Chrysler TV-8 Nuclear Tank

During the early stages of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were preparing for a possible nuclear war with one another. With nuclear weapons possibly making the battlefield into a literal radiated hellscape, Operation Question Mark was started to create new tanks that would allow the military to continue fighting even if nuclear weap were used. Chrysler came up with the TV-8 originally from a design called the Hen, a tank system from Detroit Arsenal with a turret and chassis that could be separated from one another. Intrigued, they worked from this to the TV-8.

The TV-8 was supposed to have two shells for its armor, one outer one for floatation and one inside, which contained the armor. It would be fully sealed with a powerplant (Possibly nuclear) in the back and NBC shielding. It could survive against Nuclear shock blasts with the shape cutting through the shockwave. The shape also made it amphibious, improving its capabilities further. IT would have a crew of four and utilize the 90mm gun; an automated 50 Cal is on the top, and there are cameras to look outside. On top of this, the turret was entirely separate from the chassis, allowing the tank to switch out a damaged section easily. . However, this tank had many significant weaknesses. For starters, its turret had no gun elevation. Instead, the entire turret would have to move to aim. Additionally, the turret ring was a weak spot for the tank, potentially decapitating it by a well-placed shot. Finally, the tight confines of the turret would make maintenance incredibly hard, and it would only be more complicated with a nuclear reactor in the back. Having the necessary lead for shielding would cause the already top-heavy tank to be overburdened, potentially affecting the oscillating turret's use. Even if it had worked, the crew would have had to be rotated out constantly just to prevent radiation sickness. Finally, if even damaged, there could be the potential of radiation leaks that would radiate the battlefield and make it a mini Chernobyl, impossible to recover effectively. Overall, its weak gun and armor in the era of the MBT did not justify all the changes in manufacturing, doctrine, and overall use, nor did it give the advantages of NBC-protected MBTs. Only one makeshift wooden model was completed and shown to the public before the project was scrapped.

However, what if the United States Army pursued it in the Team Yankee timeline?
With the early Cold War heating up and nuclear tensions rising in the 1950s, the United States decided to pursue building this tank just in case the Soviets decided to use Nuclear bombardments to cover their attack. Built in a limited production run, they are given to the 329th and 706th Special Tank Battalions. With the 329th stationed deep in West Germany and the 706th in Reserve, these rapid response battalions will be a part of the Nuclear Rapid Response Force(NRRF), a corps formed out of soldiers equipped to withstand NBC attacks. If the Soviets use NBCs to cover their advance, this force will be waiting. These tanks were soon modernized in the 1970s with the 105 mm gun found in the Abrams to beef up their anti-tank capabilities and modernize their computer equipment. They are old, based upon early Cold War tank doctrine, having more in common with the M48 Patton or M103 than any tank on the battlefield. However capable of withstanding every single Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical weapon in the Soviets' arsenal, they are NATO's ace up their sleeve if the Soviets decide to use any NBC weapons in a desperate attempt to reach the Rhine.

This is truly a beautiful tank that I had to make. I tried to find one online, but none of the models were that good, nor did they cost money. So, I decided to roll up my sleeves and work to give the community a unique item. It took a long time, but it was worth the effort to be able to field this against Object 279. You can use this tank in special missions involving NBC weapons, in an alternate 1950s timeline of Team Yankee, or the regular game as a special unit from an overrun CENTAG base. Haven't come up with stats, but the 105mm gun is the same as the Abrams. Armour is a bit weaker, though, and computers are more in line with the M60 Patton. Could also add a rule about it being a nuclear tank, and when it gets destroyed, it irradiates the area around it. Finally, you could use it in a surprise amphibious assault!. Just do you Team Yankee!

I based the tank on this image on DeviantArt:https://www.artstation.com/artwork/18zRAG.

The original tank came from this object: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/chrysler-tv-8-tank-wip-5cbacdb8712f461c9af561447f1c9538.

Made turret and added crew, hatches, and details. The guns came from Tiger Ace. The tanks are made to be FDM and Resin printable. If anything doesn't work, please comment immediately so I can fix it.

Hope you guys enjoy it!