The history of French tanks - legends and forgotten projects. Takni France Army Motorization Program

D2 (French: Char de bataille D2).

In 1929, the D-1 medium tank, developed by Renault, was adopted by the French army. It was intended for direct support of infantry and, like all “infantry” vehicles, it was distinguished by reinforced armor and low speed. Armor cast parts are widely used in the design. The turret is cast and houses a 47 mm cannon and a 7.5 mm machine gun. At the same time, the cannon and machine gun had separate mantlets. To rotate the turret and point the gun in the vertical plane, manually driven mechanisms were used. A tank telescopic sight was mounted to control the fire. The chassis used 14 small-diameter road wheels per side.

The first front rollers were auxiliary and worked when overcoming trenches, walls, etc. The second front rollers bore a small load from the weight of the vehicle; on flat, hard ground they were unloaded, which improved the vehicle’s agility. The rearmost rollers were intended to provide tension on the track; they did not bear the load from the weight of the vehicle. To protect the chassis, armor screens were hung. A modification of this vehicle (D2 tank) began production in 1936. Unlike the previous modification, it had a more powerful engine (150 hp instead of 100 hp on the D-1 tank) and enhanced armor. The maximum armor thickness was increased to 40 mm. The weight also increased accordingly: instead of 12 tons, it began to weigh 20 tons. The speed of movement increased slightly. The D-1 and D-2 tanks were produced until 1938. As of May 10, 1940, the troops had 213 units of these two types.

Before September 1, 1939, the French did not manage to form tank divisions. The formation of the 3rd Light Mechanized Division had advanced the furthest, and organizational arrangements for the formation of the fourth had begun. Eight infantry divisions were motorized (1st, 3rd, 5th, 9th, 10th, 12th, 15th and 25th). Trucks were used to transport infantry. Otherwise, the tactics of motorized infantry divisions were no different from the tactics of conventional infantry.

Motorized infantry divisions became part of the army corps. And again, for the umpteenth time, the French made a grave mistake by introducing into the army corps, along with the motorized infantry, two ordinary infantry divisions. Thus, the entire advantage of motorized infantry was negated. The French had to spend enormous amounts of money in order to somehow bring their infantry divisions up to the level of mobility of motorized infantry divisions.

In January 1940, the formation of the 1st and 2nd tank divisions was finally completed. Before March, the 3rd Panzer Division was formed. The last one - the 4th Panzer Division - completed its formation when fighting have already begun.

According to the staff, 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 N-39 cavalry tanks - 90 vehicles). In addition, the tank division included a motorized infantry battalion (equipped with 20 armored vehicles), 2 divisions 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 infantry support, 3 light mechanized divisions and 3 tank divisions. Three battalions of D1 tanks, one battalion of H-35 tanks were stationed in North Africa, 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 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. Between sea ​​coast and Mozoi was to advance by Army Group B, under the command of Colonel General Feodor von Bock. Army Group B consisted of two armies - the 6th and 18th - with a total of 29 divisions, including three tank and one motorized. These forces were supposed to tie up the Allied troops and distract 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 tank and 3 motorized. The troops of Army Group A were to strike through Belgian territory south of the Liege-Charleroi line in the direction of Meyenne-Saint-Quentin along a front 170 km wide - from Regen to the point where the borders of Germany, Luxembourg and France meet. The goal of Army Group A was to make a lightning-fast push to seize the Mouse crossings between Dena and Sedan, which would make it possible to make a breakthrough 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 was the advance of Army Group C, led by General Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb. The task of this Army Group was simply to pin down as many enemy forces as possible.

In total, the Germans fielded 10 tank divisions in the French campaign. The Nazis had 523 Pz tanks at their disposal. Kpfw. I, 955 tanks Pz. Kpfw. II, 349 tanks Pz. Kpfw. III, 278 Pz. tanks. Kpfw. IV, 106 Pz tanks. Kpfw. 35(t) and 228 Pz tanks. Kpfw. 38(t). In addition, the Germans had 96 kl command tanks. Pz. BfWg. I, created on the basis of Pz. Kpfw. I and 39 command tanks Pz. BfWg. III on the chassis of the Pz tank. Kpfw. III. Generally German tanks inferior to the French in the power of weapons and the thickness of the armor. Tanks Pz. Kpfw. I, armed with two machine guns, did not pose any threat to French armored vehicles. Tanks Pz. Kpfw. II, armed with a 20 mm cannon, could damage French vehicles only in unusually favorable conditions, for example, from a point-blank ambush. 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 from the Germans when the fighting was in full swing) were approximately equal to the French R-35, R-39, N-35 and N-39. The Nazis had no analogues to the French Char B1 and Somua S-35. The Germans could only fight these tanks in one way: first by breaking the caterpillar, and then, going into the flank, hitting the tank from the side. The only worthy opponent for medium French tanks was the Pz. Kpfw. IV. However, the fate of the campaign was not decided performance characteristics tanks. Tactics and military doctrine played a decisive role - here the advantage of the Germans over the French was overwhelming. Only through the bitter experience of the first month of the campaign did the French command realize the full magnitude of the mistake that had been made throughout 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 with the right flank north of Liege and Namur through the territory of Belgium, in other words, the Germans decided to repeat the “Schlieffen Plan” of the 1st World War war. In order to thwart the enemy's plans, the Allies decided to take defensive lines between Namur and Antwerp, along the Dyle River, and give the general battle to the Germans in Belgium, on whose borders they concentrated most of German motorized infantry and tanks. 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 English Expeditionary Force of General John Gort.

The French took up defensive positions so that the civilian population suffered as little as possible. The French were going to create a network of fortified points, 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, the French and British did not have time to implement their plan. The commander of the 1st Mechanized Cavalry Corps (2nd and 3rd Light Mechanized Divisions), General Proiux wrote this in his memoirs:

“On the morning of May 11, I arrived in Gambla and inspected the positions being equipped. 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 I found the first elements of anti-tank defense, but they did not form a continuous line and therefore had no real combat value. With confusion, I thought that the army should have first conducted a reconnaissance and then begun the excavation work. However, the enemy didn’t give us time!”

The French leadership, having adopted the concept of a passive strategy, did not dare to launch preventive or counterattacks on the enemy, but simply tried to stop the Nazi offensive. According to the French command, the war had to quickly turn into a positional form. Therefore, the German troops did not meet adequate resistance 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 (1st Light Mechanized Division) was assigned to the 1st Army. The other two were combined into the 1st Mechanized Cavalry Corps, which we have already mentioned. All these forces were assembled on the Flemish front and awaited the enemy's attack.

General Proix's corps came into contact with the German XVI tank corps in the area of ​​Gamblou and Namur. 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 with 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 corps divisions 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 units. The fragmented mechanized units were no longer able to play a significant role in the war. When the French command realized this mistake, it was already too late - the parts of the two divisions could no longer be assembled. Only by May 20, with great difficulty, was it possible to recreate the 3rd Mechanized Light Division piece by piece.

While General Proix's corps was desperately trying to hold back the enemy's advance near Gamblou, nearby - near Crehan - the 2nd Cuirassier Regiment of the French was engaged in a heavy battle with the German 35th Tank Regiment of the 4th Panzer Division. In the battle, the French lost 11 N-39 tanks.

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

Meanwhile, motorized units from Army Group A passed through the Ardennes, which was considered impassable, and crossed the Moza between Givet and Sedan. Thus, the Germans went behind the rear of the Allied troops in Flanders. The entire Allied defense plan was a complete fiasco. The Anglo-French troops had to begin a retreat.

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

The fate of the 2nd Tank Division was little better. On May 14, 1940, the division set out from Champagne, with tanks being transferred along railway, and wheeled vehicles moved under their own power. Already on May 15, parts of the division were separated 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 ​​crossings across the Oise River. The tanks' task was to delay 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 knocked out of action. 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 carry out 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 instructions on the location of the offensive and possible enemy forces. Therefore, the division remained on defensive lines and gradually the Germans pushed 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 unit by cyclists! The division's artillery consisted of several reserve units. Supply services and Maintenance practically did not exist. In principle, this unit can hardly even be called a division - it was a motley mixture of disparate units and subunits that accidentally found themselves together. Despite everything, the young division commander was able to make a formidable fighting force out of this booth.

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

Realizing that the enemy had a numerical superiority, de Gaulle acted very carefully and only tried to delay the enemy’s advance.

The 49th Tank Battalion was sent for reconnaissance in Montcorn, which tried to enter the city from the southwest. With a swift attack, the French scattered the outposts of the German 10th Panzer Division. However, the Germans managed to surround the battalion, the entire personnel who was captured. The 4th Panzer Division continued to adhere to this “cavalry charge” tactic, striking where it was least expected. On May 19, several tanks of de Gaulle's division attacked the headquarters of the German XIX Motorized Corps, 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 Nazi tank divisions continued to roll forward uncontrollably. Nothing and no one could stop their progress. By May 20, 1940, the pincer around the Allied forces in Flanders had finally closed. The French and British had no choice but to either fight their way back to their own or retreat to Dunkirk or Calais. On May 21, 98 British tanks from 4 and 7 RTR were ordered to attack the flank of German troops near Arras. The British attack was covered by 70 French S-35s from the 3rd Mechanized Light Division. The attackers quickly achieved success. The 1st battalion of the 6th motorized infantry regiment of the 7th tank division of the Germans was scattered. To close the gap at the front, the Germans transferred the 25th Tank Regiment there. Having lost 25 vehicles, the Germans were still able to hold their positions.

After this defeat, the Allies had only one choice - 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 and pinned down by continuous German air raids, this group took no further part in the campaign.

At the end of May, General de Gaulle's 4th Panzer Division made itself known once again. Her already badly battered forces struck the Germans in the flank 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 on the French heavy losses.

Already on May 20, 1940, the British began sending equipment necessary for evacuation to Dunkirk. On May 26, the British command put into effect the Dynamo plan. Despite constant attacks by German infantry and raids by Luftwaffe bombers, the British managed in an organized manner to remove from the continent all the personnel of the Expeditionary Force and a significant part of the French troops who were trapped in the sack. 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 to decide the fate of France, the French still had quite impressive forces: 61 of their own divisions, 2 Polish divisions and 2 British 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 defense line above the Somme. Since there was no Maginot Line here, the French command organized a chain of improvised anti-tank obstacles - “hedgehogs” - in this area. Behind the hedgehogs were infantry, artillery and tanks. But unfortunately, the “hedgehogs” did not form a continuous line and Wehrmacht units broke through into the gaps between them. And the French did not have mobile units at hand that could quickly reach a threatened point.

On June 5, the day after the occupation of Dunkirk, Army Group B went on the attack. The goal of the offensive was to capture south coast Somme. The tank formations of generals Hoth and Kleist made a breakthrough, attacking the defensive formations of the 7th and 10th French Armies.

On June 10, 1940, in the area of ​​Avanceon and Tagnon above the Rethorn River, the newly formed XXXIX Motorized Corps of General Guderian went on the attack. Moving across open terrain, German tanks encountered virtually no resistance from the French. German units immediately crossed the Rethorn in the Neuflies area. Shortly after noon, the Nazis reached Geniville. At this moment, units of the French 3rd Panzer and 7th Infantry Divisions launched a counterattack. To the south of the city there was an oncoming tank battle that lasted two hours. In this battle, the Germans suffered heavy losses, the aggressors had a particularly hard time when the French Char B1bis medium tanks came into play, the armor of which withstood hits armor-piercing shells caliber 20 and 37 mm. 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 new strength, this time south of Geniville. French tanks from the divisions mentioned above went on the attack again. The French planned to take Perth by storm, but the Germans were again able to hold their positions.

On June 11, the German 1st Panzer Division attacked the French in the La Neuville area and was able to break through the enemy defenses. Only over the Suip River did the French attempt to launch a counteroffensive. They tried to close the gap in the defense with 50 French tanks from the 3rd Panzer Division with the support of soldiers from the 3rd infantry division. But this attack also ended unsuccessfully.

On June 12, the Germans widened the gap in the French defenses and separated the Allied western flank 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, the 1st Army striking from the Saarbrücken area to the south, and the 7th Army crossed the Rhine, occupied Colmar and met with Guderian's tanks in the Vosges region.

On the same day, the Germans entered Paris without a fight. Three days later, Marshal Pétain announced a request for a truce on the radio. This performance finally broke the morale 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, a truce was signed. The French army was completely defeated, the campaign in the west came to an end.

In this war, the tank units of the French army were completely destroyed. It turned out that it was not the number of tanks, but the tactics of their use that decided the outcome of the battle. The French were unable to operate as effectively in large tank formations as their enemy did. Instead of gathering their tanks into one powerful fist, the French scattered them across the entire front. Very rarely did the French try to use tanks offensively as their main fighting force, and when they did, they used too few tanks. At best, one incomplete tank division went on the attack. As a result, the attack floundered, running into enemy defenses equipped with tanks and anti-tank guns. Often such attacks ended in the complete defeat of the attacking side. Quite often the French tried to use tanks in terrain 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, in the main directions of attack, the Nazis had a colossal advantage in tanks. 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.

Tank building in our time is one of the leading areas 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 safely be considered among the ancestors armor tank troops. Therefore, this article will provide a detailed overview of French tanks, an analysis of models and indicate 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 completely 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 an artillery regiment. He understood perfectly well how the situation at the front could be changed, and therefore he thought through breaking through the first line of enemy defense with the help of tracked vehicles. After which he planned to install artillery in the captured territory and suppress enemy resistance from this position. An important note 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 top command staff of France, like most military commanders of other countries at that time, was extremely wary and skeptical about the idea of ​​​​building a tank. However, Etienne was persistent and had the support of General Joffe, thanks to which permission was obtained to build a prototype. In those years, the leader in mechanical engineering was the Renault company. It was to her that Etienne suggested opening a new era of armored vehicles. But the company’s management was forced to refuse, citing the fact that they had no experience working with tracked vehicles.

In this regard, the French tank was entrusted to be built by the Schneider company, 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 later received the name 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 the crawler tractor model. Compared to British armored vehicles, the French tank did not have tracks covering the entire perimeter of the hull. They were located on the sides and directly under the frame. Chassis It was sprung, which made it easy to control the car. In addition, this design ensured comfort for the crew. However, the front part of the vehicle's body hung over the tracks, and therefore any vertical obstacle on the way became insurmountable.

Tank Louis Renault

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 a light tank with a small silhouette and minimal vulnerability, the main function of which would be to accompany infantry during battle. As a result, French light tanks were created - the Renault FT.

New generation technology

The Renault FT-17 tank is considered the first tank model that used a classic layout (the engine compartment was located at the rear, the fighting compartment was in the very center, and the control compartment was in front), and also had a turret capable of rotating 360 degrees.

The crew of the vehicle consisted of two - a driver-mechanic and a commander who was engaged in servicing the machine gun or cannon.

The tank could be armed with a cannon or a machine gun. The “cannon” version provided for the installation of a semi-automatic “Hotchkiss SA18” cannon with a diameter of 37 mm. The gun was aimed using a special shoulder rest, allowing vertical aiming in the range from -20 to +35 degrees.

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

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

End of World War I

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 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.

But still, Etienne’s enthusiasm and activity were not in vain - until 1923, the FCM company created ten 2C multi-turret heavy tanks. In turn, thanks to the FAMN company, a French branch of M tanks appeared. These models of vehicles were interesting in that they used both tracks and wheels at the same time. The engine type could be changed depending on surrounding circumstances.

Army motorization program

In 1931, France began to pay special attention to wheeled and reconnaissance vehicles. In this regard, the Renault company presented the newest light tank at that time, the AMR. This vehicle's turret and hull were connected to each other using an angle frame and rivets. The armored sheets were installed at a rational angle of inclination. The turret was shifted towards the left side, and the engine - to the right. The crew consisted of two people. The standard weapons were two machine guns - a Reibel with a caliber of 7.5 mm and a large-caliber Hotchkiss (13.2 mm).

Extraordinary armored vehicle

The maximum development of French tanks occurred in 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 shortcomings: irrational installation of weapons in the hull, a high degree of vulnerability of the chassis, irrational distribution of functional responsibilities between crew members. Practice has shown that in reality the driver had to give up control of the car and supply ammunition. This led to the fact that the tank eventually became a stationary target.

In addition, the vehicle's armor caused particular criticism. French heavy tanks, like their counterparts from other countries around the world, have special requirements for their protection. B1 did not correspond to them.

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

Improved model

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

The armored vehicle itself was assembled from cast parts. The turret was also produced by casting, and the hull was assembled from several armored sections connected by bolts.

The weapon used was an SA-35 cannon with a caliber of 75 mm, which was located on the right hand 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 7.5 mm Chatellerault 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 turret and above the driver's seat, as well as through two emergency entrances - one 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 directional gyroscope. The vehicle was driven by a crew of four people. Distinctive feature The car can be considered to have a radio station in it, which was rare at that time.

World War II period

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

Post-war days

The tank building program adopted in 1946 led to the production of the best French tanks.

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

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

The AMX-32 tank weighs 40 tons. The weapons used are a 120 mm cannon, a 20 mm M693 cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun. Ammunition - 38 rounds. On the highway, the tank can reach a speed of 65 km/h. There is no weapon stabilization system. There is a digital ballistic computer and a laser rangefinder. For night work, a Thomson-S5R camera paired with the gun is used. All-round visibility can be achieved using eight periscopes. The tank is also equipped with a fire extinguishing and air conditioning system, and an installation for creating smoke screens.

Export version

While the above models of French tanks were in service with France, the AMX-40 tank was produced exclusively for export abroad. Guidance and fire control systems provide a 90% probability of hitting a target, which may be at a distance of 2000 meters. At the same time, only 8 seconds pass from the moment of detection to the destruction of the target. The engine of the car is diesel, 12-cylinder, turbocharged. It is connected to a 7P automatic transmission, which allows it to develop a power of 1300 hp. s., however, a little later the German transmission was replaced by a French equivalent. On the highway the tank reaches a speed of 70 km/h.

Modern era

Today, the newest French tank is the AMX-56 Leclerc. Its mass production began back in 1991.

The tank is characterized by a high degree of electronics saturation, 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 vehicle's armor is multi-layered and equipped with gaskets made of ceramic materials. The front of the case has a modular design, allowing damaged parts to be easily replaced.

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

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

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

The creation of armored vehicles in France continued even during the occupation of the country by the Nazi invaders. The liberation of French territory marked not only a victory for it, but also a difficult process of restoration and creation of its own army. Our story begins with the transitional tank ARL-44. Development began in 1938. This was a new type of tank, based on the B1 chassis. According to the project, the tank was to receive a turret of a new type of design and a 75 mm long-barreled gun. By the beginning of the war, work on creating the tank was at the development level. But even during the occupation design work attacks on the tank were no less successful than before. And with the liberation of France, the first sample of the new tank was immediately put into production. The new tank went into production in 1946, which for France was undoubtedly a feat of industry, given the fact of the five-year occupation. Due to various reasons, the tank became a kind of transitional model and entered service as the 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 producing the turret part of a new model. From the B1, the new tank received an outdated suspension and 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 usually installed armor. The turret of the tank was the most modern new car. 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 we should not forget that the tank was a transitional model and had elements of both new and old tanks. And the task of the tank was essentially “non-military” - the tank, with its production, revived French tank building from the ashes, for which many thanks to it.

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 equaled 12 tons. The chassis of the younger brother had a rear support roller, which was at the same time a sloth. As it turned out, this roller configuration was unreliable and caused constant problems with track tension. This chassis with a modified roller configuration, where the sloth became individual elements chassis, which led to the lengthening of the tank's hull, became the basis for the creation of the legend of 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 The design stage of the new tank has been completed. According to the requirements, the AMX 13 was lightweight for movement by aircraft to support parachute landings. The new AMX 13 gets a torsion bar suspension, the engine is located in front and on the right, while the driver-mechanic was located on the left. The main feature that makes this tank unique is the swinging turret. The tower was equipped with a top gun. When aiming the gun vertically, only the upper part itself was used. The turret was installed in the rear of the hull, and housed the rest of the crew of the armored vehicle - the commander and gunner. The tank's 75 mm gun was designed with German gun“7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70”, these were installed on the Panthers and were provided with a wide range of projectiles. The turret received a rather interesting automatic drum-type reloading system - 2 drums, each with 6 shells. The drums were located at the rear of the tower. The 12 rounds of 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, from outside the vehicle.

Serial production of the AMX 13 began in 1952, using the facilities of the Atelier de Construction Roanne. For almost 30 years it entered service with the French Armed Forces. Several hundred AMX 13 units still serve in French tank units. One of the most popular European tanks, it was supplied to 25 countries. Today there are about a hundred modifications of the tank. On its basis, all kinds of armored vehicles are created: self-propelled guns, air defense systems, armored personnel carriers and self-propelled anti-tank guided missiles.

AMX-13/90 is the first modification of the main AMX 13. It entered service in the early 60s. The main difference is the installed 90 mm gun, equipped with a casing and muzzle brake. The ammunition supply was slightly reduced - now the tank's gun had 32 rounds of ammunition, 12 of which 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 gave the entire tank a total of 25 tons. According to the project, the tank's crew consisted of 4 people, the design speed of this modification was 65 km/h.

“Lorraine 40t” was created to follow such monsters as the Soviet IS-2-3 and the German “Tiger II”. Of course, the tank was unable to catch up with these outstanding tanks either in terms of armor or weight, and, probably, the installation of a 100 mm and then a 120 mm gun was a kind of attempt to get closer to them. But all projects of such tanks either remained on paper or were produced in limited quantities. All projects in this series used the German Maybach as a remote control. "Lorraine 40t" were released in 2 prototype copies. In essence, this is a somewhat lightweight “AMX-50”. Were present at the decision of the tank and distinctive features: turret part 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.

"M4" is the first model of a heavy tank. In order to somehow catch up with the USSR and Germany in creating heavy tanks, French designers are starting to build their own heavy tank. The first modification is called “M4” or Project 141. This model practically copied the German Tiger. The chassis received small-link caterpillars and “checkerboard” road wheels, a torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shock absorption. The tank's ground clearance could vary up to 100 mm. In contrast of German tiger– the transmission and drive rollers were of the stern design. According to the design of the tank, it was supposed to weigh about 30 tons, but in practice this would require reducing the armor to 3 centimeters. This looked completely 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 vehicle has increased significantly compared to the design. The tank received a 90 mm Schneider in a classic-type turret and a 7.62 mm machine gun. The team of the car is five people. This model was not released even as a prototype, since the decision was made to replace the classic turret part with a new one from the FAMH company.

“AMX-50 – 100 mm” is a serial heavy tank. The main feature is that due to the parallel development of the AMX-50 and AMX-13 they have a large external resemblance with the last one.
'49 Two units of the AMX-50 - 100 mm tank are produced. 51 years old - the tank enters service with the French Armed Forces in a small series. The tank turned out to be very good and compared favorably with its American and British counterparts. But due to a constant lack of funds, the AMX-50 - 100 mm did not become mass tank. From the layout - the MTO was located in the rear of the hull, the driver-mechanic and assistant were in the control compartment, the vehicle commander was located in the turret to the left of the gun, the gunner was on the right. The cast-type hull is made with optimal placement of the frontal armor at an angle; the thickness of the frontal and upper side armor plates is 11 centimeters. The bow-to-side transition is made thanks to beveled surfaces. It differs from the M4 project in additional rollers (5 external and 4 internal types). The machine gun on the front plate is replaced with a machine gun coaxial with the gun. In addition, the tower part received autonomous anti-aircraft installation– two 7.62 mm machine guns. The swing type tower part 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 the AMX-13 turret design. DU – gasoline Maybach “HL 295” or diesel engine “Saurer”. The designers expected that the use of engines with a power of 1000 hp would make it possible for the tank to acquire a speed of about 60 km/h. But as time has shown, the tank was unable to overcome the 55 km/h bar.

"AMX-65t" - Char de 65t tank - advance project of a heavy tank. The beginning of the main developments is the year 50. Checkerboard type suspension, four-row arrangement of rollers. Frontal armor of the “pike nose” type, similar to the Soviet IS-3 with a smaller inclined angle. Otherwise it is a copy of the Royal Tiger. According to the project, the remote control is a 1000 horsepower Maybach engine. Possible weapons are a 100 mm gun and an anti-aircraft machine gun.

"AMX-50 - 120 mm" - heavy tank. Had three modifications: 53, 55 and 58. French “competitor” of the Soviet IS-3. The frontal part is made like that of a competitor - of the “pike nose” type. The '53 modification had a classic-type turret with a 120-mm gun. But the design turned out to be inconvenient. The 1955 modification is a swing-type turret with a 20-mm cannon paired with a 120 mm gun for hitting lightly armored vehicles. The frontal armor has been significantly strengthened, almost doubled. This leads to a serious increase in weight: up to 64 tons versus the previous 59 tons. The military department did not like this modification due to the increased weight. Modification of '58. “Lightweight” modification up to 57.8 tons “AMX-50 - 120 mm”. It had a cast hull and rounded frontal armor. It was planned to use a thousand-horsepower 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 produce even 850 hp. The use of a 120-mm cannon made reloading inconvenient; the ammunition from the gun was difficult to move for one or two people. The vehicle had a crew of 4 people, and although the fourth crew member was listed as a radio operator, he was actually a reloader. The tank was not built due to the appearance of cumulative shells; this armor was a weak hindrance to such shells. The project is being cancelled, but not forgotten. The developments will be used in the development of the MBT AMX-30 project

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

"AMX-13 F3 AM" is the first European post-war self-propelled gun. Adopted into service in 60. The self-propelled gun had a 155 mm caliber gun, 33 calibers long and a range of up to 25 kilometers. Rate of fire – 3 rounds/min. The AMX-13 F3 AM did not take ammunition with it; it was carried by a truck for it. Ammunition - 25 shells. The truck also carried 8 people - the self-propelled gun team. The very first AMX-13 F3 AM had a liquid-cooled 8-cylinder petrol 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 gun to move 400 kilometers at a speed of 60 km/h.

"BATIGNOLLES-CHATILLON 155mm" self-propelled gun project. The main idea is to install a rotating tower. Work on creating the sample began in 1955. The tower was completed in 1958. In 1959, the project was abandoned; the prototype of the self-propelled gun 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” - self-propelled guns of types 50 and 51. The basis of the project is the “Lorraine 40t” base with the installation of a 155 mm howitzer gun. The main idea is the placement of the casemate part. Initially, on the first sample it was located in the center of the self-propelled gun, on the next sample it was shifted to the bow of the self-propelled gun. Possession of a chassis with rubber rollers made the self-propelled gun interesting option for use. But in 1955 the project was closed in favor of another self-propelled gun project “BATIGNOLLES-CHATILLON”. Basic data: weight - 30.3 tons, crew - 5 people, speed - up to 62 km/h. The self-propelled gun is armed with a 155 mm howitzer and a coaxial 20 mm cannon.

“AMX AC de 120” is the first project of a self-propelled gun mount based on the M4 model of 1946. Received a “checkerboard” suspension and a cabin in the bow. Outwardly it was similar to the German “JagdPanther”. Design data: self-propelled gun 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 power 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 1948. The main change is the design of the deckhouse. The silhouette of the car changes: it becomes noticeably lower. Now the self-propelled guns have become similar to “JagdPzIV”. The armament has changed: the self-propelled gun cabin received a 20 mm "MG 151" turret version, and the rear of the self-propelled guns received two 20 mm "MG 151".

And the last project reviewed is the AMX-50 Foch. A self-propelled gun mount based on the AMX-50 receives a 120 mm gun. The outline of the self-propelled gun resembled the German JagdPanther. There was a machine gun turret with a remote controlled Reibel gun turret. The commander's tower was equipped with a rangefinder. The self-propelled gun driver observed the situation through the available periscope. The main purpose is to support 100 mm tanks and destroy the most dangerous enemy armored vehicles. After successful tests in 1951, a small number went into service with the French Armed Forces. Afterwards, with the standardization of the weapons of NATO members, the self-propelled guns were removed from the production line and in 1952 the project was closed in favor of the tank project “to create the AMX-50-120.”

New French tank game World of Tanks appeared after update 9.7 and is called AMX 30 1er prototype. This is a Tier IX tank from an alternative French branches development.

The combat unit is distinguished by dynamically selected characteristics with excellent maneuverability for comfortable play and the presence of a good weapon. The AMX 30's armor is one of its main weak points. This is the only way this French tank will penetrate with high-explosive shells.
However, at the extreme level of development, the prototype AMX 30 will provide armor penetration of 320 mm using cumulative jets of projectiles purchased for in-game gold.

- French premium heavy tank tier 8. A new representative available for in-game gold. - the site reminds that maximum level premium tanks in the game have a limit. You can't buy premium heavy tank of France above level 8. In this regard, premium tank FCM 50 t, which can be purchased for 11,900 gold, is an excellent farming machine.

Double the amount of credits and experience for each battle, together with an activated premium account, allow you to raise from 75,000 to 120,000 credits on the tank.

Characteristics of FCM 50 t

As you already know, the introduction of a new premium tank into WOT was scandalous and long. Today there were unexpected the main performance characteristics of the French premium tank AMX M4 mle.49 have been improved, which additionally added discussion and conversation to this combat vehicle. First, the AMX M4 mle.49 was not allowed into the game since the spring of 2017, then, after the release, complaints began to be received about the tanks from players who purchased it for in-game gold, and in fact, as you well know, for real money.

Combat use Self-propelled gun 10.5cm leFH18 B2 received while on the territory of occupied France in 1942. They were mainly used to fight partisans. Later, they repelled the Allied invasion of northern France in 1944. These self-propelled guns entered service with tank and artillery units of the Wehrmacht.

Dear readers of the site!

Second World War marked as a bright spot on the map of Europe. General mobilization and the industrial boom of the military industry provoked a chain reaction and created different kinds combat vehicles. France did not stand aside from the general militarization and by the end of the war had weapons of significant quality and military equipment. Today we will take a closer look at French self-propelled gun Bat Chatillon 155.

Bat Chatillon 155 - French self-propelled artillery installation eighth level. It has a loading drum for 4 shells, a slowly rotating turret, and very good accuracy and dynamics. However, penetration and damage are too low for level 8, and the long (over a minute) reloading of the drum leaves the artillery completely defenseless.

French self-propelled gun Bat Chatillon 155

The World of Tanks game has already announced a new French Tier 8 heavy tank AMX M4 mle.49, which will replace the main farm tank of this nation - the premium FCM 50t vehicle. Based on the main performance characteristics, which are presented in the last screenshot (below), it follows that the AMX M4 mle.49 is better than the FCM 50t in almost all characteristics. Second only to

• movement speed
• viewing range

Be that as it may, the tank will appear in, and as practice shows, they usually farm above any average premium at first. This is a Wargaming marketing ploy to motivate players to buy a new tank based on quick reviews of its profitability. Typically, such information spreads among tankers like a virus. The conclusion is simple: if you want to quickly and easily farm a lot of credits, buy the AMX M4 mle.49 right away, not later.

- French heavy tank tier 9 in the game World of Tanks. They became the first tanks equipped with loading drums in the World of Tanks. It is the presence of a loading drum that allows the AMX 50 120 to occupy one of the leading places among heavy tanks of the 9th level. The incredible DPM is capable of turning almost any tank into a pile of scrap metal.

Fast, effective, dangerous. Here are three characteristics of the French tank AMX 50 120.

Characteristics of AMX 50 120

Char 2C(French Tank 2C, aka FCM 2C) - . Developed during the First World War, but did not take part in hostilities. The Char 2C is the largest metric tank ever fielded in the world, and the second largest ever built (second only to the Russian wheeled Tsar Tank). The tank was in service with the French army until World War II, but like the Soviet one close to it heavy tank The T-35 was not effective in any of the intended roles for tanks of this class (with the exception of psychological impact on moral condition enemy troops).

Char 2C will not appear in the World of Tanks game any time soon. The developers have left this tank for 2017. You can now see this French tank only in the one posted on ours.