Welcome to our first release notes of 2013, there being no release in January due to our factory relocating amongst other issues. However we are slowly gearing up our production with some very exciting products due to appear on the horizon in 2013. So without further ado let's see what is available for this month!
GW011/012 A7 Tank
The A7 tank was the only operational tank used the Germans in WW1 with a total of 20 being used on frontline duties. The A7 was a large machine for its time being 24ft long, 11ft high and nearly 10 ft wide. There was a crew of 18, with most of these being utilised to man the 6 machine guns and the 57mm Nordenfeldt cannon
Up to 300 rounds for the Nordenfeldt could be carried, which made this a truly mobile fortress albeit with only a top speed of 3 MPH cross country. The A7 had 24 wheels which were individually sprung; this gave it an advantage over British tanks which had no sprung suspension. However because of this type of suspension and the fact that the armoured body overhung the chassis, the tank was prone to wobbling as it lurched along!
Ropes were provided internally for the crew to hang onto but the whole experience must have been very uncomfortable for all concerned. British troops coined the phrase 'Wibble Wobble' for tanks and this would have been a very apt description for the A7.
The armour for the A7 was up to 30mm thick, which made the tank invulnerable to machine gun fire but because hardened armour plate was not used the A7 was vulnerable to large calibre artillery weapons
The first tank versus tank battle in the world action took place at Villers Brettoneux, between the British and Germans in 1918. The Germans lost one A7 tank (later recovered) to Lt Mitchell in a British Male tank, however Lt Mitchell’s tank lost a track due to mortar fire and had to be abandoned. The 2 British Female tanks accompanying Mitchell had already departed the battle as their machine guns could not penetrate the A7 armour. However the arrival of 7 British Whippet tanks forced the rest of the German infantry and tanks to abandon the battle. Although a minor battle in itself both forces gained valuable experience, which would help shape armoured warfare in the future
We have released 2 versions of our A7: GW0011 'Cyclops' with a 2 tone camouflage pattern and 'Deaths Head' insignia painted on the front. Cyclops saw action in various battles and survived WW1 only to be scrapped in 1919
GW012 'Schnuck' comes in a 3 tone camouflage pattern with Balkan crosses on the side. This tank was captured by New Zealand troops at Fremicourt in August 1918. Schnuck was put on display at the Imperial War Museum in London after the war but was later scrapped, with only the main cannon being retained
This model weighs nearly 2 kilos and is therefore a hefty collector's piece. Priced at $155, and with a limited edition of 100 each being made this is an iconic piece for every serious WW1 collector
In addition to this wonderful tank TGM are also releasing two British 2 inch mortar teams for their WW2 series, one manned by Commandos and the other by 'Red Devils'. Both sets will have a limited production run of 100 pieces and are priced at $69 each
Happy hunting!
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