The German A7V Tank and the Captured British Mark IV Tanks of World War I (A Foulis military book)

However, it is not everything that a modeller could hope it to be. The interior shots are somewhat limited, being either the few period shots still out there as well as plenty of photos of Mephisto. Unfortunately, Mephisto has no driver's station so there is scant reference on it. Frankly, from a modeller's standpoint, the Schiffer title holds up pretty well.

In sum, it's a very good book on the A7v, you'll never see a better one. That said, it is not equivalent to a Jentz book in photographic coverage and those who buy it for that will be somewhat disappointed. Of course, how many photos of a few dozen tanks from WW1 can one expect to survive?

I'm very happy with this book, but I paid $30 for it. For the $120-150 that the used book-sellers are often asking, I'd be a bit heisitant.

Matt


A Necessary Reference for the A7V   July 12, 2003
Susan Paxton
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

The A7V tank was Germany's not terribly distinguished answer to the British and French tanks of World War I. In fact, it was sufficiently second rate that the Germans frenetically put into service every British Mark IV they could find and repair. Only about 24 A7Vs served in the war; at least one was finished afterwards and served with the Freikorps, but it differed from the war tanks in several important ways. Although several A7Vs survived the war (including one which succumbed to a particularly mindless bout of scrapping at Aberdeen Proving Grounds during WWII), only one original tank remains, 506 Mephisto, captured by Australian forces and preserved in Australia. The German Army several years ago had a replica A7V constructed for their museum at Munsterlager, filling an important gap in their collection of German AFVs.

This book, published by Haynes (better known for their excellent series of auto manuals) is an important reference for this unusual vehicle and includes dozens of photographs of the preserved tank Mephisto, contemporary photos, and plans and drawings. The origins of the German tank program are covered, followed by detailed chapters covering the chassis, the armored body, the armament, the numbering of the tanks, and the identification of one from the other (especially helpful because the A7Vs were surprisingly individual). The relatively short operational life of the tanks is then discussed, followed by a useful section on the German use of captured British Mark IV tanks. A final section covers the camouflage and markings of both the A7Vs and the German-operated Mark IVs, and the uniforms worn by their crews.

With the recent release of a model of the A7V in 1/72nd scale by Emhar, this book is a vital reference for anyone interested in building an accurate A7V, or for those non-modelers who are curious about the little known German employment of armor in World War I.