The orientation of Hermaphrodites

[Wulf]

I know the difference between a Male and a Female (WWI tanks, I mean, of course...) and I know a Hermaphrodite had a Male sponson on one side and a Female sponson on the other - but did they all have the same sponson on the same side? And, if so, which?

I could imagine they were created by swapping sponsons between tanks, in which case there were likely equal numbers of both orientations, but that may be entirely wrong.

[FierceKitty]

And what about those that had male features but identified as female...? Did they need separate maintenance facilities? Distinctive ID papers?

[Ithoriel]

I was under the impression that the hermaphrodites were MKV female tanks with 6pdr sponsons recovered from KO'd male tanks.

The only image,a picture not a photo, I remember seeing had the right hand sponson equipped with the 6pdr. Since it was not a photo I would treat it with an appropriate degree of scepticism.

[steve_holmes_11]

Don't know, but I do know that the Sponsons were detachable for transport (probably also handy for maintenance).

Common sense suggests a roughly equal supply of left and right handed spares.

What I've seen of Tank Doctrine had troops of 3 with a fancy trench crossing drill.
One turned left and one turned right clearing the trench, while the third used a fascine to push across the trench.
From that it seems sensible for each troop to have a left and right hander (if possible) in each troop.

Quite how to optimally mix them is way beyond my ken.
It seems like those footbal clubs who play with an interchanging "front three".
All manner of Hungarian-style tricks like reversed wingers, false nines ....