The Sturmpanzerwagen A7V was an enormous vehicle, hurriedly designed following the appearance of British tanks in 1916. Ground clearance was only 40mm (1.57 inches) and the length of the track on the ground was too short for a vehicle of its size. The result was an unstable vehicle with poor cross-country performance.

Despite its obvious flaws, 100 A7Vs were nevertheless ordered in December 1917. The German war machine was already stretched beyond its capacity at tis point in the war and only about 20 were ever produced. Their shortcomings over rough ground were manifested in March 1918 when they first saw action, and they often lagged behind the infantry they were originally designed to support. Variants included the Uberlandwagen, an open-topped, unarmored supply version, and the A7V/U with 'all-around' tracks. During the inter-war period, they were used by the Polish Army for several years until they were eventually retired prior to World War II.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Sturmpanzerwagen A7V infantry support tank. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-inches
Width: 1-3/4-inches

Three detachments (Abteilungen) of five tanks each were at Villers-Bretonneux at the head of the four German divisions committed over a 4-mile front. One tank refused to start, but the fourteen that saw action achieved some success, and the British recorded that their lines were broken by the tanks. Two A7Vs toppled over into holes, and some encountered engine or armament troubles.

After a counterattack, three fell into Allied hands. One was unusable and scrapped, one was used later for shell testing by the French, and the third was eventually recovered by Australian troops.