There are recorded instances of Male tanks being fitted with Female sponsons and Supply tanks being fited with Female sponsons. There appear to be no instances of Female or Supply tanks being refitted with Male sponsons (or are there?). I suspect this is because simply fitting a male sponson would cause a problem as there would be no racks for the shells and other modifications would be needed. Would there also need to be some mods to Female tanks to facilitate the retraction of the Male sponson? If this is the case it might imply that only Male tanks could be easily converted to Composite. Is there any evidence to support this theory?
There are recorded instances of Male tanks being fitted with Female sponsons and Supply tanks being fited with Female sponsons. There appear to be no instances of Female or Supply tanks being refitted with Male sponsons (or are there?). I suspect this is because simply fitting a male sponson would cause a problem as there would be no racks for the shells and other modifications would be needed. Would there also need to be some mods to Female tanks to facilitate the retraction of the Male sponson? If this is the case it might imply that only Male tanks could be easily converted to Composite. Is there any evidence to support this theory?
Depends on which Mk you mean. There is photographic evidence of at least one Mk V* female converted to a composite. WD 9806 "Ajax", which usually is captioned as being a Mk V* female as most photos show the female side, is in fact a composite. In a film sequence which shows this tank as well as another Mk V* and a Mk V, both composites, both sponsons can be seen. I've included stills as well as the two photos most people are familiar with.
Yes, it could be but I am not entirely sure because of the angle of the shot! I assume the machine guns would be some Russian type or perhaps ex-German? They sure do not look like Hotchkiss or Lewis!
No Estonian I think - see photo. One was still around when the Soviets took over the Baltic states and was used in a defensive position when the Germans invaded in 1941 - almost certainly the only rhomboid to see action in WW2
I don't know what that tank is supposed to be but it's not a genuine tank - the proportions are all wrong and the tracks are one continuous band with no seperate links. The sponson is too short. It looks like a replica, though whether wartime or postwar I don't know.
I don't know what that tank is supposed to be but it's not a genuine tank - the proportions are all wrong and the tracks are one continuous band with no seperate links. The sponson is too short. It looks like a replica, though whether wartime or postwar I don't know.
Hi All, several details of merlins pic dont work out as a real tank and differ from the pic that centurion posted(mgs are different and the tracks are clearly not tracks as mark pointed out) which leads me to believe it may be a still from a russian?movie which one I have no idea...another possibility but I think highly unlikly is that it is a captured german mockup.....I have to admit it took me while to identify it as a MKV because of some of the inconsistances, I think your looking from the rear right quarter forwards but the angles just dont seem right, the driving cab seems wrong as well.......
I don't know what that tank is supposed to be but it's not a genuine tank - the proportions are all wrong and the tracks are one continuous band with no seperate links. The sponson is too short. It looks like a replica, though whether wartime or postwar I don't know.
Which photo are you referring to?
The one mp robinson posted. Your Estonian tank is definitely real.
I see this photo's for sale on eBay at the moment. If you want a picture of a real tank you have been warned! (On the other hand, if you're a fan of 1920s Russian cinema stills you might want to buy it - but what are you doing reading this?)
Hello my friends: I am sorry that the Ebay pic was not of a real tank (I was not sure myself as to what it was, but I think it may well be a film still as the last few posts have suggested). I came upon it quite by accident. I tend to troll the Ebay Germany site each day in order to find tank images and this one stood out as unusual. A few days back there was one of an FCM2C being scrapped with parts of the motors visible. There is a good shot of a Schneider CA1 on there today under the listings for Sept 23rd. I will post the link in the next post I make. Thank you all for the very good commentary and must say I really enjoy this forum!
