The Schneider CA was the first French armoured fighting vehicle. They were quite primitive, cramped, uncomfortable and vulnerable to fight from, but they helped break the dominance of the machine gun in World War I

Planning for a French armoured fighting vehicle began in early 1915 and a prototype Schneider was demonstrated on 9 December 1915.

In February 1916 an order was placed for 400 Schneider tanks and the first one was delivered on 5 September that year.

They were developed around a Holt caterpillar tractor and the fighting compartment was very cramped and uncomfortable.

They were deployed for the first time on 16 April 1917 at Berry-uu-Bac where 57 of the 132 Schneiders involved were destroyed.

Nevertheless, they took part in many battles until the end of the war.

This model represents an early Schneider CA in 1917.

Wespe/Retrokit 1/72 kit. Completed in May 2012.