The Bluffers Guide to WW1 Tanks
by Peter Kempf

When you try on a new modelling subjects, say tanks, you first learn the basic types fairly quick, but you often feel baffled, and stay baffled, by the sheer number of variants, variants that seem hard to distinguish with the naked eye if you are not an expert or someone who has done this for a long time. I know I do, when it comes to WW2 AFV (especially when it comes to the German ones, which there seems to be no end to: Mid-Production Tigers here, PzKpfw Ausf J there). I know some pepole who has the same problem when it comes to the AFV:s of the Great War, which can sometimes look very similar to each other. Well, this small piece is for them! It is not aimed at the exterts, and does not purport to peddle expert knowledge or to be exhaustive in discribing the differences. It’s only some simple pointers, helping people who want to be able to say what variant of a Tank they are actually modelling or seeing on a photograph.

TYPE	DISTINGUISHING MARKS	NOTE
British Mk I	Long cannon if Male. Vickers MG:s in armoured sleeves if Female. No hatch on the roof of the Drivers cab. No silencer. Steering wheel assembly attached to the rear. Some had raised, sloping wire netting roof to protect against Hand Grenades.	Note that the steering wheel assembly was discarded after some time.
British Mk II	As above but no steering wheel assembly and no wire roof. The drivers cab slightly narrower, in order to fit slightly broader tracks, with so called Track Spuds attached to them. The manhole hatch on the top was also slightly raised – seen from the side, this raised portion looked triangular.	Another tip: Only Mk I:s had the fancy multi-colour camouflage. From Mk II on the colour was the uniform overall Brown.
British Mk III	As above but shorter Gun.	Some sources state that the raised manhatch was introduced on the Mk III.
British Mk IV	Silencer. Short cannon, extra MG on side of sponson if Male. If Female, the sponson was smaller than on earlier marks, it was equipped with the Lewis MG - later with a modified Hotchkiss. Rail for unditching gear on top of many Mk IV:s. Square box for baggage towards rear to. Still no rear cupola.	Subject of the 1/72 Emhar kit.
British Mk V	Square engine grille on the rear sides. Square cupola towards the top rear. MG in driving cab offset to the right. MG on the rear.	-
British Mk V*	As above, but longer overall. The sides of the rear cupola also slightly sloped. The cupola was also equipped with two MG:s	-
S:t Chamond, Early version	Flat roof. Four cylindrical cupolas on top.	Gun used had long recoil housing and no attachment to muzzle.
S:t Chamond, Mid version	As above, but equipped with the 75mm m/1897 Field Gun.	That gun is easily distinguished by the rollers at the muzzle.
S:t Chamond, Late version	As above, but roof sloping slightly towards the sides, and only one square cupola – for driver.	-
Schneider, Early Version	Flat back. No extra armour on sides.	-
Schneider, Mid Version	Flat back. Extra armour plates applied on sides	-
Schneider, Late Version	Rear end extended on both sides of the rear exit door. No extra armour plates.	Thicker armour now integrally mounted.
FT-17 Omnibus version	Square, riveted turret	Armament could be either Hotchkiss MG or 37mm Gun.
FT-17 Girod version	Rounded, cast turret	Sometimes called FT-18. Armament as above.
A7V, Early version	Sides consisting of 5 amour plates bolted together (so called Krupp armour). Gun in so called Buck Mount. (See special article on A7V.) No exhaust pipes.	This is just in general: there were never two A7V:s that were exactly alike.
A7V, Mid version	Sides consisting of 3 amour plates bolted together (so called Röchling armour). Gun in so called Buck mount. Equipped with exhaust pipes.	See above
A7V, Late version	As above, except that there was applique armour around the drivers cupola, that the exhaust pipes were straighter, and the towing hooks were substituted for schackles.	See above