"We're going to the beach!" Ochako cheers as she walks to the UA front gate.
"Beach!" Eri cheers.
"If you get a bad tank, I'll have my driver bring us there." Momo quietly says into Izuku's ear.
"It should be fine, almost any tank can manage all of us, and the ones that can't can at least pull a trailer to handle the rest." Izuku says confidently. "Add in Mei's tank support gear and it's perfect."
"I don't think I can trust her 'tank rocket boosters' for over an hour's drive." Momo says nervously.
"Once they are on the tank, my quirk affects them." Izuku explains. "No reliability problems and no fuel problems."
"That doesn't make me feel better." Momo admits. "Mei's devices with no guaranteed shut-off via lack of fuel seems like a recipe for disaster."
"It will be fine." Izuku says again, partially to himself as they walk out the gates.
"I expect some WW1 era french heap." Tsu says as Izuku raises his arms into the air.
"Well, that's modern." Ochako says in awe of the machine in front of them.
"It is!" Momo shouts with excitement. "We are bringing this to the garage on the way back. I need to see this engine."
"Eh, the transmission is probably more interesting." Izuku says, "turbine engines are nothing special, but to use one to drive a tank of all things."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Ochako asks.
"A mix." Izuku begins. "Turbines are wonderful under load, so the tank moves well for its size and weight. But turbines are not good at idle. They consume almost as much fuel and create just as much heat."
"And tanks spend a lot of time at idle, using the engine to power the electronics while waiting for a target." Momo adds.
"That's terrible, but we do have a beach to go to." Tsu says from the top of the turret.
"Let's go!" Ochako cheers, grabbing Eri and jumping onto the tank.
"So, what is it anyway?" Tsu asks over the internal com as they merge onto the highway.
"It's an M1 Abrams, the main American tank since the 1980s." Izuku begins.
"They still use it?" Tsu asks in shock.
"Yes, with the arrival of quirks, tanks were deemed obsolete, and no new ones were developed, the remnants of the army just kept them going though." Izuku explains, "Though they use the M1A6 now compared to the M1A1 we are riding in."
"What improvements have they made?" Momo asks.
"Better armor, better engines, I believe they have a hydrogen fueled turbine now, it's actually less efficient than the original, but hydrogen can be manufactured anywhere with water and energy." Izuku says.
"What makes this tank special?" Ochako asks.
"It's heavy, the heaviest in service today. And it's rather fast in a straight line." Izuku says.
After a pause where everyone waits for him to continue, Tsu says: "That's it?"
"It's a main battle tank, it's also what most people think of when they think tank. It does its job, but it isn't that special. Honestly it's overhyped. This tank was chosen more because of politics than how good a design it was." Izuku says.
"I see, what's a better tank of its era?" Ochako asks.
"Now that is a very dangerous question." Izuku begins. "The German Leopard 2 is definitely the most popular western tank, while the British Challenger 2 has better protection. Post Cold War tanks are all similar in strength and the increased cost of making them combined with the lower demand and longer life cycles means it's not really the exciting field it was in the world wars era."
"Longer life cycle?" Tsu asks.
"Tanks in the second world war were up to date for a year at best before needing upgrades, post war there was a short arms race before it all settled down with main battle tanks. The world only saw 3 to 4 generations of them before quirks arrived, some countries only managed the 2nd generation." Momo lectures.
"Oh, how sad." Ochako comments glumly.
"Perhaps, but the lack of great power conflict that let this happen is definitely a good thing." Izuku says.
"So all the good tanks were made during wars?" Tsu asks.
"Most of them." Izuku admits.
"Fiction has some interesting tanks." Momo says.
"It does, but I haven't gotten a fictional tank yet, so don't have high expectations." Izuku says.
"Perhaps in a parallel universe." Eri says in an odd tone, staring off in random direction.
"Where did you learn about those?" Ochako asks.
"Learn about what?" Eri responds.
"Traffic." Izuku sighs as the tank comes to a halt.
"Can't we go over them?" Ochako asks.
"We are heroes." Tsu says.
"If we put on masks do you think they won't notice?" Momo asks.
"We are in a tank." Tsu says.
"You have a point." Momo responds sadly.
"Oh crap. Momo! Make a sign telling people to stay back, hot exhaust!" Izuku shouts in a panic.
"Done, but why?" Momo says as she pulls a sign out of her stomach.
"It's a jet engine! Cars are not built to handle that kind of heat!" Izuku panics.
"I'll set it up real quick." Momo says, climbing out onto the engine deck.
Unfortunately for several aggressive drivers, tailgating a turbine powered tank does bad things to a car. Plastic bits warped and one car's wipers melted onto the windscreen. But in the end they made it to the beach and had a good time. Izuku endured the glares of many men for being with a group of girls and Eri enjoyed the compliments of many of the women on the beach for her cute swimsuit.
AN: Well, there's your modern tank. If you guys didn't notice I don't really like the M1, but any tank enthusiast would have guessed that, while the M1 and German WW2 monsters are popular and interesting to the average person, the cultured enthusiast finds their own niche, mine is the weird tanks, while some love the surprisingly good and others the innovative.
My word there were a lot of reviews since the last chapter... The time has come for fictional tanks, I have some ideas, if no other idea sticks out first, expect it next. But then again, my ideas row on my spreadsheet for this is already very long...