The 6 Ton Tank, officially known as the M1917, was a copy of the French Renault FT-17 tank. Because France and America had different engineering standards, many changes had to be made to the M1917s before they could enter service. In the 6 Ton Tank, the steel-rimmed wooden idler wheels of the FT-17 were replaced …
Category Archives: World War One Tanks
A7V Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagen
The A7V Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagen was the only tank made by Germany, then the German Empire, during WWI. 100 of them were ordered, but only 25 were actually built. The German authorities at the time could not see the usefulness of the tank, and by the time they did realize it was already too late. This tank …
Char d’Assaut Schneider CA1 Heavy Tank
The Char d’Assaut (Assault Tank) Schneider CA1 was France’s first production tank and, like the first tanks of other countries, it was a basic box shape on top of an American tractor, in this case the popular Holt. Still, despite being a basic box, this French tank does show a little more grace in its …
Ford 3 Ton Tank (Two-Man Tank)
During World War I, American forces in France used either French light tanks or British heavy tanks. In 1918, Ford copied the design of the French Renault FT-17 to create an American two-man tank, the Ford 3 Ton Tank. Although it was called a tank, it was really a machine gun carrier. The Ford 3 …
LK I Light Tank
The LK I was a German light tank that was designed to be simple and easy to produce. Its designer was Joseph Vollmer. Vollmer also had a hand in the creation of the A7V Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagen. Designed in 1918, the LK I, or Leichte Kampfwagen I, had a layout like that of a typical car. It …
LK II Light Tank
The LK II light tank was Germany’s upgraded version of the LK II. Like the LK I, the LK II only existed as a prototype. The LK II light tank had thicker armor than the LK I. This increased the LK II’s weight by almost two tons. The LK II also had a bigger main …
Mark I Heavy Tank (“Big Willie”, “Mother”)
In 1916, Tritton and Wilson, who also designed the Number One Lincoln Machine, or Little Willie, designed a tank that could mount a step that was 4 and a half feet (1.37 meters) high and cross a trench that was 8 and half feet (2.6 meters) wide, as newly required by the British War Office. …
Continue reading “Mark I Heavy Tank (“Big Willie”, “Mother”)”
Mark II and Mark III Heavy Tanks
Britain’s 150 Mark I heavy tanks performed so well that Commander in Chief Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig ordered 1,000 more tanks built. The first 50 of these new tanks were Mark II heavy tanks, half of which were male and half of which were female. Some minor improvements were made to the Mark II, …
Mark IV Heavy Tank
The Mark IV heavy tank was designed in October 1916 and produced between March and April 1917. {avsplayer videoid=3 playerid=1} The first time the Mark IV saw action was at the Battle of Messines Ridge on June 7, 1917. However, the Mark IV heavy tank is most famous for its performance at the Battle of …
Mark V Heavy Tank
The Mark V Heavy Tank was the first of the British heavy tanks to require only one driver. This was because it had a new four-speed epicyclic gearbox, which was designed by W.G. Wilson. Other improvements included better ventilation and improved visibility for the crew. A new 150hp Ricardo engine powered the Mark V. While …
Mark VIII Heavy Tank
The production of the Mark VIII heavy tank, also known as the International, was supposed to have been a joint venture between Britain and the United States. Together, the two countries planned to build 4,450 Mark VIIIs as well as 2,000 Mark Xs. The design of the Mark X was never finished. Of all the …
Medium A Whippet
The Medium A, or the Whippet, was the only British medium tank that ever saw action during World War I. It was also known as the Tritton Chaser, because it was designed by Sir William Tritton. The Whippet was produced by William Foster’s factory, which was in Lincoln, England. It was designed in November 1916, …