Nice little French tanks video >>>>

Short but interesting selection -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwR-5HqL6PE

 

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the french tanks from ww2 are somewhat ugly?
Charron B1 Bis is a disaster.. I understand the reason for adding the 75mm gun in the front but how was it supposed to fire while hidden?

Did the french build in anything with larger calliber than 47mm in the Somua S35?

 

Not unlike the Lee/Grant in that respect.

 

i second you on that!!!
they are really ugos!!!!!

 

They may not be the most attractive,but the French had some of the best tanks on the battlefield at the time.

 

Not really, they over worked the crew making them too occupied to do the original job they were supposed to. Honestly a driver having to shoot and reload a gun?

 

Uh, which tank was that?

I know that m,ost French tanks suffered from one-man turrets, but the driver?

 

YEa I heard they had one that the driver had a gun. Now I have to go look for it.

 

I think it was Char B1 but I am not 100% sure.

 

I see your point,but I meant as far as firepower and armor protection.

 

True but firepower and armour dosent always add up to the best machine. I do see your point but unfortinutely the internal layout wasnt the best.

 

Something ominous about that Char1 BIS... and I've always liked the Somua S35. The Germans had serious problems knocking them-out, and the 47mm A.T. gun was a very-good weapon.
Biggest problem was in the turret... cramped with too-much multi-tasking taking place. Radios were unreliable or non-existant. French deployment and use of their tank force was ineffective and resulted in their ultimate defeat.
If the Char B1 or Somua had been given a decent turret size/crew and working radio, they might have really bloodied the Germans' noses. In some of the video-gaming with tanks, the heavy French tanks are next to impossible to destroy. They were very well-armored... in addition to being well-armed.
Tamiya has released a 1/35 scale model of the Char1 BIS, and it appears to be quite a nice kit. I think Heller used to offer a 1/35 scale kit of the Somua S35. ' A couple of very obscure, yet interesting subjects.

Tim

 

I believe in early stages of the invasion of France there was a decent sized tank battle when the Germans accidently drove into an area were the French were preparing their tanks and there was a battle mainly tank vs tank. Only if I could remember the name of it I read it in a book about tanks by a former British officer.

 

are you talking about the battle in flavion, may 15 1940?
char b and h39 from the 1st DCR vs pz 38 t and pz IV from 5 and 7 pz div

 

Possible I read this book over a year ago.

 

You are correct.The hullmounted 75mm gun could be aimed by either the driver or commander (who was already busy trying to load, aim and fire the turret mounted 47mm gun). The 75mm gun was fired by the driver.