21.2.2016

FCM F1


The FCM F1 was a French super-heavy tank developed during the Interwar period by the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée company. Twelve were ordered in 1940 to replace the Char 2C, but France was defeated before construction could begin, a wooden mock-up being all that was finished. 

The FCM F1 was large and elongated, and had two turrets: one in front and one in the back, with a single high-velocity gun in each turret. The rear turret was higher so it could shoot over the first one. 
                         
The vehicle was intended to be heavily armored. Its size and protection level made it early 1940 with about 140 tons, the heaviest tank actually ordered. Despite two engines its speed would have been slow. 
                                         
The primary purpose of the tank was to breach German fortification lines, not to fight enemy tanks. The development path of the FCM F1 was extremely complex, due to the existence of a number of parallel super-heavy tank projects with overlapping design goals, the specifications of which were regularly changed. For each project again several companies submitted one or more competing
After the Fall of France all official design on heavy/super-heavy tanks was halted. The Char F1 showed quite a few similarities though to the ARL 44, produced just after the war. In 1944 the Allies had developed some new vehicles with exactly the same purpose as the FCM F1: to breach the "Siegfried Line". The British had the Tortoise heavy assault tank, the Americans the Super Heavy Tank T28. Both designs were self-propelled guns however, not multi-turreted tanks, allowing them to be lighter and still better protected. Like the FCM F1 they would not be placed into production.


FCM F1
FCM-F1.svg
TypeSuper-heavy tank
Place of origin France
Specifications
Weight139 metric tons
Length10.53 m
Width3.10 m
Height4.21 m
Crew9

Armour100 mm
Main
armament
90 mm DCA gun
Secondary
armament
47mm SA37 gun and six machine guns
Enginetwo Renault V12 KGM of 550 hp
1100 hp total
Power/weight7.9 hp/t
Suspensionvertical coil springs
Operational
range
200 km
Speed20 km/h

6 kommenttia:

  1. very good photo, I love the story's behind the super heavy tanks like the mous, total folly, I think the Soviets had some strange super heavy tank based on the KV, but I cant find any photos

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Hello S-K
      thank you for your comment
      and interest
      I will try to explain there lower

      Poista
    2. Yes, you're right.
      But, do not worry, they are easy to find

      KV-III (3) is a real
      KV-VI (4) is a real
      KV-V (5) are made

      KV-IV, (6) and this is three different reviews
      The Allies say no is it imagination or belief
      The Germans says they see one of very long monster time of the battle in Moscow
      This KV-6 tank was not working, it was broken, not german destroy
      The Soviet archives made about 3 pieces.

      Poista
    3. KV-IIV (7) was also prepared

      Poista
  2. Heavy, super heavy...and interesting!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Hi Phil
      Thank you for your comments and for your interest
      Yap. Is heavy,
      :) but also writer including a heavy serie

      Poista

Any explosive ammunition or empty cores, you can put in this.