Leonardo da Vinci’s armored vehicle is widely described as an early tank because it used a conical armored body and internal drive mechanisms.
Leonardo designed the fighting vehicle in the late fifteenth century, probably during his service to Ludovico Sforza in Milan. The machine had a broad, conical cover inspired partly by a tortoise shell. Sloping armor could help deflect incoming projectiles, while openings around the structure allowed weapons to fire outward.
The surviving drawing shows several crew members operating cranks connected to wheels. The concept is often called a tank, but it was not a modern tracked vehicle and there is no strong evidence that Leonardo’s machine was built for Renaissance warfare. A frequently discussed problem is that the gearing in the familiar drawing would make the wheels turn in conflicting directions. Some historians think this may have been deliberate, while others regard it as a design error or an unfinished concept.