Leonardo da Vinci sketched an armored tank as a circular, conical-roofed war machine.
Leonardo’s fighting vehicle was designed around a large covered platform that could move on wheels and carry several light cannons. Its sloping outer shell was intended to deflect incoming projectiles, while the rounded shape gave the vehicle a broad firing position. The machine was meant to be operated by people turning internal cranks.
The vehicle was never constructed in Leonardo’s lifetime, and historians debate whether a deliberate mechanical flaw in one drawing was an error or a possible form of sabotage. Modern reconstructions have shown that the concept can be made to move after adjustments. It was not a modern tank in the technical sense, but its protected, mobile gun platform is why it is commonly called Leonardo’s tank.