Those souvenir tanks you see so often - but in this view, can you see that odd modern camo scheme they have? It really looks like some sort of modern jungle camo or something! I had never noticed that before.
Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson may have had a much bigger impact on post-WWI armor than history books give him credit for. He was the only tank-designer building designs immediately after WWI. Up until the Vickers 1921, and Vickers follow up, the Medium Mk.I, there were no designs other than Johnsons, all of which were equipped with his fascinating Snake Tracks. An article really should be done on Johnson and his machines. He may have been the primary force keeping interest in tank development alive in Britain after WWI. In this picture we see the Medium M1922 USA tank, heavily influenced by Johnsons designs, and in fact, looking a whole lot like a variant of the Medium D. Very cool.
Thanks for sharing Vilkata! A real nice collection!
I've also discovered Ebay as a source of WW1-Photos, and I recommend anyone that spots something interesting to give us other a yell. Real gems sometimes flash by there!
I can be mistaken, but the photo with two Мк with a modern camouflage - is the city of Smolensk. Up to 2WW in this city too was 2 Мк (as in Lugansk (Ukraine) now). It is necessary to look other photos.
The Mk I without the sponsons is a male. You can see the racks for the shells just inside the opening. It also appears to have some shell damage low down on the side near the rear of the tank.
The Mk IV is interesting in that all the original top paint appears to have been removed except around the artwork and number (and some rivets where it would have been difficult to get at). One wonders why.
Thanks for posting these photos, Vilkata. I hadn't seen that Mk.I before - the photo is rather intriguing. The tail wheels would date the photo to 1916, but the vehicle does not appear to have received a company number, WD number, Petrograd inscription or Solomon camouflage. The ground is quite ploughed up and barren, but the road is completely intact, suggesting that this is not a battlefield. The dress of the soldier also suggests a rear area. What are the barn-like structures in the background? Despite the apparant damage, I wonder if the photo was taken at Elveden or Bovington; if so, this would be one of the very few photos to show a Mk.I in these locales. The seller says that the photo is an original - perhaps it has an annotation on the back.
C.47 is "Conqueror II", shown knocked out in Fontaine-Notre-Dame. Gibot and Gorczynski have an interesting account from the commander of the German company which engaged the tank.
Thanks for posting these photos, Vilkata. I hadn't seen that Mk.I before - the photo is rather intriguing. The tail wheels would date the photo to 1916, but the vehicle does not appear to have received a company number, WD number, Petrograd inscription or Solomon camouflage. The ground is quite ploughed up and barren, but the road is completely intact, suggesting that this is not a battlefield. The dress of the soldier also suggests a rear area. What are the barn-like structures in the background? Despite the apparant damage, I wonder if the photo was taken at Elveden or Bovington; if so, this would be one of the very few photos to show a Mk.I in these locales. The seller says that the photo is an original - perhaps it has an annotation on the back.
C.47 is "Conqueror II", shown knocked out in Fontaine-Notre-Dame. Gibot and Gorczynski have an interesting account from the commander of the German company which engaged the tank.
I think the road may be near Fricourt and the picture taken after the battle. This road was one of the main British routes to and from the battle area and a number of tents and wood and canvas structures were errected on the right just up and off the road. I think it was a casualty clearing station. The nearest structure on the phot appears to be a wood and canvas wall.