Adventures of the Centurion in Scandinavia

Despite Sweden's goals to arm itself with domestic designs, foreign tanks in the Swedish army were not a rare sight. In cases when their industry was too slow or designers put out unsatisfactory results, the Swedish military made up the shortfall with foreign purchases. Recall that the Strv m/37, Sweden's most numerous tank at the start of WWII, was actually the CKD AH-IV-Sv tankette. Later, the Swedes acquired the Strv m/41, a licensed copy of another Czechoslovak vehicle, the LT vz. 38. A similar story happened again after WWII. Tired of waiting while domestic designers, the military purchased British Centurion tanks, which ended up being the most numerous tanks with a classical layout in the Swedish post-war army.

AMX 38: A Tank Between Classes

The results of the French competition for a new light tank in the mid 1930s were unclear. On one hand, the army made a deal with Renault to produce 300 light Renault ZM tanks. The tank entered service with the name Char léger Modele 1935 R,or Renault R35. A year later, the FCM 36 was accepted into service, which was more promising according to the infantry commanders. Doubt was cast on the production of the R35, but it was never cancelled, and it became the infantry's most numerous tank. Right before WWII began, the AMX 38 appeared, another tank that could have been accepted into service with the French army.

AMX 50 120: Long Road to a Dead End

At an unusual parade in Paris on July 14th, 1951, the French military showed off all their newest vehicles that was adopted by the army or still undergoing trials. EBR armoured cars and ARL 44 tanks drove along the Champs-Élysées. The parade was concluded with the passage of two Foch tank destroyers and two AMX 50 tanks. Only a chosen few knew that these tanks will not enter mass production and that superior tanks are already on the drawing board.

Overseas Aid

In 1944, the American army adopted the 120 mm M1 AA gun. The gun had excellent characteristics, including high penetration. It is not surprising that the Bureau of Ordnance started development of a tank gun on its basis in January of 194. The gun was indexed T53. In May of 1945, the Bureau recommended to install two of these guns in T30 tanks, putting a start to the T34.

In late 1946, the AMX company proposed a self propelled gun design on the AMX M4 chassis. The vehicle was lengthened to 9 road wheels per side. Its mass would be 58.5 tons, and it would be equipped with a 120 mm gun and a MAC Mle. 1931 machinegun. Even though this design was not produced, further development of this project resulted in the Foch SPG armed with that same gun. This project was the first where French engineers used a 120 mm tank gun, the French version of the T53. The French mostly borrowed the ballistics of the gun, radically changing both the barrel and other components.

A proposal with a lightened turret and a 120 mm gun on an AMX M4 chassis, September 1950

AMX started working on an M4 tank with an altered front and a lightened turret in spring of 1950. During planning, variants ranging from 50.5 to 70 tons were explored. Such a vehicle was rejected, but a new proposal was made in September of 1950. The only unchanged part was the turret, in which the engineers wanted to put a 120 mm gun.

It is noticeable from the first sketches that this gun differed from the SPG version. Unlike the SPG's composite barrel, the tank gun had a monobloc barrel, same as the T53. Although, it was not introduced immediately, and early plans still had a composite barrel. The new turret was going to be installed on the stock AMX M4 hull, but it was discovered that the lighter turret would fit more comfortably on a larger turret platform.

Installation of a lightened turret on an AMX 50 chassis, June 1951

The lightened turret project was abandoned, but not for long. It came back in June of 1951. It's worth noting that the second prototype of the AMX 50 was undergoing trials at this point with a widened 3400 mm hull. Weighing the pros and cons, the lightened turret was finally discarded, but not the idea of using a 120 mm gun. Work began on creating a new larger oscillating turret for the gun. The turret was developed by FAMH.

T.O.A. 120 turret on an AMX 50 chassis, June 1952

The new turret project, titled T.O.A. 120, was presented by FAMH a year later, in June of 1952. The turret from the second AMX 50 prototype was used as a base, and enlarged. The height of the new turret was 1685 mm. To compare, the height of the original turret was 1260 mm. The turret bustle became 600 mm longer, and the width reached 2840 mm (2484 mm in the original). The diameter of the turret ring was 2320 mm, and the mass of the new turret was 20,260 kg. A simple calculation showed that even if existing chassis characteristics were preserved, the mass of the tank would be 58-59 tons. The height was also impressive: at 3.5 meters, the tank was taller than the Maus. Nevertheless, the tank was still called a medium!

Experimental prototype of an AMX 50 with a T.O.A. 120 turret, 1953

The first prototype of an AMX 50 with a 120 mm gun was built in 1953. The hull was the same as the hull of the 100 mm version, as were the rest of the components. The mass of the tank was 59.2 tons. The ammunition rack contained 50 shells, 18 of which were inside the turret. The revolver type autoloader held 6 shots.

In the Search of Perfection

Initial trials showed that the increase in mass had its consequences. Problems with the engine started, as it was not meant for this kind of load. Even worse, the autoloader mechanism showed problems. The tank's crew was still 5 men, even though the assistant loader was effectively ballast.

Blueprints of a "lowered" hull for the Char 50t B, September 1953

In December of 1953, specifications for a lowered tank (AMX 50 Surbaissé) with an altered turret indexed T.O.B. 120 were published. The overall mass of the vehicle was supposed to decrease to 57,800 kg, and the height to 3350 mm. In addition, the overloaded Maybach 295 engine would be decreased in power, first to 900, then to 850 hp. Even with this power, the tank's top speed would remain at 50 kph. In addition, the armour layout was reviewed. The rolled 90 mm front plate was replaced with a cast piece. The sides were about 60 mm thick, but due to heavy sloping, were equivalent to 200 mm of armour. At the same time, the assistant driver position was eliminated.

The first blueprint of a lowered hull is dated September 1953, where the hull is 1190 mm tall. It uses the designation "Char 50t B", which is where the index AMX 50B comes from. The hull changed drastically, shedding nearly all resemblance of the AMX 45. Only the suspension reminded of the tank's German past. The height of the engine compartment was reduced by redesigning the cooling system. The fans were removed from the compartment roof and air vents were moved to the rear.

AMX 50 Surblindé on trials. The idea of a tank with a better protected hull went nowhere.

Despite active work on a lowered hull, a completely different tank entered trials in 1955. This tank, known as AMX 50 Surblindé (AMX 50 Uparmoured), was even heavier than the initial prototype of the AMX 50 with a 120 mm gun. French engineers looked up old projects from the early 1950s and took the hull almost entirely from there. This tank also had no room for an assistant driver.

The piked nose had a certain resemblance to the IS-3 tank. The lowered hull was nowhere to be seen: the tank's height went up by another 10 cm. Instead of the T.O.B. 120, this tank used the same old T.O.A. 120. Trials showed that the problems seen in the first AMX 50 with a 120 mm gun were even worse here. It's not surprising that work on this prototype quickly ended.

T.C.B. 120 sketch, July 1954

At the same time, FAMH was working on the T.C.B. 120 turret. Sadly, there are few details on this turret, and only a sketch remains to this day. It looks like it was developed as an alternative to the AMX 50B. Unlike the T.O.A. 120, there was no automatic loader. On the other hand, it had a rangefinder and, most likely, thicker armour. It was supposed to be used with the lowered hull.

Less is More

Bad luck with AMX 50 Surblindé froze the 50 ton tank project for a long time. It was only revisited closer to 1957. The mass of the vehicle was set at 57.8 tons. According to preliminary characteristics, the tank would one again have a 1000 hp engine, with an expected top speed of 55 kph on paved roads or 45 kph on dirt roads. Considering that the 55 ton AMX 50 did not manage a speed of over 51 kph, it's a wonder how these characteristics were supposed to be reached.

The gun was also slightly altered, and now it used the same ammunition as the T112 gun, installed on the American M103 tank. The T.O.B. 120 turret was a little longer due to the enlarged bustle, and the height grew to 1705 mm. The ammunition capacity increased to 46 shots (27 in the turret), and new AAT 52 machineguns replaced the old MAC Mle. 1931. The amount of machineguns was reduced to two: coaxial and AA. The most important change was to the classification of the tank. 10 years later, the military finally decided that a 50 ton vehicle is not a medium tank. It received the index Char Lourd 50 tonnes «Surbaissé» (heavy tank, 50 tons, lowered). 

Char Moyen Surbaissé project, end of October, 1953. This tank awaited construction for almost 5 years.

The AMX 50 Surbaissé was finally built in 1958, almost 5 years after its blueprints were finished. Initial trials showed that the military rushed with its characteristics. The tank could not accelerate past 51 kph. The engine started showing problems again, and it was reduced in power to 850 hp. THe suspension, not designed for this mass, was also full of problems.

The last documents on the AMX 50 Surbaissé are dated January 7th, 1959. A short while later, the 13.5 year long tank program was closed. There were many reasons for this, all of them reasonable. The tanks armour was no longer adequate. The weapons of Soviet heavy tanks, the main enemy of the AMX 50, could deal with the armour of the tank since the very start of the project. The appearance of the British 105 mm L7 gun in the early 1950s made the situation worse. In addition, since 1955, France was participating in a 30 ton class tank project jointly with Germany, the Europanzer. This design seemed a lot more promising than its competitor that weighed almost twice as much.

AMX 50 Surbaissé, or Char 50t B, on trials, 1958. This vehicle was the last in the AMX M4 program, and the only one officially classified as a heavy tank.

Perhaps the most important reason for closure of the AMX 50 program was the ascension of Charles De Gaulle to the post of Prime Minister on June 1st, 1958. He became a real assassin of military projects without a future. His first victim was the Batignolles-Chatillon 25t, which clearly had no advantages over the Europanzer. The second in line for the chopping block was the AMX 50. The joint Franco-German project dragged on, but eventually resulted in the AMX 30. This vehicle became the main French battle tank, remaining in service to this day.

As for the AMX 50, the AMX 50 Surbaissé can be seen today at the Saumur tank museum. It stands next to the ARL 44 in the hall dedicated to French post-war designs, serving as a reminder of what happens when you don't stop in time. In 1946, French generals could have had one of the most impressive immediate post-war medium tanks, but their endlessly growing appetites resulted in a monster that had no room in the rapidly evolving environment of the 1950s.

Original article by Yuri Pasholok.

See photos of the AMX 50 in Saumur here.

AMX 50: Five Years of Trial and Error

The second half of the 1940s was a dark time for a lot of tank building schools. Many projects were either downsized or cancelled completely. France was no exception. The only tank to make it out with relatively few problems was the AMX 13. Things were much more complicated for the ARL 44. This tank was such an obvious failure that it was removed from service shortly after starting production. Its successor, the AMX M4, suffered an even worse fate. The unending quest for an ideal tank described in this article resulted in the longest lasting project in French tank design history.

Longer, Thinner, Heavier

The AMX M4 project remained still for almost all of 1946. This is directly connected with the ARL 44 entering trials in March of that year. The first French post-war tank was late for almost a year, and trials showed that the vehicle needs extensive improvements. These trials couldn't have left the new tank unaffected. Sadly, the details of the trials are still unknown, but judging by the upcoming metamorphosis, the vehicle's stability was questioned.

Improved AMX M4 hull, blueprint dated January 17th, 1947

Work on the prospective heavy tank restarted by the end of 1946. The first results were demonstrated by AMX engineers in early 1947. The concept of a 50 ton medium tank did not change. The high power 90 mm gun and the turret that it was installed in remained unchanged.

The main difference was in the tank's chassis. The hull was lengthened from 6705 to 7413 mm due to an increased size of the driver's compartment. Thanks to this, the driver and radio operator received proper hatches in the hull roof. The longer hull also resulted in another road wheel being added. The upper front plate also received sloped cheeks, increasing the odds of a ricochet.

Various variants of the tank's armour were proposed. With a 120 mm thick front, the tank's mass would be 55.5 tons. Because of this, the thick armour was rejected.

This decision wasn't caused by excessive concern for the driver and radio operator. Diagrams indicate that this was the designers' method of improving the center of mass. On the initial design, the turret was shifted forward, which could negatively impact the load on the road wheels.

On the other hand, at what cost was this optimal weight achieved? The front armour was reduced to 80 mm, and even then the estimated mass of this medium tank was 54 tons. A variant with 120 mm of armour that would increase the mass by only 1.5 tons was also explored, but it did not go further than just theory. The 80 mm front armour was finally approved.

The AMX M4 looked like this in 1949. The project became more and more similar to the German Tiger II.

In 1947-48, the project was evaluated and re-evaluated in every conceivable way. By the beginning of 1949, designers were forced to admit that 54 tons was not the limit. According to revised estimates, the tank's mass was 54.6 tons, 13 of which were for the turret. The size of the new tank caught to to, and then exceeded, the Tiger II. Meanwhile, its armour was thinner than that of the Panther. Of course, the solution of the center of mass problem wasn't the end of this journey, but only one episode. 1949 will bring new radical changes.

Swings and Drums

In November of 1946, AMX proposed a 12 ton airborne tank. One of the features of this design was an oscillating turret, where the entire turret moved along with the gun when traversing vertically. This system was first used on the Panhard 201 armoured car, but the tank took it further.

The oscillating turret designed by FAMH (Forges et Aciéries de la Marine et d'Homécourt, better known as Saint-Chamond) was needed for a semi-automatic loading mechanism. The turret bustle housed two revolver type drums that each held 6 rounds. This system resulted in a rate of fire of 12 RPM. A long pause followed the 12 shots to reload the drums, but this was a worthwhile tradeoff, as 12 rounds was usually enough to deal with any target. The airborne tank didn't pan out, but the AMX 13 did.

FAMH oscillating turret design for the AMX M4.

The idea of developing an analogous turret for the AMX M4 was reasonable. The first designs on this topic are dated March 1949. At the same time, an alternative hull armour variant was being worked on. The slope of the front plate was reduced to 45 degrees, but the thickness was increased to 180 mm. The lower front plate was thickened to 120 mm. The hull became shorter (7237 mm), but the mass grew to 57,800 kg. As a result, the tank outgrew the King Tiger both by weight and armour thickness.

Proposal with a thickened upper front plate. The mass of this tank was 57.8 tons.

It's worth noting that the FAMH turret was more compact than Schneider's. Since it didn't have a large bustle with ammunition, the length decreased significantly. A separate 55 hp Maybach engine was responsible for rotating the turret. On the other hand, compactness meant nothing when it came to weight. The mass of both turrets was estimated to be identical, 13 tons. To compare, the King Tiger's turret weighed 13.5 tons.

In parallel with the oscillating turret, the issue of a tank destroyer on the AMX M4 chassis was explored in 1950. This designation was arbitrary, as the ARL 44 was reclassified as a tank destroyer at this time. The new tank destroyer was supposed to weigh 51.2 tons. Instead of a FAMH oscillating turret, it was supposed to have a large cast turret with a 100 mm gun. The hull was changed too. The front received a "chevron type" upper front plate, reminiscent of the IS-3's pike. As with the Soviet tank, only the driver remained in the hull of the AMX M4. The turret appears displaced, but this is not the case.

AMX M4 prototype, 1949.

The arbitrary nature of the tank destroyer designation is revealed by the various variants of the project. The predecessors of the 51.2 ton vehicle with 45 mm of armour were much heavier vehicles, and the projects dated spring of 1950 are unambiguously called "tank". They looked light from the outside, but the thicker armour increased their mass up to 70 tons. None of these designs made it off paper, but separate elements, like the pike nose, were implemented in metal.

The designers settled on the AMX M4 in 1949. Weighing all pros and cons, the hull remained in the 1947 configuration, keeping its 80 mm thick armour. The hull machinegun was removed. Formally, the assistant driver remained, but his role was mostly ballast. Doubts about the need for a fifth crew member grew. The turret was 120 mm thick in the front and 60 mm thick on the sides. In order to make the gun easy to service, the front of the turret could be removed.

Tank destroyer on the AMX M4 chassis. This vehicle was meant to have a 100 mm gun.

The tank was finally built in late 1949. The mass of the tank was 52 tons. The tank got a little heavier compared to the initial project, but a 1000 hp Maybach 295 engine maintained the estimated characteristics. In trials performed in 1950, the tank accelerated to 51 kph on roads and 35 kph off roads. This was a decent tank that could serve as a replacement for the ARL 44. The latter had problems, as mass production lagged behind schedule and reviews from the military were less than stellar.

The military was no longer satisfied with the AMX M4 prototype. This time, the armament was the reason.

New Gun

In spring of 1950, work on a new AMX M4 with a 100 mm gun began. These designs were sent to the archives, but not the gun. The muzzle velocity of 1060 m/s was desirable for the military, as it had superior penetration to the 90 mm gun. This gun would let the AMX M4 fight any tank of the era. It's not surprising that the military wanted this gun not only in a tank destroyer, but in a tank.

Blueprints of a 100 mm gun in an M4, June 1950.

By June 6th, 1950, the draft of an AMX M4 with a 100 mm gun was ready. The design fitted 60 100 mm shells into the tank, 14 of them in the turret (9 in the drum, 5 in the turret bustle). The new gun increased the mass of the turret to 15 tons and the mass of the tank to 53.7 tons. The military didn't mind, and the AMX M4 prototype received a 100 mm gun by the end of 1950. The removable front armour was done away with, and the front of the turret was now one whole armour piece. Trials showed that this was a good decision. The index of the tank was also changed: the M4 was dropped and the full name of the tank became "Char Moyen de 50 tonnes AMX". Later, this title transformed into a simpler "AMX 50". Often this tank is called "AMX 50 100", but this designation was never used.

AMX M4 with a 100 mm gun, January 1951.

The results of trials earned the approval to build two more prototypes of an improved AMX 50. The turret design changed somewhat, as did the upper front plate. The mass of the vehicle reached 55 tons after these changes. In April of 1951, the first AMX 50 was shown during a demonstration of new weapons and vehicles on the territory of the 32nd Artillery Regiment HQ, quartered in Bad Lobenstein, Germany. 

On July 14th, 1951, both tanks triumphantly drove down the streets of Paris in a parade. This parade was notable in that many experimental vehicles took part in it. Nevertheless, the new tanks and SPGs caused quite an impression. It's worth noting that the AMX 50 prototypes were slightly different. One was exactly identical to the reworked AMX M4. The other received a new turret. Its hull was also widened to 3400 mm due to wider mudguards.

AMX 50 prototypes, Paris, July 14th, 1951.

Sweden became very interested in these French 50 ton tanks, as work on the EMIL medium tank was currently underway. In January of 1951, a delegation visited France and familiarized itself with the AMX M4 and its new 100 mm gun. France and Sweden actively exchanged information; it can be said that the French tank directly influenced the Krv project. Of course, the Swedish tank had a different loading mechanism from the start.

Another country interested in French tanks was the United States. The Americans were so impressed by the AMX 50 that they negotiated the delivery of the first prototype for full trials. The first tank was loaded onto a ship and sent to the United States in late December of 1951. Trials began on January 10th, 1952. The first stage finished in March of 1952, and the final tests were finished a whole year later, March 13th, 1953.

The Americans had a good reason to be interested in the tank. Since January 1951, they were building their own T69 tank, whose design was similar to the French design. The loading mechanism was different, but the principle of a revolver type drum was the same.

AMX 50, second prototype.

The conclusions of the American specialists deemed the AMX 50 turret interesting, but pointed out a ton of vulnerabilities. It was much easier to jam this turret than a traditional one, and a 90 mm American shell penetrated even its front with relative ease. A proposal was made to increase the front armour to 90 mm, so the 90 mm shell would penetrate it from 1775 meters instead of 2414 meters.

By the time the tank's tracks hit American soil, its fate was sealed. The growing appetites of the French military in 1951 meant the end of the AMX 50. In their minds, a new vehicle took shape, one with a much more powerful gun...

Original article by Yuri Pasholok.

AMX ELC 90

The creation of the AMX ELC 90 for French airborne units reflected post-war France's desire to return to the superpowers club. The enormous colonial empire of the Fourth Republic was splitting at the seams, and the creation of highly mobile and well armed airborne forces was a pressing issue for the French army. What stopped this tank from entering mass production?

The first attempt at an airborne tank was made right after the war. In November of 1946, a 12 ton tank project was completed, armed with a 75 mm gun. The tank never got its wings, but further evolution of this design culminated with the AMX 13, the first truly mass produced French post-war tank, which is still in service in some countries.

The next attempt at an airborne tank came almost 10 years later. In 1954, the Engin Léger de Combat (light fighting machine) program was launched to create a 6 ton tank, or rather a tank destroyer. Two companies made a bid for the ELC tender, Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX), a part of the DEFA conglomerate (later GIAT, now Nexter) and Brunon-Vallette (EVEN) from Rive-de-Gier, a small town south-west of Leon. Both companies made unusual vehicles, worthy of their own articles.

AMX's engineers used the Hotchkiss CC-2 APC as their base, making their tank a relative of the German Spahpanzer SP 1C, created on the same basis. Indexed Chenillette 4–120SR, the AMX project was initially envisioned as a rather unusual design, similar to the American M50 Ontos. Presented in March of 1954, it was a two-seater vehicle armed with four 120 mm recoilless rifles. AMX engineers didn't move this idea past paper, unlike EVEN ones, who made a similar vehicle.

Another project was proposed in July of 1954, the Chenillette 6–105SR. The vehicle was radically redesigned and the armament was changed to six 105 mm recoilless rifles. In both projects, the driver was positioned forward and the turret rotated fully. This design also did not progress further than paper.

The hero of this piece was first drawn on April 27th, 1954. The project was first called Chenillette biplace avec casemate tournante de 90 (two-seater tankette, 90 mm gun in a casemate turret) and had both crew members in the turret. On one hand, this simplified the layout. The engine was placed in the front, which made the vehicle very compact.

On the other hand, this created a ton of problems. The turret could only rotate fully if the vehicle was still. The turret could not rotate on the move, as the driver would lose access to his controls and observation devices. In an attempt to solve this problem, the driver was moved to a cockpit to the right of the tank's center. To achieve this, the engine and transmission were moved to the rear, and the turret moved to the front.

The driver would only inhabit his cockpit during battle. On the march, he remained in the turret. However, the battle conditions were so inhumane that AMX returned to their original idea. Interestingly enough, EVEN engineers managed to house their driver in this fashion.

The first AMX ELC 90 prototype started trials in 1955. Instead of a tank destroyer, it was a tank, a curious tank, but a tank nonetheless. The vehicle received a 90 mm D915 gun in a two-seater TC 910 turret developed by FAHM (Forges et Aciéries de la Marine et d'Homécourt). After two years of trials the AMX ELC 90 bis came to be.

The vehicle differed noticeably from the prototype. The tank was equipped with roof-mounted smoke grenade launchers. The observation devices were redesigned, and the gun mantlet changed. The engine compartment roof and upper front plate changed, as well as the fenders and the equipment mounted on them. The amount of road wheels grew to five.

Trials continued until 1961 when the Engin Léger de Combat program was cancelled. The French army never received its airborne tank, even though the AMX ELC 90 bis was far from the worst tank for the role. Of course, it had its problems, mainly with maneuverability of fire and convenience for the driver, but it was very appropriate for certain tasks. Finally, the even weirder M50 Ontos was not only produced, but actually fought.

Both AMX ELC 90 prototypes survive to this day, but the fate of the first one is shaky. It was last seen in the forested storage yard of the Saumur tank museum in the mid-1980s. It's most likely still there, but there are no photos confirming the fact. As for the AMX ELC 90 bis, it was much luckier. It stands as one of the central exhibits in a room dedicated to unusual post-war designs.

Original article by Yuri Pasholok.
Detailed photos of the AMX ELC 90 bis can be seen here.

World of Tanks History Section: French Tanks, Pre-War and Post-War

FCM 36

By the 1930s, the Renault FT 17 was completely obsolete. A request for tender was sent out for a new infantry support tank, which was won by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée company (FCM).

The prototype began trials in April of 1935, and was accepted into production in 1936, after design improvements and increase in armour thickness from 30 to 40 mm. The vehicle was indexed FCM 36.

This tank was truly innovative. It had thick shellproof angled armour, which provided excellent protection from AT guns of the time. The diesel engine provided it with great range on one tank of fuel. The completely welded hull was also a novelty at the time.

The FCM 36 met all military requirements, but it had two drawbacks. It was heavy for tanks of its class (12.35 tons) and was very expensive. In total, only 100 tanks of this type were built.

Renault R35/R40

This tank was developed in 1934 as an infantry support tank. It was not as innovative as the FCM 36, as it used a cast hull with riveted elements, with nearly vertical armour. On the other hand, more traditional assembly methods lowered the vehicle's cost.

The R35 weighed 10.6 tons and used a short 37 mm gun as well as a rifle caliber machinegun. The maximum thickness of the armour was 44 mm. The crew consisted of two men. In 1938, the tank was equipped with a longer 37 mm gun and an improved suspension. The weight of the tank grew to 12.5 tons. This modification was indexed R40. 120 such tanks were made.

The Renault R35 was France's most numerous light tank during WWII. 1500 vehicles of this type were built, over 550 of which were exported. The French army used these tanks in all theaters: Europe, Syria, Tunis, Algiers.

SOMUA S35

This medium tank was meant for cavalry units. It was developed in 1935, and until 1940 was considered a very good tank, used only by domestic forces.

The tank hull was cast, and assembled with rivets. The turret was also cast, and only fit one crewman. The armour was up to 40 mm thick, and its armament consisted of a 47 mm cannon and a 7.5 mm machinegun. The crew consisted of three men. About 500 units were made.

During WWII, these tanks were used in France and Tunis. 300 S35s were captured and used by Germans, including action against the USSR. Some of these tanks were converted into tractors. In 1944, after France returned to Europe as an independent state, the army captured a number of SOMUA tanks back from the Germans.

S40/SARL 42

In the spring of 1942, technical requirements for a modernization of the SOMUA S35 were composed. The hull and suspension were to be redesigned, but the first prototype of this series also received a turret upgrade. The S40 was supposed to begin production in July of 1940, but the war interfered.

In 1942, on occupied territory, in deep secrecy, a group of engineers led by Maurice Lavirotte started working on a project to modernize the S40. The main idea was to improve the tank's characteristics with minimal changes the engine or suspension. A new turret was designed by the ARL company for this tank, so it would be indexed SARL 42.

The new hull had sloped armour, a simplified shape, and a new turret ring. The ARL turret had a very low silhouette and was completely welded, which was odd for French tanks.

Work on the SARL 42 ended in the fall of 1942, when Germany completely occupied France.

Renault G1R

Requirements for a new medium infantry support tank were formulated in the mid 1930s. After revisions to the requirements (60 mm of armour, a gun capable of knocking out enemy armour, etc), the project was undertaken by seven companies, including Renault. Their entry was named G1R.

Initially, the designers planned an unmanned turret with an autoloader mechanism, one of the first ideas of its kind. Unfortunately, it was too difficult to produce at the time.

The G1R consisted of a cast hull with sloped armour. The hemispherical turret was shifted towards the rear of the hull. It had a 47 mm gun, but an upgrade to a 75 mm gun was also in the works.

One prototype was built, but work was not finished before the German invasion in 1940.

AMX 30 1st prototype

After a long hiatus from tank design caused by the war, France restored its school of design relatively quickly. In 1956, a joint Franco-German program was launched to develop a new battle tank.

The French doctrine was, at first glance, contestable. Their designers sacrificed thick armour for mobility and a small size. In reality, HEAT shells became so advanced that thick armour was no longer impressive, but a small and fast tank would be hard to hit for the enemy.

The first prototype of this vehicle, indexed AMX 30, was built in 1961. This was the lightest NATO tank of the first generation. It could accelerate to a speed of 65 kph on a highway and had a 105 mm gun.

After trials and improvements that lasted until 1965, the AMX 30 was approved for use by the French army.

AMX 30B

This modification of the vehicle was developed in 1966 and entered production in 1967. The hull was composed of welded cast and rolled elements, the turret was completely cast.

The new tank had a commander's cupola with a panoramic sight and a multi-fuel diesel engine. The 105 mm gun could be controlled by either the gunner or the commander. The barrel was equipped with a thermal casing to improve precision. The tank had an additional 20 mm autocannon or 12.7 mm machinegun, as well as a 7.62 mm machinegun, controlled remotely.

The French still placed their bet on mobility. The mass of the AMX 30B increased from 30 tons to 36, but the speed did not decrease due to an improved engine. The AMX 30 and its modifications served in the French army until 1997.

Article author: Vladimir Pinayev

Original article available here.

World of Tanks History Section: AMX 50 100 / AMX 50 120

The Second World War and its many years of occupation led to stagnation of the French tank building school. The ARL-44, planned for production in 1944, was already obsolete compared to tanks of the USSR, USA, or Germany. French engineers had to quickly develop a tank that could deal with modern war no worse than a Tiger or IS.

Compared to their colleagues from other countries, the French had less experience in building tanks. However, instead of picking apart a captured tank and copying it, they decided to experiment. The result was very interesting.

While they did not copy anything outright, the French borrowed some technology from their "inherited" German E-series documentation. The first prototype, named AMX M4, was reminiscent of the King Tiger. It had the same suspension, with interleaved road wheels and internal shock absorbers. However, it had a rear engine and transmission. The tank was never built in metal.

A decision was made that the new tank had to have a more protected turret and a more powerful 100 mm gun. The French put the gun in an oscillating turret. The turret was composed of two parts. The gun was fixed in the upper part, and has no mantlet. Vertical aiming was achieved by moving the entire top part of the turret up and down. Horizontal aiming was done by rotating the lower part of the turret. This allowed the turret to be very small, due to a lack of gun elevation mechanisms. Additionally, one crew member could be eliminated by installing an automatic loader.

The first autoloader used a revolver drum-like cassette. The cassette fit 6 rounds, which had to be refilled manually.

The new tank was indexed AMX 50 100. Aside from the new gun, it received a better suspension, 120 mm of front armour, and a 1000 hp gasoline engine. In theory, the tank was supposed to accelerate to 60 kph, but tests never managed to get it over 51 kph. Even that result was pretty good for a heavy tank.

In 1951, during continued tests of the AMX 50 100, a new 120 mm gun was developed. The model with this gun was called AMX 50 120. The tank was developed as a counter to Soviet IS-3 and T-10 tanks.

Like its predecessor, it had an oscillating turret and an autoloader. The hull was changed. The front was "piked", like the IS-3. Aside from a 120 mm gun, the turret had 7.5 mm machine guns, to combat enemy infantry. The hull was cast, which increased its durability. The increase in mass decreased maneuverability. The French wanted the tank to accelerate to 65 kph. This would have required a 1200 hp motor, but the French never managed one that could achieve more than 850 hp.

The increase in caliber had a downside. While 100 mm shells were still serviceable, manually reloading a cassette of 120 mm shells was hellish labour.

The French were proud of their new tank. They considered it as mobile as a Panther, as powerful as an IS-3, as reliable as a Sherman. Even Germany was interested in this new tank, and made a preliminary contract to buy some AMX 50 tanks.

However, if you look past the developers' optimistic views, the AMX 50's real life applications were questionable. Its mobility and autoloader would give it an edge in quick battles, but its weak armour and large size made it completely unsuited for prolonged combat.

AMX 50 never made it to mass production. Only five of these very interesting vehicles were built. Many opinions exist as to why. Some historians claim that the tank was insufficiently protected, especially against HEAT. Due to the oscillating turret, it was difficult to protect the crew against chemical weapons, or radiation. Finally, oscillating turrets were not compatible with NATO's standardization plans.

There is another version. The tank was "buried" by corrupt officials. After the Korean war, America had a surplus of tanks, which had to be sold to someone quickly. Some French military officials made a profitable deal, and France got M47 Pattons instead of AMX 50s.

Original article available here.