Tanks and airplanes revolutionized warfare in the 20th Century, in both the ground and the air. In a burst of scientific innovation, the Soviet Union experimented with a flying tank—and it almost succeeded.

TacAirNet has a great story on "Krylya Tanka"—literally, "tank wings." Soviet engineers designed wings that could be strapped onto a T-60 light tank . A TB-3 bomber would tow the contraption into the air. Once over the battlefield, the TB-3 would cut the tank loose and the crew would glide their tank to a landing.

It worked—sort of—but technical problems ensured that it never flew again. Later on during World War II, British airborne forces would fly tanks into combat, but inside Hamilcar gliders . Today, Russian paratroopers are equipped with air-droppable armored vehicles in the form of the BMD-4 .

Find out more at TacAirNet .

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