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by David Mitchelhill-Green.
Softcover (6.8×9.7 inches). 259 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Images of War
The only German “tank” of WWI was the A7V, and only around 20 were produced. The Germans also captured and used a variety of British tanks and even some French tanks. This book cover all that as well as other German armored vehicles such as armored cars, armored tractors, and even a couple of armored flak vehicles.
The star of the book is the A7V and I never knew so many photos, including stills from period propaganda films, of the tank and crew existed. It’s a modeler’s dream.
The text covers design, development, and combat operations, both by itself and in concert with captured Allied tanks. The Allies captured A7Vs as well, although they were mostly sent back for displays. The UK had two, the US had one, and the Australians had one. Presumably the French had the rest, except one. Between the wars, it was made into a memorial in Germany (photo on p251). Of all of them, only the Australians kept theirs intact — the only remaining A7V in the world was originally named Mephisto — while the other countries scrapped theirs.
Other vehicles covered by photos include: Orion-Wagen, Treffas-Wagen, Marienwagen I personnel carrier, Uberlandwagen supply carrier, Leichter Kampfpanzer light tank, a few armored cars, and even wooden dummy tanks.
The book contains 485 black and white photos, 50 color photos, two color illustrations, 21 color uniform illustrations, three color vehicle illustrations, 16 color patches illustrations, and four color maps.
A couple of interesting photos show old British WWI Mk IV tanks — liberated from the Soviets — defending the Reichstag building in 1945 (p254-p255)! Best photo might be a prototype A7V without its armor and shows a stripped down interior — don’t see under the armor every day (p56). Honorable mention is A7V 527 stranded (“ditched” in the vernacular of the times) in a trench near Reims in 1918 (p167).
This is truly an impressive collection of photos.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
