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Comparison of World War I tanks

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This is a comparison of the characteristics of tanks used in World War I.

Tanks used in World War I

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Tank Country Year introduced Production total Crew Armament
number of rounds
Armour thickness
(front/side/top)
Weight
Engine power/weight ratio Speed Range
Mark I Male UK 1916 75 8 2x QF 6-pdr (57mm) [324],
3×MG [6,272]
12/10/6 mm 28.4 t Petrol
105 hp (78 kW)
3.7 hp/t 4.5 km/h
(2.8 mph)
37 km
(23 mi)
Female 75 Vickers machine gun, 1x Hotchkiss [30,080] 27.4 t
Mark IV Male UK 1917 420 8 2x QF 6-pdr (57mm) 6 cwt[a] [332],
3× .303 Lewis Gun [6,272]
14/12/8 mm 28.5 t 125 hp (93 kW) 5.6 km/h
(3.5 mph)
56 km
(35 mi)
Female 595[b] 5×Lewis guns [10,000] 27 t
Mark V Male UK 1918 200 8 QF 6-pdr (57mm) 6 cwt [207],
4×MG [5,800]
14/14/8 mm 29.5 t 150 hp (112 kW) 5.1-5.4  hp/t 7.5 km/h
(4.7 mph)
72 km
(45 mi)
Female 200 6×.303 MG [14,100] 28.5 t
Mark V* Male UK 1918 200 8

(+14infantry[c])

2× 6-pdr [221],
8×MG [8,400]
14/12/6 mm 33 t 4 km/h
(2.5 mph)
63 km
(39 mi)
Female 432 10×MG [16,800] 32 t
Medium Mark A Whippet UK 1918 200 3-4 4×.303 Hotchkiss Mk I machine gun [5,400] 14/14/5 mm 14 t Petrol 2×45 hp (34 kW) 6.4 hp/t 13 km/h
(8.1 mph)
64 km
(40 mi)
Schneider CA1 France 1917 400 6 75 mm Blockhaus Schneider [94–96],
2× 8 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun [3,840]
11.5/11.5/5.5 mm 13.5 t 60 hp (45 kW) 8 km/h
(5.0 mph)
48 km
(30 mi)
1917 24/17/5.5 mm 14.6 t 75 km
(47 mi)
Saint-Chamond France 1917 165 8 75mm Saint-Chamond-Mondragón [106–108],
4× 8 mm MG [7,488]
11.5/17/5.5 mm 22 t 90 hp (67 kW) petrol-electric transmission 4.1 hp/t 12 km/h
(7.5 mph)
60 km
(37 mi)
Saint-Chamond

"Modèle 18"

1917 235 Canon de 75 modèle 1897 [106–108],
4× 8 mm MG [7,488]
11.5+8/17/5.5 mm 24 t
Renault FT mitrailleuse France 1918 3,694[d] 2 8 mm Mle 1914 machine gun [4,800] 16/8/6 mm 6.5 t 35 hp (26 kW) 10.7 hp/t 20 km/h
(12 mph)
60 km
(37 mi)
Renault FT canon 1918 37 mm Puteaux SA 18 [240] 6.7 t
A7V Germany 1918 20 18 5.7 cm Maxim-Nordenfelt [180],
MG 08[e] [10,000–15,000]
30/20/10 mm 32 t 2×100 hp (75 kW) 6.25 hp/t 15 km/h
(9.3 mph)
80 km
(50 mi)

Immediate post-war tanks

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Tanks planned for production and with completed prototypes during the war, but entered service after it ended.

Prototype-World War I Tanks that entered service after, but as designed in World War I
Name Country Year Planned prod./actual
total
Crew Armament
[ammo (rds.)]
Armour thickness
(front/side/top)
Weight
(tonnes)
Engine Speed Range
FCM Char 2C France 1918 300+/10 12 Canon de 75 modèle 1897, 4× 7.92 mm MG 45/22/10  mm 70 t Petrol 2×200/250 hp 15 km/h 160 km
Mark VIII US/UK 1918 1500/125 12 2× 6 pdr; 7 MGs 16/16/6 mm 33.6 t Petrol 300/340 hp 8 km/h 89 km (55 mi)
Medium Mark B UK 1918
Medium Mark C UK 1918 5 Machine guns
LK II (Germany) [1] 1918 580/24 3 37mm or 7,92mm MG 14/8/? 8,75 t Petrol 60 hp (45 kW) 14 km/h 65–70 km

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a shortened version of the gun used in the Mark I. The reduction in muzzle velocity was not a problem as the guns fired HE shells over short ranges
  2. ^ A further 250 unarmed tanks were built for carrying supplies
  3. ^ The tank was lengthened to cross wider trenches and the increased internal space was a bonus
  4. ^ The U.S. made 950 M1917 light tanks (a near copy of the FT design), but only 64 were finished before the end of the war, and none saw combat.
  5. ^ There was, briefly, one A7V with two extra machine guns in place of the 57 mm cannon. It was later converted to use the 57mm cannon
  1. ^ Postwar 10 Delivered to Sweden, 14 to Hungary.

References

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  • Ellis, Chris; Chamberlain, Peter (1969), No. 3: Tanks Marks I to V, AFV Profile, Profile Publishing
  • Fletcher, David (2004), British Mark I Tank 1916, New Vanguard 100, Osprey Publishing
  • Fletcher, David (2007), British Mark IV Tank, New Vanguard 133, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84603-082-6
  • Fletcher, David (2013). Great War Tank Mark IV. Haynes. ISBN 978-0-85733-242-4.