A7V - German first tank

The Germany A7V tank was the answer to the Mark I of the British Army.

After the initial shock in the battlefield caused by the Mark I which proved to have a great psychological effect against unprepared infantry and with an easy could pass over trenches and fences spreading mayhem, the German high command ordered the development of its first tank. On April 1917 the first prototype of the A7V Sturmpanzerwagen begins its trials, weighting 30 tons this tank was operated by a crew of  nonetheless than 18 men, the A7V was armed with 6 Maxim MG 7.5 mm and one Maxim Nordenfelt 57 mm cannon, the protection was provided by plates of 30 to 20 mm thick and the pair of 100 hp Daimler petrol engine could reach a speed up to 9 mph (17 kmh).

On April 24, 1918, the first known tank-to-tank duel has taken place in the second battle of Villers-Bretonneux when a A7V leading the attack have encountered a British Mark I tank. after being hit 3 times, the German A7V has been knocked-out, the crew suffered many causalities but some managed to leave the tank.

After the failure of the A7V the German high command has canceled the order for 100 A7V tanks, but the experience learned from its short service in the army lead to the attempt to improve its design into the A7V-U with a full length tracks around the tank, similar looking to the Mark I but never passed the prototype phase until the end of World War I.