William Foster’s Battletank

Proposed by Sir William Tritton in July 1916, Foster's Battletank was a massive design intended to be immune to enemy artillery. It featured a boxy hull with 2-inch thick armor and a lower track profile than the standard Mark I. To solve trench-crossing difficulties, the unique design included auxiliary tracks at the rear to help push the vehicle over obstacles. Power was would be supplied by two 105-horsepower Daimler engines coupled together to drive the immense weight. The tank was heavily armed with two 6-pounder guns in sponsons and five forward-facing machine guns for suppression. Although never built, this ambitious design served as the direct predecessor to the "Flying Elephant" project.

If you want to find out more, please check out our friends at Tank Encyclopedia, who have an article on the William Foster’s Battletank: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww1/uk/fosters-battletank