Leonardo da Vinci designed an armored tank with a conical armored body and room for eight soldiers.
Leonardo drew the fighting vehicle around 1487–1488 while working for Ludovico Sforza in Milan. The vehicle resembled a low, covered platform with sloping armor and a circular arrangement of light cannons. Its conical shape was intended to deflect incoming missiles, while the crew inside could fire through openings around the perimeter.
The design was powered by cranks connected to wheels. A commonly discussed problem is that the gear arrangement shown in the drawing would make the vehicle move backward rather than forward. Some historians have suggested that this may have been deliberate, perhaps to prevent unauthorized use, although Leonardo may also simply have made an error.
It was a concept rather than a fielded tank. Modern tanks use engines, tracks or advanced suspension, and enclosed weapons systems. Leonardo’s vehicle is still notable as an early attempt to combine armor, mobility and all-around firepower in one machine.