![]() ![]() The Germans learned to fire machine guns at a tank’s vision slits. The noise was so great that commanders had to scream at the top of their lungs, and temperatures often reached over 100 degrees, regardless of the outside weather. In action, a tank was its own self-contained hell. At 28 tons, the Mark IV’s great weight was too much for its engine, transmission, and suspension. The real danger was artillery shells, which could turn a tank into a flaming coffin within seconds. The 12mm armor was proof against most ordinary bullets, although sometimes the Germans had deadly armor-piercing rounds. What Made Life Inside a Mark IV Tank so Difficult The vibration from the tracks-among other things-prevented accurate use of the gun’s sighting telescope. It was found that the male’s 6-pounder guns could only be used effectively if the tank was not moving. But armored warfare was still in its infancy, and the Mark IV was not without serious flaws. It proved to be a very effective weapon when the ground was good, surprise was achieved, and infantry support was available. When Armored Warfare Was In Its Infancyīy 1917 standards, the Mark IV was a marvel of modern technology. If a tank was badly damaged, a crew would be reluctant to transfer to another machine. Crews developed real affection for their metal beasts, insisting that each machine had its own unique ways and personality. Steel plates used for armor were cut and drilled before being hardened. The crews were protected by armor that was up to 12mm thick-about a half an inch. The tanks had a crew of eight, including a driver, commander, two gearsmen, two gunners, and two loaders. For example, D Battalion tanks were named Deborah, Dominie, Devil May Care, Demon, and so on. Each vehicle was given a name corresponding to the letter designation of the battalion. ![]() By contrast, the female version had only machine guns. The male version featured four machine guns and two 6-pounder (57mm) guns that were mounted on side extensions called sponsons. The “Mark IV” tank of World War I was rhomboidal in shape and came in two basic versions: male and female. ![]()
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