Ehrhardt EV / 4

The very first German armored cars were the chassis of large cars and trucks; they were installed aimed at the sky guns that were used against the balloons observation. They were called Ballon Abwehr Kanonen (BAK). Massively such cars were not made.

The potential of armored cars in mobile military operations was vividly shown by the Belgians, who were armed with Minerva armored cars in World War I. German infantry and cavalry suffered from the raids of these vehicles, and the German command decided to create their own armored car. It ordered the development of prototypes immediately three car companies - Ehrhardt, Daimler and Büssing.

All three prototypes (Ehrhardt E / V-4, Daimler model 1915 and Büssing A5P ) were developed during 1915. Unlike the Belgian armored cars, created on the basis of conventional cars, the German cars were massive and heavy. They had a crew of 8-10 people, at least three machine guns and armor up to 9 mm. The Ehrhardt armored vehicle under the designation E / V-4 was built in the city of Zella-Mehlis ( Thuringia ). In front of the car, there was an engine protected by armor, followed by a massive body with a fixed turret. The armored car was sheathed with rolled plates manufactured by Friedrich Krupp AG. Distinctive features of the E / V-4 were twin rear wheels, four-wheel drive , 12 gears (6 in front and rear directions).

Together with several improvised armored cars, the three prototypes were combined into one detachment and sent first to the Baltic and then to the Western Front . There they did not bring any serious benefit, since the war took on a positional character, and the armored cars could not use their main advantage - mobility. In the fall of 1916, armored cars were sent to the Romanian front, where they formed a detachment of MG-Zug 1 in the Shmettova cavalry corps. The German army continued to experience a shortage of armored cars, and in 1917 the company Ehrhardt received an order for another 20 cars. These armored cars, designated M 1917, were somewhat improved: the turret was made rotating, and the bottom of the car and headlights were protected with additional armor. Nevertheless, the total weight of the machine was reduced by 1.72 tons.

The armored cars of the new modification along with the captured Belgian Minerwams were sent to the Eastern Front , where platoons were formed that included two M 1917 each and several auxiliary vehicles. "Ehrhardt" actively participated in the battles on the Romanian and Ukrainian fronts until the end of 1917. After that, they were transferred to Alsace and the Italian front; some cars took part in the spring offensive of the Germans in 1918. After the war, the surviving armored cars returned to Germany, where they were used to carry out police service (in particular, during the suppression of riots). In this capacity, they turned out to be so effective that until 1919, another 20 pieces with the designation M 1919 were ordered and produced (without radio stations and with lower quality armor). Some of these vehicles were adopted by the fricore , others were transferred to the Entente countries. During the Silesian uprisings , both sides used armored cars, including the "Ehrhardt"; trophy Ehrhardt M 1917 was in service with the Polish army until 1928. At the police service, the Germans used these cars almost until World War II.

• Armored car Ehrhardt EV / 4