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Quiz about British Mk V tank
Quiz about British Mk V tank

British Mk V tank Trivia Quiz


A short quiz on one of the most revolutionary war vehicles ever created, the British Mk V tank. The tank was in service in Europe from 1916-1918.

A multiple-choice quiz by DelGriffith. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
DelGriffith
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
173,037
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
964
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Question 1 of 10
1. What was the major improvement that made the Mk V so revolutionary? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. What armament did the male Mk V carry? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. How much power did the Ricardo engine in the Mk V put out? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. What was another improvement that gave the Mk V tank an advantage over the enemy? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. What did the Mk V weigh in at? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. What was the top speed of a Mk V? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. How many Mk V tanks were produced in total? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. How many crew members did it take to start the Ricardo engine? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What was another improvement made to the Mk V tank that improved its dexterity? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. How did British tank commanders tell the difference between operational Mk V's, and ones that had been captured by the Germans? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What was the major improvement that made the Mk V so revolutionary?

Answer: It was the first tank able to be driven by one man

The Wilson epicyclic gearbox removed the need for two gearsmen to drive the tracks, and the Mk V tank could be driven by a single operator. Just to clarify, even though the tracks were designed the way they were, the tank could not be driven upside down.
2. What armament did the male Mk V carry?

Answer: 2 x 6 lb cannon + 4 x Hotchkiss machine gun

The male version of the Mk V tank carried two six pound guns (23 calibre) as its main armament, while the female version carried no cannon, but six machine guns.
3. How much power did the Ricardo engine in the Mk V put out?

Answer: 150 bhp

The Ricardo engine put out nearly 150 bhp (British Horsepower) to drive the Mk V tank. This resulted in a very slow, very vulnerable lummox of a tank, which was fine for the time, as a tank had virtually no enemies, other than steep terrain or mines. Incidentally, the man who invented the engine, Sir Harry Ricardo, also developed the octane index for gasoline, still used today.
4. What was another improvement that gave the Mk V tank an advantage over the enemy?

Answer: Skeens ball MG mount

The Skeens ball mount for the Hotchkiss machine guns gave the gunners an increased firing arc from 60 to 90 degrees, and eliminated the potential of bullet splash entering the tank from outside. Previously, gunners fired through open ports in the side of the tank, and bullets from a nearby machine gun, or a well placed sniper's round could eliminate a gunner quite easily.
5. What did the Mk V weigh in at?

Answer: 29.5 tons

The Mk V weighed in at arround 29.5 tons, with the weight varying as to male or female versions. As the female versions did not carry cannons, they weighed slightly less.
6. What was the top speed of a Mk V?

Answer: 8 mph

Imagine a 150 hp engine driving 30 tons of steel and iron. The top speed (cross-country) of the Mk V was a whopping 8 mph. The mammoth weight of the tank gave it an effective range of approximately 56 km (35 miles).
7. How many Mk V tanks were produced in total?

Answer: 400

200 male tanks and 200 female tanks were produced from 1916-1918. For security reasons, no tank was ever completely built by a single company. Several companies manufactured individual parts of the tank, and they were all put together at a classified location.
8. How many crew members did it take to start the Ricardo engine?

Answer: 5

Four members of the crew had to crank the engine over manually, while the commander operated a manual magneto switch. Personal accounts indicate that starting the engine in cold weather required priming of each engine cylinder through its priming cock, having first warmed the spark plugs (two each cylinder) on a pile of burning cotton waste.

When the engine was really cold, crews are said to have warmed the priming petrol outside the tank by lighting it in a tin. Once the fuel had warmed, a tight fitting lid was placed over the tin to extinguish the flames and the fuel then used to prime the engine.
9. What was another improvement made to the Mk V tank that improved its dexterity?

Answer: Unditching beam

An unditching beam was added to the tanks later in the war. This beam could be chained to the tracks, and pulled down underneath the tank for added traction when the tank became bogged down in mud. The beam worked in much the same principle as modern tire chains.
10. How did British tank commanders tell the difference between operational Mk V's, and ones that had been captured by the Germans?

Answer: Painted markings

Simple red and white stripes were painted on the front of the tanks to differentiate between tanks that had been captured by the Germans. How this worked is unknown to me, as what would stop the Germans from painting their own stripes on the tanks?
Source: Author DelGriffith

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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