T A N K T A N K
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Mk I Infantry Tank
The Mark I was the world's first true tank and was intended to break the stalemate of trench warfare on the Western Front. They were designed to withstand the machine gun and small arms fire in ‘No Man's Land’, so they could goon and attack enemy positions, and to achieve this a rhomboidal shape with the tracks running round the outside was chosen as the best solution to negotiate the terrain, barbed wire, and trenches, and because of the height necessary for this shape the armament was arranged in sponsons on the tanks’ side. Two types were produced, the ‘Males’ were armed with a 6 pounder 
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 28 tons Dimensions: Length 32 ft 6 ins, Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 11 ins Powerplant: 1 x 150 hp Daimler petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 3.7 mph, Range 23 miles Armament: 2 x 57 mm guns, 3 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm Crew: 8
cannon and three machine guns, while ‘Females’ were armed with up to 6 machine guns only. They entered service in July 1916, and first used during the fighting on the Somme at Flers- Courcelette on the 15th September, where 49 set out to attack enemy positions, but only a few reached their objectives, although these did manage to dislodge the terrified German infantry from their trenches. The most successful was tank Dl which reached the outskirts of Delville Wood and captured a number of German soldiers, but was then disabled by a shell hit making it the first tank casualty in history.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 150
The Lincoln No. 1 Machine Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, Major Ernest Swinton was sent to France to report on the war. He observed the early battles and saw how the machine gun dominated the battlefield. This had resulted in the stalemate of trench warfare, so in November 1914 he put forward the idea of an armed armoured tractor which would be capable of advancing over no-man’s land and neutralise the enemy’s machine guns. The idea was rejected by the War Office, but Winston Churchill, who was the First Lord of the Admiralty at the time. seized upon the idea and approved the formation of a Landship Committee to S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 16.5 tons Dimensions: Length 26 ft 6 ins, Width 9 ft 4 ins, Height 8 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x 105 hp Foster-Daimler petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 2 mph, Range 18 miles Proposed Armament: 1 x 40 mm gun, 2 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 6 design and build such a machine. A specification was quickly prepared, and in July 1915 Foster & Company of Lincoln, were given the contract to develop the machine. The design was based on the track and suspension unit of a Bullock Creeping Grip Tractor that had been purchased from America, while a wheeled tail unit was included to assist steering. In September the vehicle, complete with a mock-up turret, was ready for testing, but during trials the tracks produced too much ground resistance when turning which caused an excessive turning circle that was deemed unacceptable for the battlefield. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 T A N K Medium B Tank ‘Whippet’ In response to William Trittons’ Medium A ‘Whippet’ tank, Major Walter Wilson, who had been responsible for the development of the early tanks alongside Tritton, decided he would design a similar tank as a replacement. He chose a similar layout to the Mk A, but used the rhomboid shape and all-round tracks of the heavy tanks to overcome the poor cross-country performance of Tritton’s machine. The tank would be powered by a cut-down version of the Ricardo engine rated at 100 hp that was housed in a separate compartment at the rear of the tank, along with his epicyclic transmission system. The fighting compartment S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 18 tons Dimensions: Length 22 ft 9 ins, Width 8 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 6 ins Powerplant: 1 x 4 cylinder 100 hp Ricardo petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 6 mph, Range 40 miles Armament: 4 x 7.7 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 4 was at the front with two versions planned, a male armed with a 2 pounder and machine guns, and the female with only a machine gun armament. The original designs were completed in late 1917, but by March 1918 the idea of the male version had been dropped. The War Office placed an order for 450 in mid 1918 before the prototype had even been completed, but by the time of the Armistice only 102 had been completed or were under construction, at which point the remainder of the order was cancelled. 45 tanks were taken over by the army, but the fate of the remainder is unknown. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 102
Mk VIII ‘International’ Tank
When America came into the war on the side of the Allies in April 1917, the industrial powerhouse of that nation became fully available for production of war material. In the U.S. they had already been producing arms for the allies but had few designs of their own. The Mk VIII ‘International’ tank (named Liberty Tank by the Americans) was an Anglo-American collaboration intended to equip the armies of the U.K., U.S.A. and France for the planned offensives in 1919. Design work began in 1917, and retained many features of the British Mk I-V series, but with wider tracks and an increase in length to give
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 37 tons Dimensions: Length 34 ft 3 ins, Width 12 ft 4 ins, Height 10 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x Ricardo or Liberty 300 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 5 mph, Range 30 miles Armament: 2 x 6 pounder guns, 7 × 7.7 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 16 mm Crew: 10-12
the vehicle better trench crossing capability. The lessons of earlier tanks had been learned, as the interior of the tank was compartmentalised with a separate engine room at the back. The tank was to be powered by a V12 engine, preferably the 300 hp water cooled V12 American Liberty engine. It was planned that 4,500 tanks would be assembled in France from hulls, armament and armour supplied from Britain and American, with manufacture beginning in the Autumn of 1918, but by the time of the Armistice in November only seven had been built in the UK and one in the US.
Country of Origin: USA & UK Number Built: 125
‘Little Willie’
To overcome the problems encountered with the Lincoln No 1 machine, the suspension unit was lengthened and modified with a more curved bottom profile and the tracks redesigned.  As a cover for its intended use, a rumour was started that the vehicle was a mobile water tank intended for the frontline troops, and it is from this the word ‘tank’ became synonymous for these types of armoured vehicles, even after their true role on the battlefield had been revealed in 1916. On completion of the modifications the vehicle proved to have better handling and was promptly named ‘Little Willie’, a paronym of the
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 16.5 tons Dimensions: Length 26 ft 6 ins, Width 9 ft 4 ins, Height 8 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x 105 hp Foster-Daimler petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 2 mph, Range 18 miles Proposed Armament: 1 x 40 mm gun, 2 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 6
German Kaiser Wilhelm II. and in the autumn of 1915 was paraded in front of high ranking officials of the War Office. In the meantime work was already underway for a successor to Little Willie, and following a suggestion in the summer design work had commenced for a tank that had tracks that ran all around the vehicle on a rhomboid frame. This was later named ‘Mother’ and became the  prototype for the Mk I infantry tank which were first used during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Little Willie was preserved for posterity after the war, and is today on display at The Bovington Tank Museum.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1
Mk IV Infantry Tank After the introduction of the Mk I tank in 1916, it was the Mk IV that was next put into quantity production. Improvements to the design were made following the experiences encountred on the battlefield. Escape hatches for the crew were fitted in the roof and sides, while the engine was fitted with a silencer and improved cooling introduced. Even so the interior was still a noisy, hot, cramped and dark environment in which to fight. An ‘unditching' beam was carried on the hull roof with rails to carry it clear of the cupol, while the armour was improved to keep out the new German tungsten-cored ant-tank rifle S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 28.5 tons Dimensions: Length 26 ft 4 ins, Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x 150 hp Daimler petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 3.7 mph, Range 22 miles Armament: 6 x 0.303 inch Lewis machine guns (female) Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm Crew: 8 rounds. Anther modification was the shortening of the barrel length of the 6 pounder guns from the original 40 calibres to 23. The Mk IV began to enter service in June 1917, and achieved one of its most notable engagements when when they were used en masse at Cambrai on the 21st November and quickly broke through the Hindenburg Line. This success however was not followed up by the infantry, and all the ground overrun was soon retaken by the Germans. In total 420 Male and 595 Female Mk IVs were built and were used from the summer of 1917 until the end of the war. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1,215
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Char d’Assault Saint-Chamond The Char d’Assault Saint-Chamond was chiefly designed by Colonel Rimailho, and was basically an armoured box that housed a 75 mm gun at the front, all of which was fitted on a lengthened Holt tractor chassis. A 90 hp Panhard petrol engine was fitted centrally within the armoured compartment, which in turn generated power for electric motors that drove each track. Even with the lengthened chassis, the superstructure still overhung by a considerable distance at the nose and tail, a distinct disadvantage which would make the vehicle prone to stranding over the rough terrain of the battlefield. Despite S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 22.6 tons Dimensions: Length 28 ft 11 ins, Width 8 ft 9 ins, Height 7 ft 9 ins Powerplant: 1 x Panhard 90 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 7.5 mph, Range 18.5 miles Armament: 1 x 75 mm mle field gun, 4 x 8 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 17 mm Crew: 9 these shortcomings 400 Char d’Assault Saint-Chamond, as they were named, were ordered in early 1917. Production began in March and the Saint-Chamond tank was first used in action at Laffaux Mill on the 5th May 1917. Sixteen were deployed, but most were immobilised when they became stuck crossing the first trenches, only three being destroyed by enemy gunfire. Interest in the tank began to fade by the head of the French tank force, Colonel Estienne, although they would be used in several other actions, but with the arrival of the Renault FT light tank in late 1917 they were withdrawn from the offensive role. Country of Origin: France Number Built: 400 T A N K Medium A Tank ‘Whippet’ On the 3rd October 1916, William Tritton, who had played a large role in developing the Mark I tank, proposed that he could build a faster and cheaper tank that could be used to exploit any breakthrough that the heavier tanks made. The idea was accepted by the War Office and construction on the prototype started in December. He adopted the layout of an armoured car, with the crew in a separate fighting compartment with an armed rotating turret above, this however was thought to be to complex and would delay production, and as a consequence it was dropped. The design used two Tylor JB4 London bus S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 14 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 4 ins, Width 8 ft 7 ins, Height 9 ft Powerplant: 2 x 50 hp Tylor petrol engines Performance: Maximum speed 8 mph, Range 40 miles Armament: 4 x 7.7 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 3 engines, each driving one set of tracks, a steering wheel being fitted inside the cab that was connected to the throttles which closed one and opened up the other allowing the vehicle to be steered. Named Whippet, 200 were ordered which began to enter service in late 1917. They were first used during the German Spring Offensive in 1918 where they covered the British retreat, but when the allies finally halted the German offensive they were used with great effect during the Allied counter-offensive on the 8th August 1918, which was later described as ‘the Black Day of the German Army’. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 200 T A N K
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Renault FT17 Light Tank
The Renault FT17 light tank came about mainly through the persistence of the French Army Colonel Jean-Baptiste Estienne, the design of which would influence tanks for nearly a century. It was designed as a lightweight tank that offered better mobility and speed than the lumbering medium and heavy tanks in service with the allies. They were the first use of a fully rotating turret armed with a 37 mm cannon or an 8 mm machine gun which reduced the need to duplicate the armament, while the engine was mounted in the rear of the hull. They required a crew of only two, the driver at the front
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 7.2 tons   Dimensions: Length 16 ft 5 ins, Width 5 ft 9 ins, Height 7 ft Powerplant: 1 x Renault 39 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 5 mph, Range 37 miles  Armament: 1 x Hotchkiss 8 mm machine gun or 1 x 37mm gun Armour: Maximum thickness 22 mm Crew: 2
and the commander behind in the turret who also manned the gun. Despite its advanced design Renault had difficulty in getting approval for the vehicle, but were finally allowed to place the FT17 into production, but by the end of 1917 only 84 had been produced, although a further 2,613 would be delivered in 1918, and in total 3,694 were eventually built in France, with a further 950 under license in the U.S.A. The FT17 was first used in action on the 31st May 1918, the type proving to be highly capable machines, with 550 still listed as being on strength with French forces in 1939.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 4,644
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Mk V ‘Star’ Infantry Tank In an attempt to defeat the tank threat, the German Army began digging trenches on the Hindenburg Line which were wider than the British tanks' 10 feet trench crossing capability. To counter this, Sir William Tritton developed the Tadpole Tail, an extension of the tracks to be fitted to the back of a tank, this lengthened the tank by about 9 feet. It was hoped that the longer tank could carry a squad of ten infantrymen, but the conditions inside were so extreme that the men became ill, that became unfit to fight. Major Philip Johnson of the Central Tank Corps Workshops then devise a plan of his own. He cut a S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 33 tons Dimensions: Length 32 ft 4 ins, Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x 225 hp Ricardo petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 4.6 mph, Range 45 miles Armament: 2 x 6 pounder guns, 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm, Crew: 8 Payload: 10 troops or 3,000 lbs of stores Mark IV in half and inserted three extra panels, lengthening the hull by six feet. The idea was accepted and adapted for the Mk V, the design becoming the Mark V ‘Star’. The new tank had a reshaped rear cupola and two extra machine-gun mounts, a door in each side of the hull with a further machine-gun mount in each. 500 Males and 200 Females were ordered, 579 being built by the time of the Armistice and the order for the rest cancelled. Conditions inside theMk V ‘Star’ was still intollerable for the uninitiated and they were never used to carry troops, instead being used as standard tanks or as cargo carriers. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 645 Mk IV ‘Tadpole’ Infantry Tank During the winter of 1916/17, the German Army constructed a formidable set of fortifications and strongpoints behind their lines which they withdrew too during Fenbruary and March 1917. Known as the Hindenberg Line they had dug trenches 11 to 12 feet wide, which was greater than the 10 feet trench crossing capability of the British tanks in service. In an attempt to improve trench-crossing capability, Sir William Tritton, one of the intial designers of the Mk I developed the Tadpole Tail. An extension to the rear track horns was ifitted which lengthened the tank by about 9 feet. It was also hoped that the longer tank S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 29 tons Dimensions: Length 35 ft Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x 150 hp Daimler petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 3.7 mph, Range 22 miles Armament: 6 x 0.303 inch Lewis machine guns (female) Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm Crew: 8 could carry a squad of ten infantrymen inside, giving them protection as they crossed No-Mans Land and then disembark when they reached their objective and attack the enemy troops. During trials with a prototype the vehicle was capable of crossing the wider trenches, but the track extensions proved insufficiently rigid and the tank’s turning circle was excessive. Conditions inside the tank were also too extreme for the uninitiated infantrymen, making them nauseous and ill that they would be incapable of fighting. The idea of the Tadpole tank was soon dropped in favour of the Mk V*. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 2 Mk V Infantry Tank The Mk IV tank of 1917 was a significant better machine than the Mk I of the previous year, but for 1918 a new tank was proposed. Although it looked similar from the outside, the Mk V that emerged was a completely new design and a vast improvement over its predecessors. One major improvement was the use of a new engine designed by the engineer Harry Ricardo for specific use in a tank. The new engine reduced smoke emissions and was 50% more powerful than the Daimler used before, giving the tank a speed of 5 mph. An improved steering mechanism and epicyclical transmission S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 29.5 tons Dimensions: Length 26 ft 6 ins, Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x 150 hp Ricardo petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 5 mph, Range 45 miles Armament: 2 x 6 pounder guns, 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 8 system was also installed that allowed just one man to drive the vehicle rather than four. Frontal armour was increased to 14 mm, while a raised cab was fitted at the rear for a machine gunner to protect an area that had previously proved to be vulnerable. The Mark V became available in numbers during the summer of 1918, and were first used in action on the 4th July at the Battle of Hamel where they acquitted themselves well. The Mark V was to serve in British and American units until the end of World War One, and remained in service with the British Tank Corps until the mid 1920s. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 400
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Mk V ‘Two Star’ Infantry Tank One of the effects of lengthening the Mark V into the Mk V Star was its original length to width ratio was spoiled, causing tracks to be thrown and a turning circle that was unacceptably high. Never the less the MK V Star was placed in production and over 600 were built. In an attempt to cure this problem Major Wilson redesigned the tracks in the spring of 1918 , giving them a stronger curve which reduced ground contact, but increased ground pressure as a trade-off and widened them to 26 ½ inches. The original 150 hp Ricardo engine of the Mk V was bored out to produce 225 hp, this then being placed further S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 33 tons Dimensions: Length 32 ft 4 ins, Width 12 ft 10 ins, Height 8 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x 225 hp Ricardo petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 4.6 mph, Range 45 miles Armament: 2 x 6 pounder guns, 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm, Crew: 8 Payload: 10 troops or 3,000 lbs of stores back in the hull. The internal layout was also rearranged, the driver’s cabin being combined with the commander's cabin with a separate machine gun position in the back. This version became known as the Mk V Two Star, and an order for 900 was placed in the summer of 1918, this order later being revised to 700 tanks (150 Females and 550 Males). Only 25 had been built by the time of the Armistice in November 1918, with 197 being eventually completed by the time the order was cancelled. The Mk V Two Star was never deployed in action, most going straight from the factory to the scrapheap. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 197 T A N K
Sturmpanzerwagen A7V
After German troops encountered British tanks for the first time in September 1916, the German High Command set about on a tank of their own which resulted in the A7V. The design was based on the running gear of the American Holt tractor on which a large box compartment was fitted that housed the crew, engine and armament that consisted of a 5.7 cm cannon and six machine guns. Protection was provided by 30 mm steel plates to the front, 20 mm plates to the sides, and 10 mm for the roof, however the steel was not hardened and was only proof against machine gun and rifle fire. Eighteen men
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 32 tons   Dimensions: Length 24 ft 1 ins, Width 10 ft, Height 10 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 2 x Daimler-Benz 100 hp petrol engines   Performance: Maximum speed 9 mph, Range 50 miles  Armament: 1 x 5.7 cm cannon, 6 x 7.92 mm machine guns  Armour: Maximum thickness 30 mm Crew: 18
were required to man the tank, fourteen of which manned the cannon and six machine guns. The prototype was completed in early 1917 abut during trials it was soon apparent that the design lacked the ability to operate on the western front, easily becoming stuck in any type of heavy ground. The German High Command were aware that they did not have time to produce an improved design, so in late 1917 they placed an order for 100 but only one third built, and only twenty of these were armed. The A7V was first used in action on the 21st March 1918 at the start of Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 20
T A N K Medium C Tank ‘Hornet’ Once it became known that Major Wilson was developing the Medium B tank as a replacement for his Medium A ‘Whippet’, William Tritton ordered his chief designer to produce a rival, the Medium Mk C. The drawings were approved in April 1918 and the prototype completed in August, a few weeks before the Medium B. The design was great improvement over previous designs, in particular the conditions for the crew who were now grouped in one compartment with voice tubes connecting each position. One man could now control the tank, and the commander was given a small rotating cupola at the back of S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 20 tons Dimensions: Length 25 ft 10 ins, Width 8 ft 4 ins, Height 9 ft 6 in Powerplant: 1 x 150 hp Ricardo petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 8 mph, Range 140 miles Armament: 4 x 7.7 mm machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 4 the turret where he had a good view. The engine was isolated in a compartment at the rear, which reduced the noise level and smoke inside the vehicle. The suspension however was still primitive, the tracks running around the hull over unsprung bogies, and as a result the speed was relatively low with a maximum of 8 mph. Production began in September 1918 with an order for 200, which was increased in October to 6,000, but with the signing of the Armistice in November the order was cancelled and only fifty were built which were used by the 2nd Tank Battalion of the Tank Corps. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 50 T A N K Medium D Tank By mid 1918, the quest for a faster medium tank begun to dominate the thinking of the Tank Corps staff. In 1917 Major Philip Johnson, suggested the idea of fitting springs to a Medium A Whippet tank in an effort to improve performance. Johnson fitted sprung rollers to a Whippet in place of the original rigid rollers which showed a distinct improvement in running, and in February I918 replaced the two Tylor engines with a Rolls-Royce aero engine and an epicyclic transmission unit. The Medium At was considerably modified to achieve this, but when trialled gave an impressive performance and reached S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 20 tons Dimensions: Length 30 ft, Width 9 ft 2 ins, Height 10 ft Powerplant: 1 x 240 hp Siddeley Puma engine Performance: Maximum speed 25 mph, Range 200 miles Armament: 3 x 7.7 mm Hotchkiss machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 4 speeds of 20-30 m.p.h. Design and development work on the Medium D commenced in mid-1918, but by the time of the Armistice had only reached the mock-up stage. The design of the tank had the fighting compartment at the front, the track outline being lower here to provide better forward vision and fields of fire. The project was allowed to continue at a slow pace, but in mid 1919 the prototype was ready ready, and powered by a 240 hp siddeley Puma engine achieved a speed of 25 mph, although when running at speed the new ‘snake’ tracks had a tendency to throw off individual shoes. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 4 T A N K Vickers Medium Tank Vickers had long been associated with the armaments industry but had never built a tank, but as a private venture opened a design office in Sheffield and recruited their own experts. Their first design closely followed the machines of World War One but with a revolving turret, and from this they developed the Vickers Light Tank Mk I. The Mk I had a revolving turret for the main gun and a high speed for the time of 15 mph, the only shortfall was the thin armour, but as they were only expected to be used in a policing role around the empire it was considered adequate. Armament consisted of a Vickers 3 S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 14 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 6 ins, Width 9 ft 2 ins, Height 8 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Armstrong-Siddeley 90 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 16 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 3 pounder gun, 3 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 5 pounder gun and three 0.303 inch Vickers machine guns. Under trials the vehicle performed well, and with very few modifications was accepted for service with the British Army with the first deliveries to the Royal Tank Corps commencing in 1924 with whm they were reclassified as medium Tanks. Minor improvements resulted in the Mk II which appeared in 1925. These included thicker armour and an armoured skirt for the suspension. They remained the mainstay of the British Army for nearly fifteen years, and were not phased out of front line service until 1939, a few being used as static pillboxes in 1940. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 200 T A N K Vickers Medium II Box Tank Several Vickers Medium tanks were modified during the 1920/30s for other purposes. Between 1926 and 1929 three prototypes were produced for experiments conducted in the field of mechanised warfare of a self-propelled gun. Known as the Birch Gun, the Mk I was armed with an Ordnance quick-firing 18 pounder, while the Mk II had the chassis lengthened and was armed with a 75 mm gun on a high angle mounting. Two other vehicles are of note. The Medium II Box Tank was a single vehicle converted from a Medium II in 1928 into a Command Tank which was achieved by removing the turret S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 14 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 6 ins, Width 9 ft 2 ins, Height 8 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Armstrong-Siddeley 90 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 16 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 5 from the fighting compartment and fitting a large rectangular superstructure, and its only armament was a single machine gun in a ball mount in the front of that armoured box. Two radio sets were carried, a short range set for tactical communications and a long range one to contact higher levels. The Box tank was first used by a battalion commander and from 1931 by the Brigade Commander. In 1931 another command tank was converted by replacing the main armament with a dummy gun and fixing the turret in place, allowing an additional wireless set to be fitted in the space gained. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 T A N K A1 ‘Independent’ Tank In 1924 the General Staff of the British Army ordered a prototype of a heavy tank which would be free-ranging and have multiple turrets similar to a warship. Vickers were approached to design and build the tank who incorporated a number of new features which would later become standard for a tank, while the layout would become standard with a central fighting compartment, the engine at the rear and the driver at the front. The independent was powered by new Armstrong Siddeley 398 hp V12 air-cooled engine which gave the tank a speed of 20 mph, while a new hydraulic braking S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 31.5 tons Dimensions: Length 26 ft 6 ins, Width 10 ft 6 ins, Height 8 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Armstrong-Siddeley 398 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 20 mph, Range 93 miles Armament: 1 x 3 pounder gun, 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 30 mm Crew: 8 system was developed due to the weight and speed of the tank. The main armament was a 3 pounder (47 mm) gun, which was housed in a centrally located turret, around which were four subsidiary turrets armed with a 0.303 inch machine gun, two to the front and two to the rear. The prototype was delivered to the War Office in 1926 for trials, and although the idea of the ‘Independent’ was good in theory, the practical problems of weight, command and control did not make it viable. The cost being a distinct disadvantage, as you could build five Vickers mediums for the price of one ‘Independent’. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 T A N K Vickers Medium E Tank The Vickers Medium Mk E was a speculative design that first appeared in 1928, and by British standards was a light tank. The suspension was through double bogies with leaf springs and the track had four return rollers. It was an excellent design, having a low profile, mechanically simple, and well armed and armoured for its size. Other innovations included a firewall between the engine and the crew compartment, and an inter-communication system for the crew. The tank was powered by an 87 hp Armstrong Siddeley Puma engine, which gave it a speed of 22 mph on roads. They were first offered to the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 7.3 tons Dimensions: Length 15 ft, Width 7 ft 11 ins, Height 6 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Armstrong-Siddeley 87 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 20 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: 1 x 3 pounder gun, 1 x 0.303 inch machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 13 mm Crew: 3 British Army, who after trials failed to place an order, feeling the suspension was too weak, although financial reasons must have been a major problem as the tank was superior to the Vickers Medium then currently in service. As a result they were placed on the open market and proved to be a commercial success for Vickers, being sold to many countries that including China, Bulgaria, Finland, Portugal, Thailand, Bolivia and Greece during the 1930s. Other customers who also bought the tank were Russia and Poland who based their T26 and 7TP tanks respectively on the design.  Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 153 T A N K The Lincoln No. 1 Machine Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, Major Ernest Swinton was sent to France to report on the war. He observed the early battles and saw how the machine gun dominated the battlefield. This had resulted in the stalemate of trench warfare, so in November 1914 he put forward the idea of an armed armoured tractor which would be capable of advancing over no-man’s land and neutralise the enemy’s machine guns. The idea was rejected by the War Office, but Winston Churchill, who was the First Lord of the Admiralty at the time. seized upon the idea and approved the formation of a Landship Committee to S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 16.5 tons Dimensions: Length 19 ft, Width 9 ft, Height 8 ft Powerplant: 1 x 105 hp Foster-Daimler petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 2 mph, Range 18 miles Proposed Armament: 1 x 40 mm gun, 6 x 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum 10 mm Crew: 6 design and build such a machine. A specification was quickly prepared, and in July 1915 Foster & Company of Lincoln, were given the contract to develop the machine. The design was based on the track and suspension unit of a Bullock Creeping Grip Tractor that had been purchased from America, while a wheeled tail unit was included to assist steering. In September the vehicle, complete with a mock-up turret, was ready for testing, but during trials the tracks produced too much ground resistance when turning which caused an excessive turning circle that was deemed unacceptable for the battlefield. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1 Vickers Medium Tank ‘16 Tonner’ In 1926 the British War Office issued a requirement for a tank that would replace the Vickers Medium that had recently entered service. The specification called for the tank to be armed with a gun capable of defeating enemy armour at 1,000 yds, increased armour protection, and the capability of being transported by rail. The engine was to be in a separate compartment and a radio was to be incorporated. A weight limit of 15½ tons was specified which led to the unofficial nickname of ‘16 tonner’. A further requirement was that the machine should be as silent as possible. In September Vickers S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 16 tons Dimensions: Length 21 ft 6 ins, Width 8 ft 9 ins, Height 9 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x Armstrong-Siddeley 180 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 20 mph, Range 120 miles Armament: 1 x 3 pounder gun, 3 or 4 0.303 inch machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 7 were chosen to design and build a prototype which was given the designation A6. In 1927 approval was given to build two prototypes with different transmission systems, while a third was ordered the folowing year. When they underwent trials major problems of the design soon appeared, mainly with the suspension which was prone to breaking over rough terrain, while the gunnery arrangements were inferior to the Vickers Mark II. As a result development work was transferred to the Vickers Medium Mk III, and the three prototypes ended their careers as test beds for automotive parts. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 3 T A N K Vickers Light Tank Mk II/III The Mk.II was closely based on the Mk.IA, but had a larger hull and a roomier fighting compartment. They were powered by a 66 hp, Rolls-Royce engine which were positioned on the right hand side of the tank, the driver and turret being on the left. The turret was rectangular in shape and could accommodate a radio at the rear. In total 16 Mk II, 29 Mk IIA and 21 Mk IIBs were built, the latter versions being modified for service in India and introduced an improved cooling system and a more powerful 85 hp Meadows engine. Further improvements led to the Mk III which had a revised turret and suspension in an S P E C I F I C A T I O N : (Mk III) Vehicle Weight: 4 tons Dimensions: Length 11 ft 9 ins, Width 6 ft 3 in, Height 6 ft 7 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 85 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 130 miles Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch Vickers machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm Crew: 2 attempt to cure stability problems. 42 were built for the British army and were all sent to India where they were used to police the troublesome tribal areas, especially on the North-West frontier. By 1941 many of the Mk II and Mk III light tanks had been shipped to East Africa where they took part in operations against Italian forces in Abyssinia and Eritrea, a few also being used in Egypt. After Japan entered the war in December 1941, Mk II and Mk III tanks were sent back to India where they were used by Indian troops to guard the border with Burma, but in late 1943 they were declared obsolete and withdrawn. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 66 Mk IIs, 42 Mk IIIs T A N K Vickers Light Tank Mk I After Vickers-Armstrong acquired Carden-Loyd in 1928, they continued the development of the light tank as a commercial venture. The Vickers Light Tank Mk I was similar in design to the Carden-Loyd Mk VII tankette and differed in only a few ways. The external suspension girder was dropped by strengthening the suspension at the hull supports. The bevelled turret was replaced by a cylindrical design but still carried a single 0.303 Vickers machine gun. The vehicle was powered by the same 58 hp Meadows engine which drove the tracks though a four-speed gearbox to the front drive wheels. Armour was increased S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.8 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 2 ins, Width 6 ft 1 in, Height 5 ft 7 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 58 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 160 miles Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch Vickers machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 14 mm Crew: 2 to 14 mm, although the increased weight lowered the top speed to 32 mph. The Mk IA introduced a larger superstructure and turret and the leaf spring suspension was replaced by a Horstmann horizontal coil springs system which gave the vehicle a better ride, but under certain conditions was prone to cause an uncontrollable bounce. Five Mk I and five Mk IA tanks were built, four Mk IAs being sent to India in 1931 for service trials. In India they received several modifications to improve engine cooling in the hotter climate, along with various other ideas to reduce the heat for the crew inside the vehicle. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 10 T A N K Vickers Light Tank Mk IV The first major change to the Vickers series of light tanks was the Mk IV which appeared in 1934. This was based on an experimental design, the main changes being to the suspension which incorporated a single return roller fitted to the top of the leading bogie. This produced a distinctive triangular shape for the track path which would be followed throughout the rest of the series. The Mk IV suffered from a series of problems. Its centre of gravity was too high for its length, making it unstable. Its cross country performance was poor which was partly due to the lack of a rear idler. By the S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.3 tons Dimensions: Length 11 ft 6 ins, Width 6 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 1 in Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 88 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 36 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm Crew: 4 time the Mk IV had appeared the General Staff of the Army had realised that the armament of a single 0.303 inch machine gun was inadequate and the two man tank convept was of no real use, the commander being overwhelmed with duties having to command, use the radio and operate the machine gun by himself. The two man tank concept however would persist in the French army for far longer. Total production of the Mk IV was only 34 machines, with a few still being in service at the start of the Second World War in 1939, although they were soon declared obsolete and were then used for training. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 34 T A N K
Vickers Light Tank Mk V
The biggest change in the Vickers light tank series came with the Mk V. This introduced a larger turret and a three man crew, the extra crewman acting as the gunner and radio operator, leaving the tank commander to concentrate on his duties which improved the effectiveness of the tank, especially if he was the troop commander. To achieve the space the hull was lengthened which increased the tanks weight by half a ton, this in turn caused a drop in performance which reduced the top speed to 32 mph. The armament was also improved with a 0.5 inch Vickers machine gun being added co-axially alongside the
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.8 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft, Width 6 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 88 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 125 miles  Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch and 1 x 0.5 inch Vickers machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 12 mm Crew: 3
existing 0.303 inch weapon, giving the Mk V a reasonable capability against other light tanks and soft vehicles. A total of twenty-two were built in 1936, with the first twelve vehicles being issued to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Tank Corps (R.T.C.) for service trials. A team from Vickers were also present for the trials where the high level of co-operation between the Army and the manufacturers soon identified several problems with the tank. A number of improvements were introduced to the remaining production vehicles that made them acceptable for the R.T.C. which would lead to the Mk VI.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 22
T A N K
Vickers Light Tank Mk VI Experience gained with the Mk V led to the rapid introduction of improvements which resulted in the Mk VI which was the main production version, and final development of the series. The Mk VI incorporated a modified turret and had a more powerful engine which gave the vehicle a speed of 35 mph. Production began in 1936 and over 1,650 were built before production ceased in 1940. The main version was the Mark VIB which incorporated minor alterations to simplify production, while in late 1939 the new 15 mm Besa heavy machine gun was chosen as the main weapon for late production vehicles S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 2 ins, Width 6 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 88 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 35 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: 1 x 15 mm and 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 16 mm Crew: 3 which were designated the Mk VIC. The coaxial gun was also upgraded to the Besa 7.92 mm weapon and armour increased to a maximum of 16 mm. In 1939 the Mk VI was the most numerous tank in the British Army, and when the 1st armoured Division went to France in 1939, a third of its tanks were Mk VIs. After the Germans invaded France in May 1940, the Mark VI proved inadequate against the better armed German tanks, and of the 500 taken to France, only six returned to the U.K. After Italy entered the war in June 1940 the Mk VI was used in North Africa before being withdrawn from font line service. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1,682 of all Mks T A N K
Vickers Light Tank Mk VIC
Experience gained with the Mk V led to the rapid introduction of improvements which resulted in the Mk VI which was the main production version, and final development of the series. The Mk VI incorporated a modified turret and had a more powerful engine which gave the vehicle a speed of 35 mph. Production began in 1936 and over 1,650 were built before production ceased in 1940. The main version was the Mark VIB which incorporated minor alterations to simplify production, while in late 1939 the new 15 mm Besa heavy machine gun was chosen as the main weapon for late production vehicles
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 2 ins, Width 6 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 88 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 35 mph, Range 125 miles  Armament: 1 x 15 mm and 1 x 7.92 mm Besa machine guns Armour: Maximum thickness 16 mm Crew: 3
which were designated the Mk VIC. The coaxial gun was also upgraded to the Besa 7.92 mm weapon and armour increased to a maximum of 16 mm. In 1939 the Mk VI was the most numerous tank in the British Army, and when the 1st armoured Division went to France in 1939, a third of its tanks were Mk VIs. After the Germans invaded France in May 1940, the Mark VI proved inadequate against the better armed German tanks, and of the 500 taken to France, only six returned to the U.K. After Italy entered the war in June 1940 the Mk VI was used in North Africa before being withdrawn from font line service.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 1,682 of all Mks
T A N K
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