Wood formed the frame of Leonardo da Vinci’s proposed armored fighting vehicle. The design used a conical, turtle-like wooden shell covered with armor plates.
Leonardo drew the vehicle in the late 15th century while working on military engineering ideas. Its sloped covering was intended to deflect incoming projectiles, while internal operators would turn cranks connected to wheels.
The vehicle is often called Leonardo’s tank, but it was not a modern tank. It lacked an engine, suspension, and a practical modern weapons system. The drawing represents a Renaissance concept for a mobile armored platform.
Some modern discussions mention a possible gearing error that would make the vehicle move backward. Whether this was deliberate, accidental, or simply unresolved in the sketch is debated; it does not change the wooden structural material shown in the design.