Light tank of france. Tanks of France World Of Tanks. Armored light tanks

• Light technique
• Medium tanks
• Heavy

French tanks of World War II, in short, although they had good characteristics, could not compete with more modernized enemy equipment. And they didn't have to take part in the battles. Although some of them still managed to go through the entire war in various theaters of military operations. The truth is not always in its original quality.

Light technique

Medium tanks

Heavy French tanks

• B1- heavy tank French army actively participated in battles with the German invaders and showed good results.
• Therefore, after the capture of France, he was not only adopted into the armored forces of the Wehrmacht, but also actively used them on the battlefields with the Soviet army.
• True, for these purposes, tanks were selected in the best technical condition, and the rest were converted into self-propelled guns and flamethrower tanks.
• Speaking of French tanks, it is worth mentioning the "FCM" Char 2-C, which was the largest serial tank that time. Weighing 75 tons, its dimensions were 10.27 m - length, 3.0 - width and 4.09 - height.
• It was armed with a 75 mm cannon and four machine guns, and its crew consisted of 12-13 fighters.
• However, in the battles of World War II, he never took part, since the echelon with combat vehicles was defeated by German aircraft.

Until September 1, 1939, the French did not manage to form tank divisions. The farthest advance was the formation of the 3rd light mechanized division, and organizational measures began to form the fourth. Eight infantry divisions (1st, 3rd, 5th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 15th and 25th) were motorized. Trucks were used to transport the infantry. Otherwise, the tactics of motorized infantry divisions were no different from those of conventional infantry.

Motorized infantry divisions became part of the army corps. And again, for the umpteenth time, the French made a gross mistake, adding two conventional infantry divisions to the army corps along with the motorized infantry division. Thus, all the advantage of the motorized infantry was nullified. The French had to spend colossal amounts of money to somehow bring up the infantry divisions to the level of mobility of motorized infantry divisions.

In January 1940, it was finally possible to complete the formation of the 1st and 2nd Panzer Divisions. Until March, the 3rd Panzer Division was formed. The last - 4th Panzer Division - completed its formation when fighting have already begun.

According to the state, each division was supposed to have a semi-brigade (Demi-Brigade) of medium tanks (2 battalions of Char B1 tanks - 60 vehicles) and a semi-brigade of light tanks (2 battalions of H-39 cavalry tanks - 90 vehicles). In addition, the tank division included a battalion of motorized infantry (equipped with 20 armored vehicles), 2 battalions of 105-mm howitzers, a battery of 47-mm anti-tank guns and a battery of 25-mm anti-aircraft guns.

In total, as of May 10, 1940, the French army had 49 battalions of light tanks for direct support of the infantry, 3 light mechanized divisions and 3 tank divisions. In North Africa, three battalions of D1 tanks were deployed, one battalion of H-35 tanks, and a battalion of R-35 tanks was based in Levanto. Light tank battalions were part of larger units: brigades, regiments and tank groups. There were 3 tank brigades (2nd, 4th and 5th) and 14 tank regiments (501st, 502nd, 503rd, 504th, 505th, 506th, 507th, 508th, 509th, 510th, 511th, 512th, 513th and 514th). The regiments and brigades were disbanded in March 1940.

Tank brigades usually consisted of two regiments, and regiments consisted of two battalions. Each battalion consisted of about 50 vehicles.

Before the start of the offensive, the Nazis concentrated their main forces on the northern flank. Army Group B, under the command of Colonel General Fyodor von Bock, was to advance between the seaside and Moza. Army Group B consisted of two armies - the 6th and 18th - a total of 29 divisions, including three armored and one motorized. These forces were supposed to bind the Allied forces and divert them from the direction of the main attack.

The main blow was delivered by Army Group A, under the command of Gerd von Rundstedt, which united the 4th, 12th and 16th armies - a total of 45 divisions, including 7 armored and 3 motorized. Army Group A forces were to strike through Belgium south of the Liège-Charleroi line in the direction of Meijen-Saint-Quentin along a 170 km wide front from Regen to the point where the borders of Germany, Luxembourg and France converge. The aim of Army Group A was to seize the Mozou crossings between Dena and Sedan with a lightning speed, which made it possible to break through at the junction of the 9th and 12th French armies and reach the rear of the Maginot Line in the direction of the mouth of the Somme River.

On the southern flank between the Moselle and the Swiss border, Army Group C, led by General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, advanced. The task of this Army Group was simply to pin down as many enemy forces as possible.

In total, in the French campaign, the Germans fielded 10 tank divisions. The Nazis had 523 Pz tanks at their disposal. Kpfw. I, 955 tanks Pz. Kpfw. II, 349 tanks Pz. Kpfw. III, 278 tanks Pz. Kpfw. IV, 106 tanks Pz. Kpfw. 35 (t) and 228 Pz. Kpfw. 38 (t). In addition, the Germans had 96 command tanks kl. Pz. BfWg. I, created on the basis of the Pz. Kpfw. I and 39 command tanks Pz. BfWg. III on the chassis of the Pz. Kpfw. III. In general, German tanks were inferior to French ones in terms of armament power and armor thickness. Tanks Pz. Kpfw. I, armed with two machine guns, posed no threat to French armored vehicles... Tanks Pz. Kpfw. II, armed with a 20-mm cannon, could inflict damage on French vehicles only in unusually favorable conditions, for example, from an ambush at close range. Tanks Pz. Kpfw. III and Czech Pz. Kfw. 38 (t), armed with a 37-mm cannon (Pz. Kpfw. III, armed with a 50-mm gun appeared among the Germans when the hostilities were in full swing) were approximately equal to the French R-35, R-39, H-35 and H-39. The Nazis had no analogue to the French Char B1 and Somua S-35. The Germans could fight these tanks in only one way: first, breaking the track, and then, going into the flank, hit the tank from the side. The only worthy opponent for French medium tanks was the Pz. Kpfw. IV. However, the fate of the campaign was not decided by the tactical and technical characteristics of the tanks. Tactics and military doctrine- here the advantage of the Germans over the French was overwhelming. It was only through the bitter experience of the first month of the campaign that the French command realized the magnitude of the mistake that had been made during the interwar twenty years.

Based on intelligence data, the commander of the northeastern front, French General Joseph Georges, suggested that the Germans would deliver the main blow from the right flank north of Liège and Namur through Belgium, in other words, the Germans decided to repeat the "Schlieffen plan" of the 1st World War war. To thwart the enemy's plans, the Allies decided to occupy the defensive lines between Namur and Antwerp, along the Diel River, and to give the general battle to the Germans in Belgium, on the borders of which most of the German motorized infantry and tanks were concentrated. This maneuver was to be carried out by the troops of the French 1st Army Group (1st, 2nd and 7th Armies), led by General Gaston Henri Billote, as well as the British Expeditionary Force of General John Gort (Gort).

The French were on the defensive so that civilians suffered as little as possible. The French were going to create a network of fortified posts, saturated with anti-tank weapons. According to the allies, this should have forced the enemy to get bogged down in battles, but due to lack of time to carry out their plan, the French and British did not have time. The commander of the 1st Mechanized Cavalry Corps (2nd and 3rd Light Mechanized Divisions), General Proiux, wrote in his memoirs:

“On the morning of May 11, I arrived at Gumbla and inspected the equipped positions. Surprisingly: not the slightest trace of fortification work around the city - the key point of the entire operation. Only 8-9 km to the east did I find the first elements of anti-tank defense, however, they did not form a continuous line and therefore had no real combat value. With confusion, I thought that the army should have done reconnaissance first and then started excavating. However, the enemy did not give us time! "

The French leadership, which adopted the concept of a passive strategy, did not dare to launch preventive or counterstrikes on the enemy, but simply tried to stop the fascists' offensive. According to the French command, the war was to quickly turn into a positional form. Therefore, the German troops did not meet a proper rebuff and were able to quickly develop an offensive deep into France and reach the shores of the English Channel.

Of the three French light divisions, one (the 1st light mechanized division) was attached to the 1st army. The other two were merged into the 1st Mechanized Cavalry Corps, which we have already mentioned. All these forces were assembled on the Flanders front and awaited the enemy's offensive.

General Prua's corps made contact with the German XVI Panzer Corps in the Gambloux and Namur area. On May 12-13, in the suburbs of Namur, French forces with 74 S-35 tanks, 87 H-35 tanks and 40 AMR tanks fought against German tanks from the 3rd and 4th Panzer Divisions. In an unequal battle, the French managed to burn 64 German tanks. The corps delayed the enemy's advance for two days and then was disbanded. The divisions of the corps were distributed among the infantry corps.

The commanders of these corps, in turn, divided the light divisions into parts and reinforced the infantry divisions with these parts. The fragmented mechanized units could no longer play a noticeable role in the war. When the French command realized this mistake, it was already too late - it was already impossible to assemble parts of the two divisions. Only by May 20, with great difficulty, was it possible to recreate the 3rd mechanized light division piece by piece.

While General Proux's corps was desperately trying to hold back the enemy's advance near Gambla, nearby - near Crean - the 2nd French cuirassier regiment fought a heavy battle with the German 35th Panzer Regiment of the 4th Panzer Division. In the battle, the French lost 11 N-39 tanks.

On the Belgian border, the French concentrated all three of their panzer divisions. Two of them were not fully equipped and together had 136 tanks. The third division had a regular strength of 180 vehicles.

In the meantime, motorized units from Army Group A passed the Ardennes, considered impassable, and crossed the Moza between Zhivet and Sedan from the march. Thus, the Germans went into the rear of the Allied forces in Flanders. The entire plan for the defense of the Allies suffered a complete fiasco. The Anglo-French forces had to start a retreat.

To restrain the enemy's advance, the French command decided to use their mechanized units. On May 14, 1940, the 1st Panzer Division, which was part of the French 9th, was to attack the German troops crossing the Moza. On the evening of May 13, the division took up its initial positions ... and remained standing there due to lack of fuel! The delay allowed the reconnaissance of the German XIX Motorized Corps (1st, 2nd and 10th Panzer Divisions) to find the French. On May 14, the Germans were the first to strike. At Bulson, the French 1st Panzer Division lost 20 tanks. Things were even worse at Shemeri, where 50 French tanks were left to burn. Many tanks without fuel destroyed the crews. The French had only one thing to do - to retreat. They had to retreat under continuous German air raids. By May 16, the 1st Panzer Division of the French had only 17 combat-ready vehicles. On the night of May 16-17, these crumbs were also lost. So, a week after the outbreak of hostilities and just three days after arriving at the front line, the 1st Panzer Division ceased to exist!

The fate of the 2nd Panzer Division was slightly better. On May 14, 1940, the division set out from Champagne, with tanks being transferred by rail, and wheeled vehicles moving under their own power. Already on May 15, parts of the division were divided by a German wedge. From that moment on, the 2nd Panzer Division also did not exist as a single tactical formation! The front commander ordered the tanks of the 2nd division to be unloaded from the platforms and placed in small groups in the area of ​​the Oise river crossings. The task of the tanks was to stop the German units crossing the river. On May 15, units of General Reinhardt's XXXXI Corps crossed the river. The French tanks supporting the infantry fought bravely, but were all disabled. The German offensive continued successfully.

On May 14, 1940, the French 3rd Panzer Division was placed at the disposal of the commander of the 2nd Army. Like the 1st Panzer, the 3rd Panzer Division was ordered to counterattack the enemy in the Moza area, but did not follow the order. The delay occurred for two reasons: firstly, the division was on the defensive, so it had to regroup its forces to go on the offensive; secondly, the command order was inaccurate and did not contain specific indications of the place of the offensive and possible enemy forces. Therefore, the division remained on the defensive lines and gradually the Germans drove it to the Oise.

On May 11, 1940, Colonel Charles de Gaulle was appointed commander of the 4th Panzer Division. Despite the fact that the division had not yet completed its formation, it was thrown into battle. In total, the division had 215 tanks (120 R-35, 45 D2 and 50 B1bis). The division's only infantry unit was a motorized infantry battalion, transported by bus! There were practically no radio stations in the division, and orders were delivered to the units by cyclists! The division's artillery consisted of several parts of the reserve. Supply and maintenance services practically did not exist. In principle, it is even difficult to call this unit a division - it was a motley mixture of scattered units and subunits that accidentally found themselves together. Despite everything, the young divisional commander was able to make a formidable fighting force out of this booth.

On May 16, 1940, General de Gaulle's division (on May 14 he was promoted to brigadier general) attacked the southern flank of the German Wedge (1st, 2nd and 6th Panzer Divisions) in the Montcornet area.

Realizing that the enemy was outnumbered, de Gaulle acted very carefully and tried only to delay the enemy's advance.

For reconnaissance in Montcorn, the 49th tank battalion was sent, which tried to enter the city from the southwest. With a swift attack, the French dispersed the outposts of the German 10th Panzer Division. However, the Germans managed to surround the battalion, all of whose personnel were captured. The 4th Panzer Division continued to adhere to this "cavalry swoop" tactic, striking where it could least be expected. On May 19, several tanks of de Gaulle's division attacked the headquarters of the XIX Motorized Corps of the Germans, located in the Olno forest. The headquarters was covered only by a battery of 20-mm anti-aircraft guns. The battle lasted several hours, despite the desperate efforts of the French, the Germans were able to hold their positions.

The tank divisions of the Nazis continued to roll forward uncontrollably. Nothing and no one could hold back their progress. By May 20, 1940, the ticks around the allied forces in Flanders were completely closed. The French and British had to either fight their way through to their own or retreat to Dunkirk or Calais. On May 21, 98 British tanks from the 4th and 7th RTR were ordered to attack the flank of the German forces at Arras. The British attack was covered by 70 French S-35s from the 3rd Mechanized Light Division. The attackers were quick to succeed. The 1st Battalion of the 6th Motorized Infantry Regiment of the 7th Panzer Division of the Germans was dispersed. To close the gap on the front, the Germans transferred the 25th Panzer Regiment there. Having lost 25 vehicles, the Germans were still able to hold their positions.

After this defeat, the Allies had only one thing to do - evacuation to England. Boulogne and Calais were lost, the only port remaining in the hands of the British and French was Dunkirk. It was there that the Allied troops retreated. Completely demoralized, pinned to the ground by continuous German air raids, this group no longer participated in the campaign.

At the end of May, General de Gaulle's 4th Panzer Division once again declared itself. Her already badly battered forces slammed into the flank of the Germans in the Abbeville area. The French launched a counterattack twice - on May 27 and 28. However, the Germans were able to hold their positions, inflicting heavy losses on the French.

Already on May 20, 1940, the British began to send equipment necessary for the evacuation to Dunkirk. On May 26, the British command put into effect the Dynamo plan. Despite constant attacks by German infantry and bombing raids by the Luftwaffe, the British managed to take the entire Expeditionary Force personnel and a significant part of the French troops trapped in the bag out of the continent in an organized manner. But since the Battle of Flanders was lost, the Allies lost more than half of their troops there.

Before the start of the second stage of the campaign, which was supposed to decide the fate of France, the French still had quite impressive forces: 61 of their own division, 2 Polish divisions and 2 English divisions. More than 1,200 tanks remained on the line, but these tanks were divided into small groups and assigned to different units.

These forces were supposed to save France, relying on the line of defense over the Somme. Since there was no Maginot Line here, the French command organized a chain of improvised anti-tank obstacles - "hedgehogs" in this sector. Infantry, artillery and tanks were located behind the hedgehogs. But unfortunately, the "hedgehogs" did not form a continuous line and parts of the Wehrmacht broke through between them. And the French did not have mobile units at hand that could quickly find themselves in a threatened point.

On June 5, the day after the occupation of Dunkirk, Army Group B went over to the attack. The aim of the offensive was to capture the southern coast of the Somme. The tank formations of Generals Hoth and Kleist went into the breakthrough, attacking the defensive formations of the 7th and 10th French Armies.

On June 10, 1940, General Guderian's newly formed XXXIX Motorized Corps went over to the attack in the Avanson and Tagnon area over the Rethorn River. Moving through open areas, German tanks met virtually no resistance from the French. German units crossed Rethorn on the move in the Nöflise area. Shortly after noon, the Nazis reached Zheniville. At that moment, units of the French 3rd Panzer and 7th Infantry Divisions went over to a counterattack. An oncoming tank battle took place south of the city, which lasted two hours. In this battle, the Germans suffered heavy losses, especially when the aggressors had to deal with the French Char B1bis medium tanks, whose armor kept the hits of armor-piercing shells of 20 and 37 mm caliber. However, the numerical superiority was on the side of the Nazis, and despite heavy losses, they were able to push the French back to La Neuville. In the evening, the battle resumed with renewed vigor, this time south of Geneva. Again French tanks from the above-mentioned divisions went on the attack. The French planned to take Perth by storm, but the Germans were able to hold their positions again.

On June 11, the German 1st Panzer Division attacked the French in the La Neuville area and was able to break through the enemy's defenses. Only over the Suip River did the French try to launch a counteroffensive. 50 French tanks from the 3rd Panzer Division, supported by soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division, tried to close the gap in the defense. But this attack also ended unsuccessfully.

On June 12, the Germans widened the gap in the French defenses and separated the western flank of the Allies from the main forces defending Alsace, Lorraine and the Maginot Line.

On June 14, Army Group C of General von Leeb went on the offensive, whose 1st Army attacked south from the Saarbrücken area, and the 7th Army crossed the Rhine, occupied Colmar and met Guderian's tanks in the Vosges area.

On the same day, the Germans entered Paris without a fight. Three days later, Marshal Pétain announced by radio a request for an armistice. This performance finally broke the fighting spirit of the French army. Only a few units continued to resist. The French, who at first did not want to die for Gdansk, as it turned out, were not at all eager to die for Paris. On June 22, an armistice was signed. The French army was completely defeated, and the campaign in the west came to an end.

In this war complete extermination the tank units of the French army were exposed. It turned out that not the number of tanks, but the tactics of their use, decide the outcome of the battle. The French were not able to act as effectively with large tank formations as their enemy did. Instead of gathering their tanks into one powerful fist, the French sprayed them all over the front. Very rarely did the French try to use tanks in an offensive as their main combat force, and if they did, they used too few tanks. At best, one incomplete tank division was on the attack. As a result, the attack was choking, bumping into enemy defenses equipped with tanks and anti-tank guns. Often such attacks ended in a complete defeat of the attacking side. Quite often the French tried to use tanks on terrain that was completely unsuitable for the use of armored vehicles. The only motive for such actions was the desire to show the infantry that they were "not alone on the battlefield." As a result, the Nazis had a colossal superiority in tanks in the main directions of the strike. The French tried to transfer one or two tank divisions to the threatened sector of the front, but as a rule it was too late.

By the beginning of World War II, France came up with an extremely controversial set of tanks. While most of the tank-building powers by that time had taken up the development and production of medium tanks, in the French army the situation with middle-class vehicles was almost catastrophic. Production orientation towards the production of light tanksRenault R 35 and "battle" (actually heavy) tanksChar B1 bis led to the fact that the French infantry had only fifty medium tanks.

Against this background, the fact that medium tanks in large quantities France nevertheless built, however, for the cavalry, is still quite unexpected, and they were officially called armored vehicles. This is aboutSOMUA S35, a cavalry tank, which in terms of its combat characteristics was the best French tank of the pre-war period.

Thick-skinned cavalry

The fairly strong positions of the cavalry in the French army led to the fact that by the beginning of the 30s a situation arose here, very similar to what was happening at that time in the USA and Japan. Officially, the cavalry did not have its tanks in all these countries, because such vehicles were traditionally intended to support infantry units. But actually appeared new type tank, in different countries referred to as either a "combat vehicle" or as an "armored car". In fact, these were real tanks, sometimes even of the middle class, but, as a rule, they were light tanks with a crew of 2-4 people and the main armament in the form of machine guns. The main requirement for such combat vehicles was high mobility.

Initially, French cavalry tanks developed in the same direction. The armored firstborn of the French cavalry was the AMR 33 (Automitrailleuse de reconnaissance, "reconnaissance armored car"), later the more advanced AMR 35 appeared. These two-seater machines with machine-gun armament were quite consistent with the classical idea of ​​cavalry tanks. In parallel with the AMR program, which began in 1931, the program for the creation of a more powerful "armored car" - AMC (Automitrailleuse de combat, armored combat vehicle) was launched. Here, the firstborn was the Schneider P16 half-track armored car, which had a more serious armament in the form of a 37-mm SA 18 cannon and a coaxial machine gun.

But from 1933 the situation began to change. Last but not least, this was due to the activity of the Hotchkiss company, which proposed the concept light tank, in the design of which casting was massively used. On August 2, a specification for a new combat vehicle was developed, to which 14 firms responded. Hotchkiss, however, quickly refused to participate in the competition. It is not excluded that Saint-Denis sensibly assessed their chances of victory and began to look for an alternative customer, which was found in the face of the cavalry command. As a result, the tank, very similar to the Renault R 35, but almost one and a half times faster, designated Hotchkiss H 35, ended up in service with the French cavalry. Furthermore, here he managed to "eat" the AMR 35, occupying, among other things, its niche.

The Schneider-Creusot concern also participated in the same competition for the development of a light tank. Unfortunately, there is no data on this car, it is only known that it was designed as a two-seater. The development was carried out by the subsidiary Société d "outillage mécanique et d" usinage d "artillerie (SOMUA). It is worth noting that starting with the Schneider CA1, the first production French tank, it was SOMUA that dealt with armored orders of the concern. This also concerned the development of the Char B , and cavalry fighting vehicles.

Even before the competition for a light 6-ton tank began, the Saint-Ouen firm was developing the SOMUA AC 1 half-track armored vehicle under the AMC theme. Unlike the Schneider P16, this three-seater vehicle had a more tank-like layout. Later, a heavier SOMUA AC 2 armored car began to be designed. At the same time, the cavalry command understood more and more clearly that instead of an armored car, it needed a tank.

A characteristic detail of the model is a large muffler. A less bulky structure was made in metal

In the early spring of 1934, a meeting was held between SOMUA and the cavalry command. In its course, the concept of a new tank was born, the design of which combined technical solutions light car, created for the 1933 competition and (in part) the requirements for the AMC armored vehicles. The combat weight of the three-seater vehicle was estimated at 13 tons, while it had to reach a speed of at least 30 km / h, have armor 30 mm thick and a cruising range of 200 kilometers.

In May, the thickness of the armor was increased to 40 mm, which should have been enough for confident protection against an anti-tank gun with a caliber of 25 mm. As a weapon, it was supposed to use a 47-mm cannon and a machine gun paired with it. In general, it turned out not an armored car, but a real one. medium tank similar to the Renault D2, but with a higher speed. The program was finally approved on June 26, 1934 by the commander of the French cavalry, General Flavigny.

190-horsepower engine, which was developed with the participation of Janvier, Sabin et Cie

The development of the machine, designated SOMUA AC 3, was a real challenge for the Saint-Ouen firm. A number of serious issues arose that needed to be promptly resolved. This was especially true of the power plant. SOMUA produced trucks, but their engines were not suitable for the new tank. A more powerful propulsion system was required, and rather urgently. SOMUA turned to Janvier, Sabin et Cie, a motor design firm. In a fairly short time, they developed an 8-cylinder V-shaped power plant... A set of drawings was purchased, on the basis of which SOMUA built their own engine, which in design partly echoes the Hispano-Suiza 8B aircraft engine. With a volume of 12.7 liters, it developed a power of 190 horsepower.

The AC 3 suspension design was similar to the one that Škoda had designed for their tanks.

The issue with the chassis was no less acute. There was nothing suitable in the SOMUA range of vehicles, so the chassis had to be developed from scratch. It was here that the "Czechoslovak" trail, beloved by many historians, surfaced. Indeed, there was a partnership between Schneider-Creusot and Škoda, and it was they who allowed SOMUA to make things easier for themselves. True, for some reason Škoda Š-II-a, aka LT vz. 35, is usually indicated as the basis for copying the chassis and especially the suspension. An extremely dubious statement, because the development of this Czechoslovak tank began at about the same time as the AC 3. For some reason, researchers forget the fact that a similar suspension was used by Škoda earlier - on a light tank Š-II, aka Škoda SU. The SOMUA suspension developed on this basis was somewhat different in design. Nevertheless, its Czechoslovakian origin is beyond doubt.

Automitrailleuse de combat AC 3 on trial, spring 1935. Ballast installed instead of tower

The draft AC 3, as well as its 1:10 scale wooden model, were prepared by SOMUA by October 1934. Renault also did not sit idly by: not wanting to lose the opportunity to get an impressive contract for the production of 600 AMCs, the factory design bureau quickly developed a project designated as AMC 40 mm. Details for this development, no, but, most likely, it was about the development of the Renault YR cavalry tank, aka AMC 34. In any case, the cavalry rejected this project, not even spending money on the manufacture of a prototype. But for the AC 3, the situation turned out in a completely different way: on October 12, 1934, an order was received for the manufacture of a prototype machine.

You can clearly see how the AC 3 differs from the front from the production tank.

Work on the construction of the SOMUA AC 3 began in November 1934, and already on April 11, 1935, the vehicle with registration number 745-W1 was ready. Taking into account the fact that for many components and assemblies it was necessary to start from scratch, the deadlines look very tight. In the course of development, it was necessary to make significant changes to the original terms of reference. With the indicated thickness of the armor, it turned out to be unrealistic to keep the combat weight within 13 tons, so the bar for the AC 3 was raised to 17 tons. Since the tower was not yet there at the time of construction, ballast was installed on top of the machine instead. In this form, the cavalry tank was tested, which lasted from July 4 to August 2, 1935 in Vincennes.

AC 3 reworked, March 1936. The tank received an APX 1 turret and a 47 mm SA 34 cannon.

The resulting tank by the SOMUA engineers turned out to be typical of the French pre-war tank building. It made the most of the Hotchkiss idea, which consisted in assembling a tank hull from large cast parts. The body consisted of only four main parts: two halves of the lower part of the body, a turret box and a box covering the engine compartment. These parts were fastened to each other using bolted connections. Of course, the highest precision was required in the manufacture of such large parts, but assembling them was not difficult.

It should be noted that the hull configuration of the AC 3 was still far from that of the production vehicles. There were also outright blunders, the most visible of which were the headlights placed right in the forehead of the body. Not the most successful design of steel and viewing devices in the front of the case. They turned out to be bulky and bolted, this design was vulnerable. However, for this, a prototype was made, in order to identify design flaws during the tests and eliminate them.

Much more important was the fact that the SOMUA AC 3 proved to be almost the best medium tank in terms of its characteristics. Possessing anti-cannon armor, which, at a distance of over 300 meters, quite confidently "held" the projectile of the German 3.7 cm Pak anti-tank gun, this vehicle had what the Renault D2 similar to it was deprived of - good mobility. The test results exceeded the expectations of the cavalry. The maximum speed of the tracked "armored car" exceeded the requirements by 10 km / h, while the car had decent characteristics in terms of cross-country ability. The successful suspension design provided an acceptable ride smoothness, and the visibility, despite the need to refine the viewing instruments, turned out to be quite decent.

After the end of the tests, the tank went to the factory, where work on its alteration was carried out until March 1936. Already at the end of November 1935, it was decided that the AC 3 would go into production. It was accepted into service on March 25, 1936 under the designation Automitrailleuse de Combat modèle 1935 S. Later it was called the Char 1935 S, but this tank is better known as the SOMUA S 35.

A masterpiece in the middle class

Contract # 60 178 D / P for the manufacture of 50 tanks was signed on March 25, 1936, but in fact it was known about it back on November 21, 1935. Initially, the cavalry had grandiose plans for the SOMUA AC 3: it was assumed that a total of 600 tanks of this type would be purchased. This number was required to equip three light mechanized divisions (Division Légère Mécanique, or DLM). However, these plans had to be adjusted rather quickly, since the capabilities of SOMUA were limited. It was thanks to this that Hotchkiss was able to find a loophole for its light tank. The order was divided in half: it was supposed to buy 300 SOMUA S 35 and Hotchkiss H 35 each.

According to the DLM staffing table, it should have included 96 SOMUA S 35. Of this number, 84 vehicles were included in eight squadrons, 4 more vehicles acted as command tanks, and the remaining 8 were in reserve.

SOMUA AC 4 without turret platform and engine compartment roof

The prototype returned to testing in March 1936. In addition to eliminating design flaws discovered during the tests, it was distinguished by the fact that a tower was finally installed on it. The cavalry did not have much freedom in choosing this part of the tank: as on the Renault D2, the APX 1 turret equipped with a 47 mm SA 34 cannon was installed on the vehicle.

However, in its original form, it was not used for long: by that time it became obvious that the SA 34 was too weak to deal with tanks with an armor thickness of about 60 mm. This is how the Char B1 bis was protected. For this reason, a more powerful weapon, the SA 35, was soon added to the turret, the shell of which pierced 60 mm thick armor at a distance of a kilometer. Nevertheless, the first 4 production SOMUA S 35s received APX 1 turrets with SA 34 cannons, which were later replaced by APX-1 CE turrets with SA 35 cannons. These vehicles were manufactured in January 1936 and went to 4th Panzer (cuirassier ) regiment for testing.

SOMUA S 35, registration number 67225, the third production tank. Additional fuel tanks are clearly visible

As a result of tests and improvements, a modernized version of the AC 3 appeared, which received the factory designation AC 4. It was this vehicle that became the model for the serial version of the SOMUA S 35. The first tanks of a large series began to be produced in July 1936, but these vehicles remained until January 1937. unprepared. The bottleneck this time turned out to be the production capabilities of APX. It took six months to wait for the delivery of the towers, during which time one important change was made to their tower design. The fact is that the diameter of the APX 1 shoulder strap was only 1022 mm, which was not enough for normal use of the 47-mm gun. The result of the improvements was the appearance of an improved turret, designated APX 1 CE (chemin élargi, that is, an increased shoulder strap). The turret ring diameter increased to 1130 mm, and the additional 11 cm was not at all superfluous.

I had to wait for the guns too: mass production SA 35 did not start until January 1937.

The same tank from the left side. A cast number is visible on the turret platform, which indicates that this is chassis number 3

There were also enough changes in the chassis design. As a result of the alterations, the combat weight increased to 19.5 tons, but the vehicle's dynamic characteristics remained practically at the same level as that of the AC 3. The design of the frontal part of the hull was changed. The designers removed the headlight covers, and their very shape became more technological.

The design of viewing devices has noticeably improved, in addition, the driver's seat has shifted slightly forward, which made it possible to improve visibility. The front viewing device has been made to tilt upward, thereby improving visibility in the stowed position. The observation devices were also changed on the turret, which, although called the APX 1 CE, was structurally almost identical to the APX 4.

The aft part of the hull also underwent a number of changes. Blinds were removed from the sides of the engine plate, which were quite rightly considered a weak point. The design of the tracks has changed somewhat. Another important innovation was the appearance of additional fuel tanks. They were placed on the starboard side, thanks to the well-developed design of the mountings, the tanks could be quickly removed.

This tank does not have sighting devices yet. There was a delay with their delivery, for this reason some of the tanks went to the troops without them.

The contract for the production of the first 50 tanks was completed in the second quarter of 1937. The vehicles made according to it received registration numbers 67 225 - 67 274. All tanks built under this contract went to 1 DLM. Meanwhile, back in 1936, a second contract was signed with SOMUA, # 61 361 D / P, which also provided for the production of 50 tanks. For a number of reasons, mainly associated with the unhurried actions of subcontractors, work on the production of this batch was delayed. By January 15, 1938, only 17 tanks had been delivered, and all 50 vehicles were built by April 15. At the same time, the vehicles ended up in the understaffed units, including observation devices.

At the Bastille Day parade held on July 14, 1938, the SOMUA S 35 was presented to the public for the first time. Tanks of the second production series, which were part of the 2nd DLM, were in service. So, even these machines lacked viewing devices in the case. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg: in view of the slow pace of APX, whose tank production had by that time been nationalized and renamed ARL, even by the summer of 1938, not all SOMUA S 35s had turrets.

Tanks of the second series received registration numbers 22 332 - 22 381.

Tank with registration number 67237, rear view. Chains were a very common type of transport hitch at the time.

Problems with subcontractors also affected the cars of the third series, produced under contract No. 70 919 D / P, signed in 1937. Unlike the first two contracts, the third involved the production of 100 tanks. The vehicles, which received registration numbers 819-918, went to the 1 st and 2 nd DLM. By July 15, 1938, 28 tanks had been produced, but of all 128 SOMUA S 35 received by that time, only 96 had turrets. The tanks of the third series were finally delivered in March 1939.

It may seem that work on the production of the SOMUA S 35 went slowly, but in fact, 200 tanks in 2.5 years for the French peacetime tank building is a lot. For comparison, the first order for the Char B1 bis came on October 8, 1936, and by March 1939, three firms had produced only 90 of these tanks.

First public demonstration of the SOMUA S 35, Paris, July 14, 1938. Tanks still haven't received sighting devices

Thanks to the execution of the first contracts, it was possible to completely saturate two light mechanized divisions with medium cavalry tanks. This, of course, did not end the release. Moreover, the order was expanded to 500 tanks. In 1938, contract # 80 353 D / P was signed for the production of 125 tanks. These machines were supposed to be sent to the acquisition of the 3rd DML, which had not yet been formed by that time. By September 1, 1939, 61 vehicles had been delivered, 9 more were under construction. After the outbreak of World War II, the production rate increased: if in September SOMUA delivered 11 tanks, then in the following months, Saint-Ouen left 13 vehicles a month. Thanks to this, already in the first decade of January 1940, the last tanks under contract No. 80 353 D / P left the plant. These machines received registration numbers 10 634 - 10 758.

Assembling tanks at the SOMUA factory, November 1939. The technology of using large cast parts, assembled on bolts, greatly simplified the assembly. As a result, SOMUA achieved a relatively high release rate

At the end of September 1939, the plans for the SOMUA S 35 were revised again. The total volume was reduced to 450 units, then it was supposed to produce a more advanced model, which received the designation SOMUA S 40. The last contract for the construction of SOMUA S 35 was supposed to be the number 88 216 D / P, concluded in 1938, which provided for the production of 125 tanks. It began to be executed in January 1940, when 16 tanks were produced. Beginning in March 1940, production volumes increased, and in May 22 tanks were handed over monthly. Serial numbers 50 210 - 50 334 were reserved for the vehicles produced under this contract. In fact, fewer tanks were produced than planned: in June, the SOMUA production facilities were captured by the advancing German units. By that time, according to various sources, from 427 to 440 tanks had been produced.

Honey spoon

Like other French tanks, the SOMUA S 35 had a number of "congenital" shortcomings. The most significant of these was the one-man tower. In addition, the progressive design and decent performance cost a pretty penny. For each SOMUA S 35 one had to pay a huge sum of 982,000 francs for that time, that is, almost like five Renault R 35s.

But from the point of view of combat effectiveness, the cavalry "armored car" had no equal. Unlike slow-moving infantry tanks The SOMUA S 35 had quite decent mobility. Suffice it to say that average its speed on the highway was 30 km / h, which was more than maximum the speed of the French infantry tanks. It is equally important that the cavalry tanks were highly reliable.

The sad ending of the May-June 1940 campaign. The half-track tractor in the picture is the SOMUA MCG, the closest relative of the AC 1

But even with 400 high-quality tanks, it was impossible to solve all the problems of the French army. It is also important that the SOMUA S 35 crews from the 1st and 2nd DLM were really trained. The hastily formed 3rd DLM was distinguished by much lower training, as de Gaulle recalled. The attempts of the French command to plug all new breaches in the defense with cavalry tanks were not very successful. SOMUA S 35 was that very spoonful of honey in a big barrel of ointment.

Nevertheless, it can be stated that the command of the French cavalry turned out to be more reasonable than the infantry command. The SOMUA S 35 was one of the best tanks at the beginning of the war. These machines fought for a long time, however, mostly no longer under the French flag. But this will be discussed in another material.

Sources and Literature:

• Materials Center des archives de l "Armement et du personnel civil (CAAPC)
• SOMUA S 35, Pascal Danjou, TRACKSTORY №1, 2003
• The Encyclopedia of French Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles: 1914-1940, François Vauvillier, Histoire & Collections, 2014
• GBM 105, 106, HS1

Tank building in our time is one of the leading directions in military affairs. Many European powers, including France, have always been famous for the development of armored vehicles. It is this country that is considered one of those states that can be safely ranked among the ancestors of the armored forces. Therefore, this article will provide a detailed overview of French tanks, an analysis of the models and the history of their development.

Background

Everyone knows that the construction of tanks as such began during the First World War. France was the second country to use tanks on the battlefield.

The very first French tank was fully ready in September 1916. Its creator was J. Etienne, who, in fact, is considered the founding father of French tank building. This officer was the chief of staff of the artillery regiment. He perfectly understood how the situation at the front could be changed, and therefore he thought of breaking through the enemy's first line of defense with the help of tracked vehicles. After that, in the occupied territory, he planned to install artillery and suppress enemy resistance from this position. An important remark should be made here: armored vehicles, which we call tanks, were called "assault artillery tractors" by the French in those days.

Start of production

The highest command personnel of France, like most military commanders of other countries of that time, were extremely wary and skeptical about the idea of ​​building a tank. However, Etienne was persistent and had the support of General Joff, thanks to which permission was obtained to build a prototype. In those years, Renault was the leader in mechanical engineering. It was to her that Etienne proposed to open a new era of armored vehicles. But the company's management was forced to refuse, citing the fact that they did not have experience with tracked vehicles.

In this regard, the French tank was entrusted to build the firm "Schneider", which was the largest manufacturer of various weapons and had experience in armoring the Holt tractor. As a result, at the beginning of 1916, the company received an order for 400 tanks, which were later named CA1 ("Schneider").

Features of the first armored vehicle

Since no specific tank concept was announced, France therefore received two different tank variants, both of which were based on a tracked tractor model. In comparison with British armored vehicles, the French tank did not have tracks covering the entire hull along the perimeter. They were located on the sides and directly under the frame. The undercarriage was sprung, which made it easy to control the machine. In addition, this design provided comfort for the crew. However, the front of the vehicle's body hung over the tracks, and therefore any vertical obstacle in the way became insurmountable.

Louis Renault tank

After it became clear that tank building was a promising direction, Etienne again turned to Renault. This time, the officer was already able to clearly formulate the task for the manufacturer - to create light tank with a small silhouette and minimal vulnerability, the main function of which would be to accompany the infantry during the battle. The result was the creation of French light tanks - Renault FT.

New generation technology

Tank "Renault FT-17" is considered the first model of the tank, which was used a classic layout (the engine compartment was located in the back, the fighting compartment in the very center, and the control compartment in front), and also had a turret that could rotate 360 ​​degrees.

The crew of the car consisted of two - the driver-mechanic and the commander, who was engaged in the maintenance of the machine gun or cannon.

The tank could have a weapon or a machine gun in service. The "cannon" version provided for the installation of a "Hotchkiss CA18" semi-automatic cannon with a diameter of 37 mm. The gun was guided using a special shoulder rest, which allows vertical aiming in the range from -20 to +35 degrees.

The undercarriage of the tank was represented by support and support rollers, guide wheels, a screw tensioning mechanism for the tracks, which, in turn, were large-link and had a pin engagement.

In the aft part of the tank there was a bracket, thanks to which the vehicle was able to dump trees with a diameter of 0.25 meters, overcome trenches and ditches up to 1.8 meters wide and could withstand a roll at an angle of up to 28 degrees. The minimum turning radius of the tank was 1.41 meters.

End of the first world war

During this period, General Etienne made an attempt to create independent tank forces, which should have been divided into light, medium and heavy vehicles. However, the general's corps had its own opinion, and, starting in 1920, all tank squads were subordinated to the infantry. In this regard, a division into cavalry and infantry tanks appeared.

Still, Etienne's enthusiasm and activity were not in vain - until 1923, FCM created ten multi-turret heavy tanks 2C. In turn, thanks to the firm "FAMN", a French branch of M tanks appears. The models of these machines were interesting in that they used both tracks and wheels at the same time. The engine type could be changed depending on the surrounding circumstances.

Army motorization program

In 1931, France began to give Special attention wheeled and reconnaissance vehicles. In this regard, Renault presented the latest AMR light tank. In this machine, the tower and the hull were connected to each other using a corner frame and rivets. Armored plates were installed at a rational angle of inclination. The turret was displaced towards the port side, and the engine - to the right. The crew included two people. The standard armament consisted of two machine guns - a 7.5 mm Reibel and a large-caliber Hotchkiss (13.2 mm).

Extraordinary armored vehicle

The maximum development of French tanks fell on the period 1936-1940. This was due to the growing military threat which the French military was well aware of.

One of the tanks that entered service in 1934 was the B1. Its operation showed that it had significant drawbacks: irrational installation of weapons in the hull, a high degree of vulnerability of the chassis, irrational distribution of functional responsibilities between the crew members. Practice has shown that in reality the driver had to give up control of the car and carry out the supply of ammunition. This led to the fact that in the end the tank became a stationary target.

In addition, the armor of the vehicle caused particular criticism. French heavy tanks, like their counterparts in other countries of the world, have special requirements to your defense. B1 did not match them.

And, finally, and most importantly, the B1 was too expensive to build, operate and maintain. Of the positive qualities of the car, it is worth noting its high speed and good handling.

Improved model

Considering French heavy tanks, you should definitely pay attention to the B-1 bis vehicle. The weight of this tank was 32 tons, and the size of the armored layer was 60 mm. This allowed the crew to feel protected from German guns, with the exception of the 88 mm Flak 36 anti-aircraft gun. The armament of the tank was also strengthened.

The armored vehicle itself was assembled from cast parts. The turret was also made by casting, and the hull was assembled from several armored sections, bolted together.

The armament used was a 75 mm SA-35 cannon, which was located to the right of the driver. Its elevation angle was 25 degrees, and its declination was 15. In the horizontal plane, the gun had a rigid fixation.

Also available was a Chatellerault 7.5 mm machine gun. It was fixed just below the cannon. Both the driver and the tank commander could fire from it. In this case, an electric trigger was used.

It was possible to enter the tank through an armored door on the right side, hatches located in the tower and above the driver's seat, as well as through two emergency entrances - one was located in the bottom, and the other on top of the engine compartment.

Also, this French tank was equipped with self-sealing fuel tanks and a directional gyroscope. The car was driven by a crew of four. Distinctive feature cars can be considered the presence of a radio station in it, which at that time was a rarity.

World War II period

French tanks of the Second World War were represented by the following vehicles:

Post-war days

The tank building program adopted in 1946 led to the fact that the best French tanks began to be produced.

In 1951, the AMX-13 light tank rolled off the assembly line. Its distinguishing feature was the swinging tower.

The AMX-30 battle tank began production in the 1980s. Its layout has a classic scheme. The driver is located on the left side. The gunner and the tank commander are located in the fighting compartment on the right side of the cannon, while the loader sits on the right. The volume of the fuel tanks is 960 liters. The ammunition load is 47 shots.

Tank AMX-32 has a mass of 40 tons. The armament is a 120 mm cannon, a 20 mm M693 cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun. Ammunition - 38 shots. On the highway, the tank is capable of speeds of 65 km / h. There is no weapon stabilization system. In the presence of a digital ballistic computer, laser rangefinder. For work at night, a Thomson-S5R camera paired with a gun is used. A 360-degree view can be performed using eight periscopes. Also, the tank is equipped with a fire extinguishing and air conditioning system, installation for creating smoke screens.

Export option

If the above models of French tanks were in service with France, then the AMX-40 tank was produced exclusively for export abroad. Guidance and fire control systems give a 90% chance of hitting a target, which can be at a distance of 2000 meters. At the same time, it takes only 8 seconds from the moment of detection to destruction of the target. The engine of the car is a diesel, 12-cylinder, turbocharged. It is connected to the 7P automatic transmission, which allows for a power output of 1,300 hp. with., however, a little later, the German transmission was replaced by a French analogue. On the highway, the tank develops a speed of 70 km / h.

The era of modernity

To date, the newest French tank is the AMX-56 Leclerc. Its serial production was started back in 1991.

Tanka is characterized by high degree saturation of electronics, the total cost of which is equal to half the price of the entire machine. The layout of the tank is classic. The main armament is located in the turret.

The armor of the vehicle is multilayer and is provided with gaskets made of ceramic materials... The front of the case is modular, making it easy to replace damaged parts.

The tank is also equipped with a system that protects the crew from weapons of mass destruction and a laser warning system.

The fighting and engine compartments have high-speed fire extinguishing systems. A smoke screen can be installed without problems at a distance of up to 55 meters.

The main gun of the tank is the SM-120-26 120 mm cannon. In addition, there are two different caliber machine guns available. The combat weight of the vehicle is 54.5 tons.

The creation of armored vehicles in France went on even during the occupation of the country by the German fascist invaders. The liberation of the territory of France marked not only a victory for her, but also a difficult process of restoration and creation of her own army. Ours begins with the ARL-44 transitional tank. Development began in '38. It was a new type of tanks based on the B1 chassis. According to the project, the tank was to receive a turret part of a new design type and a 75 mm long-barreled gun. By the beginning of the war, work on the creation of the tank was at the level of development. But also during the occupation design work on the tank were fought no less successfully than before. And with the liberation of France, the first prototype of the new tank was immediately put into production. In series new tank went in 46, which for France was undoubtedly a feat of industry, given the fact of the five-year occupation. Due to various reasons, the tank has become a kind of transitional model and goes into service as "ARL - 44". The French military wanted to receive 300 units of such tanks, but in total they built 60 vehicles of this series. They were adopted by the 503rd Tank Regiment.

The tanks were manufactured by Renault and FAMH Schneider, the latter making the turret part of the new model. From "B1" the new tank got a morally outdated suspension and caterpillar tracks. In terms of speed characteristics, the tank turned out to be the slowest post-war tank and had maximum speed movement 37 km / h. But the engine and hull were new developments, the armor plates on the hull were placed at an angle of 45 degrees, which gave the frontal armor the equivalent of 17 centimeters of normally installed armor. The turret part of the tank was the most modern of the new vehicle. The disadvantage of the tower is the low quality of the connecting seams, and the French industry was simply unable to make such a tower completely cast. A 90 mm Schneider gun was installed on the turret. In general, the ARL-44 turned out to be an "unsuccessful" tank, but do not forget that the tank was a transitional model, it had elements of both new and old tanks. And the task of the tank was essentially "non-military" - the tank, by its production, revived the French tank building from the ashes, for which many thanks to him.

The next tank developed by French specialists was the AMX 12t. This is the younger brother of the future French "AMX 13". Already from the name it is clear that the weight of this tank was equal to 12 tons. The undercarriage of the younger brother had a rear road roller, which was at the same time a sloth. As it turned out, this configuration of rollers was unreliable and caused persistent problems track tension. This undercarriage with a modified configuration of rollers, where the sloth became a separate element of the undercarriage, which led to the lengthening of the hull of the tank, became the basis for the creation of the legend of the French tank builders "AMX-13". The AMX 12t turret was the ancestor of the AMX-13 tank turret. The tank, according to the project, was equipped with an automatic loader.

46 years old. Completed the design phase of the new tank. According to the requirements of the AMX 13, it was lightweight for movement by aircraft to support parachute assault forces. The new AMX 13 gets a torsion bar suspension, with the engine positioned front and right, while the driver-mechanic was placed on the left. The main feature that makes this tank unique is the swinging tower. The tower was equipped with an upper version. With vertical aiming of the gun, only the upper part was used. The tower was installed in the aft part of the hull, and it housed the rest of the crew of the armored vehicle - the commander and gunner. 75 mm tank gun was designed with German guns"7.5 cm KwK 42 L / 70", these were on the "Panthers" and it was provided with a wide range of shells. The tower received a rather interesting automatic drum-type reloading system - 2 drums, each with 6 shells. The drums were in the aft part of the tower. Ammunition of 12 ammunition allowed the tank to fire very quickly, but as soon as the ammunition in the drums ran out, the tank had to take cover and reload the drums manually outside the vehicle.

Serial production of the AMX 13 began in 52, using the facilities of the Atelier de Construction Roanne. For almost 30 years he entered service in the French Armed Forces. Several hundred AMX 13 units still serve in French armored units. One of the most massive European tanks, delivered to 25 countries. Today, there are about a hundred modifications of the tank. All kinds of armored vehicles are created on its basis: self-propelled guns, air defense systems, armored personnel carriers and self-propelled ATGMs.

The AMX-13/90 is the first modification of the main AMX 13. It entered service in the early 60s. The main difference is the mounted 90 mm gun, equipped with a casing and a muzzle brake. Ammunition was slightly reduced - now the tank's gun had 32 ammunition, of which 12 were installed in the drum magazine. The gun could fire high-explosive, armor-piercing, cumulative, sub-caliber shells.

The Batignolles-Chatillon 25t is a design modification of the main AMX 13. Only two units of this modification were created. To increase survivability, vehicles are increased in size and given additional armor. These and several other changes added up to the weight of the tank - 25 tons. According to the project, the tank's team consisted of 4 people, the design speed of this modification is 65 km / h.

"Lorraine 40t" was created in pursuit of such monsters as the Soviet IS-2-3 and the German "Tiger II". Of course, the tank could not catch up with these outstanding tanks either in armor or in weight, and, probably, the installation of 100 mm, and then 120 mm of the gun was a kind of attempt to approach them. But all projects of such tanks either remained on paper or were released in limited quantities. All projects of this series used the German "Maybach" as a remote control. "Lorraine 40t" were produced in 2 prototype copies. In fact, this is a somewhat lightweight "AMX-50". Present in the solution of the tank and distinctive features: the turret, located in the bow of the tank, and the "pike nose" - similar to the IS-3. Were also applied rubber tires for road wheels, which gave the tank additional shock absorption.

The M4 is the first heavy tank model. In order to somehow catch up with the USSR and Germany in creating heavy tanks, French designers are beginning to build their own heavy tank. The first modification is called "M4" or project 141. This model practically copied the German Tiger. The undercarriage received small-link caterpillars and "checkerboard" road wheels, torsion-type suspension with hydraulic shock absorption. The ground clearance of the tank could be changed up to 100 mm. The difference from the German tiger is that the transmission and the leading rollers were of the stern design. According to the project of the tank, it was supposed to weigh about 30 tons, but in practice this would have to reduce the booking to 3 centimeters. It looked quite ridiculous against the background of the Tiger and IS. The armor is increased to 9 centimeters and installed at optimal angles, so the weight of the car has increased significantly compared to the design one. The tank received a 90 mm Schneider in a classic turret and a 7.62 mm machine gun. The team of the car is five people. This model was not even released in the prototype, as a decision was made to replace the classic tower part with a new one from the FAMH company.

"AMX-50 - 100 mm" - serial heavy tank. The main feature is that due to the parallel development of the AMX-50 and AMX-13, they have a great external resemblance to the latter.
49 years old. Two units of the "AMX-50 - 100 mm" tank are produced. 51 years old - a small series of the tank goes into service with the French Armed Forces. The tank turned out to be very good and compares favorably with the American and British counterparts. But due to the constant lack of funds, "AMX-50 - 100 mm" did not become massive tank... From the layout - the MTO was in the rear of the hull, the driver-mechanic with an assistant were in the control compartment, the commander of the vehicle was located in the turret to the left of the gun, the gunner of the gun was on the right. The cast-type hull is made with optimal placement at the angle of the frontal armor, the thickness of the frontal and upper side armor plates is 11 centimeters. The nose-to-side transition is made thanks to the beveled surfaces. It differs from the M4 project by additional rollers (5 external and 4 internal types). The machine gun from the front plate is replaced with a coaxial machine gun. In addition, the turret part received an autonomous anti-aircraft gun - two 7.62-mm machine guns. The pumping type tower was developed by FAMH. Until 1950, a 90 mm gun was installed in it, then a 100 mm gun was installed in a slightly modified turret. The rest of the turret design corresponds to that of the AMX-13 turret. DU - gasoline Maybach "HL 295" or diesel engine "Saurer". The designers expected that the use of engines with a capacity of 1000 hp would make it possible to purchase a tank with a speed of about 60 km / h. But as time has shown, the tank could not overcome the 55 km / h bar.

"AMX-65t" - tank Char de 65t - heavy tank avant-project. The beginning of the main development - 50 years. Suspension chess type, four-row arrangement of rollers. Frontal armor of the "pike nose" type, similar to the Soviet IS-3 with a smaller oblique angle. The rest is a copy of the Royal Tiger. According to the project DU - 1000 strong engine "Maybach". Possible armament- 100 mm cannon and anti-aircraft machine gun.

"AMX-50 - 120 mm" - heavy tank. He had three modifications 53, 55 and 58 years old. French "competitor" of the Soviet IS-3. The frontal part is made like a competitor's - like a "pike nose". Modification 53 had a classic turret with a 120 mm gun. But the design turned out to be inconvenient. Mod 55- a swinging tower with a 20-mm cannon paired with a 120 mm gun to defeat lightly armored vehicles. Frontal armor has been significantly strengthened, almost doubled. This leads to a significant increase in weight: up to 64 tons against the previous 59 tons. The military department did not like this modification due to the increased weight. Modification 58 years old."Lightweight" modification "AMX-50 - 120 mm" up to 57.8 tons. It had a cast body and rounded frontal armor. It was planned to use a thousand-strong Maybach as a remote control. However, the engine did not live up to expectations: out of the declared 1.2 thousand horses, the engine did not give even 850 hp. The use of the 120-mm cannon led to the inconvenience of reloading, the ammunition from the gun was difficult to move for one or two people. The crew of the vehicle is 4 people, and although the fourth member of the crew was listed as a radio operator, in fact, was a reloading one. The tank was not built due to the appearance of HEAT shells, this armor was a weak hindrance to such shells. The project is curtailed, but not forgotten. The developments will be used in the development of the project "MBT AMX-30"

Not only tanks
The AMX 105 AM or M-51 is the first self-propelled vehicle based on the AMX-13, a 105 mm self-propelled howitzer. The first sample was created in 50. The first serial self-propelled guns joined the ranks of the French armed forces in 52. The self-propelled guns had a fixed, open wheelhouse, shifted to the stern. A 105 mm "Mk61" model of the 50th model of release was installed in the wheelhouse. The gun had a muzzle brake. A 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun was also placed there. Some self-propelled guns "AMX 105 AM" were armed with an additional 7.5 mm machine gun, which was installed in the turret with a circular rotation. The main disadvantage is the slow aiming at the next target. Ammunition 56 ammunition, which included armor-piercing shells. The range of defeat by high-explosive ammunition is 15 thousand meters. The barrel was produced in 23 and 30 calibers, it was provided with a two-chamber muzzle brake. To control the fire, the AMX 105 AM self-propelled guns were equipped with a 6-fold sight and a 4-fold goniometer. These ACS were exported - they were used by Morocco, Israel and the Netherlands.

"AMX-13 F3 AM" - the first European post-war ACS. Introduced into service in 60. The self-propelled guns had a 155 mm caliber gun, 33 caliber length and a range of up to 25 kilometers. Rate of fire - 3 rds / min. The AMX-13 F3 AM did not take ammunition with it, it was carried by a truck for it. Ammunition - 25 rounds. Also, the truck transported 8 people - the self-propelled guns team. The very first "AMX-13 F3 AM" had a liquid-cooled 8-cylinder gasoline engine "Sofam Model SGxb." The latest self-propelled guns had a 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine "Detroit Diesel 6V-53T". The diesel engine was more powerful than the gasoline engine and allowed the self-propelled guns to move 400 kilometers at a speed of 60 km / h.

"BATIGNOLLES-CHATILLON 155mm" SPG project. The main idea is to install a rotating tower. The beginning of work on the creation of a sample - 55 years. The development of the tower was completed in 58. In 59, the project was abandoned, the prototype of the ACS was not built. According to the project, the speed is 62 km / h, the weight is 34.3 tons, the team consists of 6 people.

"Lorraine 155" - ACS type 50 and 51. The basis of the project is the base "Lorraine 40t" with the installation of a 155 mm howitzer gun. The main idea is to place the casemate part. Initially, on the first sample, it was located in the center of the ACS, on the next sample, it shifted to the nose of the ACS. The possession of the chassis with rubber rollers made the ACS an interesting option to use. But in 55, the project was closed in favor of another ACS project "BATIGNOLLES-CHATILLON". Basic data: weight - 30.3 tons, crew - 5 people, speed - up to 62 km / h. The armament of the self-propelled guns is a 155 mm howitzer and a 20 mm cannon paired with it.

"AMX AC de 120" is the first project of a self-propelled gun mount based on the "M4" model of 46. Received a "checkerboard" suspension and a wheelhouse in the bow. Outwardly it bore a resemblance to the German "JagdPanther". Design data: ACS weight - 34 tons, armor - 30/20 mm, crew - 4 people. Armament: 120 mm "Schneider" and a turret machine gun to the right of the wheelhouse. DU Maybach "HL 295" with a capacity of 1.2 thousand hp. "AMX AC de 120" is the second project of a self-propelled gun mount based on the "M4" model of the 48th year. The main change is the structure of the deckhouse. The silhouette of the car changes: it becomes noticeably lower. Now the ACS has become similar to the "JagdPzIV". The armament has changed: the ACS cabin received a 20 mm MG 151 turret version, the ACS feed two 20 mm MG 151.

And the last project reviewed is the AMX-50 Foch. Self-propelled gun mount based on "AMX-50", receives a 120 mm gun. The outlines of the ACS resembled the German JagdPanther. There was a machine-gun turret with a remote-controlled "Reibel" ZP. The command tower was provided with a rangefinder. The driver of the self-propelled guns monitored the situation through the available periscope. The main purpose is to support 100 mm tanks, destroy the most dangerous enemy armored vehicles. After successful tests in 51, a small number goes into service with the French Armed Forces. After, with the standardization of the armament of NATO members, the self-propelled guns were removed from the assembly line and in 52 the project was closed in favor of the tank project “creation of the AMX-50-120”.