Sturmpanzerwagen A7V

History of the Sturmpanzerwagen A7V

The Sturmpanzerwagen A7V ("General War Department, 7th Division, Transportation") became the first battle tank of the German Army and appeared in the latter part of the First World War (1914-1918). Ironically, it was the Germans who made strides in the field by developing viable armored combat vehicles for Britain and France during the war, ultimately helping to break through German defenses. The Germans had long considered the use of armored vehicles to advance into Belgium and France, but success with standard infantry, cavalry, and artillery made the use of these vehicles temporarily useless. Only through the success of the Allied tanks was the concept modified, which led to the A7V.

Other lesser-known German tanks developed into the super-heavy "K-Wagen" and the LK II light tank - although none of these tanks entered service by the end of the war in November 1918.

Ultimately, the A7V proved to be a limited endeavor, a clumsy, tactically limited beast that was barely on par with the British heavyweights in the game. By the end of the conflict, it had only acquired 20 copies.

However, it took part in the first ever "tank-to-tank" duel in April 1918 on the outskirts of Villers-Bretonneux. As with other German armored vehicle designs of the war, Joseph Volmer's name is associated with the development of the A7V.

The A7V is derived from a square armored hull superstructure mounted on modified track components of a Holt tractor. The result is a vehicle that doesn't seem to have a real front end - the only sign is the nose-mounted 57mm field gun. Various captured British, Belgian and Russian 57mm field guns were used in the production of 20 cars. There are also 6 Maxim MG08 machine guns - two on the port side on each side of the hull and a pair on the stern surface.

Field guns require at least two people to work effectively, as does any machine gun. The total number of crew members is 18 or more in addition to the pilot/driver and flight engineer. Carried approximately 30,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition, as well as 500 x 57 mm projectiles.

Externally, the A7V mimics the design approach of armored vehicles of that era. The armor is nearly vertical on all available surfaces, and a centrally mounted dome-like device is mounted on the roof - this area is reserved for the cab. Unlike the armored tractor, the A7V is equipped with its own power pack and landing gear and fuel, which does not restrict the vehicle to the rail network.

Rectangular hinged doors provide the necessary access for the crew. Armor protection ranges from 30mm at the front to 20mm at the rear and 15mm at the sides. Combat weight is 36 tons (short).

The vehicle is parked on a fairly flat track system (ground clearance measures a few centimeters), using about 15 wheels on one side of the hull. Power is provided by 2 Daimler-Benz 4-cylinder 200hp petrol engines, mated to an Adler gearbox and differential, while vented through funnels along the sides of the lower hull.

The suspension system consists of vertical springs borrowed from the Holt tractor design. All told, the car is rated at 9 mph on the road and 4 mph off-road. Range is limited to a maximum of 50 miles unless the vehicle suffers a mechanical failure or gets stuck off-road.

Like all early tank designs, the Sturmpanzerwagen's crew compartment was cramped, smelly and noisy - very industrial. The engine is mounted in the middle, and the main landing gear components are located under the rear of the fuselage. Two drivers sit in the upper area of ??the mid-axle and operate the steering wheel and joystick.

Crews can use ropes scattered overhead to stabilize themselves while navigating rough terrain.

In theory, the idea of ??a self-propelled armored bunker full of artillery and machine guns seems plausible. In practice, however, the A7V is a flawed design. The vehicle was too heavy to be practical on rough and soft terrain, and its inherently slow cruising speed could easily be overtaken by accompanying infantrylimiting the A7V's support value in an attack. The flat and narrow track base made the vehicle unsafe in certain conditions, and its powertrain was prone to failure - even more so than the British and French designs.

Its size and slow speed also make it an easy target, with the near-vertical fairing providing little ballistic protection from a direct hit. The firing angle was limited, especially by the 57mm gun in the front. The bulky crew and associated operating conditions limit proper communications.

If the A7V has one saving grace, it's its armor protection system, which is better than its contemporaries.

By the end of 1917, the German Army ordered 100 A7V armored personnel carriers. However, construction was slow, with only 20 completed by the end of the war in November 1918. They took part in some of the fighting that led to the armistice.

The Germans also made heavy use of captured British and French tanks during the war - in fact, most of the German armour was actually made up of captured vehicles rather than their own designs.

In March 1918, four A7Vs were paired with five captured British Mark IV tanks and used in the Ludendorff Offensive from 21 March to 18 July. The purpose of the operation was to deliver a decisive blow to the Allies to repel the arrival of American troops, which would surely strengthen the ranks of the Allies. The operation became a German tactical success, but inevitably a strategic failure, as the advance could not be well sustained due to tight supply lines.

This led to an Allied counteroffensive - the "Hundred Days Offensive" - ??which wiped out the German advance and eventually forced it to retreat. The A7V and Mark IV tanks acted during the period of fire before entering hostile terrain after artillery bombardment, fighting the British defenses stationed at San Quentin.

On April 27, 1918, the first recorded tank-to-tank duel took place southwest of Villers-Bretonneaux. The Germans captured the city and targeted Amiens to force the Allies to break through. An Allied unit made some progress in night operations and used three British Mark IV tanks to hold the ground - although only one armed (6lb) "man" was the other armed with machine guns only "women" tank.

Considering the danger of encountering enemy armored vehicles at low altitudes, this seemed sufficient to defend the work ahead.

The German A7V was eventually sent to fight the Allied gains. Providing only machine gun resistance and less armor protection, both women were injured and forced to retreat. The British man then used his 6pdr gun to land several direct hits on the leading A7V, who was knocked out.

The two remaining A7Vs subsequently withdrew to mark the end of the battle, leading to a rather uncertain initial view of tank warfare.

The A7V continued to be used for provocation during the Third Battle of the Aine (May-June 1918) and the Second Battle of the Marne (July 1918). Their last action took place on October 11, 1918, near the northern French town of Aou.

Under ideal conditions, the Sturmpanzerwagen could prove to be a viable artillery platform - mostly on flat ground and stationary, but it's not a highly regarded system - German tank crews actually preferred it from captured Fight on British tanks. Like the British and early French tanks, it was not entirely successful. While the A7Vs were not lost in battle, many were scrapped in the postwar period. An example was presented by the Australians at Villers-Bretonneux and is on display at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, Australia.

All twenty completed chassis were named battleships by the Germans - this particular chassis was called "Mephisto".

The

Uberlandwagen is an unarmored, open supply vehicle form. The A7V/U is a redesign of the A7U with a full range of sponsor-style track systems. The A7V/U2 is another proposed variant based on the A7V/U, but with a smaller sponsor track.

The A7V/U3 was designed as a "female" version with a machine gun.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

500 x 57 mm projectile.

30,000 x 7.92mm ammo.

Changes