9930 Autoloader
Hilke Mcnally
I think 4 tracks are for better performance when hit by a mine - frontal tracks are small, and if you lose one, tank can continue to move forward (with partial lose of speed) or backwards (to repair), center of mass is shifted little bit to the rear of this vehicle to help with that further. But this is my view, don't known about designers rationalization behind this layout.
"In 1982 it was decided to use 3-man crew. Tank had externally mounted main gun, driver was located at left part of hull, to the right from here there was 1290 litres fuel tank. COmmander was located to the left from gun, above [?] gunner"
"that is actual 490[A] prototype, it could drive. It is unlikely that it could shoot. At the moment when we stopped working on it, FCS and autoloader were not finished. Redesign of suspension was planned, tank should have variants with completely external cannon [?]. Only 1 engine was considered - 6TD+. And about 10 years difference - nonsense. Programs to create a future MBT in Kharkov in Tagil were almost simultaneously started."
Object 477 ammoracks and fuel tank. Fuel tank is in the front, ammunition is between engine and turret, autoloader is in turret with 8 rounds in it (AFAIK), which is replenished automatically from main ammorack.
Note ERA on Molot (Hammer), this mean that Molot was designed later than Object 490A Buntar'. Look at driver's hatch, it is pretty well armored against top-attack weapons. Somebody can think that frontal part on T-14 is similar to Molot frontal armor, but it will be a mistake - Armata frontal armor layout is based on Object 299 and 195's.
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