A7V

The A7V was a tank introduced by Germany at the end of World War I in 1918. The name is probably derived from the "Allgemeines Kriegsdepartement 7 Abteilung Verkehrswesen" (General War Department 7, Branch Transportation), although some theorize that Hauptmann Joseph Vollmer gave the V to the name. In German the tank was called "Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagen" (translating roughly as 'Storm/assault armoured motorized vehicle'). There were 100 ordered for the spring of 1918, but only 20 were delivered. They saw action from March to October that year, and were the only tanks produced by Germany in WWI.

Related Topics:
Tank - Germany - World War I - 1918 - Joseph Vollmer

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The tank had 20 mm of steel plate at the sides and 30mm at the front; however the steel was not hardened armor plate, which reduced its effectiveness. It was thick enough enough to stop machine gun and rifle fire, but not larger calibres. This offered protection comparable to the thinner armor of other tanks of the period, which used hardened steel.

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The top speed was about 15 km/h on roads and 5 km/h across country. Power came from two Daimler 4-cylinder engines delivering 100 hp (74 kW) each. The tank was over 7 metres long and 3 metres wide. The height varied up to 3 metres.

Related Topics:
Km/h - Metres

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The A7V was armed with six 7.9 mm MG08/15 machine guns and a 5.7 cm cannon mounted at the front. The crew normally consisted of up to 16 soldiers and two officers. It was as slow as other tanks of the day, but had very poor off-road capability and was prone to getting stuck. The large overhang at the front and low ground clearance meant trenches or very muddy areas were impassable. However, on open terrain it could be used to some success and offered more firepower than the armoured cars that were available.

Related Topics:
MG08/15 machine guns - Cannon

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