The ' ("Assault tank Upper Silesia" from german: der Sturm, the assault; german: der Panzerwagen the tank) was a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
tank project of the
First World War. It was a radical design for a fast-moving, lightly armoured assault tank.
The ''Oberschlesien'' included a track which was placed under the tank and only wrapped around half of it. The design sacrificed armour for the sake of speed and only required a engine for the 19 ton body, giving it a projected ground speed of .
The tank featured such advanced features as the main armament mounted on top of the tank in a centrally placed revolving turret, separate fighting and engine compartments, a rear-mounted engine and a low track run.
History
Towards the end of the First World War it was clear that the only operational German tank, the
A7V, was too expensive to produce and had too large a crew. Therefore, it was decided that a lighter tank was required which could spearhead assaults and which could be mass-produced.
Thirteen companies bid for the contract and in the middle of 1918, construction of a design by Captain Müller was assigned to the Oberschlesien Eisenwerk of
Gleiwitz
Gliwice (; german: Gleiwitz) is a city in Upper Silesia, in southern Poland. The city is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Kłodnica river (a tributary of the Oder River, Oder). It lies approximately 25 km west from Katowice, the re ...
, which had partially completed two prototypes by October. The project received the pseudonym ''Oberschlesien'' (
Upper Silesia).
Neither the ordered test models, nor the improved "Oberschlesien II" already planned were finished before the end of the war.
See also
*
LK I
References
External links
Achtung Panzer! - First Panzers 1917 - 1918
{{WWI tanks, style=wide
World War I tanks
World War I tanks of Germany
Light tanks of Germany
History of the tank