German WWI Tank A7v Allied Intelligence Report

Started by ArizonaTank, September 02, 2018, 11:53:40 PM

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airboy


ArizonaTank

I was curious about one aspect of the report.  And that is that it says:

"Tests of the armor were made with the A.P.X. bullet; 40mm plates were not penetrated ; on the other hand the sides, the rear and the sighting plates were cleanly pierced."

I asked around to see if anyone had any idea what an "A.P.X. bullet" is.  The best answer came from tanks encyclopedia 

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1/germany/sturmpanzerwagen_A7V.php#comment-507851

The comment from the TE moderator is:

I did some digging and I think I've got this one figured out, I think the APX bullets in question are British .303.
All British .303 casings were marked with a headstamp indicating the manufacturer and the type/variant of ammunition and/or propellant loaded into the case.
According to this list of manufacturer designations APX stands for 'Atelier de Construction de Puteaux', a french munitions factory known to have produced .303 ammunition, including Armour Piercing ammunition.


http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/the-303-british-service-cartridge/

Based on the date that Mephisto was captured (April 1918) and on information presented in B.A Temple's 'World War 1 Armaments and the .303 British Cartridge' I think its likely the APX bullets in question were MKVIIF AP rounds manufactured by APX, although depending on the date it is possible they were using MKVIIW AP bullets which were introduced later in 1918
TE Moderator

Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

#17
Excellent blow by blow of the first tank fight at Villers Brettonneux, April 1918.

3 A7Vs vs. 1 Male Mk. IV and 2 Female Mk. IVs:  video by the Bovington Tank Museum




Google street view of the ground near the fight, between Cachy and Viller Brettonneux
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.8535592,2.4881841,3a,60y,57.04h,90.39t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRbyAsrg94A4EKszSsFsiUg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Regarding Mephisto, after a little more due dilligence it appears it is not one of the A7Vs in the first tank fight.  But it was in the area. Here is the history of how it was captured. According to the article, Mephisto was stuck in a shell hole in April, but not "captured" until July. So it could not have been the A7v in the intell report. Or, maybe it is, and the article has the facts wrong. After 100 years, very possible.
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Histories+of+Queensland/Conflict/Mephisto/Combat+history#.W8YqovZFyUk


Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.