British tank Mark I
In England
First projects
The answer to the question is how; by what means to break through the front, they were looking for in all the belligerent armies. One of the first to try to answer it was the English Colonel Swinton, who had been in France since the beginning of the war.
On October 20, 1914, Swinton approached the War Department with a proposal to build an armored vehicle on tracks using the American Holt tractor. In his memo, Swinton outlined the contours of the new machine and indicated the tasks that it would be able to solve in the war.
The War Department was very cautious about these projects. In February 1915, it organized tests of tracked tractors to test their cross-country ability. The tractors did not withstand the very harsh technical conditions that were put on tests, and the experiments were stopped.
Big Willie. At the same time, engineer Tritton, together with a representative of the Land Ships Committee, Lieutenant Wilson, was working on the creation of the tank. In the fall of 1915, they built a prototype tank. Its disadvantage, like all previous samples, was the small width of the ditch to be overcome. This problem could not be solved using a conventional tractor track. But by the summer of 1915, it was proposed to give the caterpillar a diamond shape. This invention of McPhee and Nesfield was used by Tritton and Wilson. They also accepted the placement of weapons in the side semi-towers (sponsons), proposed by Deinkurt, one of the Committee's employees who created the first prototypes of tanks.
In January 1916, a new Big Willie car appeared, named after Lieutenant Wilson. This vehicle became the prototype of the first British battle tank "Mark I".
Thus, the invention of the tank was not the result of the work of one person, but was the fruit of the activities of a number of people, often not even related to each other.
On February 2, 1916, the Big Willie was tested at Hatfield Park, near London. The construction of the first tank was kept in secret. Everyone who came into contact with the new military invention was obliged to keep a deep secret. But already in the initial period of construction of "Big Willie" it was necessary to name the car somehow. It looked like a large cistern or tank. They wanted to call her "water carrier", but that could bring a smile. Swinton, who by that time had become the secretary of the Imperial Defense Committee and closely followed the experimental work, proposed several names: "tank", "cistern", "vat" (in English tank).
In France
At about the same time that Swinton approached the War Office with his proposal, Colonel Etienne, chief of artillery of the 6th division of the French army, wrote to the commander-in-chief that he considered it expedient to use "armored vehicles to ensure the advance of the infantry" at the front. A year later, he repeated his proposal: "I consider it possible, - he wrote, - the creation of guns with mechanical traction, allowing to transport through all obstacles and under fire at a speed exceeding 6 km per hour, infantry with weapons, ammunition and a cannon."
Etienne has attached his draft to the letter. He wanted to build a "land battleship" weighing 12 tons on track chains, armed with machine guns and a cannon. It is characteristic that even the name of the car was the same for the British and the French. "The battleship must have a speed of up to 9 km / h, overcome trenches up to 2 m wide and destroy enemy dugouts.. In addition, the vehicle will be able to tow a seven-ton armored carriage on ascents up to 20 °, in which a team of 20 people with weapons and ammunition can be put."
Etienne, like Swinton, had the idea of creating a tracked tank as a result of observing the operation of the Holt tractor.
The first tanks in France were built by Schneider. Soon then the order was transferred to the "Society of Iron and Steel Works", whose workshops were located in Saint-Chamond. Therefore, the first two French tanks were named Schneider and Saint-Chamond.
In other countries
In other countries - the USA, Germany, Italy, tanks appeared after British and French vehicles were tested on the battlefields of the First World War and were recognized by everyone as a powerful new weapon of modern combat.
Some countries began to build their tanks on the model of British and French ones: US tanks were copies of the British brand V tank and the French Renault tank; the Italian tanks were also a copy of the Renault tank.
In other countries, they developed their own designs, using the experience of tank building in England and France; Germany created a tank of the A-7 brand, designed by engineer Volmer.
Armored vehicles
One of the most significant armored vehicles of the First World War period was the Austin. Under construction in several versions, Austin was the main armored vehicle of the Russian Army, then the most numerous vehicle used by all parties in the Russian Civil War, mainly by the Soviets. In contrast to the trench warfare on the Western Front, conditions in the East made maneuver possible, and armored vehicles played a much more important role, comparable to tanks. A number of Austins were also used by the British fighting in 1918. The captured Austins were used by several other armies.
Mk. I (Britain) 1916. Designer Lieutenant W. G. Wilson.
The tank had no engine room. The crew and the engine were in the same building. The temperature inside the tank rose to 50 degrees. The crew fainted from exhaust fumes and gunpowder smoke. A gas mask or respirator was included in the standard equipment of the crew.
Four people (one of whom was the tank commander) drove the tank. The commander controlled the braking system, two people controlled the movement of the tracks. Due to the strong noise, the commands were transmitted by hand signals.
Communication between the tank and the command post was carried out by pigeon mail - for this, there was a special hole for a pigeon in the sponson, or one of the crew members was sent with a report. Later, the semaphore system began to be used.
The first combat use took place on September 15, 1916. 49 Mark I tanks were to break through the German defenses near the Somme. Only 32 tanks were able to start moving. 9 tanks reached the German positions. The tank crossed wire obstacles and trenches 2, 7 meters wide. The armor held the hit of bullets and shell fragments, but could not withstand a direct hit from a projectile.
After the first battle at Flers-Courcelette, changes were made to the design of the tank. The new versions were named Mark II and Mark III. Mark III received more powerful armor. Mark III was produced in early 1917. Used in the first lines of attack in November 1917 at the Battle of Kombray.
After the appearance of the Mark IV, Mark I, Mark II and Mark III were used as training tanks and for "special" needs. Many were converted into transport tanks. In the Battle of Kambrai, the Mark I was used as a command tank - wireless equipment was installed in one of the sponsons. Had two modifications Female and Male. Female was armed only with machine guns - instead of cannons, two Vickers and four Hotchkiss.
Mark V Tank Britain
Designed and manufactured in October 1917 by Metropolitan Carriage and Waggon Company LTD. It was very different from its predecessors. It was equipped with a four-speed planetary gearbox of the Wilson system and a special tank motor "Ricardo". From now on, only the driver drove the car - they did without the on-board gearboxes. A distinctive feature of the MkV was the air intakes of the cooling system, mounted on the sides, the radiator was interlocked with the engine. The commander's wheelhouse was increased, and another machine gun was placed in the stern. The first MKVs began to enter the troops in May 1918. Had a commander's "tower". He was a member of the 310th Tank Battalion of the US Army. It had a compartment for transporting infantry. But due to poor ventilation, the soldiers turned out to be incapable of combat. The tank was redesigned for the transport of goods and equipment. After the war, it was used in the sapper version and as a bridge-stacker. It remained in service with the Canadian Army until the early 30s. An experimental version of the Mark D with snake tracks. Used in armies: France, USA, Estonia, Belarus, USSR, Germany.
400 copies were produced: 200 Male and 200 Female.
To overcome the 3.5 meter long German trenches of the Hindenburg Line, an extended version of the Mark V * (Star) - Tadpole Tail was created. 645 were built out of the 500 Male and 200 Female orders. The Tadpole weighed 33 tons (Male) and 32 tons (Female). A special compartment for the transport of infantry was installed on the Tadpole version. This was the first use of armored vehicles for the delivery of infantry. The first combat use - August 8, 1918 at the Battle of Amiens.
The Mark V ** (Star-Star) version appeared in May 1918. The Mark V ** was fitted with a more powerful engine. 197 were built out of the 750 Male and 150 Female orders.
SAINT-CHAMOND (France, 1917)
The manufacturer is FAMH from the city of Saint-Chamond. The first vehicles "Saint-Chamond" (model 1916) had cylindrical commander and driver's turrets, and the armor plates of the sides reached the ground, covering the chassis. The roof was flat. The engine and dynamo were located in the middle of the hull, followed by electric motors. The drive wheel was in the stern, and the second control post was also there. Armament - a 75-mm cannon of a special design (out of 400, 165 tanks with this artillery system were fired), which was later replaced by a 75-mm field cannon "Schneider". Shooting could be carried out in a narrow sector directly along the course, so that the transfer of fire was accompanied by a turn of the entire tank.
To combat the infantry, 4 machine guns were located along the perimeter of the hull. After the first tests in the middle of 1916, the need for some changes was revealed. The side armor plates covering the chassis were removed to improve cross-country ability. The tracks were expanded from 32 to 41, and then up to 50 cm. In this form, the car went into production. In 1917, already during production, Saint-Chamond was modified again: the flat roof received a slope to the sides so that enemy hand grenades would roll off it, instead of cylindrical turrets, rectangular ones were installed. The armor was also strengthened - the 17-mm armor plates, unlike the previous 15-mm, were not penetrated by the new German armor-piercing bullets of the "K" brand. Then the artillery system was also replaced with the 75-mm Schneider field cannon. Concern FAMH received an order for 400 machines. Discontinued in March 1918. By the end of the war, 72 tanks remained in service.
A7V "Sturmpanzer" Germany
At first, the Germans borrowed the English name "Tank", then the "Papzerwagen", "Panzerkraftwagen" and "Kampfwagen" appeared. And on September 22, 1918, that is, shortly before the end of the war, the term "Sturmpanzerwagen" was officially approved. The German command considered many tank prototypes, both tracked and wheeled. The base of the tank was the Austrian Holt tractor, manufactured under an American license in Budapest. Interestingly, the Holt was also the base for British and French heavy tanks.
The first long version, powered by two 100 hp Daimler engines. each, designed by Josef Vollmer. The first demonstration took place in the spring of 1917. After the tests, some changes were made to the tank design. For weight reduction 30 mm. armor was left only in the bow (initially 30 mm. armor was assumed throughout the hull), in other parts, the thickness of the armor varied from 15 to 20 mm. The thickness and quality of the armor made it possible to withstand armor-piercing rifle bullets (such as the French
skoy 7-mm ARCH) at ranges of 5 m and more, as well as high-explosive fragmentation shells of light artillery. The vehicle commander was located on the upper landing on the left; to the right and slightly behind him is the driver. The upper platform was 1.6 m above the floor. Gunners and machine gunners were deployed along the perimeter of the hull. The two mechanics who were part of the crew were located in the seats in front and behind the engines and had to monitor their work. For embarkation and disembarkation of the crew, hinged doors served in the right side - in front and in the left - in the back. Two narrow steps were riveted under the door from the outside. Inside the building, two stairs led to the upper platform - in front and behind. The gun had a barrel length of 26 calibers, a rollback length of 150 mm, a maximum firing range of 6400 m. The ammunition load, in addition to 100 shots with high-explosive fragmentation shells, included 40 armor-piercing and 40 buckshot. High-explosive fragmentation shells had a fuse with a moderator and could be used against field fortifications. The muzzle velocity of the armor-piercing projectile was 487 m / s, the armor penetration was 20 mm at a distance of 1000 m and 15 mm at 2000 m. A7V of the first construction, in addition to the hulls, also differed in the type of gun mounting. Standard 7, 92-mm MG.08 machine guns (Maxim systems) mounted on swivel mounts with semi-cylindrical masks and vertical guidance screw mechanisms. The horizontal guidance angle of the machine gun was ± 45 °.
100 vehicles were ordered. By October 1917, 20 tanks had been manufactured.
The first tank battle between the A7V and the British MarkIV female took place on March 21, 1918. near Saint Etienne. The fight showed the complete superiority of the 57mm A7V. cannon on a British tank equipped only with machine guns. The central positioning of the gun on the A7V also proved to be more advantageous than the positioning of the guns in the side sponsons of British tanks. In addition, the tank had the best power / weight ratio.
However, the A7V proved to be a less successful combat vehicle. He did not overcome trenches well, had a high center of gravity and a clearance of only 20 cm.
Renault FT 17 (France 1917)
The first light tank. Produced at Berliet factories.
A few words about the design of the tank. It had a body of a simple shape, assembled on a frame from corners and shaped parts. The undercarriage consisted of four bogies - one with three and three with two small-diameter road wheels per side, which were assembled on a longitudinal beam. Suspension - blocked, leaf springs. Six carrier rollers were combined in a cage, the rear end of which was attached to a hinge. The front end was sprung with a coil spring to maintain a constant track tension. The drive wheel was located at the back, and the guide, made of wood with a steel rim, was at the front. To increase the permeability through ditches and trenches, the tank had a removable "tail" on the axis, turning around which it was thrown onto the roof of the engine compartment.
During the march, a payload or 2-3 infantrymen could be located on the tail. The tank was equipped with a Renault carburetor engine. The torque was transmitted through a conical clutch to a manual transmission, which had four speeds forward and one backward. The entry and exit of the crew was carried out through a three-winged bow hatch (there was also a spare in the aft part of the tower). The gunner of a cannon or machine gun was located in the tower, standing or half-sitting in a canvas loop, which was later replaced by a height-adjustable seat. The tower, which had a mushroom-shaped reclining hood for ventilation, was rotated by hand. The ammunition stowage of shells (200 fragmentation, 25 armor-piercing and 12 shrapnel) or cartridges (4800 pieces) was located on the bottom and walls of the fighting compartment. In addition to the complex and laborious in the manufacture of a cast tower, a riveted, octagonal one was produced.
Light tank "Fiat-3000": analogue of Renault FT 17
1 - 6, 5-mm coaxial machine gun "Fiat" mod.1929, 2 - steering wheel, 3 - driving wheel, 4 - jack, 5 - "tail", 6 - driver's hatch, 7 - double-leaf tower hatch, 8 - mufflers, 9 - brake pedal, 10 - racks for ammunition, 11 - engine, 12 - radiator, 13 - gas tank, 14 - 37-mm cannon, 15 - bulwark.
Combat weight - 5.5 tons, crew - 2 people, engine - Fiat, 4-cylinder, water-cooled, power 50 hp. with. at 1700 rpm, speed - 24 km / h, cruising range - 95 km.
Armament: two machine guns 6, 5 mm, ammunition - 2000 rounds.
Armor thickness 6-16 mm
From the very beginning of production, the FT-17 was produced in four versions: machine gun, cannon, commander (TSF radio tank) and fire support (Renault BS) with a 75 mm cannon in an open top and non-rotating turret. However, the latter did not take part in the battles - none of the 600 ordered tanks were released until the end of the war.
1025 cars were produced.
The tank was produced under license in the United States under the name Ford Two Man. In Italy under the name FIAT 3000.
In 1919, one copy was captured by the Red Army and sent to Lenin. He gave the appropriate order - and at the Krasnoye Sormovo plant, the tank was carefully copied and released with the AMO engine and the armor of the Izhora plant under the name "Freedom fighter Comrade Lenin". True, some parts and assemblies were lost on the way, so, for example, the gearbox had to be redesigned.
The task was completed, but only in part: only 15 copies were built, and, according to the conclusion of one of the commissions, they were "unsatisfactory in quality, inconvenient in the possession of weapons, partially completely unarmed."
Austin September 1914
In Birmingham, he built a new armored vehicle specifically for Russian requirements. It was armed with two machine guns in independent turrets, placed next to each other, on either side of the hull. The Russian Army ordered 48 cars and they were produced by the end of 1914. The vehicle used a chassis with a 30 HP engine. and a controlled rear axle. After the first combat experience, all vehicles were completely rebuilt, changing all armor to new, thicker 7mm armor. The shape of the armor remained the same. With the new heavier armor, the engine and chassis were too weak. The car could actually only drive on roads. Despite these shortcomings, car construction was considered a top priority. All other armored vehicles bought by the Russians abroad were rated worse, or even useless. This suggests that Austin's construction must be truly succesfull in order to win Russian recognition, despite the mistakes.
The Russian government has ordered the next batch of 60 improved vehicles. They were delivered from August 1915. They used a stronger 1.5t chassis with a 50 HP engine, and had thicker armor that did not need further improvement. The hull was cut and the new shape of the roof above the driver did not restrict the horizontal angle of fire.
On the other hand, the removal of the rear hull access door was a drawback, making it more difficult to access through just one door. Also, after combat experience, it is recognized that armored vehicles should be equipped with a second driver's post for driving backwards. Therefore, soon after their arrival in Russia, all vehicles were changed. The visible change was the addition of the rear 'attachment'. The 'attachment' housed the rear driver's post, and also had additional doors. Some cars were equipped with a headlamp on the roof, in an armored cover.
On December 21, 1914 in Russia they began to form "MG automobile platoons". Initially, each platoon consisted of three Austin armored vehicles, supported by 4 trucks, a mobile workshop, a tanker truck and 4 motorcycles, one with a sidecar. The platoon team numbered about 50 people. Further platoons formed from 1915 in the spring, introduced a new organization, with two Austins and one armed with a weapon car (Garford from May 1915 or Lanchester from 1916 spring). Eight already existing platoons received additional Garfords by three Austins.
Having gained combat experience with the British Austins, the Pulkovo Plant in St. Petersburg developed its own, improved type of armored hull, with thicker armor. An essential feature were turrets placed diagonally to reduce the width of the vehicle. Submachine guns could also be raised for anti-aircraft fire.
The first was delivered with a delay, in January 1917. During the following months, work proceeded very slowly, due to the chaos in the country. Finally, when production was moved to the Izhevsk plant, 33 armored vehicles were built 1919-1920.
These cars were called in Russia as "Putilovskiy Ostin", or "Ostin-Putilovets", while the most common name in Western sources: Putilov. These names were not used in any Russian documents regarding that time, although in 1918-21 they were called only: "Russkiy Ostin" (Russian Austin).
