 |
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
German tanks in WW1 |
 |
Schwerer
Kampfwagen A7V After
British tanks went into action on 15th September, 1916, the German Army
immediately demanded their own landships.
The German High Command appointed a committee composed of experts from leading engineering companies. Josef Vollmer was eventually chosen to design the German tank that became known as the Schwerer Kampfwagen A7V. Powered by two Daimler engines, the tank was first demonstrated in the Spring Offensive of 1917. In addition to six water-cooled machine-guns, it had a 5.7-cm Sokol gun at the front of the vehicle. <<< Hat badge of the German Panzer Units. |
|
A hundred of these tanks were ordered and the first of these were ready in October 1917. The Schwerer Kampfwagen A7V was first used at St Quentin on 21st March 1918. Although some of its features, such as the sprung tracks and the thicker armour, made it better than British tanks at that time, the A7V was less successful as a battle vehicle. The main problems concerned its mechanical reliability and the difficulty it encountered crossing enemy trenches. |
