Medium Mark C (Hornet)

Medium Tank [ 1918 ]

The Medium Mark C was a promising tank design by World War 1 standards, with large outstanding orders cancelled at the end of the war.

Authored By: Slippery Pete | Last Edited: 03/03/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Front left side view of the Medium Mark C Hornet tank

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The Medium Mark C tank was a promising and notably agile armored system that arrived too late to see combat action in World War 1. Though categorized as a tank, the system was specifically an "armored fighting vehicle" (or "AFV") meant to support infantry movements and lead the charge in breaking stalemates common to World War 1 battlefields. Like many other tank systems of the First World War, the Medium Mark C led a relatively short operational life (1918 - 1925) and large wartime orders quickly evaporated with the armistice. Only some thirty-six unfinished systems were available at the end of the war - these eventually completed and placed into active service. The Medium Mark C was also known as the "Hornet" though this name was rarely used.

Origins of the Medium Mark C stemmed from a rivalry that developed between two former work mates - Sir William Tritton and Major Walter Gordon Wilson - both of whom were eventually awarded by the British government as co-inventors of the "tank". Tritton served with the William Foster & Company while Wilson, formerly of the Royal Naval Air Service, now served in the British Army. Tritton moved ahead without Wilson in the development of the Medium Mark A "Whippet" tank to which Wilson set about in generating an all-new tank design all his own, this becoming the Medium Mark B of 1917. In response, Tritton called upon his chief designer - William Rigby - to come up with a competing design to Wilsons. The new design was penciled and presented to the British Army for review. The British Army accepted the design on April 19th, 1918, to which the prototype was constructed and made available in August of 1918.

The Medium Mark C was slated to fill an initial production batch of 200 vehicles while the war was still in full swing. This was later amended to become a 600-strong order. However, the war officially ended in November of 1918 and all Medium Mark C wartime orders were cancelled. The thirty-six tanks that lay unfinished in the factory were completed delivered to the British Tank Corps, 2nd Tank Battalion. Of note became the four Medium Mark C's taking part in the 1919 victory parade that followed the armistice. This group was eventually given a further fourteen new-build Medium Mark C tanks to strengthen their ranks - many of these systems pieced together from available spare parts. The tanks capabilities and "newness" in design and construction ensured that Britain kept her close to home and, as such, the Medium Mark C was not deployed in actions outside of England.©MilitaryFactory.com

Design of the Medium Mark C was typical for the time. The tank sported a rhomboidal shape with two long-running unsprung track systems fitted to both sides of the hull. The forward portion of the tracks was raised to help tackle battlefield obstacles such as trenches and mounds. Each track system was fitted to a rudimentary hull design to which was affixed a static superstructure. The superstructure gave a taller profile but, the same time, improved visibility for the crew via vision slits and machine gun ports for engaging enemy infantry. The tank commander was given a rotating turret atop the superstructure. The Medium Mark C sported a long hull and its layout made it a relatively good cross country negotiator - considering the European countryside was littered with battlefield debris and trench networks - the latter of which the Medium Mark C could better navigate over than her predecessors. Armor thickness was a reported 14mm, providing protection against small arms fire. Entry and exit was via hinged doors along the track hull sides.

The Medium Mark C was powered by a single Ricardo 6-cylinder gasoline engine developing 150bhp at 1,200rpm and tied to an epicycle transmission system. Maximum speed was limited to 7.9 miles per hour while range topped out at 75 miles. The engine was fitted into a separated compartment at the rear of the hull and made accessible to the crew from within the vehicle. The crew was comprised of the tank commander, driver, machine gunner and mechanic. Communication for the crew was via speaking tubes - helpful in combating the onboard noises developed by the engine and structure. Armament was up to five Hotchkiss-type 7.7mm (.303 caliber) defensive machine guns fitted to the superstructure on ball mounts - two placed forward, two single fittings along the side panels and a single fitting facing to the rear.

World War 2 tanks generally came in two forms - "male" and "female". This terminology basically dictated the type of primary armament afforded to each. The male version was typically fitted with cannon armament while the female version was outfitted with defensive machine guns. The Medium Tank C was only produced in its female form though a male form was planned and designed but never put into production. It would have fitted a 6-pounder gun to its forward superstructure. A battlefield recovery version was also nixed though one existing Medium Mark C did serve to evaluate a new transmission system for a time.

After 1925, the Medium Mark C was replaced by the Vickers Medium Mark I and Mark II tanks. The last Medium Mark C was melted down as late as 1940.

The Medium Mark C tank was deployed to Glasgow to help quell unrest in the 1921 strike. This effectively summarized the Medium Mark C's operational action history leaving the imagination to wonder of the tanks impact in the Great War should it have continued beyond November of 1918.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1918

Origin

United Kingdom

Crew

4
CREWMEN

Production

50
UNITS

Fosters - UK

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

United Kingdom

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Infantry Support
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.

✓ Medium Tank
Design providing enhanced armor protection and firepower over that of lightweight offerings - but lacking the general capabilities of heavier solutions.

✓ Tank-vs-Tank
Engage armored vehicles of similar form and function.

Length

25.8 ft
7.85 m

Width

8.9 ft
2.71 m

Height

9.6 ft
2.94 m

Weight

44,798 lb
20,320 kg

Tonnage

22.4 tons
MEDIUM

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Medium Mark C (Hornet) production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)

Powerplant: 1 x Ricardo 6-cylinder gasoline engine developing 150 horsepower at 1,200rpm.

Speed

7.9 mph
(12.6 kph)

Range

74.6 mi
(120.0 km)

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Medium Mark C (Hornet) production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

4 OR 5 x 7.7mm Hotchkiss machine guns

Supported Types

Graphical image of a tank medium machine gun

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

Not available.

Medium Mark C - Base Series Designation

Medium Mark C (female) - 5 x machine guns

Medium Mark C (male) - Proposed cannon-armed variant; never produced; would have fitted a long-barrel 6-pdr main gun in forward superstructure.

Battlefield Recovery Vehicle - Proposed; never produced.

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery

1 / 4

Front left side view of the Medium Mark C Hornet tank

2 / 4

High-angled rear view of the Medium Mark C Hornet tank

3 / 4

Top right side view of the Medium Mark C Hornet clearing a grade

4 / 4

Medium Mark Cs deployed to quell worker unrest in Glasgow circa early 1919

❮ ❯

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)