British Mark IV Tank (New Vanguard, Vol. 133) [Paperback]

David Fletcher (Author), Tony Bryan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2007

Amongst the first ever mass-produced tanks in history, the British Mk IV has been classified as one of the most successful heavy tanks to have fought in World War I.

Mechanically similar to its predecessors, the Mark IV embodied various improvements, suggested by experience with earlier variants, including better armour, improved weapons and easier transportation.

It proved its worth at the landmark battle of Cambrai in November 1917, when 460 Mark IVs were deployed for the first time against the enemy with great effect. Arguably changing the nature of war on the Western Front, the Mark IV was one of the first vehicles in the world to partake in a tank duel when, in 1918, it met the German A7V in combat.

Drawing on a wealth of previously unpublished photographs and new information on its operational abilities, this fascinating exploration of the British Mk IV includes detailed descriptions of the tank and its variants, such as the mine-clearing tank, the Tadpole tail device, and the tank created for towing airships, to complete the picture of this crucial vehicle and its deployment on the Western Front.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Fletcher was born in 1942. He has written a number of books and articles on military subjects and is currently the historian at the Tank Museum, Bovington, UK. He has spent over 40 years studying the development of British armoured vehicles during the two World Wars. The author lives in Dorset, UK.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (April 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184603082X
• ISBN-13: 978-1846030826
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,121,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent addition to any serious, in-depth World War I collection., July 7, 2007

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: British Mark IV Tank (New Vanguard, Vol. 133) (Paperback)

David Fletcher's BRITISH MARK IV TANK tells of the Mark IV tank which worked against the Germans from 1917 to the end of World War I. It charts the first tank-versus-tank actions against the Germans, British technology, and displays rare footage of the Mark IVs used against the Allies. An excellent addition to any serious, in-depth World War I collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In The Hands of an Expert, May 15, 2007

By 

R. A Forczyk (MD, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: British Mark IV Tank (New Vanguard, Vol. 133) (Paperback)

British tank expert David Fletcher follows up his successful British Mark I Tank 1916 (Osprey's New Vanguard 100) with an even better British Mark IV Tank (New Vanguard 133), adding more detail on British tank operations in the First World War. Fletcher describes the Mark IV as the "first main battle tank" and this volume provides an appreciable level of detail on the tank's technical details, its production, unit organization and use in combat. The author succeeds in packing a considerable amount of detail into this short format and in a manner that assures the reader that they are getting `real' information instead of recycled boilerplate. Although the author is does not mention this, his role as a curator at the Tank Museum at Bovington has allowed him a great deal of hands-on experience with British World War I tanks and he even drove one for a BBC documentary. Nevertheless, the author's expertise on this subject is apparent on every page.

The author devotes 5 pages to describing the technical details of the Mark IV tank and several pages and photos to how the tank was built. After discussing the expansion of the British Tank Corps, the author then outlines the Mark IV's baptism of fire in Flanders in 1917, as well as its possible role in the cancelled Operation "Hush" and in Egypt. About 6 pages are devoted to the Battle of Cambrai, the highlight for the Mark IV tank. Final sections cover mechanical improvements, the Mark IV's role in 1918 fighting (mostly as a supply tank) and post-war activities. The author even mentions the role of a Mark IV tank briefly resurrected for home defense by the Royal Navy in 1940.

The color plates depict a Mark IV with fascine at Cambrai in 1917, a Mark IV winch tank adapted for the cancelled amphibious operation on the Belgian coast, a supply tank, a Mark IV under construction, a captured Mark IV in German service and several other Mark IV scenes. The B/W photos throughout the volume are excellent. The author provides an index, but no bibliography or notes on sources used. Overall, this is a well-crafted volume with a good amount of information on this subject.

4.0 out of 5 stars Mark IV tank book, November 10, 2011

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mr.modified - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: British Mark IV Tank (New Vanguard, Vol. 133) (Paperback)

Book has a lot of good info on the mark IV tank that would be hard to find. What I didn't like is that the book doesn't go into detail about the drive train or how the tank was operated. It doesn't even mention that the tank is powered by a sleeve valve engine. Otherwise the book is excellent. Lot's of interesting pictures that you won't see on the internet. Definately worth the money.