Landships II

I see they have the famous photo of the famous Mark IV Hermaphrodite, no doubt copied from the amusing Tanks website.

Ironsides wrote:

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Which is in fact a MKV....

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No. It definitely says it's a Mark IV Hermaphrodite. This informative caption from "Tanks" has a 110% accurate write-up:

"... In early 1917 three forms of gasoline electric drives were tested in this tank, a Westinghouse, a Daimler, and one copied from a French St. Chamond tank - none were accepted. Evolving in late 1917 was the Tadpole. The idea was to add 9' to the length and thereby improving the trench crossing capability. It also added an extra 28 track plates to each side. The tadpole extension was not fitted to all vehicles but was considered successful enough so as it was also incorporated into the later Mark V. With the appearance of German (captured) tanks, the Female tanks were upgraded in firepower by adding a Male sponson to one side. This version was called a Hermaphrodite. New was the Fascine Tank. This tank carried a bundle 10' long and 4' 6" round. The bundle was tightly bound by chains. The tank would track up to a trench, the driver would release the bundle into the trench - thereby filling it, and then continue on with the attack as a normal tank. The fascine was carried on the unditching rail of the tank. Also new was the Recovery Tank of which several variants existed. One version was a normal tank with the guns removed and a front rigged block and tackle. The other version had fitted equipment with twin platforms at the rear for an operator to stand on and operate the winch. Further experiments included tanks with unditching gear that included spars, beams, chains. The spar, with is the most seen in pictures, weighed nearly a ton! Early models of this device caused the crew to be exposed to fire when attaching the unditching device and in 1917 a improved version allowed attachment without exposing the crew. The improved version was tested for many years but was never adopted."

Maybe it should go on wikipedia?

There is a wealth of information there. I like the "Recovery Tank" that "had fitted equipment with twin platforms at the rear for an operator to stand on and operate the winch." These are all versions of the Mark IV that I had no idea existed.

I also cut a bit out that explains everything about the machine guns:"The Lewis gun became the MG of choice for all vehicles, replacing the various Hotchkiss and Vickers MGs. In a later modification, the Lewis fell into disfavor and was replaced by an improved Hotchkiss on all vehicles"

Brilliant stuff.