Armor of the Great War

[Geek44]

If that's the case it must be in Canberra. I've been there three times and I've never seen the A7V, the Komet or the Bf 109 K they reportedly have. Actually, I've seen pics of the Komet...it looks like it was painted by a kid the restoration is so bad.

[MAGNA]

The original concept.

A Landship committee was set up by Winston Churchill with the original idea of making a tracked vehicle to safely carry up to 50 men across the lines into a position to storm German trenches. The committee quickly realised such a machine would be huge and an excellent target as it would also be cumbersome.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Swinton submitted a paper about the same time stating that it was not possible to blast a way through trenches with artillery but he was certain that a caterpillar based vehicle with hardened steel plates and armed with MG's and a small gun could take on enemy MG's and gain the advantage. Swinton was rebuffed offhand by certain members of the military but he got in a word with the newly formed 'Inventions Committee' which included other experienced line officers. The new specification came along the same lines as the Landship Committee ;

- a top speed of no less than 4 MPH on flat ground
- ability to turn sharply at top speed (meaning tracked)
- the ability to reverse
- able to climb a 5 foot earth parapet with a 1 in 1 slope
- 8 foot trench crossing
- 20 mile radius of action
- crew of ten with 2 MG and one quick firing gun

The first efforts proved that certain ideas were too weak or complex. Holt tractors were first tried but the track system was designed for normal ground, not the churned up mess of the front. Little Willie was the first effort but was too high, had too little ground clearance, and no hope of crossing a trench. The rhomboidal shape of the Mk. 1 came about because of these deficiencies.

The real break through came with the invention of a light weight, pressed steel track plate. Up till that time the tracks of all types were unreliable and expensive.

Big Willie, or the Mk 1. was now on the way to reality. The 6lber (57mm) guns were offered by the navy and accepted.

The strictest secrecy surrounded the development, with some workers receiving white feathers from people who thought they were cowards for staying at home.

After trials and demonstrations the tank was accepted.

The rest of the story is of course, history.

[Geek44]

If I'm not mistaken, the code name for the project was 'tank'.

[cyberia]

You are not mistaken. The idea was to give the impression construction was of a water tank and thus, the name tank for AFV was born.

[TRDG]

And thus was born the roots of this more modern "tank war" in WW II, needless to say, I am very interested in this WW I topic!! Where was Patton and Monty again in WW I, as well as other British and German key figures of "destiny"? Might be good to post and discuss how they saw the tank in the WW I timeframe if there is any info on this.

Cheers

Tom

[MAGNA]

Here you go TRDG. George S. Patton in France - World War One, where he established the first American tank training centre at Langres in North eastern France (early 1918). I think it was the 304th Tank brigade. The volunteers were so raw Patton had to get up in the middle of the night to personally drive the first shipment of tanks off the flatcars at the railhead - he was the only man in the whole brigade who could actually drive one.

The first action, though not significant, came in the Mihiel salient. Pattons appetite was whetted. His last action in the war came in September where his tanks became seperated from the main infantry attack and ended up assaulting a German position with some infantry in support. Five tanks broke in but the infantry wasn't keen on following them. Patton and five or so volunteers charged in. Patton was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel, thus ending his war but not his passion for action and the belief that tanks had a key role in the future ("missing half my bottom but otherwise all right").

The tanks used were French Renaults as the picture of George S. shows.

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