A closer look

When regular ground superiority isn't enough, just strap glider wings to a heavily armored death machine. In 1942, Soviet engineers designed the Antonov A-40, aiming to tow a tank into the sky behind a bomber and let it glide onto the battlefield. Unsurprisingly, physics intervened. The tank was far too heavy, aerodynamics said 'absolutely not,' and the project was scrapped after exactly one terrifying, highly unsuccessful test flight.