we shine our torch deep into that darkness, and bring you the stories of five forgotten military vehicles – let's begin!\n\n## Chapter 1: Fiat 2000\n\nLet us begin our first chapter by saying something most unexpected: Italy, a nation commonly written off as a technological underdog during WWI, was actually a pioneer of tanks. Well, kind of anyway, it would be more accurate of us to say that they were pioneers of the IDEA of the tank, as they were one of the first to realise that a big armoured bang-bang box might be an idea most big and clever in the seemingly never ending meat grinder that was that particular war, but the actual execution of that idea into a finalised, ready to deploy weapons system… well, that proved to be something that they were… 'less pioneering' with, shall we say.\n\nThe story begins in 1915, when Major General Giulio Martini tasked Fiat, the very same Fiat that continues to produce cars to this day, with creating a 40-tonne armoured vehicle that sported a 65mm main gun and HEAVY armour, which, when completed, was to be known as the 'Type 2000 Armoured Assault Car,' which became shortened to just 'Fiat 2000' in official nomenclature.\n\nThis was REALLY early in the tank's story; bear in mind that Little Willie, the first ever tank, was only completed in September 1915, and you suddenly see what we mean – Italy really was on the cutting edge of things for a time.\n\nSo, what gives then? How come the Fiat 2000 didn't roll out of the factory a few months later and secure its place in history as one of the earliest tanks, and more broadly, Italy's place in the history books as one of THE big tank pioneers?\n\nIn a nutshell, ungodly amounts of heel dragging and faffing about on the part of Ansaldo, an industrial giant that Fiat had contracted out production of the 2000's armour to. The specifics of this faff fest are somewhat below the abstraction layer for us today; it's lots of legalese bickering – don't worry too much about the specifics of it. The one key detail to note from all of it is that when this spat was done, and the 2000's armour was finally shipped off to Fiat, it was now early 1917, leaving Italy WAY behind the crowd in tank design.\n\nThe first prototype was not completed until mid-1917, with significant portions, such as the upper structure, remaining unfinished, and it would take until early 1918 until work on a second, fully completed prototype was finished.\n\nAs for its final design, as per the second prototype, power came from a rear-mounted FIAT A12 aviation engine, which delivered 250hp – not a terrible figure all for the time when you consider that a 1917 vintage British Mk.IV only put out 105hp.\n\nIt also had a pretty smart internal layout for its time, because it put the crew and the engine in separate compartments which were split up by a thick bulkhead. This was intended to lessen the dangers posed by smoke intoxication and fire hazards – both things that were BIG problems on many early tanks.\n\nOn top of all of that sat the VERY unique dome shaped turret, inside of which was a 65mm Modello 13 cannon – just as demanded by Martini's original brief. Interestingly however, as this was a howitzer rather than a 'true' cannon, it had a notable 'dead-zone' close to the tank where it couldn't aim. Furthermore, the second prototype also sported six Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914 machine guns that bristled out at all angles to create a full arc of fire around it.\n\nAs for armour, the 2000 had plates up to 20mm thick. This doesn't sound like much by modern standards, but consider that the Mk.IV had a maximum thickness of 12mm, and it really isn't bad at all; happily enough to deal with machine gun and rifle fire, and SOME of the lighter anti-tank weaponry of the day.\n\nAs you may have already guessed from our referencing the second prototype as THE 2000, no further units were built, and it was never properly adopted. Largely, this was down to Italy's adoption of the Renault FT in the form of the indigenously produced Fiat 3000 in 1921 – it was cheaper, and it was available NOW, so its adoption over the still not finalised 2000 was considered a no-brainer by the powers that be. The 2000 did see 'some' action however, as it is known that the second prototype was deployed to Libya in the 1920s, but it is unknown if it saw combat. They were also paraded about by Mussolini as propaganda tools in the 1930s, and used as training vehicles from time to time.\n\nAs for their ultimate fate… that is currently unknown. They were last spotted in 1939, and then, they disappeared…\n\n## Chapter 2: Kahn's Obstacle Ball / Rolling Fortress 'Tank'\n\nFor our next forgotten military vehicle, may we present you with this… thing, which is known, depending upon who you ask, as either 'Kahn's Obstacle Ball,' or the 'Rolling Fortress Tank,' and was the brainchild of a Polish-born engineer living in British Mandatory Palestine during WWII, whom history remembers only as 'Mr L Kahn.' It was one of many proposals he submitted during the war, and can you believe it, the TOTALLY NORMAL AND GROUNDED design didn't progress beyond the preliminary sketch stage, and was never adopted by the British Military?\n\nAs per his designs, Kahn envisioned his invention as a giant armoured ball, with a diameter that was either just over six metres or just over 15 metres, with walls that were 0.5 metres thick on the smaller ball, and just over one metre thick on the bigger one. As for what said ball was to be constructed from, that'd be old school iron reinforced concrete, but with a cheeky bit of carbon dioxide pumped into the mix to enhance the strength and solidifying time of the concrete.\n\nAs for how he'd actually construct the thing… well, long time tank author Andrew Hills speculates that Kahn likely envisaged the ball as being made from two separately cast halves that would be subsequently bolted together. He also speculates as to just how heavy it would be: 123 tonnes for the smaller six(ish) metre ball, and a simply mind blowing 1,800 tonnes for the larger 15(ish) metre ball. Safe to say, these weights, ESPECIALLY the larger one, may have made the Obstacle Ball just 'a tad' impractical.\n\nAs for what Kahn wanted to put inside the thing, his design included an internal free floating 'car' of sorts that would be connected to the outer shell via steel pins. As this was free floating, crew, weaponry, and stores, could all remain inside while it was moved around. Do note however, due to it being connected via a single set of pins, it would only remain stable(ish) if moving directly forwards or backwards, any sideways moving, and the poor souls inside would be dodging flying material and bringing up that morning's ration pack in no time at all.\n\nWhen it came to moving it about, it was to be towed, as it had no engine of any sort. For the smaller ball Kahn proposed a bespoke carriage trailer towed by a normal truck. This was nothing if optimistic, given the fact that the AEC Matador, one of the British Army's go-to trucks during the war, could tow just shy of seven tonnes in its standard version, or just about nine tonnes if it was one of the beefed up three axle models… and Kahn pictured MULTIPLE balls being towed behind one truck. As for the larger model, well, the same way supposedly. But here, a second hurdle presents itself, because not only is 1,800 tonnes heavier than most railway locomotives of the day could tow, but it's also wider than most roads.\n\nIf you happen to be wondering how this thing was meant to be used, Kahn saw it doing exactly what it said on the tin: acting as a giant portable fortress that could be plonked in various places as and where the need was most pressing on the battlefield. Interestingly, this idea was tried elsewhere, with a notable example being the 'Bison' concrete armoured lorry – but unlike the Rolling Fortress, the Bison (kind of) actually worked, on account of not being so heavy that Hercules himself would struggle to nudge it along.\n\nBeyond just his Rolling Fortress, Kahn submitted a bunch of other wacky 'Wallace-and-Gromit-esque' inventions to the Ministry of Supply, with notable examples being electrified artillery shells and landmines, propellers that could be bolted to the side of ships and spin at 10,000rpm to break up incoming torpedoes, and an anti-submarine death ray; we kid you not. Shockingly, none of these other ideas were ever adopted.\n\n## Chapter 3: TACAM R-2\n\nNext on the list is something much more normal; a good old fashioned tank hunter – just one that was built in such small numbers that you likely haven't heard of it… the TACAM R-2. It was built by Romania during WWII and had just 21 units produced during a single, short, 1944 production run.\n\nIt started out life as a Czech LT-35 light tank, which Romania ordered 126 of in 1936, calling them the R-2 in their service. These were still going strong come WWII, and so they naturally found their way to the Eastern Front. There, they just about held their own for a time, but come the close of 1942, with Soviet big boys such as the T-34 and KV appearing in ever larger numbers, it had become clear that they had outstayed their welcome on the frontlines.\n\nThis presented the Romanians with a dilemma: what to do with the old chassis? They were still dependable enough little machines to be sure, just ones that weren't cutting edge anymore… if only there was a way to make them viable once again… Luckily, the Germans had found just a way to do exactly that, because they had started taking tiny old tanks, cutting the turret off, plonking a big gun on top, and repurposing them as tank destroyers that engaged enemy armour at nice, long distances, where the chances of their thin armour being blown apart by an incoming shell was (comparatively) minimal. For examples of this, think the Marder I, which saw a PaK-40 cannon plonked on a French Lorraine 37L chassis, and the Marder III, which saw the same gun bolted to a Czech LT-38 chassis.\n\nInspired by that, the Romanians then set about hunting for a gun they could use, and to spare their already buckling industry, they settled for a captured gun they had lying around in huge numbers – the Soviet ZiS-3.\n\nWith all of that settled, conversion work began in February 1944. This saw the old Czech chassis having their new gun mounted on a custom pedestal, which was then partially enclosed within a three sided, ever so slightly roofed casemate that was made using salvaged armoured steel taken from captured Soviet T-26 and BT-7 tanks – this naturally gave it a differing thickness: 10mm for the steel taken from the BT-7, and 17mm for that taken from the T-26. This was just about enough to fend off small arms fire, but nowhere near enough to deflect any sort of cannon fire from that period; but this wasn't seen as a detriment – it kept it light and nimble, and thus allowed it to take its shots from distance, and scarper before anything too scary could be sent its way in return.\n\nWhat WAS a detriment however was the gun, as during testing in late 1943, it was found that while the original chassis could happily take the gun's weight, it was only effective against T-34s at five to 600 metres. Despite this however, they pushed on with development, because while it was by no means perfect, it still did the job – the crews just had to be careful to use it right.\n\nThe conversion work came to an end in June 1944 with a single batch of 20 having been upgraded – and they were all immediately sent out to the frontlines. It was also redubbed on account of its extensive conversion, becoming the TACAM R-2, 'TACAM' being an acronym for the Romanian translation of 'Anti-Tank Gun on R-2 Mobile Gun Carriage.'\n\nAs for their combat record, we know that twelve were tasked with defending against Axis counterattacks from Hungary in September 1944 after Romania switched sides, and by all accounts, it performed well enough, being deployed intelligently, and easily being able to handle Panzer IIIs, IVs, and even the odd Panther if the winds of fortune blew the correct way.\n\nWe also know that in early 1945, twelve of them found themselves assigned to the 2nd Armoured Regiment and sent to Czechoslovakia, although most of them ultimately ended up being swapped by the Soviets for German Armour, with their ultimate fate being unknown.\n\nWe know of two that had survived both destruction and Soviet curiosity come April 1945, as they were documented as being in action around Brno, but come 1945, they had been lost somehow, as the regiment returned to Bucharest without them.\n\nToday, only one survives, the initial prototype, which was held back and not sent to the frontlines. It can be found in the National Military Museum in Bucharest, and we recommend a visit if you happen to be passing; we've seen it ourselves, and it's pretty bloody cool.\n\n## Chapter 4: Tenk Tip-A\n\nNext, we have the Tenk Tip-A, and no, you didn't hear us wrong there, we did say TENK Tip-A. Also known as Vehicle A, it is a Cold War era Yugoslav tank that was born as a result of Josip Tito telling Stalin to shove his demand to join the Eastern Bloc up his chutney, as he would be going it alone and see no meddling from Moscow.\n\nThis gave Tito a problem when it came to armoured vehicle production, as Yugoslavia had been VERY dependent upon Soviet military aid, and with his refusal to join Stalin's bloc, no more would be coming Tito's way.\n\nNaturally, they'd have to build their own, but how? A special commission was formed in 1948 to answer that very question, and they quickly arrived at two options for 'Vehicle A,' as it had come to be known: improve the existing T-34-85, or start from scratch and design something big and tarty. As Yugoslavia wasn't exactly paved with gold in those days, they ended up choosing the former option.\n\nWith the general idea outlined, it was then kicked down to the people who knew what they were doing, with all three of Yugoslavia's operable tank workshops pooling their best talent for the task before them. In command of it all was a fella by the name of Major Anton Kurt, who, thanks to his previous experience converting tanks during WWII, was a no-brainer choice.\n\nIt took 14 months of blood, sweat, and tears, but eventually five 'Vehicle A' prototypes were ready for evaluation.\n\nThey were still fundamentally T-34-85s as per the brief, but ones that varied MASSIVELY in their armament and design minutia. For example, they retained the original ZiS-53 gun, but incorporated improved mounting hydraulics, a muzzle break, and a pinched German TZF sight that offered greater magnification. Further to that, they also featured two MG42 machine guns AND a M2 heavy machine gun for aircraft defence.\n\nAnd as the eagle-eyed tank enthusiasts amongst you have no doubt noticed, the turret also changed quite a bit – with it now having a rounded, almost T-54 or IS shape going on. That's no coincidence either, as the basic idea was straight up lifted from the Soviets, although the sources differ on which exact tank was the inspiration. Its armour also differed substantially from a standard T-34-85, having frontal armour of 50mm as compared to the normal 45mm, and a general thickness of 20-100mm as compared to 30-80mm.\n\nPower came from an indigenously produced V12 diesel engine that put out 400hp at the crank, pretty much dead on the same as a standard T-34-85, however, unlike the standard variant, which had most of its engine reliability issues worked out come the end of WWII, Vehicle A's engines were a tad duff, to put it mildly, mostly owing to the low-grade metals used in their construction. It's also a similar story with the transmission, which again, had been largely sorted out in the standard T-34-85 come the end of WWII, but in Vehicle A, it harkened back to the old days of Operation Barbarossa, where awfully made T-34s could sometimes only be coaxed into a new gear with the firm application of a lump hammer.\n\nIn light of these issues, further production of Vehicle A was canned, and development never progressed beyond those initial prototypes.\n\nYugoslavia did get some use out of them however… as parade vehicles, with them making their public debut in a military parade held in Belgrade on the 1st of May 1950.\n\nThe fate of the five prototypes varied. One vehicle was sent to the Kalemegdan Military Museum in Belgrade, where it remains to this very day, and again, we've seen this one; it's very cool – be sure to get down for a visit. The rest were used as either gate guardians or as range targets, and as far as we know, none of those survive today – long having been either cut up for scrap or blown apart.\n\n## Chapter 5: VXO Amphibious Half-track\n\nAnother weird one to finish us off now, the VXO Amphibious half-track. This one is a duality of the bizarre, as it is both a half-track designed in 1998, way, WAY after they had fallen out of vogue following WWII, and also because it (partially) has its roots in, of all places, Liechtenstein, you know, the tiny European micro-nation with the population of a small town.\n\nIt gets weirder still though, because it was the brainchild of Finnish inventor Klaus Rantala… someone who has basically NO paper trail to follow, and is basically a complete enigma, and VXO, the Liechtenstein based company that submitted its patent documents, doesn't appear to ever have ACTUALLY existed – seemingly just being a holding company with a post box in a business centre for tax purposes.\n\nWhy was it done this way? Long story short, God only knows, but Andrew Hill speculated on the matter, saying, quote:\n\n> \"This … may have been used to assist in preventing claims or complaints against his filing or simply to help make the application more accessible to a potential customer.\"\n\nFrom that then, you're probably expecting it to be a complete nonsense design, right? We mean, come on, an unknown inventor filing patents via a company that doesn't REALLY exist, for a type of vehicle LONG since written off as obsolete… but actually, no, the design appears to be pretty legit, quoting Hill again:\n\n> \"… it is clear from the patent that he was at least mechanically and automotively knowledgeable to more than just an amateur degree.\"\n\nSo, just what did he design then?\n\nIt features a fully enclosed armoured body with a tracked rear section and wheeled front steering – so far so normal for a half-track. Its design also has armoured internal bulkheads that separate the engine and transmission from the crew and cargo spaces, in the name of protection. Further to that, the hull also has a 'V' shape to improve mine resistance, while also using composite armour, assembled with tongue and groove joints for strength.\n\nThe turret design housed two long-barrelled weapons, though Rantala doesn't tell us exactly what he had in mind, with a low-profile, angular design to minimize frontal exposure.\n\nThen there are its amphibious capabilities, which called for a very specifically designed air and water channel system to enhance water performance. As described by Rantala, to stop the engine being flooded, the whole vehicle drew air from intakes mounted high up in front of the turret, and further still, it was also designed with channels through the side, which would have air fed through them, and thus create a pocket of air that'd further improve buoyancy. As for how it actually moved through the water, that was to be achieved through a simple impeller system that took water, and pushed it rearwards.\n\nAnd that's about all we know. There is no evidence of it ever progressing beyond the blueprinting and patenting stage: no pitches to defence contractors, no public campaigns to drum up publicity and business, no further patents… nothing. We've seen some damned bizarre vehicles on this channel over the years, but this one may just have raised the bar to new heights.\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n- Italy was an early pioneer of tank concepts, but the Fiat 2000 faced delays due to production issues.\n- Kahn's Obstacle Ball was an impractical, heavy armored sphere designed for WWII but never built.\n- Romania's TACAM R-2 was a tank destroyer made from repurposed Czech LT-35 tanks, effective at long ranges.\n- Yugoslavia's Tenk Tip-A was a Cold War tank based on the T-34-85, but never went into production due to reliability issues.\n- The VXO Amphibious Half-track was a 1998 design with a mysterious inventor and company, never progressed beyond patents.\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n### What was the Fiat 2000?\n\nThe Fiat 2000 was an early Italian tank developed during World War I. It was a 40-tonne armored vehicle with a 65mm main gun and heavy armor, designed by Fiat under the direction of Major General Giulio Martini.\n\n### Why was the Fiat 2000 not produced in larger numbers?\n\nThe Fiat 2000 was not produced in larger numbers due to significant delays in the production of its armor by Ansaldo, an industrial giant contracted by Fiat. By the time the armor was ready, Italy had fallen behind in tank design, and the Fiat 3000, a cheaper and more immediately available option, was adopted instead.\n\n### What was Kahn's Obstacle Ball?\n\nKahn's Obstacle Ball, also known as the Rolling Fortress Tank, was a proposed armored vehicle designed by a Polish-born engineer living in British Mandatory Palestine during World War II. It was envisioned as a giant armored ball made of reinforced concrete, intended to act as a portable fortress.\n\n### What were the main issues with Kahn's Obstacle Ball design?\n\nThe main issues with Kahn's Obstacle Ball design included its impractical weight, especially the larger 15-meter version, which was estimated to weigh 1,800 tonnes. Additionally, the design lacked an engine and relied on towing, which presented significant logistical challenges.\n\n### What was the TACAM R-2?\n\nThe TACAM R-2 was a Romanian tank destroyer built during World War II. It was converted from the Czech LT-35 light tank chassis and equipped with a Soviet ZiS-3 gun, making it a tank hunter capable of engaging enemy armor at long distances.\n\n### How many TACAM R-2 units were produced?\n\nOnly 21 units of the TACAM R-2 were produced during a single, short production run in 1944.\n\n### What was the Tenk Tip-A?\n\nThe Tenk Tip-A, also known as Vehicle A, was a Cold War-era Yugoslav tank developed as a result of Yugoslavia's decision to go it alone and refuse to join the Eastern Bloc. It was based on the T-34-85 but featured significant improvements in armament and design.\n\n### Why was the production of the Tenk Tip-A canceled?\n\nThe production of the Tenk Tip-A was canceled due to reliability issues with its engine and transmission, which were constructed using low-grade metals.\n\n### What was the VXO Amphibious Half-track?\n\nThe VXO Amphibious Half-track was a design for a half-track vehicle with amphibious capabilities, developed by Finnish inventor Klaus Rantala. It featured a fully enclosed armored body, a tracked rear section, and wheeled front steering, with a design intended to enhance protection and buoyancy.\n\n### Did the VXO Amphibious Half-track progress beyond the design stage?\n\nThere is no evidence that the VXO Amphibious Half-track progressed beyond the blueprinting and patenting stage. No further development, pitches to defense contractors, or public campaigns were documented.\n\n## Sources\n\n- [Original Side Projects video: Five Forgotten Military Vehicles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSFBlpvZMtc)\n- [Hero image source](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/View_from_the_turret_of_a_Panther_Ausf._D_of_the_5th_SS_Panzer_Division_%2836736360113%29.png) by Cassowary Colorizations / openverse, by.\n\n## Related Coverage" url: https://sideprojects.pub/article/five-forgotten-military-vehicles.md canonical: https://sideprojects.pub/article/five-forgotten-military-vehicles datePublished: 2026-06-17 dateModified: 2026-06-17 author: - name: Simon Whistler url: https://sideprojects.pub/author/simon-whistler publisher: Side Projects image: "https://media.sideprojects.pub/cdn-cgi/image/width=1600,height=900,fit=cover,quality=80,format=auto/articles/KSFBlpvZMtc/hero.jpg" type: NewsArticle contentHash: a62f21d474b766fbc5eb1616bcec5e1fc31b957011e9a647101aa298dfe98a1b tokens: 6075 summaryUrl: https://sideprojects.pub/article/five-forgotten-military-vehicles.md.summary.md --- Mankind has produced a LOT of military vehicles over the years, and many of these have gone on to become absolute legends of their period; equi-famous to any politician or general. But however, for every Tiger or T-34 of the world, there are ten other models that get none of the fame, none of the glory, and as a result, end up slipping through the cracks of the historical zeitgeist; to sit gathering dust, and languishing in obscurity for time immemorial. And if we do so ourselves, this is a dire shame, because these vehicles, unloved and overlooked as they are, are no less interesting for that fact! So, join us today as we shine our torch deep into that darkness, and bring you the stories of five forgotten military vehicles – let's begin! ## Chapter 1: Fiat 2000 Let us begin our first chapter by saying something most unexpected: Italy, a nation commonly written off as a technological underdog during WWI, was actually a pioneer of tanks. Well, kind of anyway, it would be more accurate of us to say that they were pioneers of the IDEA of the tank, as they were one of the first to realise that a big armoured bang-bang box might be an idea most big and clever in the seemingly never ending meat grinder that was that particular war, but the actual execution of that idea into a finalised, ready to deploy weapons system… well, that proved to be something that they were… 'less pioneering' with, shall we say. The story begins in 1915, when Major General Giulio Martini tasked Fiat, the very same Fiat that continues to produce cars to this day, with creating a 40-tonne armoured vehicle that sported a 65mm main gun and HEAVY armour, which, when completed, was to be known as the 'Type 2000 Armoured Assault Car,' which became shortened to just 'Fiat 2000' in official nomenclature. This was REALLY early in the tank's story; bear in mind that Little Willie, the first ever tank, was only completed in September 1915, and you suddenly see what we mean – Italy really was on the cutting edge of things for a time. So, what gives then? How come the Fiat 2000 didn't roll out of the factory a few months later and secure its place in history as one of the earliest tanks, and more broadly, Italy's place in the history books as one of THE big tank pioneers? In a nutshell, ungodly amounts of heel dragging and faffing about on the part of Ansaldo, an industrial giant that Fiat had contracted out production of the 2000's armour to. The specifics of this faff fest are somewhat below the abstraction layer for us today; it's lots of legalese bickering – don't worry too much about the specifics of it. The one key detail to note from all of it is that when this spat was done, and the 2000's armour was finally shipped off to Fiat, it was now early 1917, leaving Italy WAY behind the crowd in tank design. The first prototype was not completed until mid-1917, with significant portions, such as the upper structure, remaining unfinished, and it would take until early 1918 until work on a second, fully completed prototype was finished. As for its final design, as per the second prototype, power came from a rear-mounted FIAT A12 aviation engine, which delivered 250hp – not a terrible figure all for the time when you consider that a 1917 vintage British Mk.IV only put out 105hp. It also had a pretty smart internal layout for its time, because it put the crew and the engine in separate compartments which were split up by a thick bulkhead. This was intended to lessen the dangers posed by smoke intoxication and fire hazards – both things that were BIG problems on many early tanks. On top of all of that sat the VERY unique dome shaped turret, inside of which was a 65mm Modello 13 cannon – just as demanded by Martini's original brief. Interestingly however, as this was a howitzer rather than a 'true' cannon, it had a notable 'dead-zone' close to the tank where it couldn't aim. Furthermore, the second prototype also sported six Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914 machine guns that bristled out at all angles to create a full arc of fire around it. As for armour, the 2000 had plates up to 20mm thick. This doesn't sound like much by modern standards, but consider that the Mk.IV had a maximum thickness of 12mm, and it really isn't bad at all; happily enough to deal with machine gun and rifle fire, and SOME of the lighter anti-tank weaponry of the day. As you may have already guessed from our referencing the second prototype as THE 2000, no further units were built, and it was never properly adopted. Largely, this was down to Italy's adoption of the Renault FT in the form of the indigenously produced Fiat 3000 in 1921 – it was cheaper, and it was available NOW, so its adoption over the still not finalised 2000 was considered a no-brainer by the powers that be. The 2000 did see 'some' action however, as it is known that the second prototype was deployed to Libya in the 1920s, but it is unknown if it saw combat. They were also paraded about by Mussolini as propaganda tools in the 1930s, and used as training vehicles from time to time. As for their ultimate fate… that is currently unknown. They were last spotted in 1939, and then, they disappeared… ## Chapter 2: Kahn's Obstacle Ball / Rolling Fortress 'Tank' For our next forgotten military vehicle, may we present you with this… thing, which is known, depending upon who you ask, as either 'Kahn's Obstacle Ball,' or the 'Rolling Fortress Tank,' and was the brainchild of a Polish-born engineer living in British Mandatory Palestine during WWII, whom history remembers only as 'Mr L Kahn.' It was one of many proposals he submitted during the war, and can you believe it, the TOTALLY NORMAL AND GROUNDED design didn't progress beyond the preliminary sketch stage, and was never adopted by the British Military? As per his designs, Kahn envisioned his invention as a giant armoured ball, with a diameter that was either just over six metres or just over 15 metres, with walls that were 0.5 metres thick on the smaller ball, and just over one metre thick on the bigger one. As for what said ball was to be constructed from, that'd be old school iron reinforced concrete, but with a cheeky bit of carbon dioxide pumped into the mix to enhance the strength and solidifying time of the concrete. As for how he'd actually construct the thing… well, long time tank author Andrew Hills speculates that Kahn likely envisaged the ball as being made from two separately cast halves that would be subsequently bolted together. He also speculates as to just how heavy it would be: 123 tonnes for the smaller six(ish) metre ball, and a simply mind blowing 1,800 tonnes for the larger 15(ish) metre ball. Safe to say, these weights, ESPECIALLY the larger one, may have made the Obstacle Ball just 'a tad' impractical. As for what Kahn wanted to put inside the thing, his design included an internal free floating 'car' of sorts that would be connected to the outer shell via steel pins. As this was free floating, crew, weaponry, and stores, could all remain inside while it was moved around. Do note however, due to it being connected via a single set of pins, it would only remain stable(ish) if moving directly forwards or backwards, any sideways moving, and the poor souls inside would be dodging flying material and bringing up that morning's ration pack in no time at all. When it came to moving it about, it was to be towed, as it had no engine of any sort. For the smaller ball Kahn proposed a bespoke carriage trailer towed by a normal truck. This was nothing if optimistic, given the fact that the AEC Matador, one of the British Army's go-to trucks during the war, could tow just shy of seven tonnes in its standard version, or just about nine tonnes if it was one of the beefed up three axle models… and Kahn pictured MULTIPLE balls being towed behind one truck. As for the larger model, well, the same way supposedly. But here, a second hurdle presents itself, because not only is 1,800 tonnes heavier than most railway locomotives of the day could tow, but it's also wider than most roads. If you happen to be wondering how this thing was meant to be used, Kahn saw it doing exactly what it said on the tin: acting as a giant portable fortress that could be plonked in various places as and where the need was most pressing on the battlefield. Interestingly, this idea was tried elsewhere, with a notable example being the 'Bison' concrete armoured lorry – but unlike the Rolling Fortress, the Bison (kind of) actually worked, on account of not being so heavy that Hercules himself would struggle to nudge it along. Beyond just his Rolling Fortress, Kahn submitted a bunch of other wacky 'Wallace-and-Gromit-esque' inventions to the Ministry of Supply, with notable examples being electrified artillery shells and landmines, propellers that could be bolted to the side of ships and spin at 10,000rpm to break up incoming torpedoes, and an anti-submarine death ray; we kid you not. Shockingly, none of these other ideas were ever adopted. ## Chapter 3: TACAM R-2 Next on the list is something much more normal; a good old fashioned tank hunter – just one that was built in such small numbers that you likely haven't heard of it… the TACAM R-2. It was built by Romania during WWII and had just 21 units produced during a single, short, 1944 production run. It started out life as a Czech LT-35 light tank, which Romania ordered 126 of in 1936, calling them the R-2 in their service. These were still going strong come WWII, and so they naturally found their way to the Eastern Front. There, they just about held their own for a time, but come the close of 1942, with Soviet big boys such as the T-34 and KV appearing in ever larger numbers, it had become clear that they had outstayed their welcome on the frontlines. This presented the Romanians with a dilemma: what to do with the old chassis? They were still dependable enough little machines to be sure, just ones that weren't cutting edge anymore… if only there was a way to make them viable once again… Luckily, the Germans had found just a way to do exactly that, because they had started taking tiny old tanks, cutting the turret off, plonking a big gun on top, and repurposing them as tank destroyers that engaged enemy armour at nice, long distances, where the chances of their thin armour being blown apart by an incoming shell was (comparatively) minimal. For examples of this, think the Marder I, which saw a PaK-40 cannon plonked on a French Lorraine 37L chassis, and the Marder III, which saw the same gun bolted to a Czech LT-38 chassis. Inspired by that, the Romanians then set about hunting for a gun they could use, and to spare their already buckling industry, they settled for a captured gun they had lying around in huge numbers – the Soviet ZiS-3. With all of that settled, conversion work began in February 1944. This saw the old Czech chassis having their new gun mounted on a custom pedestal, which was then partially enclosed within a three sided, ever so slightly roofed casemate that was made using salvaged armoured steel taken from captured Soviet T-26 and BT-7 tanks – this naturally gave it a differing thickness: 10mm for the steel taken from the BT-7, and 17mm for that taken from the T-26. This was just about enough to fend off small arms fire, but nowhere near enough to deflect any sort of cannon fire from that period; but this wasn't seen as a detriment – it kept it light and nimble, and thus allowed it to take its shots from distance, and scarper before anything too scary could be sent its way in return. What WAS a detriment however was the gun, as during testing in late 1943, it was found that while the original chassis could happily take the gun's weight, it was only effective against T-34s at five to 600 metres. Despite this however, they pushed on with development, because while it was by no means perfect, it still did the job – the crews just had to be careful to use it right. The conversion work came to an end in June 1944 with a single batch of 20 having been upgraded – and they were all immediately sent out to the frontlines. It was also redubbed on account of its extensive conversion, becoming the TACAM R-2, 'TACAM' being an acronym for the Romanian translation of 'Anti-Tank Gun on R-2 Mobile Gun Carriage.' As for their combat record, we know that twelve were tasked with defending against Axis counterattacks from Hungary in September 1944 after Romania switched sides, and by all accounts, it performed well enough, being deployed intelligently, and easily being able to handle Panzer IIIs, IVs, and even the odd Panther if the winds of fortune blew the correct way. We also know that in early 1945, twelve of them found themselves assigned to the 2nd Armoured Regiment and sent to Czechoslovakia, although most of them ultimately ended up being swapped by the Soviets for German Armour, with their ultimate fate being unknown. We know of two that had survived both destruction and Soviet curiosity come April 1945, as they were documented as being in action around Brno, but come 1945, they had been lost somehow, as the regiment returned to Bucharest without them. Today, only one survives, the initial prototype, which was held back and not sent to the frontlines. It can be found in the National Military Museum in Bucharest, and we recommend a visit if you happen to be passing; we've seen it ourselves, and it's pretty bloody cool. ## Chapter 4: Tenk Tip-A Next, we have the Tenk Tip-A, and no, you didn't hear us wrong there, we did say TENK Tip-A. Also known as Vehicle A, it is a Cold War era Yugoslav tank that was born as a result of Josip Tito telling Stalin to shove his demand to join the Eastern Bloc up his chutney, as he would be going it alone and see no meddling from Moscow. This gave Tito a problem when it came to armoured vehicle production, as Yugoslavia had been VERY dependent upon Soviet military aid, and with his refusal to join Stalin's bloc, no more would be coming Tito's way. Naturally, they'd have to build their own, but how? A special commission was formed in 1948 to answer that very question, and they quickly arrived at two options for 'Vehicle A,' as it had come to be known: improve the existing T-34-85, or start from scratch and design something big and tarty. As Yugoslavia wasn't exactly paved with gold in those days, they ended up choosing the former option. With the general idea outlined, it was then kicked down to the people who knew what they were doing, with all three of Yugoslavia's operable tank workshops pooling their best talent for the task before them. In command of it all was a fella by the name of Major Anton Kurt, who, thanks to his previous experience converting tanks during WWII, was a no-brainer choice. It took 14 months of blood, sweat, and tears, but eventually five 'Vehicle A' prototypes were ready for evaluation. They were still fundamentally T-34-85s as per the brief, but ones that varied MASSIVELY in their armament and design minutia. For example, they retained the original ZiS-53 gun, but incorporated improved mounting hydraulics, a muzzle break, and a pinched German TZF sight that offered greater magnification. Further to that, they also featured two MG42 machine guns AND a M2 heavy machine gun for aircraft defence. And as the eagle-eyed tank enthusiasts amongst you have no doubt noticed, the turret also changed quite a bit – with it now having a rounded, almost T-54 or IS shape going on. That's no coincidence either, as the basic idea was straight up lifted from the Soviets, although the sources differ on which exact tank was the inspiration. Its armour also differed substantially from a standard T-34-85, having frontal armour of 50mm as compared to the normal 45mm, and a general thickness of 20-100mm as compared to 30-80mm. Power came from an indigenously produced V12 diesel engine that put out 400hp at the crank, pretty much dead on the same as a standard T-34-85, however, unlike the standard variant, which had most of its engine reliability issues worked out come the end of WWII, Vehicle A's engines were a tad duff, to put it mildly, mostly owing to the low-grade metals used in their construction. It's also a similar story with the transmission, which again, had been largely sorted out in the standard T-34-85 come the end of WWII, but in Vehicle A, it harkened back to the old days of Operation Barbarossa, where awfully made T-34s could sometimes only be coaxed into a new gear with the firm application of a lump hammer. In light of these issues, further production of Vehicle A was canned, and development never progressed beyond those initial prototypes. Yugoslavia did get some use out of them however… as parade vehicles, with them making their public debut in a military parade held in Belgrade on the 1st of May 1950. The fate of the five prototypes varied. One vehicle was sent to the Kalemegdan Military Museum in Belgrade, where it remains to this very day, and again, we've seen this one; it's very cool – be sure to get down for a visit. The rest were used as either gate guardians or as range targets, and as far as we know, none of those survive today – long having been either cut up for scrap or blown apart. ## Chapter 5: VXO Amphibious Half-track Another weird one to finish us off now, the VXO Amphibious half-track. This one is a duality of the bizarre, as it is both a half-track designed in 1998, way, WAY after they had fallen out of vogue following WWII, and also because it (partially) has its roots in, of all places, Liechtenstein, you know, the tiny European micro-nation with the population of a small town. It gets weirder still though, because it was the brainchild of Finnish inventor Klaus Rantala… someone who has basically NO paper trail to follow, and is basically a complete enigma, and VXO, the Liechtenstein based company that submitted its patent documents, doesn't appear to ever have ACTUALLY existed – seemingly just being a holding company with a post box in a business centre for tax purposes. Why was it done this way? Long story short, God only knows, but Andrew Hill speculated on the matter, saying, quote: > "This … may have been used to assist in preventing claims or complaints against his filing or simply to help make the application more accessible to a potential customer." From that then, you're probably expecting it to be a complete nonsense design, right? We mean, come on, an unknown inventor filing patents via a company that doesn't REALLY exist, for a type of vehicle LONG since written off as obsolete… but actually, no, the design appears to be pretty legit, quoting Hill again: > "… it is clear from the patent that he was at least mechanically and automotively knowledgeable to more than just an amateur degree." So, just what did he design then? It features a fully enclosed armoured body with a tracked rear section and wheeled front steering – so far so normal for a half-track. Its design also has armoured internal bulkheads that separate the engine and transmission from the crew and cargo spaces, in the name of protection. Further to that, the hull also has a 'V' shape to improve mine resistance, while also using composite armour, assembled with tongue and groove joints for strength. The turret design housed two long-barrelled weapons, though Rantala doesn't tell us exactly what he had in mind, with a low-profile, angular design to minimize frontal exposure. Then there are its amphibious capabilities, which called for a very specifically designed air and water channel system to enhance water performance. As described by Rantala, to stop the engine being flooded, the whole vehicle drew air from intakes mounted high up in front of the turret, and further still, it was also designed with channels through the side, which would have air fed through them, and thus create a pocket of air that'd further improve buoyancy. As for how it actually moved through the water, that was to be achieved through a simple impeller system that took water, and pushed it rearwards. And that's about all we know. There is no evidence of it ever progressing beyond the blueprinting and patenting stage: no pitches to defence contractors, no public campaigns to drum up publicity and business, no further patents… nothing. We've seen some damned bizarre vehicles on this channel over the years, but this one may just have raised the bar to new heights. ## Key Takeaways - Italy was an early pioneer of tank concepts, but the Fiat 2000 faced delays due to production issues. - Kahn's Obstacle Ball was an impractical, heavy armored sphere designed for WWII but never built. - Romania's TACAM R-2 was a tank destroyer made from repurposed Czech LT-35 tanks, effective at long ranges. - Yugoslavia's Tenk Tip-A was a Cold War tank based on the T-34-85, but never went into production due to reliability issues. - The VXO Amphibious Half-track was a 1998 design with a mysterious inventor and company, never progressed beyond patents. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What was the Fiat 2000? The Fiat 2000 was an early Italian tank developed during World War I. It was a 40-tonne armored vehicle with a 65mm main gun and heavy armor, designed by Fiat under the direction of Major General Giulio Martini. ### Why was the Fiat 2000 not produced in larger numbers? The Fiat 2000 was not produced in larger numbers due to significant delays in the production of its armor by Ansaldo, an industrial giant contracted by Fiat. By the time the armor was ready, Italy had fallen behind in tank design, and the Fiat 3000, a cheaper and more immediately available option, was adopted instead. ### What was Kahn's Obstacle Ball? Kahn's Obstacle Ball, also known as the Rolling Fortress Tank, was a proposed armored vehicle designed by a Polish-born engineer living in British Mandatory Palestine during World War II. It was envisioned as a giant armored ball made of reinforced concrete, intended to act as a portable fortress. ### What were the main issues with Kahn's Obstacle Ball design? The main issues with Kahn's Obstacle Ball design included its impractical weight, especially the larger 15-meter version, which was estimated to weigh 1,800 tonnes. Additionally, the design lacked an engine and relied on towing, which presented significant logistical challenges. ### What was the TACAM R-2? The TACAM R-2 was a Romanian tank destroyer built during World War II. It was converted from the Czech LT-35 light tank chassis and equipped with a Soviet ZiS-3 gun, making it a tank hunter capable of engaging enemy armor at long distances. ### How many TACAM R-2 units were produced? Only 21 units of the TACAM R-2 were produced during a single, short production run in 1944. ### What was the Tenk Tip-A? The Tenk Tip-A, also known as Vehicle A, was a Cold War-era Yugoslav tank developed as a result of Yugoslavia's decision to go it alone and refuse to join the Eastern Bloc. It was based on the T-34-85 but featured significant improvements in armament and design. ### Why was the production of the Tenk Tip-A canceled? The production of the Tenk Tip-A was canceled due to reliability issues with its engine and transmission, which were constructed using low-grade metals. ### What was the VXO Amphibious Half-track? The VXO Amphibious Half-track was a design for a half-track vehicle with amphibious capabilities, developed by Finnish inventor Klaus Rantala. It featured a fully enclosed armored body, a tracked rear section, and wheeled front steering, with a design intended to enhance protection and buoyancy. ### Did the VXO Amphibious Half-track progress beyond the design stage? There is no evidence that the VXO Amphibious Half-track progressed beyond the blueprinting and patenting stage. No further development, pitches to defense contractors, or public campaigns were documented. ## Sources - [Original Side Projects video: Five Forgotten Military Vehicles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSFBlpvZMtc) - [Hero image source](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/View_from_the_turret_of_a_Panther_Ausf._D_of_the_5th_SS_Panzer_Division_%2836736360113%29.png) by Cassowary Colorizations / openverse, by. ## Related Coverage