“Planes, trains, automobiles...
What-the-*****-ever! It's all about TANKS!”
Check out my ride...
It started out as a WWII tank, an M5A1 Stewart. It was a light tank originally manufactured in 1943 in Lansing, MI weighing in at 22,000 pounds. With twin Cadillac motors, it could reach a top speed of 37 mph. It was supposed to do 90 mph in the movie!
The only thing changed from the original tank was it's engines. The running gear is all original.
The tank was obtained from the Peruvian Government who had determined it was not an efficient model anymore. It held a crew of four men: a gunner, a captain, a machine gunner, and a pilot. Its seen a lot of action in the European theater.
Originally, the tank came with a 37mm anti-tank gun that was only about 5 feet long. Adapting an old flagpole, the effects crew overlaid the original barrel and came up with a simulation of a 105mm gun. Much better looking for our hardcore heroine.Dressing up the tank gave it an undeniably Tank Girl look. In the back they added a deck with a barbecue, umbrella, lawn furniture and an easy-chair. In addition to this leisure area, sights, machine guns and rocket launchers were added. Lesser weapons include bow & arrows, sling shots and water pistols.
The sides flip up revealing gavelling guns. Each contains 6 barrels that shoot one thousand rounds per minute.
All situations accounted for!
A Cadillac? Well, Kind of...
In true Tanky style, the crew grafted a Cadillac onto the front and back of the tank. The rear section of a '69 Cadillac (eldorado )was welded to the back of the tank. The Caddy's front fender was attached to the front of the tank.
They mounted a settling and propane ejectors for the jet engines which fired out large flames as the tank settled into high gear. And the propane comes in handy for that barbecue.
Rachael Talalay (the film's director) always felt the tank was more than a piece of cool hardware - it has a personality of its own. It has always been one of the stars of the comic and she wanted to keep it that way in the film. Its a cool tank and it does whatever she says - but its not cute. It has a mind of its own and the personality of an eight year old boy. The tank has every gadget you could imagine. It does a million things and its Tanky's home.
It would like nothing better than to be out blowing things up!