First Steel Model of Ford 3-Ton Tank, March 1918

01

Artifact Overview

Tanks emerged during World War I in response to trenches, barbed wire, and machine guns. Their tracks -- rather than tires -- handled rough ground, and their armor protected against wire and gunfire. Based on tests with a Ford-built 2 1/2-ton tank, the automaker received orders for several thousand 3-ton tanks. The war ended before mass production could begin.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Date Made

28 March 1918

Subject Date

28 March 1918

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

84.1.1660.P.833.21643

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)
Linen (Material)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 7.5 in
Width: 11 in