Unveiling the I-Series Heavy Tank Design: From PC50/66 to Taurus Legend

The Legacy of Italian Heavy Tanks: Continuing the Taurus and Rhinoceros Saga

In our previous exploration, we delved into the historical prototypes of I-Series Tier 7-9 heavy tanks. Today, we complete this fascinating journey by uncovering the stories behind the Tier 9 heavy tank PC50/66, the premium vehicle Taurus (Toro), and the top-tier heavy tank Rhinoceros.

1. PC50/66 Heavy Tank

Design Background and Characteristics

The PC50/66, officially known as Progetto C50/66, derives its name from its weight class (“C50” indicating approximately 50 tons—50.03 tons in-game) and the year of its conceptualization (1966). This tank emerged from General Vittorio La Rosa’s vision to create a universal chassis family, with the PC50/66 serving as the main battle tank centerpiece. Though intended as a potential replacement for the M60A1, the project never advanced beyond blueprint stage due to limited historical documentation.

Our understanding of this vehicle comes primarily from a single radar system advertisement cover in a military magazine, which provided inspiration for the tank’s basic turret design. The PC50/66’s turret likely drew inspiration from the French Leclerc’s early EPC project, specifically the TC 3, which featured conventional design with lower technical risk but larger frontal projection compared to contemporary alternatives.

The hull design shows clear evolution from its predecessor, the PCC55/54, with a centerline driver’s compartment featuring three periscopes—characteristics reminiscent of American medium tanks of the era. The pronounced upper glacis plate curvature, similar to the M48 series, laid the foundation for what would eventually evolve into the arrow-head shape seen in the Rhinoceros.

Design Challenges and Technical Complexities

The PC50/66 presented remarkable engineering challenges, particularly in its powerplant selection. The design underwent three engine transitions: starting with the French AMX30’s HS-110, moving to the American Patton series’ AVDS-1790, and finally settling on the German Leopard 1’s MB838. This multinational approach to engine selection, while technically feasible during the Cold War, would have created logistical nightmares comparable to modern battlefield supply challenges.

The artillery configuration proved equally fascinating yet problematic. The tank was designed to mount various elongated 105mm (L/71, L/76) and 120mm (L/62) guns that existed only on paper. These fictional weapons ironically offered inferior penetration and muzzle velocity compared to real-world counterparts like the 105mm L7 (52 caliber) and 120mm M58 (60 caliber).

2. Taurus Heavy Tank

Overall Design and Inspiration

The Taurus tank represents a remarkable fusion of international design influences, drawing inspiration from M46, M47, and M48 Patton series tanks, with additional elements from the M60A2 Starship and Italian naval artillery traditions. Its extended suspension system clearly derives from the M46 design, featuring the classic arrangement of support rollers between every two road wheels. The lengthened hull required an additional pair of road wheels and support rollers, creating a distinctive and complex running gear arrangement.

The hull design shows particular affinity with the M48, especially in the driver’s compartment shape and upper glacis curvature. The extended fighting platform with pronounced side sponsors represents an amplified adaptation of M48 design principles, while the engine grille and exhaust configurations borrow heavily from the M47.

Detailed Design Elements

The Taurus’s turret combines the low-profile concept of the M60A2/MBT (MR) with elements from the M47, particularly in the commander’s cupola and gun mantlet designs. The most intriguing fictional element appears in the muzzle brake, which draws from a 1943 Ansaldo design study. The optical rangefinder positioned near the commander’s cupola, likely inspired by the M47 design, appears particularly prominent due to the reduced turret width.

WG’s Historical References and Design Philosophy

Wargaming’s historical research reveals connections between the Taurus and actual Italian development projects, though many design details remain creatively interpreted. The relationship between the PM40/65 chassis (used as basis for the Rhinoceros) and the Taurus demonstrates an interesting evolutionary path in this alternative tank development history, showing the transition from angled to arrow-head armor configuration.

3. Tier 10 Rhinoceros Tank

Design Origins and Unique Features

The Rhinoceros continues the design evolution from the PM40/65, featuring an advanced arrow-head hull configuration and mounting a 127mm naval gun derived from Oto Melara’s naval artillery systems. According to Wargaming’s historical notes, the turret design draws from Germany’s advanced KPz 3 project (also known as Leopard 3). However, examination of available KPz-3 documentation—whether the overhead gun installation (SL) or flat turret (FT) concepts—reveals no exact matches for the Rhinoceros’s distinctive turret design.

The Innovative Split-Turret Concept

The Rhinoceros’s most radical design element appears in its potential inspiration from unpublished split-turret concepts within the KPz 3 program. These designs typically housed the autoloader mechanism within the hull, representing innovative thinking in tank design that balanced protection with firepower. The exact origins remain mysterious, suggesting either access to unpublished archives or creative interpretation by the designers.

4. Conclusion: Historical Authenticity and Creative Design

These three tanks represent different approaches to blending historical reference with game design needs:

• The Tier 10 Rhinoceros combines the PM40/65 hull with arrow-head geometry, possibly inspired by unpublished German split-turret concepts, and adapts naval artillery for ground combat
• The Tier 9 Taurus represents a creative amalgamation of American tank designs with Italian engineering elements, particularly in its fictional muzzle brake derived from wartime studies
• The Tier 9 PC50/66 demonstrates how limited historical references (a magazine cover) can inspire authentic-looking designs, despite largely fictional artillery systems

These designs showcase how tank development might have progressed in alternative historical scenarios, particularly for nations like Italy that explored various international influences during the Cold War. The Taurus’s stubborn determination in design reflects the bull’s namesake qualities—persistence in overcoming technical challenges and steadfast commitment to innovative solutions despite logistical complexities.

What fascinating hybrid designs might emerge if contemporary engineers applied this same bold approach to modern armor development? The legacy of these conceptual tanks continues to inspire both historians and gaming enthusiasts alike.