Mk I, Mk IV i Mk V (1 WŚ) - Wielka Brytania: książki

Deborah is a British First World War tank that rose from the grave after taking part in one of the most momentous battles in history.

In November 1917 she played a leading role in the first successful massed tank attack at Cambrai.
Eighty years later, in a remarkable feat of archaeology, the tank's buried remains were rediscovered and excavated, and are now preserved as a memorial to the battle and to the men who fought in it.

John Taylor's book tells the tale of the tank and her crew and tracks down their descendants to uncover a human story every bit as compelling as the military one.

In 1915 a machine christened Little Willie changed the way that wars were fought. Little Willie was a fully tracked armoured vehicle that could break a trench system. Its development was completed in December 1915, but by then it had already been superseded by an improved design, Mother. This was the first rhomboid tank, and the prototype for the Mark 1 which would influence a whole generation of tank building.

This book details the development of the Mark I, and its surprise arrival in France in the middle of 1916 during the closing weeks of the battles of the Somme.

Contents: Introduction - Little Willie and Mother - The Mark I tank - Unit organisation and arrival in France - The intermediate tanks Mark II & III - Variants - Mark I tanks in Palestine - Tanks saved for preservation - Colour plate commentary.

The formidable Mark IV tank was pitted against the German Army from 1917 until the end of World War I.

This book reveals the important role the tank played in the historic battle of Cambrai in 1917 as well as the first ever tank-versus-tank actions against German A7Vs. In awe of British technology, the Germans actively captured, salvaged and repaired Mark IVs for deployment against the Allies.
Using rare photographs and detailed artwork, David Fletcher explores the Mark IV's design and development, its variants and accessories, and brings to life its exciting deployment on the battlefields of World War I.

Contents: The First Main Battle Tank - The Mark IV Described - The Tank Corps Expands - Into Battle - Mechanical Improvements - 1918 - The Final Battles - Post-War - Colour Plate Commentary - Index.

The German A7V and the British Mark IV were similar in weight, size, and speed, but differed significantly in armour, armament and maneuverability. The A7V had thicker armour, and had nearly double the horsepower per ton. The Mark IV's pair of side-mounted 6pdr cannons forced the vehicle to present its side arc to an enemy in order to fire one of its main guns. Possessing twice as many machine guns as the Mark IV, the A7V had a frontally mounted 57mm gun that proved capable of defeating the Mark IV's armour. The Mark IV's rhomboid design proved superior in crossing trenches, climbing obstacles and moving over rough terrain.
As the first tank-versus-tank engagement in history, the fighting around Villers-Bretonneux showcased the British Mark IV and German A7V designs. Although not purpose-built to combat enemy armour, both vehicles proved the viability of such operations, which during the postwar period led to key advances in suspension, armour, gunsights, ammunition, and command and control. While the British continued to develop their armoured forces, German armour development never materialized, and only in the postwar period did they address the issue.

This book describes the A7V and the Mark IV in detail.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and Development - Technical Specifications - The Combatants - The Strategic Situation - Combat - Statistics and Analysis - Further Reading - Index.

Although, to the casual eye, all British tanks of World War I look much the same, the Mark V is quite outstanding and has a strong claim to be the tank that won the Great War.
In this title, renowned tank expert David Fletcher examines the technological developments that made this tank excel where others had failed, and the reasons why it gave the British the upper hand over the Germans on the battlefield and why it was adopted by the US Tank Corps.

Accompanied by detailed artwork showing the design changes that allowed the Mark V to breach the widest German trenches, this title is an excellent resource for the study of the armour of World War I.