The Sturmpanzerwagen A7V was a heavy tank introduced by Germany in 1918 during World War I. One hundred chassis were ordered in early 1917, ten to be finished as fighting vehicles with armoured bodies, and the remainder as Ćberlandwagen cargo carriers. The number to be armoured was later increased to 20. They were used in action from March to October 1918, and were the only tanks produced by Germany in World War I to be used in combat, as well as being the first operational German Tank. It was developed as a response to British tanks. Although the A7V is generally considered to be better designed compared to its counterparts, it struggled to procure high production numbers due to its relative complexity and high cost.
Sole surviving A7V (Mephisto) on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra
5.7-cm Maxim-Nordenfelt gun from A7V "Schnuck", at the Imperial War Museum, Manchester, UK
In rough terrain
A7V tank at Roye on 21 March 1918
Heavy tank is a term used to define a class of tanks produced from World War I to the end of the Cold War. These tanks generally sacrificed mobility and maneuverability for better armour protection and equal or greater firepower than tanks of lighter classes.
A Soviet IS-3 heavy tank
German heavy tank A7V of WWI
The German Tiger I heavy tank
IS-2 heavy tank