44M Tas

44M Tas
TypeMedium / Heavy tank
Place of originKingdom of Hungary
Service history
Used byKingdom of Hungary
WarsWorld War II
Production history
DesignerWeiss Manfréd Works
Designed1943
ManufacturerWeiss Manfréd Works
Produced1943–1944
No. built2 prototypes (unfinished)
Specifications
Mass38 tonnes (37 long tons; 42 short tons)[1]
Length9.2 m (30 ft 2 in) gun forward[1]
Width3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)[1]
Height3 m (9 ft 10 in)[1]
Crew5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator)[2]

Armor20–120 mm (0.79–4.72 in)
Main
armament
Intended production armament:
1 × 80 mm 29/44M L/58 tank gun[2]
Prototype armament:
1 × 7.5 cm 43.M tank gun[2]
Secondary
armament
2 × 8 mm Gebauer 1934/40A M machine gun
Engine2 × 8 cylinder gasoline Weiss Manfréd Z-V8H-4
2 × 260 hp (2 × 195 kW)
for a total of 520 hp (390 kW)[1]
Power/weight13.68 hp/ton
Suspensiontwo-wheel leaf spring bogies with shock absorbers
Operational
range
200 km (120 mi)
Maximum speed 45 km/h (28 mph)

The 44M Tas was a Hungarian heavy tank/medium tank design of World War II. It was developed to combat heavily armored Soviet tanks encountered on the Eastern Front and to replace the older Turán I and Turán II tanks which Hungary operated, modernising Hungary's armoured forces. The Tas somewhat resembled the German Panther tank in terms of both looks and capabilities. It was to be well armored – up to 120 mm thick and with sloped armor. The main armament would likely have been a Hungarian built heavily modified anti-tank version of the 80 mm Bofors AA gun. The only prototypes built were destroyed when the Americans bombed the Weiss Manfréd factory in July 1944.

  1. ^ a b c d e For The Record website.
  2. ^ a b c Németh, Károly (18 May 2017). "44M Tas". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21 November 2022.