Landships II

Mark Hansen · Legend

Possible Mk V* hermaphrodites

Centurion · Legend

There are two other possibilities -

1. An ad hoc convrsion - a damaged Mk V* has had a damaged sponson replaced with a mis matched sponson because that's what was available at the time
2. A sex change - both sponsons have been replaced , possibly again during repair because there was a shortage of the required sponson.

Both of these would be made by CW. Its pity that CW records appear so sparce.

Mark Hansen · Legend

Another possible Mk V* hermaphrodite. While reading "Tanks and Trenches", I noticed the caption on p. 163 describe the tank, which is also seen in the Mk V* puzzle thread, as a Mk V* female. The sponson is clearly visible and definitely male. I wasn't sure why this would be described as a female tank (unless a typo had been made) until I noticed at the extreme right edge of the photo, the start of the WD number. The first two digits are the only ones visible and even then the second digit is mostly cut off but enough is visible to see a WD number beginning with 98 which puts it into the female range. The photo in the Mk V* puzzle thread has been cropped on the right and the number is not visible. There is no photo credit in my edition of "Tanks and Trenches" so I don't know if there is more of the WD number visible on the original.

Centurion · Legend

I think we need to be cautious about reading too much into the caption in Tanks and Trenches as this appears to contain other oddities - it describes the supply tank as leading the V* through a captured village. The location has been identified through a number of sites as Houghes located behind the Canadians' start position so not a captured village and as both vehicles are clearly not moving (men are busy doing things on the tops of both tanks) its a moot point as to if one is leading the other or they just happen to be at the same jumping off point. The sexing could also be a mistake. It would be interesting to know if the caption was the editors or the original one tagged to the picture in some Tank Corps work.

Looking at the photo again there is an interesting feature. The cupola appears to have a hatch open on its front. All the diagrams I have seen show only hatches on the top of the V* cupola. The only really clear view I can find of the ends of the V* cupola show the rear of it firmly riveted in place. I can find no direct views of the front of the cupola but side views do not show any protruding hinges on this face. Did the Mk V* have a hatch in the front of the cupola or has this one been modified in some fashion? If the tank has been the subject of some serious modification this would add weight to the possibility of a composite conversion (or of course a complete re sexing with both sponsons replaced).

I've being doing some research on wireless in WW1 (v much still a work in progress I'm afraid). The wireless sets available at the time would be a problem with the small female sponson on a Mk V but the male sponson could house one. Only a theory but if the Mk V* had been chopped around to make it a wireless tank (and certainly at least one was fitted with a set) then some sponson replacement might be expected. Only a theory but it does illustrate that there can be more than one explanation. We need more photos! Some one order up a time machine.

Centurion · Legend

Re my last posting. looking at Tanks and Trenches again page 159 shows a Mk V* female with hatches in the front of the sides of the cupola whist in page 193 there is a rear view of a Mk V* with what appears to be side or front hatches open ( I attach a copy from amnother source) and whats more something mounted on top of the cupola where it would block any top hatches (It is possible given the source that its the same tank as on page 163 but unfortunately one still can't see the post sponson). Is it possible that there were two types of Mk V* cupola, one with hatches in the side and the other with hatches on the top? This would explain why some MK V*s are seen with the unditching beam square across the top of the cupola - the side hatches would then be used to atach the chains to the tracks. I enclose another Mk V* that if one looks v closely (with magnifier) has hinges at the front of the cupola. I also attach one where the hatch in the top can be discerned. Or perhaps both top and side hatches were fitted?

Mark Hansen · Legend

All the Mk V* have the same hatches on the rear cupola in all the photos I've seen. There are the roof hatches which are hinged front and rear, and the side hatches which are hinged at the front left and right of the cupola. You couldn't really have front hatches because they would interfere with the MG mount. The thing that appears to be mounted on top of the cupola in the first picture is actually the rear hatch.