Dear all,
Could you pls inform some detail fighting cases of French CharB1 tank? During the beginning of WW2, captured & used by Germans in East Line, and reused by France for liberation. BTW, which class do you think CharB1 tank is? Middle or Heavy? I think Germans treat it as middle tank, but how about France?
Thank you for your kindly help in advance!
B/R
Xi Kang
Ask for French CharB1 tank fighting cases
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xikang
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- Joined: 22 May 2004 09:20
- Location: Shanghai, China
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BIGpanzer
- Member
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- Joined: 12 Dec 2004 22:51
- Location: Central Europe
Hello!
Very briefly....
Char de bataille B1 was a heavy tank of infantry accompaniment, 403 were produced. Since 1936 B1 and B1bis armed the separate tank battalions in French Army (3 companies, 34 tanks in each battalion). In May 1940 all battalions complete tank divisions: 1st DCR - 28th + 37th BCC (1st half-brigade, 37th had B1, others - B1bis); 2nd DCR - 8th and 15th BCC (2nd half-brigade); 3rd DCR - 41st + 49th BCC (5th half-brigade); 4th DCR - 46th + 47th BCC (6th half-brigade). At the same time separate tank companies (CACC) were formed - 347th (14 B1bis), 348, 349 and 352nd (10 B1bis in each). Each B1 and B1bis had their own names according to french tradition, but no time to write all of them, sorry
Excellent tanks B1 used very active during May-June 1940. German tank and anti-tank cannons couldn't penetrate its armour in most cases. But B1 and B1bis had no radio and their crew were very unexperienced that time, also their tactics in defence were not good. After occupation of France Germans captured 161 B1bis in good condition and renamed them into B2 740(f). Some of them used as tractors without gun (turrets were used in German armoured trains and pill boxes along "Atlantic wall"), 16 were armed with 105-mm gun (open hull) and used as self-propelled guns, 60 used as flame-thrower tanks.
In 1941 B2 armed the 7th companies of 201-st and 202-nd tank regiments of Wehrmacht. Later the first companies of 213 (France), 223 (Netherlands) and 224th (Crimea, Russia) tank battalions got those French tanks. Also B2 were used by 2 companies of 100th tank regiment in France and company of the 7th tank battalion SS (SS Pz.Abt.7) in Balkans. In February 1945 Germany still had 40 B2 740(f).
Captured from Germans B2 were used by French troops (FFI) in the end 1944-beg 1945. 19 tanks had 13 regiment de dragons, formed 7 October 1944. In January-April 1945 they used very active against Germans.
Very briefly....
Char de bataille B1 was a heavy tank of infantry accompaniment, 403 were produced. Since 1936 B1 and B1bis armed the separate tank battalions in French Army (3 companies, 34 tanks in each battalion). In May 1940 all battalions complete tank divisions: 1st DCR - 28th + 37th BCC (1st half-brigade, 37th had B1, others - B1bis); 2nd DCR - 8th and 15th BCC (2nd half-brigade); 3rd DCR - 41st + 49th BCC (5th half-brigade); 4th DCR - 46th + 47th BCC (6th half-brigade). At the same time separate tank companies (CACC) were formed - 347th (14 B1bis), 348, 349 and 352nd (10 B1bis in each). Each B1 and B1bis had their own names according to french tradition, but no time to write all of them, sorry
Excellent tanks B1 used very active during May-June 1940. German tank and anti-tank cannons couldn't penetrate its armour in most cases. But B1 and B1bis had no radio and their crew were very unexperienced that time, also their tactics in defence were not good. After occupation of France Germans captured 161 B1bis in good condition and renamed them into B2 740(f). Some of them used as tractors without gun (turrets were used in German armoured trains and pill boxes along "Atlantic wall"), 16 were armed with 105-mm gun (open hull) and used as self-propelled guns, 60 used as flame-thrower tanks.
In 1941 B2 armed the 7th companies of 201-st and 202-nd tank regiments of Wehrmacht. Later the first companies of 213 (France), 223 (Netherlands) and 224th (Crimea, Russia) tank battalions got those French tanks. Also B2 were used by 2 companies of 100th tank regiment in France and company of the 7th tank battalion SS (SS Pz.Abt.7) in Balkans. In February 1945 Germany still had 40 B2 740(f).
Captured from Germans B2 were used by French troops (FFI) in the end 1944-beg 1945. 19 tanks had 13 regiment de dragons, formed 7 October 1944. In January-April 1945 they used very active against Germans.
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David Lehmann
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- Joined: 01 Apr 2002 10:50
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Hello,
RENAULT B1 and B1bis
Conceived by general Estienne (pioneer of French tanks) in 1920, this tank had an original conception. In 1929-30, Renault and FCM built three prototype models. These later became designated B tank. These three pilot models were extensively reworked and modified for tests. The first one, reengined and uparmored became the early prototype for the B1ter in 1937. The B1 tank was the production version of the B tank. Production began in 1935. Only a small number were built before construction changed to the more powerful B1bis in 1937. The B1bis was the heavy tank of the French army in 1940 and was nicknamed "Kolosse" by the Germans. Considered one of the most powerful and advanced tanks in the world, it was hampered by it's low autonomy and cost of production. The B1ter did not go beyond prototype stage. The B tank series had self-sealing fuel tanks, grouped lubrication, electric starter, and a floor escape hatch. There were the first French tanks to have electric powered traverse. It was steered through a double differential combined with the Naeder (a hydrostatic unit). Differential steering allowed both tracks to go in opposite directions and therefore the B1bis could rotate on the spot (without moving forward) unlike German tanks. The driver used the Naeder steering system to point the 75mm gun as it couldn't move left or right (only 1° traverse ; on the future B1ter the 75mm hull gun had a +6°,-6° traverse). Armor components and armor plates were mounted to steel girders running along each side to form the hull of the vehicle. The suspension assemblies, which incorporated 4 vertically mounted coil springs on each side, were fixed to these girders so that the springs projected upwards into the hull. Armored skirting plates protected the suspension system, which was developed from the Holt system. There were three main assemblies each side, each of four bogies mounted in pairs on plates pivoted at the centre. Each of these plates was mounted at the end of a similar one balanced at the base of vertically mounted coil springs, whilst semi-elliptic leaf springs also came into play as dampers under extreme compression. In addition, there were four independently mounted bogies (three forward, one rear) controlled by leaf springs. Unusually, the front idler wheel (tensioner) was also spring-mounted. The tracks were driven by the rear sprocket and adjustments for track tension were made from inside the fighting compartment. All this involved considerable lubrication of bearings and guides, but the task was made easier with an arrangement of grease nipples in four groups each side behind small doors in the armored skirting plates. The B1 had the APX1 turret (40mm armor) and the B1bis tanks received the revised APX4 turret (56mm armor). The B tanks were used in the 4 French armored divisions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th DCR = Division Cuirassée de Réserve). Each division had 2 battalions of theoretically 34 B1/B1bis tanks (1 command tank, 3 companies of 10 tanksn 3 replacement tanks) and 2 battalions of 45 light tanks (1 command tank, 3 companies of 13 tanks and 5 replacement tanks). There were also B1bis distributed to 4 independent companies (347th, 348th, 349th and 352nd CACC = Compagnie Autonome de Chars de Combat. 34 B1 (December 1935 – July 1937) and 369 B1bis (July 1937 - June 1940) tanks have been built for a total of 403 B tanks.
RENAULT B1
Weight : 28t
Length : 6.35m
Width : 2.50m
Height : 2.79m
Crew : 4-5 men
Maximum armor : 40mm (APX1 turret in cast and hull is RHA bolted armor)
Maximum speed : 30 km/h (Renault engine, 6 cylinders, water cooled, gasoline, 272 and 300 hp)
Transmission : 5 forward, 1 reverse
Autonomy : 180 km
Armament :
one 47mm SA34 L/30 gun (50 shells - 30 APHE, 20 HE - traverse 360° and elevation -18 to +20°)
one coaxial 7.5mm MAC1931 in the turret (traverse 10° left and right and elevation -18 to +20°)
one 75mm SA35 L/17 gun (80 shells - 7 APHE, 73 HE - traverse 1° left and right and elevation -15 to +25°) gun
one fixed 7.5mm MAC1931 MG in the hull (32x150 rounds MAC31 drum magazines, for a total of 4800 cartridges for the 2 MGs)
Detailed armor thickness (mm) :
Turret Front : 40mm/0° + gun and CMG mantlet (40mm)/round covering about 50% of the front surface
Turret Sides : 40mm/22.5°
Turret Rear : 40mm/22.5°
Turret Top : 30mm/74° and 90°
Copula : 40mm/25° and 90°
Hull Front, Upper : 40mm/20°
Hull Front, Lower : 40mm/45°
Hull Sides, Upper : 40mm/20°
Hull Sides, Lower : 40mm/0°
Hull Rear : 40mm/43° and 0°
Hull Top : 14-27mm, mostly 20mm/90°
Hull Bottom : 14mm/90°
RENAULT B1bis
Weight : 31.5t
Length : 6.35m
Width : 2.50m
Height : 2.79m
Crew : 4-5 men
Maximum armor : 60mm (APX4 turret in cast and hull is RHA bolted armor)
Maximum speed : 28 km/h (Renault engine, 6 cylinders, water cooled, gasoline, 307 hp, 16500 cm3, 1900 rpm, 2 Zenith type 70 AR 172 carburettors, 2 SEV G6 type 160 magnetos)
Transmission : 5 forward, 1 reverse
Autonomy : 160 km
Ground pressure : 0.85 kg/cm² (compared to 0.73 for PzIIc, 0.92 for a Pz III e/f and 0.83 for PzIVd)
Armament :
one 47mm SA35 L/32 gun (72 shells - maybe 52 APC and 20 HE or 42 APC and 30 HE - traverse 360° and elevation -18 to +18°)
one coaxial 7.5mm MAC1931 in the turret (traverse 10° left and right and elevation -18 to +18°)
one 75mm SA35 L/17 gun (74 shells - 7 APHE, 67 HE - traverse 1° left and right and elevation -15 to +25°)
one fixed 7.5mm MAC1931 MG in the hull (35x150 rounds MAC31 drum magazines, for a total of 5250 cartridges for the 2 MGs).
Detailed armor thickness (mm) :
Turret Front : 56mm/0° + gun and CMG mantlet (56mm)/round covering about 50% of the front surface
Turret Sides : 56mm/22.5°
Turret Rear : 56mm/22.5°
Turret Top : 30mm/74° and 90°
Copula : 48mm/25° and 90°
Hull Front, Upper : 60mm/20°
Hull Front, Lower : 60mm/45°
Hull Sides, Upper : 55mm/20°
Hull Sides, Lower : 55mm/0°
Hull Rear : 55mm/43° and 0°
Hull Top : 14-27mm, mostly 20mm/90°
Hull Bottom : 20mm/90°
According to B1bis veteran crews, the French tankers where really confident in their powerful heavy tank. Most of the battalions were well formed and the moral was very high from the beginning to the end of the 1940 campaign, despite the events and losses.
The hull interior of the B1bis was organized in two compartments separated by a firewall. The 4 crew members (commander/gunner, driver/hull gunner, driver's assistant/loader and radio/loader) were in the front compartment and the engine, tanks and transmission in the rear compartment. The B1bis command tanks had one crew member more, theoretically a second radio (but generally he was also commander's assistant/loader), the crew was therefore composed of 5 men instead of 4 men for a regular tank. In fact the team of each B1bis included also 2 engineers who should normally not have taken part to the fights, but there are many examples of engineers having volunteered to be part of the crew, especially to assist the tank commander, which was alone in the turret. The crew was therefore very often of 5 men instead of 4 men.
The hull of the tank was composed of RHA and the turret was cast. The driving post hood on the front hull was eventually made of cast armor (and could perhaps therefore be a "weak" point compared to the 60mm surrounding RHA, but only in the improbable case of being it at a proper 0° angle). The driver was seated on the left side of the bow and the hull-mounted 75mm SA35 gun was mounted to his right. His visions means consisted in a front episcope with an adjustable slit from 12mm to 100mm opening, 2 lateral slits and a periscope (giving a vision of about 180°). Behind the driver was the radio operator and to his right was the loader. The commander was the single occupant of the turret.
The first radio set in the B1/B1bis tanks was the ER53 Mle1932 (ER is Emetteur-Récepteur, or transmitter-receiver), with a 15km range. It was operated by morse key, broadcast on a frequency range of 40-100m, and weighted around 80kg. Only 100 of this radio were produced. It was then replaced by the ER51 Mle1938, weighting 50kg only and operated by voice (3km range) and/or morse key (15-20km range) on the same frequencies. The communications had usually to be coded before being emitted. A tank or a unit was ordered to go to a precise location for example. During offensive operations messages were sometimes send clearly and by voice to coordinate two companies for example. Nevertheless in the heat of a combat and with all the noise, the radio was often not used at all and each tank manoeuvred grossly alone, keeping a view on the 2 other tanks of the platoon and if possible on other platoons. The battery (2 Cd-Ni batteries mounted in series, 103 AH but initially 130 AH was planned) of the tank had about 2 days autonomy (note that the company command tank had a replacement battery). The battery was used for 4 main tasks :
- starting the 307 hp engine (which could also be started by the VIET compressed air system) (24 V)
- powering the radio (36 hours autonomy in continuous use) (24 V)
- powering the RAGONOT turret electric engine (when not powered by the main engine's dynamo) (12 V)
- provide light inside the tank (12 V)
If the battery was empty it was replaced (command tank) or charged again. After 7-8 hours of running the main tank engine the battery was totally charged again.
If needed, the electric engine could therefore power the tank turret while the main engine was off. A tank that ran out of fuel could still power the turret electrically. If both main engine and battery were out of use, the turret could still be hand cranked. While in combat situation, the main engine was nevertheless rarely shut off because it could sometimes be difficult to start again and an immobile tank is in danger.
The crew communicated in the tank by speaking/shouting but there was also some lights (order transmitter) on the driver's instrument panel which allowed the commander in the turret to order simple thinks like : forward, turn right, turn left, speed up, slow down, warning, cease fire etc. The radio had a specific aluminium helmet with a speaker and headphones. A complete telephone/intercom installation may have been installed in the B1bis tank, allowing the crew members to communicate together thanks to laryngophones and headphones. A complete drawing of the system can be seen in a document dated from March 1940 but it is not clear if the system became standard or just tested in several B1bis tanks.
The driver utilized a steering wheel to direct the vehicle, the wheel connected by a chain and control rod system to the Naeder hydrostatic steering system at the rear of the tank. Interestingly, the driver also doubled as the hull gunner, while the wireless operator, who had relatively little to do, was seated further back near the turret and provided help to the loader. The loader, who was seated behind the 75mm gun, was kept very busy loading the 75mm hull weapon and passing 47mm ammo up to the commander/gunner in the turret.
The Naeder steering system provided very fine and precise directional control for the hull gun, this steering system being a fairly advanced regenerative controlled differential system. It provided for a graduated turning radius independent of the transmission gear chosen, a system known as hydrostatic. The Naeder worked with ricin oil. The driver's 75mm SA35 L/17.1 gun sight was mounted just below his forward episcope. These two L.710 sights were prismatic binocular sights (stereoscopic telemeter, each sight with a 3.5x magnification, a field of view of 11.15° and range ladders, adjustable drum up to 1600m) and they rotated behind a pair of vertical slits beneath the driver's scope. From the front of the vehicle these two slits are easily seen below the driver's main vision port. Another interesting feature of this tank was the gyroscopic direction indicator, driven by a compressor. The same compressed air system (système VIET) also assisted in starting the engine when the normal electric starter failed.
The Renault engine was set up so the clutch was at the rear of the power plant and it then directly transferred power to a five-speed gearbox and then through a differential to both the rear sprockets. The Naeder hydrostatic steering pump sat on top of the gearbox and obtained its power from a chain drive takeoff from the main drive shaft, just before the gearbox. This type of steering system is also commonly called a double differential steering system, the design originally manufactured at the Schneider Company under the direction of E. Braillié in the early 1920s. The hydrostatic steering drive ('hydrostatic' is just another word for 'hydraulic') gave infinity of turning radii for each gear of the gearbox, with the radii varying continuously, from the smallest possible radius in one direction to the smallest radius in the other. In its mid-position it held the steering input shaft stationary, preventing differential action between the tracks when running straight ahead.
The steering was controlled by two clutches that transferred the power to the second differential (again, mounted on top of the main unit) and then to a set of cross-shafts running parallel to the main shafts. This second set of cross-shafts controlled the speed of the primary drive shafts because they rotated in the oppositely direction. In this way the Naeder system could slow either drive shaft that it was associated with and thereby slow the attached sprocket, the action depending on which of the steering clutches was engaged by the driver as he used the levers up at the front of the tank. Although it was complicated, the Naeder steering system allowed the small and precise corrections in steering that were necessary to accurately turn the vehicle just inches in one direction, allowing surprisingly accurate aiming of the hull-mounted 75mm gun. As an example an 8.8cm FlaK was destroyed at Abbeville with the 75mm hull gun from a range of 1500m. If the Naeder system was damaged or out of use the tank could still turn like other tanks, by using the brakes.
The 75mm SA35 L/17.1 was installed in a mount that provided an elevation of +25° to -15°. The gun was fixed in traverse, being aimed solely by the driver, in elevation by a hand wheel, and in traverse by turning the entire tank (thanks to the Naeder system). Another unusual feature of the B1bis tank bis was the air compressed system LUCHARD which automatically blow fumes out the howitzer barrel after firing the gun and before opening the breech (an early fume extractor). The driver via a cable connection fired the hull 7.5mm Châtellerault Mle1931 machine gun. The hull MG is fixed, under and on the right of the 75mm gun. The same system allowed the commander to also fire this MG if needed.
All the 47mm shells were ready to be fired as well as the 75mm APHE shells (no fuze at the tip of the projectile but an ignition system on the base of the projectile) but concerning the 75mm HE shells only 6 had already a fuze on them. They were in fact equipped with a long RYG 1921 fuze for better anti-personal efficiency. This long fuze explains why there were only 6 armed shells in the B1bis and 6 longer emplacements for them in the ammunition racks. For the following 75mm HE shells the loader and/or an other crew member had to mount the fuzes on the shells. The theoretical 15 rpm rate of fire for the 75mm SA35 gun probably decreased to 2-6 rpm in combat. Concerning the 47mm SA35 turret gun, the theoretical rate of fire of the gun was also 15 rpm but in accurate aiming it was 6 rpm according to the French tests. During combats the rate of fire could drop down to 2-3 rpm according to the crews : time needed to spot the target, to block the turret, to aim, to fire, to reload etc. There was a system for blocking the turret, otherwise it would have turned slightly to the right after each 47mm gunshot and the gunner would have had to aim again. Nevertheless, according to veterans, the B1bis did well against other tanks, even when firing at moving targets. The fact that the tank had two guns increased the rate of fire of the tank even sustained fire and accurate aiming : 47mm turret gun (2-6 rpm) and 75mm hull gun (2-6 rpm) for a total of 4-12 rpm if shooting together at the same target. But there is also an advantage of having two guns as illustrated by the B1bis "Eure" (Lieutenant Billotte) in Stonne, which destroyed at the same time the first tank and the last tank of a German column.
The B1 and B1bis tanks were conceived as infantry support tanks, transported by railway behind the frontline, used to pierce the frontline by neutralizing the MG nests and fortifications, moving at the speed of the infantry, opening the way to the infantry and the cavalry which were in charge of exploiting the breakthrough. Destroying a strongpoint and moving then to the next position to neutralize allowed without problem to prepare the new HE shells. The B1/B1bis tank's autonomy (about 150 km) was therefore totally sufficient according to this doctrine and was in fact not bad at all compared to the other tanks of 1940. Nevertheless this heavy tank used a lot of fuel, especially during combats because the tank had to turn on the spot to aim the 75mm hull gun. The practical autonomy was of about 6 hours. The Renault B1bis tank is able to cross ditches 2.75m wide, to climb slopes at 41° (90%) (on hard ground) and to cross obstacles 1.33m high.
There were three primary entry/exit hatches for the crew (one on the right hull wall, one above the driver, and one on the right rear of the turret). But there were also two emergency escape hatches provided (one floor escape hatch and one in the roof of the engine compartment). Several little traps allowed throwing away shells and cartridges cases. The rear compartment was divided into 3 areas : the central area with the engine and the transmission. The right area where after a hatch a passage way gave access to various fuel tank and engine indicators and to part of the ammunitions. In this same area there were two self-sealing fuel tanks (200 liters and 100 liters). An other self-sealing fuel tank (100 liters) was located in the left area for a total of 400 liters. In this left part there was also a cooling intake : 2 radiators and 2 ventilators which took fresh air from outdoor through a shutter (with slats) for the cooling of the engine.
According Bernard Lemaire, a former B1bis tank commander, the main advantages of the B1bis (compared to the Renault R35 for example) were :
- good suspension
- good speed
- good crossing capacity
- good visibility for the commander through his episcopes
- very good armor
The main drawbacks were the mechanical breakdowns of the Naeder system which were not uncommon (if damaged, the aiming of the 75mm hull gun became very difficult) and the fact that the tank could not be hull-down if the crew wanted to use the 75mm hull gun.
The cooling intake being a weak point of the tank is rather a myth. First of all it cannot be "black" as mentioned in several German reports since it is only an intake of fresh air, no engine gas are expulsed through this shutter at all. It may perhaps appear darker in some light conditions. Concerning the radiator cover / shutter, the slats on the side are of 23-28mm/45° thick armor and are shaped in a closely stacked pattern like that if you look at them in the length :
^
^
^
^
Two successive 23-28mm plates (although it is probably at least 3 plates at any angle), each at 45°, will offer a protection at least equal to the side armor of the B1bis. This layered armor is therefore not a weak point of the tank and a 3.7cm Pak36 AP shell will not penetrate this thickness of armor.
The B1bis side armor is 55mm/0° anyway and at close range the 3.7cm Pak36 firing an APCR shell could penetrate it. It would actually serve no real purpose to aim at the shutter. Nevertheless APCR rounds were only issued to PzIII and Pak36 in June 1940 and in very small number.
An other myth is that B1bis would move in a zigzag manner, exposing this cooling intake to the German gunners every two turns. French veterans having served in the B1bis all agree that it is not true. The B1bis will expose its thicker armor to the enemy, the frontal one and it had to move in the enemy's direction to be able to fire the 75mm hull gun, which is a fixed gun. It is mainly the 75mm gun with its powerful HE shells that was used to neutralize the German AT guns.
---> After action reports involving B1bis tanks :
The French B1bis gave the Germans a bad licking resisting 37mm and even 75mm tank gunners with their superior armor. The Germans therefore also called the 3.7cm Pak36 the “door-knocker”. Even Guderian had not dismissed these concerns in his memories and the up-and-coming officers in the German army would never forget the impression left of fearing enemy heavy armor and the need to counter them.
On 16th May in Stonne, a single B1bis tank (the B1bis "Eure" from Lieutenant Bilotte) pushed in the town itself into the German defences and went back. He attacked a German column of Pz.Rgt.8 and destroyed 2 PzIV, 11 PzIII and 2 Pak36 guns. The first shots destroyed simultaneously the first (with the 47mm gun) and the last tank (with the 75mm gun) of the column. The first German tanks were at less then 50m range. The armor of the B1bis was scattered with 140 impacts, no one penetrated or really damaged the armor. One can see here a kind of small 'Villers Bocage' and after that action Bilotte was nicknamed 'the butcher of Stonne' by his comrades.
Still on 16th May, around 17h00, the B1bis " Riquewihr " from Lieutenant Doumecq attacked towards Stonne and encountered a German infantry column, which fired at the tank with infantry weapons including anti-tank rifles, without effect. The B1bis crushed some German troops and pushed into a small village defended by the Schützen Regiment 64. When the soldiers saw the bloody tracks of the tank they fled in panic.
On the evening of 17th May in the bridgehead of Hauteville-Neuvilette, the 6.PzD had pulled a French heavy tank attack back. One of the 3.7cm Pak36 (Leutenant Neckenauer) had hit a French tank 25 times. Only at the 26th shot the track was hit enough to immobilize the tank but none of the other shells damaged the B1bis tank.
On 17th May in Crécy (North of Laon), report from the 1.PzD (BA-MA, RH 27-1/170, p.29) : "One B1bis tank crushed the defenses and took the direction of Mortiers, advancing along the 1st KRAD-Schützen battalion. The Pz.Rgt.1 was totally surprised and couldn't at first react. The B1bis tank advanced through Mortiers. Then the (German) tanks fired numerous shells on the rear of the B1bis. The B1bis stopped and the crew surrendered. The B1bis was scattered with impacts of 3.7cm and a few 7.5cm but NONE of the shells penetrated the armor.
The battle on the Aisne River lasted from 17th May to the 11th June. The 14e DI illustrated itself by resisting to all the German attacks and it even took some 800 German POWs. De Lattre requisitioned 3 replacement B1bis tanks from the 8e BCC (bataillon de chars de combat) ("Villers-Bretonneux", "Téméraire" and "Lunéville") under the command of sous-lieutenant Robert to defend the bridges in Rethel. After 5 days of combats (17th - 21th May 1940) the area was still under French control and these 3 B1bis tanks had destroyed 20 tanks, 9 armored cars, 12 motorcycles / side-cars, 10 cars and 16 trucks.
The B1bis was almost invincible when engaged by 3.7cm AT guns if not a point-blank range. Mostly all the B1bis that had been lost due to the enemy had been destroyed by 8.8cm Flak, indirect artillery fire, direct 10.5cm artillery fire and anti-tank mines. Many others have been abandoned after mechanical breakdowns or being out of fuel.
---> The Panzerkampfwagen B2 740(f) = B1bis in German hands
About 160 B2(f) tanks were used by the German army :
· Panzerkampfwagen B2(f)
· 10.5cm leFH18/3 auf Geschützwagen B2(f) (18 converted in 1942)
· Flammenwerferpanzer Renault B2 (f), retaining the turret-mounted 47mm, but with the hull-mounted 75mm replaced by a flamethrower (60 converted)
· Fahrschulpanzer B2(f) (turretless)
The first units equipped with B2 flame tanks were the 7th companies of Pz.Rgt.201 and 202, which were regrouped in 1941 in Pz.Abt.102 and engaged on the eastern front. Char B2(f) and B2(f) flame tanks were used during Barbarossa to reduce and destroy Russian fortifications in the summer of 1941. Pz.Abt.213 was later equipped with B2 tanks and stationed in French islands in the Channel.
Pz.Abt.206 was formed in November 1941 at Satory (near Paris), this battalion was used as a reserve unit for the 7.Armee. Wedged in Cherbourg, this unit was destroyed there. Its composition in beginning 1944 included 2 companies of 10 Hotchkiss H39 and 4 Somua S35s (in each company) and one "Stab Kompanie" of 3 Renault B2, 3 Renault B2 flamethrower, 2 Somua S35 and 2 Renault R35. Many such small units were formed with French booty/converted tanks like the Pz.Abt.100 committed to 91.ID in Normandy in 1944 (1 Somua S35, 8 Hotchkiss H39, 14 Renault R35, 1 Flammenwerferpanzer Renault B2, 1 PzIII and 5 FT17c) and the 21. Pz.D. included many French tanks.
Pz.Abt.223 was formed (attached to 22.PzD) with Char B2 flame tanks and was engaged in battles near Sevastopol in 1942. This unit was then expanded to include 2 panzer companies and command elements with a second company composed of 5 B2 and 12 B2 (Fl = flamethrower).
Different other units were also equipped with B2(f) tanks : Pz.Abt.224 in the Netherlands (engaged in Arnhem and Oosterbeek in 1944), two companies of the Pz.Rgt.100 in France and one company of 17 B2 from SS Pz.Abt.7 (SS 'Prinz Eugen' division) in the Balkans. In February 1945, 40 B2(f) tanks were still in service in the German army. Late war B2(f) had sometimes a kind of Zimmerit/concrete on their armor, at least on the turret. The B2(f) Flammpanzer could fire about 200x 2-3 seconds "napalm" shots. The French troops reused several B1bis captured in France, especially against German pockets on the western coast.
Regards,
David
RENAULT B1 and B1bis
Conceived by general Estienne (pioneer of French tanks) in 1920, this tank had an original conception. In 1929-30, Renault and FCM built three prototype models. These later became designated B tank. These three pilot models were extensively reworked and modified for tests. The first one, reengined and uparmored became the early prototype for the B1ter in 1937. The B1 tank was the production version of the B tank. Production began in 1935. Only a small number were built before construction changed to the more powerful B1bis in 1937. The B1bis was the heavy tank of the French army in 1940 and was nicknamed "Kolosse" by the Germans. Considered one of the most powerful and advanced tanks in the world, it was hampered by it's low autonomy and cost of production. The B1ter did not go beyond prototype stage. The B tank series had self-sealing fuel tanks, grouped lubrication, electric starter, and a floor escape hatch. There were the first French tanks to have electric powered traverse. It was steered through a double differential combined with the Naeder (a hydrostatic unit). Differential steering allowed both tracks to go in opposite directions and therefore the B1bis could rotate on the spot (without moving forward) unlike German tanks. The driver used the Naeder steering system to point the 75mm gun as it couldn't move left or right (only 1° traverse ; on the future B1ter the 75mm hull gun had a +6°,-6° traverse). Armor components and armor plates were mounted to steel girders running along each side to form the hull of the vehicle. The suspension assemblies, which incorporated 4 vertically mounted coil springs on each side, were fixed to these girders so that the springs projected upwards into the hull. Armored skirting plates protected the suspension system, which was developed from the Holt system. There were three main assemblies each side, each of four bogies mounted in pairs on plates pivoted at the centre. Each of these plates was mounted at the end of a similar one balanced at the base of vertically mounted coil springs, whilst semi-elliptic leaf springs also came into play as dampers under extreme compression. In addition, there were four independently mounted bogies (three forward, one rear) controlled by leaf springs. Unusually, the front idler wheel (tensioner) was also spring-mounted. The tracks were driven by the rear sprocket and adjustments for track tension were made from inside the fighting compartment. All this involved considerable lubrication of bearings and guides, but the task was made easier with an arrangement of grease nipples in four groups each side behind small doors in the armored skirting plates. The B1 had the APX1 turret (40mm armor) and the B1bis tanks received the revised APX4 turret (56mm armor). The B tanks were used in the 4 French armored divisions (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th DCR = Division Cuirassée de Réserve). Each division had 2 battalions of theoretically 34 B1/B1bis tanks (1 command tank, 3 companies of 10 tanksn 3 replacement tanks) and 2 battalions of 45 light tanks (1 command tank, 3 companies of 13 tanks and 5 replacement tanks). There were also B1bis distributed to 4 independent companies (347th, 348th, 349th and 352nd CACC = Compagnie Autonome de Chars de Combat. 34 B1 (December 1935 – July 1937) and 369 B1bis (July 1937 - June 1940) tanks have been built for a total of 403 B tanks.
RENAULT B1
Weight : 28t
Length : 6.35m
Width : 2.50m
Height : 2.79m
Crew : 4-5 men
Maximum armor : 40mm (APX1 turret in cast and hull is RHA bolted armor)
Maximum speed : 30 km/h (Renault engine, 6 cylinders, water cooled, gasoline, 272 and 300 hp)
Transmission : 5 forward, 1 reverse
Autonomy : 180 km
Armament :
one 47mm SA34 L/30 gun (50 shells - 30 APHE, 20 HE - traverse 360° and elevation -18 to +20°)
one coaxial 7.5mm MAC1931 in the turret (traverse 10° left and right and elevation -18 to +20°)
one 75mm SA35 L/17 gun (80 shells - 7 APHE, 73 HE - traverse 1° left and right and elevation -15 to +25°) gun
one fixed 7.5mm MAC1931 MG in the hull (32x150 rounds MAC31 drum magazines, for a total of 4800 cartridges for the 2 MGs)
Detailed armor thickness (mm) :
Turret Front : 40mm/0° + gun and CMG mantlet (40mm)/round covering about 50% of the front surface
Turret Sides : 40mm/22.5°
Turret Rear : 40mm/22.5°
Turret Top : 30mm/74° and 90°
Copula : 40mm/25° and 90°
Hull Front, Upper : 40mm/20°
Hull Front, Lower : 40mm/45°
Hull Sides, Upper : 40mm/20°
Hull Sides, Lower : 40mm/0°
Hull Rear : 40mm/43° and 0°
Hull Top : 14-27mm, mostly 20mm/90°
Hull Bottom : 14mm/90°
RENAULT B1bis
Weight : 31.5t
Length : 6.35m
Width : 2.50m
Height : 2.79m
Crew : 4-5 men
Maximum armor : 60mm (APX4 turret in cast and hull is RHA bolted armor)
Maximum speed : 28 km/h (Renault engine, 6 cylinders, water cooled, gasoline, 307 hp, 16500 cm3, 1900 rpm, 2 Zenith type 70 AR 172 carburettors, 2 SEV G6 type 160 magnetos)
Transmission : 5 forward, 1 reverse
Autonomy : 160 km
Ground pressure : 0.85 kg/cm² (compared to 0.73 for PzIIc, 0.92 for a Pz III e/f and 0.83 for PzIVd)
Armament :
one 47mm SA35 L/32 gun (72 shells - maybe 52 APC and 20 HE or 42 APC and 30 HE - traverse 360° and elevation -18 to +18°)
one coaxial 7.5mm MAC1931 in the turret (traverse 10° left and right and elevation -18 to +18°)
one 75mm SA35 L/17 gun (74 shells - 7 APHE, 67 HE - traverse 1° left and right and elevation -15 to +25°)
one fixed 7.5mm MAC1931 MG in the hull (35x150 rounds MAC31 drum magazines, for a total of 5250 cartridges for the 2 MGs).
Detailed armor thickness (mm) :
Turret Front : 56mm/0° + gun and CMG mantlet (56mm)/round covering about 50% of the front surface
Turret Sides : 56mm/22.5°
Turret Rear : 56mm/22.5°
Turret Top : 30mm/74° and 90°
Copula : 48mm/25° and 90°
Hull Front, Upper : 60mm/20°
Hull Front, Lower : 60mm/45°
Hull Sides, Upper : 55mm/20°
Hull Sides, Lower : 55mm/0°
Hull Rear : 55mm/43° and 0°
Hull Top : 14-27mm, mostly 20mm/90°
Hull Bottom : 20mm/90°
According to B1bis veteran crews, the French tankers where really confident in their powerful heavy tank. Most of the battalions were well formed and the moral was very high from the beginning to the end of the 1940 campaign, despite the events and losses.
The hull interior of the B1bis was organized in two compartments separated by a firewall. The 4 crew members (commander/gunner, driver/hull gunner, driver's assistant/loader and radio/loader) were in the front compartment and the engine, tanks and transmission in the rear compartment. The B1bis command tanks had one crew member more, theoretically a second radio (but generally he was also commander's assistant/loader), the crew was therefore composed of 5 men instead of 4 men for a regular tank. In fact the team of each B1bis included also 2 engineers who should normally not have taken part to the fights, but there are many examples of engineers having volunteered to be part of the crew, especially to assist the tank commander, which was alone in the turret. The crew was therefore very often of 5 men instead of 4 men.
The hull of the tank was composed of RHA and the turret was cast. The driving post hood on the front hull was eventually made of cast armor (and could perhaps therefore be a "weak" point compared to the 60mm surrounding RHA, but only in the improbable case of being it at a proper 0° angle). The driver was seated on the left side of the bow and the hull-mounted 75mm SA35 gun was mounted to his right. His visions means consisted in a front episcope with an adjustable slit from 12mm to 100mm opening, 2 lateral slits and a periscope (giving a vision of about 180°). Behind the driver was the radio operator and to his right was the loader. The commander was the single occupant of the turret.
The first radio set in the B1/B1bis tanks was the ER53 Mle1932 (ER is Emetteur-Récepteur, or transmitter-receiver), with a 15km range. It was operated by morse key, broadcast on a frequency range of 40-100m, and weighted around 80kg. Only 100 of this radio were produced. It was then replaced by the ER51 Mle1938, weighting 50kg only and operated by voice (3km range) and/or morse key (15-20km range) on the same frequencies. The communications had usually to be coded before being emitted. A tank or a unit was ordered to go to a precise location for example. During offensive operations messages were sometimes send clearly and by voice to coordinate two companies for example. Nevertheless in the heat of a combat and with all the noise, the radio was often not used at all and each tank manoeuvred grossly alone, keeping a view on the 2 other tanks of the platoon and if possible on other platoons. The battery (2 Cd-Ni batteries mounted in series, 103 AH but initially 130 AH was planned) of the tank had about 2 days autonomy (note that the company command tank had a replacement battery). The battery was used for 4 main tasks :
- starting the 307 hp engine (which could also be started by the VIET compressed air system) (24 V)
- powering the radio (36 hours autonomy in continuous use) (24 V)
- powering the RAGONOT turret electric engine (when not powered by the main engine's dynamo) (12 V)
- provide light inside the tank (12 V)
If the battery was empty it was replaced (command tank) or charged again. After 7-8 hours of running the main tank engine the battery was totally charged again.
If needed, the electric engine could therefore power the tank turret while the main engine was off. A tank that ran out of fuel could still power the turret electrically. If both main engine and battery were out of use, the turret could still be hand cranked. While in combat situation, the main engine was nevertheless rarely shut off because it could sometimes be difficult to start again and an immobile tank is in danger.
The crew communicated in the tank by speaking/shouting but there was also some lights (order transmitter) on the driver's instrument panel which allowed the commander in the turret to order simple thinks like : forward, turn right, turn left, speed up, slow down, warning, cease fire etc. The radio had a specific aluminium helmet with a speaker and headphones. A complete telephone/intercom installation may have been installed in the B1bis tank, allowing the crew members to communicate together thanks to laryngophones and headphones. A complete drawing of the system can be seen in a document dated from March 1940 but it is not clear if the system became standard or just tested in several B1bis tanks.
The driver utilized a steering wheel to direct the vehicle, the wheel connected by a chain and control rod system to the Naeder hydrostatic steering system at the rear of the tank. Interestingly, the driver also doubled as the hull gunner, while the wireless operator, who had relatively little to do, was seated further back near the turret and provided help to the loader. The loader, who was seated behind the 75mm gun, was kept very busy loading the 75mm hull weapon and passing 47mm ammo up to the commander/gunner in the turret.
The Naeder steering system provided very fine and precise directional control for the hull gun, this steering system being a fairly advanced regenerative controlled differential system. It provided for a graduated turning radius independent of the transmission gear chosen, a system known as hydrostatic. The Naeder worked with ricin oil. The driver's 75mm SA35 L/17.1 gun sight was mounted just below his forward episcope. These two L.710 sights were prismatic binocular sights (stereoscopic telemeter, each sight with a 3.5x magnification, a field of view of 11.15° and range ladders, adjustable drum up to 1600m) and they rotated behind a pair of vertical slits beneath the driver's scope. From the front of the vehicle these two slits are easily seen below the driver's main vision port. Another interesting feature of this tank was the gyroscopic direction indicator, driven by a compressor. The same compressed air system (système VIET) also assisted in starting the engine when the normal electric starter failed.
The Renault engine was set up so the clutch was at the rear of the power plant and it then directly transferred power to a five-speed gearbox and then through a differential to both the rear sprockets. The Naeder hydrostatic steering pump sat on top of the gearbox and obtained its power from a chain drive takeoff from the main drive shaft, just before the gearbox. This type of steering system is also commonly called a double differential steering system, the design originally manufactured at the Schneider Company under the direction of E. Braillié in the early 1920s. The hydrostatic steering drive ('hydrostatic' is just another word for 'hydraulic') gave infinity of turning radii for each gear of the gearbox, with the radii varying continuously, from the smallest possible radius in one direction to the smallest radius in the other. In its mid-position it held the steering input shaft stationary, preventing differential action between the tracks when running straight ahead.
The steering was controlled by two clutches that transferred the power to the second differential (again, mounted on top of the main unit) and then to a set of cross-shafts running parallel to the main shafts. This second set of cross-shafts controlled the speed of the primary drive shafts because they rotated in the oppositely direction. In this way the Naeder system could slow either drive shaft that it was associated with and thereby slow the attached sprocket, the action depending on which of the steering clutches was engaged by the driver as he used the levers up at the front of the tank. Although it was complicated, the Naeder steering system allowed the small and precise corrections in steering that were necessary to accurately turn the vehicle just inches in one direction, allowing surprisingly accurate aiming of the hull-mounted 75mm gun. As an example an 8.8cm FlaK was destroyed at Abbeville with the 75mm hull gun from a range of 1500m. If the Naeder system was damaged or out of use the tank could still turn like other tanks, by using the brakes.
The 75mm SA35 L/17.1 was installed in a mount that provided an elevation of +25° to -15°. The gun was fixed in traverse, being aimed solely by the driver, in elevation by a hand wheel, and in traverse by turning the entire tank (thanks to the Naeder system). Another unusual feature of the B1bis tank bis was the air compressed system LUCHARD which automatically blow fumes out the howitzer barrel after firing the gun and before opening the breech (an early fume extractor). The driver via a cable connection fired the hull 7.5mm Châtellerault Mle1931 machine gun. The hull MG is fixed, under and on the right of the 75mm gun. The same system allowed the commander to also fire this MG if needed.
All the 47mm shells were ready to be fired as well as the 75mm APHE shells (no fuze at the tip of the projectile but an ignition system on the base of the projectile) but concerning the 75mm HE shells only 6 had already a fuze on them. They were in fact equipped with a long RYG 1921 fuze for better anti-personal efficiency. This long fuze explains why there were only 6 armed shells in the B1bis and 6 longer emplacements for them in the ammunition racks. For the following 75mm HE shells the loader and/or an other crew member had to mount the fuzes on the shells. The theoretical 15 rpm rate of fire for the 75mm SA35 gun probably decreased to 2-6 rpm in combat. Concerning the 47mm SA35 turret gun, the theoretical rate of fire of the gun was also 15 rpm but in accurate aiming it was 6 rpm according to the French tests. During combats the rate of fire could drop down to 2-3 rpm according to the crews : time needed to spot the target, to block the turret, to aim, to fire, to reload etc. There was a system for blocking the turret, otherwise it would have turned slightly to the right after each 47mm gunshot and the gunner would have had to aim again. Nevertheless, according to veterans, the B1bis did well against other tanks, even when firing at moving targets. The fact that the tank had two guns increased the rate of fire of the tank even sustained fire and accurate aiming : 47mm turret gun (2-6 rpm) and 75mm hull gun (2-6 rpm) for a total of 4-12 rpm if shooting together at the same target. But there is also an advantage of having two guns as illustrated by the B1bis "Eure" (Lieutenant Billotte) in Stonne, which destroyed at the same time the first tank and the last tank of a German column.
The B1 and B1bis tanks were conceived as infantry support tanks, transported by railway behind the frontline, used to pierce the frontline by neutralizing the MG nests and fortifications, moving at the speed of the infantry, opening the way to the infantry and the cavalry which were in charge of exploiting the breakthrough. Destroying a strongpoint and moving then to the next position to neutralize allowed without problem to prepare the new HE shells. The B1/B1bis tank's autonomy (about 150 km) was therefore totally sufficient according to this doctrine and was in fact not bad at all compared to the other tanks of 1940. Nevertheless this heavy tank used a lot of fuel, especially during combats because the tank had to turn on the spot to aim the 75mm hull gun. The practical autonomy was of about 6 hours. The Renault B1bis tank is able to cross ditches 2.75m wide, to climb slopes at 41° (90%) (on hard ground) and to cross obstacles 1.33m high.
There were three primary entry/exit hatches for the crew (one on the right hull wall, one above the driver, and one on the right rear of the turret). But there were also two emergency escape hatches provided (one floor escape hatch and one in the roof of the engine compartment). Several little traps allowed throwing away shells and cartridges cases. The rear compartment was divided into 3 areas : the central area with the engine and the transmission. The right area where after a hatch a passage way gave access to various fuel tank and engine indicators and to part of the ammunitions. In this same area there were two self-sealing fuel tanks (200 liters and 100 liters). An other self-sealing fuel tank (100 liters) was located in the left area for a total of 400 liters. In this left part there was also a cooling intake : 2 radiators and 2 ventilators which took fresh air from outdoor through a shutter (with slats) for the cooling of the engine.
According Bernard Lemaire, a former B1bis tank commander, the main advantages of the B1bis (compared to the Renault R35 for example) were :
- good suspension
- good speed
- good crossing capacity
- good visibility for the commander through his episcopes
- very good armor
The main drawbacks were the mechanical breakdowns of the Naeder system which were not uncommon (if damaged, the aiming of the 75mm hull gun became very difficult) and the fact that the tank could not be hull-down if the crew wanted to use the 75mm hull gun.
The cooling intake being a weak point of the tank is rather a myth. First of all it cannot be "black" as mentioned in several German reports since it is only an intake of fresh air, no engine gas are expulsed through this shutter at all. It may perhaps appear darker in some light conditions. Concerning the radiator cover / shutter, the slats on the side are of 23-28mm/45° thick armor and are shaped in a closely stacked pattern like that if you look at them in the length :
^
^
^
^
Two successive 23-28mm plates (although it is probably at least 3 plates at any angle), each at 45°, will offer a protection at least equal to the side armor of the B1bis. This layered armor is therefore not a weak point of the tank and a 3.7cm Pak36 AP shell will not penetrate this thickness of armor.
The B1bis side armor is 55mm/0° anyway and at close range the 3.7cm Pak36 firing an APCR shell could penetrate it. It would actually serve no real purpose to aim at the shutter. Nevertheless APCR rounds were only issued to PzIII and Pak36 in June 1940 and in very small number.
An other myth is that B1bis would move in a zigzag manner, exposing this cooling intake to the German gunners every two turns. French veterans having served in the B1bis all agree that it is not true. The B1bis will expose its thicker armor to the enemy, the frontal one and it had to move in the enemy's direction to be able to fire the 75mm hull gun, which is a fixed gun. It is mainly the 75mm gun with its powerful HE shells that was used to neutralize the German AT guns.
---> After action reports involving B1bis tanks :
The French B1bis gave the Germans a bad licking resisting 37mm and even 75mm tank gunners with their superior armor. The Germans therefore also called the 3.7cm Pak36 the “door-knocker”. Even Guderian had not dismissed these concerns in his memories and the up-and-coming officers in the German army would never forget the impression left of fearing enemy heavy armor and the need to counter them.
On 16th May in Stonne, a single B1bis tank (the B1bis "Eure" from Lieutenant Bilotte) pushed in the town itself into the German defences and went back. He attacked a German column of Pz.Rgt.8 and destroyed 2 PzIV, 11 PzIII and 2 Pak36 guns. The first shots destroyed simultaneously the first (with the 47mm gun) and the last tank (with the 75mm gun) of the column. The first German tanks were at less then 50m range. The armor of the B1bis was scattered with 140 impacts, no one penetrated or really damaged the armor. One can see here a kind of small 'Villers Bocage' and after that action Bilotte was nicknamed 'the butcher of Stonne' by his comrades.
Still on 16th May, around 17h00, the B1bis " Riquewihr " from Lieutenant Doumecq attacked towards Stonne and encountered a German infantry column, which fired at the tank with infantry weapons including anti-tank rifles, without effect. The B1bis crushed some German troops and pushed into a small village defended by the Schützen Regiment 64. When the soldiers saw the bloody tracks of the tank they fled in panic.
On the evening of 17th May in the bridgehead of Hauteville-Neuvilette, the 6.PzD had pulled a French heavy tank attack back. One of the 3.7cm Pak36 (Leutenant Neckenauer) had hit a French tank 25 times. Only at the 26th shot the track was hit enough to immobilize the tank but none of the other shells damaged the B1bis tank.
On 17th May in Crécy (North of Laon), report from the 1.PzD (BA-MA, RH 27-1/170, p.29) : "One B1bis tank crushed the defenses and took the direction of Mortiers, advancing along the 1st KRAD-Schützen battalion. The Pz.Rgt.1 was totally surprised and couldn't at first react. The B1bis tank advanced through Mortiers. Then the (German) tanks fired numerous shells on the rear of the B1bis. The B1bis stopped and the crew surrendered. The B1bis was scattered with impacts of 3.7cm and a few 7.5cm but NONE of the shells penetrated the armor.
The battle on the Aisne River lasted from 17th May to the 11th June. The 14e DI illustrated itself by resisting to all the German attacks and it even took some 800 German POWs. De Lattre requisitioned 3 replacement B1bis tanks from the 8e BCC (bataillon de chars de combat) ("Villers-Bretonneux", "Téméraire" and "Lunéville") under the command of sous-lieutenant Robert to defend the bridges in Rethel. After 5 days of combats (17th - 21th May 1940) the area was still under French control and these 3 B1bis tanks had destroyed 20 tanks, 9 armored cars, 12 motorcycles / side-cars, 10 cars and 16 trucks.
The B1bis was almost invincible when engaged by 3.7cm AT guns if not a point-blank range. Mostly all the B1bis that had been lost due to the enemy had been destroyed by 8.8cm Flak, indirect artillery fire, direct 10.5cm artillery fire and anti-tank mines. Many others have been abandoned after mechanical breakdowns or being out of fuel.
---> The Panzerkampfwagen B2 740(f) = B1bis in German hands
About 160 B2(f) tanks were used by the German army :
· Panzerkampfwagen B2(f)
· 10.5cm leFH18/3 auf Geschützwagen B2(f) (18 converted in 1942)
· Flammenwerferpanzer Renault B2 (f), retaining the turret-mounted 47mm, but with the hull-mounted 75mm replaced by a flamethrower (60 converted)
· Fahrschulpanzer B2(f) (turretless)
The first units equipped with B2 flame tanks were the 7th companies of Pz.Rgt.201 and 202, which were regrouped in 1941 in Pz.Abt.102 and engaged on the eastern front. Char B2(f) and B2(f) flame tanks were used during Barbarossa to reduce and destroy Russian fortifications in the summer of 1941. Pz.Abt.213 was later equipped with B2 tanks and stationed in French islands in the Channel.
Pz.Abt.206 was formed in November 1941 at Satory (near Paris), this battalion was used as a reserve unit for the 7.Armee. Wedged in Cherbourg, this unit was destroyed there. Its composition in beginning 1944 included 2 companies of 10 Hotchkiss H39 and 4 Somua S35s (in each company) and one "Stab Kompanie" of 3 Renault B2, 3 Renault B2 flamethrower, 2 Somua S35 and 2 Renault R35. Many such small units were formed with French booty/converted tanks like the Pz.Abt.100 committed to 91.ID in Normandy in 1944 (1 Somua S35, 8 Hotchkiss H39, 14 Renault R35, 1 Flammenwerferpanzer Renault B2, 1 PzIII and 5 FT17c) and the 21. Pz.D. included many French tanks.
Pz.Abt.223 was formed (attached to 22.PzD) with Char B2 flame tanks and was engaged in battles near Sevastopol in 1942. This unit was then expanded to include 2 panzer companies and command elements with a second company composed of 5 B2 and 12 B2 (Fl = flamethrower).
Different other units were also equipped with B2(f) tanks : Pz.Abt.224 in the Netherlands (engaged in Arnhem and Oosterbeek in 1944), two companies of the Pz.Rgt.100 in France and one company of 17 B2 from SS Pz.Abt.7 (SS 'Prinz Eugen' division) in the Balkans. In February 1945, 40 B2(f) tanks were still in service in the German army. Late war B2(f) had sometimes a kind of Zimmerit/concrete on their armor, at least on the turret. The B2(f) Flammpanzer could fire about 200x 2-3 seconds "napalm" shots. The French troops reused several B1bis captured in France, especially against German pockets on the western coast.
Regards,
David
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Dima
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David Lehmann
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Hello Dima,
The Renault B1bis is equipped with an APX4 turret (56mm thick all around, 2570 kg with the complete armament, 1.022m ring). The turret is cast and the hull is rolled bolted armor. The 360° rotation is performed in 36 seconds with electrical powering anf 55 seconds if hand cranked (and on flat ground).
The Renault B1 had an APX1 turret (40mm thick all around) whose 360° rotation required 28 seconds and by hand one wheel turn enabled a turret rotation of 2°21. The APX1 turret weights 2100 kg (if armed with the 47mm SA35 gun and not the shorter 47mm SA34 gun) and the ring is 1.022m.
The Somua S35 has an APX1 CE (chemin élargi = enlarged turret ring) for about 2100 kg and a 1.130m ring. One 360° rotation is apparently performed in 20-30 seconds with the electric powering. The Somua S35's APX1CE turret is sometimes described as a "one-and-a-half-man turret", as the enlarged turret ring, compared to the APX4 found on the B1bis, allowed the radio operator to provide assistance to the commander/gunner/reloader.
It is not yet 100% clear for me if there was only an APX1 CE turret on the first Somua S35s and if there was an APX4 CE on the standard model or if the APX1 CE was the final turret.
Turret rotation speed (electric + manual for final aiming) : 360° in 28 seconds electric rotation for the APX1 turret, therefore grossly the same for an APX1 CE. According to J.G. Jeudy in "Chars de France" more powerful electrical engines were fitted to the later Somua S35 compared to the very first models, making the Somua S35's turret to perform a 360° turn in ABOUT 20 seconds, which is not very precise. The batteries allowed the electric system to be available even with the main engine off.
Regards,
David
The Renault B1bis is equipped with an APX4 turret (56mm thick all around, 2570 kg with the complete armament, 1.022m ring). The turret is cast and the hull is rolled bolted armor. The 360° rotation is performed in 36 seconds with electrical powering anf 55 seconds if hand cranked (and on flat ground).
The Renault B1 had an APX1 turret (40mm thick all around) whose 360° rotation required 28 seconds and by hand one wheel turn enabled a turret rotation of 2°21. The APX1 turret weights 2100 kg (if armed with the 47mm SA35 gun and not the shorter 47mm SA34 gun) and the ring is 1.022m.
The Somua S35 has an APX1 CE (chemin élargi = enlarged turret ring) for about 2100 kg and a 1.130m ring. One 360° rotation is apparently performed in 20-30 seconds with the electric powering. The Somua S35's APX1CE turret is sometimes described as a "one-and-a-half-man turret", as the enlarged turret ring, compared to the APX4 found on the B1bis, allowed the radio operator to provide assistance to the commander/gunner/reloader.
It is not yet 100% clear for me if there was only an APX1 CE turret on the first Somua S35s and if there was an APX4 CE on the standard model or if the APX1 CE was the final turret.
Turret rotation speed (electric + manual for final aiming) : 360° in 28 seconds electric rotation for the APX1 turret, therefore grossly the same for an APX1 CE. According to J.G. Jeudy in "Chars de France" more powerful electrical engines were fitted to the later Somua S35 compared to the very first models, making the Somua S35's turret to perform a 360° turn in ABOUT 20 seconds, which is not very precise. The batteries allowed the electric system to be available even with the main engine off.
Regards,
David
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Dima
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David Lehmann
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Hi,
The APX-R turret (1552 kg) of the R35/39/40 and H35/39 is hand-cranked (about 27 seconds for a complete rotation but it depends from the crew, the sloope etc.) and could also be unlocked from the training crank and moved with the rotation of the gunner's body for quick snap-turns. Concerning the FT17/18 tanks, the turret was also hand-cranked but I don't know more. For these light H and R tanks the 37mm SA18 and SA38 guns had also a traverse of 10° but most of the time the gun was blocked and aimed only with the turret rotation.
Regards,
David
The APX-R turret (1552 kg) of the R35/39/40 and H35/39 is hand-cranked (about 27 seconds for a complete rotation but it depends from the crew, the sloope etc.) and could also be unlocked from the training crank and moved with the rotation of the gunner's body for quick snap-turns. Concerning the FT17/18 tanks, the turret was also hand-cranked but I don't know more. For these light H and R tanks the 37mm SA18 and SA38 guns had also a traverse of 10° but most of the time the gun was blocked and aimed only with the turret rotation.
Regards,
David
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Dima
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junk2drive
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David Lehmann
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David Lehmann
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An other Renault B1bis story :
On 17th May 1940, the B1bis "Mistral" and "Tunisie" from the 3/15e BCC (3rd company of the 15th tank battalion - 2e DCR) attacked the German troops at Landrecies, south of the Mormal Forest. Advancing between two columns of armored cars, light tanks (Panzer I and Panzer II) and probably armored personnal carriers (Sd.Kfz.251) they slaughtered 50-100 German AFVs in about 20 minutes.
The testimony of sous-lieutenant Gaudet, commander of the B1bis "Tunisie" enables to tell the story from the French side. Initially 2 B1bis tanks were to attack but shortly before one of them experienced a mechanical breakdown. During there movement towards Landrecies they stayed camouflaged and immobile during about 45 minutes since the Luftwaffe was strongly bombing the towns around.
The "Tunisie" (sous-lieutenant Gaudet) and the "Mistral" (lieutenant Pompier) stop at the entry of Landrecies, at the crossing of the roads to Ors and Avesnes-Le Cateau. A French convoy is completely abandoned beside the road. It is 12h00 and Landrecies seems unoccupied.
The "Mistral" moves on among the French abandoned vehicles and is followed by the "Tunisie". Several streets and squares are crossed without noticing something interesting. Suddenly the "Mistral" stops and opens fire with its 47mm turret gun and its 75mm hul gun. The "Tunisie" moves to the left but the intense smoke prevents him to see what is happening in front of the French tanks. The "Mistral" goes on, fires several times and moves towards the center of Landrecies. The "Tunisie" is following 100m behind. Suddenly, sous-lieutenant Gaudet discovers what was the target : a whole German armored cars and light tanks parked on both sides of the street and very close to each others. The "Mistral" turns in an adjacent road 150m in front of the "Tunisie". At the end of the road, on the church square, several German armored cars are burning after the action of the "Mistral". The "Tunisie" starts to fire meticulously and systematically on each German AFV in the street. The "Tunisie" moves two times all along the eastern part of Landrecies, firing on each spotted target.
The "Tunisie" has lost visual contact with the "Mistral" of the company commander and avoids to cross the bridge on the canal in Landrecies, assuming that the core and heavy elements of the German Panzerdivision are deployed in the western part of Landrecies. Nonetheless, two 3.7cm PaKs are defending the bridge. They fire on the French B1bis without effect and are quickly destroyed.
In Landrecies itself sous-lieutenant Gaudet says that there were probably about 200 AFVs. He destroyed two 3.7cm PaKs (for a total of 4) and many armored vehicles. He saw very few German soldiers in the street except AT gunners. All the crews fled and were hidden in the houses. The various hits on the turret of the B1bis tanks showed that the Germans fired also with AT rifles but they did not damage the tank. On the other hand, the machineguns of the B1bis tank (including AP cartridges) penetrated easily many German armored cars and put them on fire.
Fearing a counter-attack and without having achieved a complete destruction of the enemy vehicles, the "Tunisie" moves back. The streets are full of burning armored vehicles whose ammunition is exploding. Sous-lieutenant Gaudet estimates that about 100 German AFVs were burning or out of use. The "Tunisie" alone had fired 8 shells of 75mm, 27 shells of 47mm and 3 MG magazines (450 cartridges).
At 12h25, 20 minutes after being entered in Landrecies, the "Tunisie" moves to Ors on an empty road. Sous-lieutenant Gaudet meets 3 French soldiers who were POWs in Landrecies and managed to escape during the attack. In Ors the "Tunisie" meets the "Mistral" (lieutenant Pompier) but also the "Tornade" (sous-lieutenant Rival), the "Vosges" (lieutenant Willig) and the "Nantes" (sous-lieutenant Phelep), which arrived in reinforcement. The "Mistral" is covered by many hits but remains undamaged. Lieutenant Pompier has been back from Landrecies 10 minutes before sous-lieutenant Gaudet. He tells that he has destroyed two AT guns and many armored cars.
In about 20 minutes these 2 B1bis tanks have destroyed 6 AT guns and about 100 AFVs. Different sources confirm the terrific number of 100 destroyed AFVs but sous-lieutenant Raiffaud, commander of the B1bis "Indochine, also from the 3/15e BCC, speaks about 50 destroyed AFVs, which remains nevertheless a significant number.
Best regards,
David
On 17th May 1940, the B1bis "Mistral" and "Tunisie" from the 3/15e BCC (3rd company of the 15th tank battalion - 2e DCR) attacked the German troops at Landrecies, south of the Mormal Forest. Advancing between two columns of armored cars, light tanks (Panzer I and Panzer II) and probably armored personnal carriers (Sd.Kfz.251) they slaughtered 50-100 German AFVs in about 20 minutes.
The testimony of sous-lieutenant Gaudet, commander of the B1bis "Tunisie" enables to tell the story from the French side. Initially 2 B1bis tanks were to attack but shortly before one of them experienced a mechanical breakdown. During there movement towards Landrecies they stayed camouflaged and immobile during about 45 minutes since the Luftwaffe was strongly bombing the towns around.
The "Tunisie" (sous-lieutenant Gaudet) and the "Mistral" (lieutenant Pompier) stop at the entry of Landrecies, at the crossing of the roads to Ors and Avesnes-Le Cateau. A French convoy is completely abandoned beside the road. It is 12h00 and Landrecies seems unoccupied.
The "Mistral" moves on among the French abandoned vehicles and is followed by the "Tunisie". Several streets and squares are crossed without noticing something interesting. Suddenly the "Mistral" stops and opens fire with its 47mm turret gun and its 75mm hul gun. The "Tunisie" moves to the left but the intense smoke prevents him to see what is happening in front of the French tanks. The "Mistral" goes on, fires several times and moves towards the center of Landrecies. The "Tunisie" is following 100m behind. Suddenly, sous-lieutenant Gaudet discovers what was the target : a whole German armored cars and light tanks parked on both sides of the street and very close to each others. The "Mistral" turns in an adjacent road 150m in front of the "Tunisie". At the end of the road, on the church square, several German armored cars are burning after the action of the "Mistral". The "Tunisie" starts to fire meticulously and systematically on each German AFV in the street. The "Tunisie" moves two times all along the eastern part of Landrecies, firing on each spotted target.
The "Tunisie" has lost visual contact with the "Mistral" of the company commander and avoids to cross the bridge on the canal in Landrecies, assuming that the core and heavy elements of the German Panzerdivision are deployed in the western part of Landrecies. Nonetheless, two 3.7cm PaKs are defending the bridge. They fire on the French B1bis without effect and are quickly destroyed.
In Landrecies itself sous-lieutenant Gaudet says that there were probably about 200 AFVs. He destroyed two 3.7cm PaKs (for a total of 4) and many armored vehicles. He saw very few German soldiers in the street except AT gunners. All the crews fled and were hidden in the houses. The various hits on the turret of the B1bis tanks showed that the Germans fired also with AT rifles but they did not damage the tank. On the other hand, the machineguns of the B1bis tank (including AP cartridges) penetrated easily many German armored cars and put them on fire.
Fearing a counter-attack and without having achieved a complete destruction of the enemy vehicles, the "Tunisie" moves back. The streets are full of burning armored vehicles whose ammunition is exploding. Sous-lieutenant Gaudet estimates that about 100 German AFVs were burning or out of use. The "Tunisie" alone had fired 8 shells of 75mm, 27 shells of 47mm and 3 MG magazines (450 cartridges).
At 12h25, 20 minutes after being entered in Landrecies, the "Tunisie" moves to Ors on an empty road. Sous-lieutenant Gaudet meets 3 French soldiers who were POWs in Landrecies and managed to escape during the attack. In Ors the "Tunisie" meets the "Mistral" (lieutenant Pompier) but also the "Tornade" (sous-lieutenant Rival), the "Vosges" (lieutenant Willig) and the "Nantes" (sous-lieutenant Phelep), which arrived in reinforcement. The "Mistral" is covered by many hits but remains undamaged. Lieutenant Pompier has been back from Landrecies 10 minutes before sous-lieutenant Gaudet. He tells that he has destroyed two AT guns and many armored cars.
In about 20 minutes these 2 B1bis tanks have destroyed 6 AT guns and about 100 AFVs. Different sources confirm the terrific number of 100 destroyed AFVs but sous-lieutenant Raiffaud, commander of the B1bis "Indochine, also from the 3/15e BCC, speaks about 50 destroyed AFVs, which remains nevertheless a significant number.
Best regards,
David
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David Lehmann
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On 28th May, during the battle of Abbeville, the B1bis "Jeanne d'Arc" from the 1/47e BCC (4e DCR) received more than 90 shells 2 hours before being put out of combat. The attack starts at 17h00, east of Doudelainville. German AT guns fire on the "Jeanne d'Arc". Two German guns are quickly destroyed with the 75mm hull gun but one 3.7cm shell penetrates unluckily (or luckily, depends on the point of view) in the barrel of the hull gun and destroys it.
The "Jeanne d'Arc" takes the command of the 1st company and moves through Huppy (were a German infantry battalion is destroyed), firing with its MGs on the German soldiers who are met. Moving on, the B1bis crosses the RN28 road south-west of Les Croisettes and heads towards hill 104, where he is engaged by numerous German guns including 8.8cm FlaK. The turret is penetrated by 2 shells and is blocked, the gunsight and the episcopes are broken. The tank commander and the loader are WIA. Completely disarmed, the tank nonetheless charges the enemy. Several AT guns are crushed under the tracks and two vehicles are rammed and destroyed. Once the slaughter achieved the B1bis tank pulls back.
Back at the level of Les Croisettes, an other shell (probably a 8.8cm shell) penetrates the fuel tank on the left side and put the tank on fire. The crew bails out and hides in the hedges, avoiding all the German patrols. During the night the crew returned safely to the French lines.
David
The "Jeanne d'Arc" takes the command of the 1st company and moves through Huppy (were a German infantry battalion is destroyed), firing with its MGs on the German soldiers who are met. Moving on, the B1bis crosses the RN28 road south-west of Les Croisettes and heads towards hill 104, where he is engaged by numerous German guns including 8.8cm FlaK. The turret is penetrated by 2 shells and is blocked, the gunsight and the episcopes are broken. The tank commander and the loader are WIA. Completely disarmed, the tank nonetheless charges the enemy. Several AT guns are crushed under the tracks and two vehicles are rammed and destroyed. Once the slaughter achieved the B1bis tank pulls back.
Back at the level of Les Croisettes, an other shell (probably a 8.8cm shell) penetrates the fuel tank on the left side and put the tank on fire. The crew bails out and hides in the hedges, avoiding all the German patrols. During the night the crew returned safely to the French lines.
David
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junk2drive
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David Lehmann
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Hi,
No B1bis tanks were used onthe Sarre attack, it involved only several R35 tanks AFAIK. The French attack on the Sarre, very limited, was launched on 7th September 1939, 4 days after France declared war to Germany. France needed 15 days to fully mobilize. If France was to have launched a full scale offensive 15 days after it declared war this would have been around 18th September 1939. This was 4 days after the Polish government had opened negotiations on the terms of its flight to Romania and the same day that it and its military High Command fled their own country and ordered all their forces to head for neutral borders. The rapid collapse of Poland left France in a very exposed position. It was facing a Germany with nearly twice its metropolitan population virtually alone (Germans from Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland etc.). The British could put only 4-5 divisions into Europe in September 1939 and would take 2 years to field a continental-scale army. The French were very cautious in September 1939, but one can see why.
Concerning the air forces, between September 1939 and April 1940, several 176 German aircrafts were lost for 82 British and 57 French ones (= 139 aircrafts for the allies). The German "Stosstruppen" and the French "corps francs" launched many deep reconnaissance patrols, prepared ambushes, took prisoners etc. behind the enemy lines. There were also artillery battles etc. The so-called Phoney War was not a completely quiet period of time and had its number of killed and wounded men.
David
No B1bis tanks were used onthe Sarre attack, it involved only several R35 tanks AFAIK. The French attack on the Sarre, very limited, was launched on 7th September 1939, 4 days after France declared war to Germany. France needed 15 days to fully mobilize. If France was to have launched a full scale offensive 15 days after it declared war this would have been around 18th September 1939. This was 4 days after the Polish government had opened negotiations on the terms of its flight to Romania and the same day that it and its military High Command fled their own country and ordered all their forces to head for neutral borders. The rapid collapse of Poland left France in a very exposed position. It was facing a Germany with nearly twice its metropolitan population virtually alone (Germans from Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland etc.). The British could put only 4-5 divisions into Europe in September 1939 and would take 2 years to field a continental-scale army. The French were very cautious in September 1939, but one can see why.
Concerning the air forces, between September 1939 and April 1940, several 176 German aircrafts were lost for 82 British and 57 French ones (= 139 aircrafts for the allies). The German "Stosstruppen" and the French "corps francs" launched many deep reconnaissance patrols, prepared ambushes, took prisoners etc. behind the enemy lines. There were also artillery battles etc. The so-called Phoney War was not a completely quiet period of time and had its number of killed and wounded men.
David
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David Lehmann
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- Joined: 01 Apr 2002 10:50
- Location: France
junk2drive wrote:Thank you for this info David.
I notice that they carried AP and HE for both guns. Was this common for all French tanks?
Unlike the British with their AP only HE only setups.
French tanks' MGs and guns :
8mm Hotchkiss Mle1914 MG
- Cartouche Mle1886 D (am) (heavy ball)
- Cartouche de 8mm à balle traceuse (T)
- Cartouche de 8mm à balle perforante (AP)
- Cartouche Mle1932 N (very heavy ball)
7.5mm 'Reibel' MAC Mle1931 MG
- Cartouche Mle1929 C
- Cartouche Mle1929 D (heavy ball)
- Cartouche Mle1929 T (T)
- Cartouche Mle1929 P and TP (AP and APT)
- Cartouche Mle1929 I (Incendiary)
13.2mm Hotchkiss Mle1930 HMG
- Cartouche Mle1935 (heavy ball)
- Cartouche Mle1935 T (T)
- Cartouche Mle1935 PT (APT)
- Cartouche Mle1935 P (AP)
25mm SA35 (L/47.2 or L/60 ?)
- Cartouche de 25mm Mle1934 à balle perforante (charge forte) (AP)
- Cartouche de 25mm Mle1934 à balle traçeuse perforante (APT)
37mm SA18 and SA18 M37 L/21
- Obus de rupture Mle1892/1924 (APHE)
- Boulet de rupture Mle1935 (AP/API)
- Obus de rupture Mle1937 (AP)
- Obus explosif Mle1916 (HE)
- Boîte à balles Mle1908 (canister)
- Boîte à balles Mle1918 (canister)
37mm SA38 L/33
- Obus de rupture Mle1938 (APC)
- Obus explosif Mle1938 (HE)
Note concerning the the APX-R and APX-R1 turret armed with the 37mm SA18 or 37mm SA38 guns :
Elevation of -16° to +20°
Traverse of 5° right and 5° left but it could be blocked to aim only with the turret rotation and so that the coaxial MG was always well aligned with the main gun.
47mm SA34 L/30
- Obus de rupture Mle1892G (APHE)
- Obus explosif Mle1932 (HE)
47mm SA35 L/32
- Obus de rupture Mle1935 (APC)
- Obus explosif Mle1932 (HE)
75mm SA35 L/17.1
- Obus de rupture Mle1910 (APHE)
- Obus explosif Mle1915 (HE)
The 75mm HE shells are able to destroy the armored cars, Panzer I and Panzer II and are very efficient at short range against the tracks and lower parts of the heavier tanks. The HE shell has a penetration of 17mm/30° even at 800m.
From the 2367 "modern" French tanks on 10th May 1940, only 515 tanks had a 47mm SA35 and about 300-350 H35/39 and R35 had a 37mm SA38 gun = 815-865 tanks with an excellent (47mm SA35) to good (37mm SA38) anti-tank capacity.
The huge majority of the French tanks are light tanks armed with the 37mm SA18 gun which could be used at 400m against the Panzer I and Panzer II but to knock out a Panzer III Ausf.E/F (the previous models were far less armored and were easier to destroy) or a Panzer IV Ausf.C/D they had to get as close as < 25-100m whereas the enemy could destroy them at about 300m (3.7cm KwK) to 500m (7.5cm KwK).
On the German side, the only Pzgr.40 (APCR) shells produced in 1940 were for the 3.7cm L/45 KwK36 of the PzIII or the 3.7cm PaK which were equipped with a very small number of APCR shells during the battle of France, probably even only to several Panzer III. The 4.7cm Pak(t) (on the Panzerjäger I mainly) received the APCR shell only in July 1940. The Pz35(t) and Pz38(t) did not have an APCR shell until the Russian campaign started. The 2.0cm Pzgr.40 was introduced in December 1940 or the first months of 1941, the other Pzgr.40 types also until May 1941.
The 7.5cm L/35 KwK37 of the PzIV Ausf.A/B/C/D or the StuG III Ausf.A in France in May/June 1940 could fire the K.Gr.rotPz. (AP) at 385m/s (penetration of 41mm/30° at 100m) but also a HEAT shell (Gr.38 HL/1) at 452m/s which was available in very small numbers but allowed a penetration of 45mm/30° at any range. There was no HEAT shell ready for the campaign in Poland. The Gr.38 HL/1 made the final tests in December 1939 and the shooting of the ballistic tables was finished in March 1940. The shells is listed in the ammo manual of the 7.5 cm KwK from July 1940. HEAT shells use chemical penetration instead of kinetic penetration thus the same amount of armor penetration could be achieved despite striking velocity. HEAT shells also tended to do better with striking armor plates at an angle, but were also easily defeated by employing spaced armor or side skirting. HEAT shells could also be used as a substitute for HE shells. HEAT shells in early WW2 Panzers were not strong enough to penetrate the stronger French tanks, however later revisions (Gr.38 HL/A, HL/B, HL/C) proved more successful on the eastern front.
If we exclude the direct artillery fire and the 8.8cm L/56 Flak, the 4.7cm Pak36(t) L/43.4 mounted on the Panzerjäger I seems to be the most dangerous gun for the French tanks (except the HEAT shell of the 75mm L/24 beyond 500m). The French 47mm L/53 AT gun is the best AT gun before the 5.0cm Pak38 and 7.5cm Pak40.
On the French side, the Laffly W15 TCC (tank destroyer) was really deadly against German tanks with its 47mm L/53 and the Mle1936 APCBC shells, still 72mm/0° at 1000m according to French tests.
The best French tank gun is the 47mm SA35 L/32 which is superior to the German tank guns. The best German tank guns are the 3.7cm L/47.8 (t) of the Panzer 38(t) and the 7.5cm L/35 KwK37 of the PzIV Ausf.A/B/C/D or the StuG III Ausf.A. The French 47mm SA35 gun is better than the German 3.7cm guns with AP shells but it is outclassed by the APCR shells of the 3.7cm L/45 at close range and by the 7.5cm L/24 gun at medium/long range with its HEAT shells. The APCR shells of the 3.7cm L/45 gun are able to penetrate the front armor of a Renault B1bis tank at 100m. The 47mm SA35 L/32 gun APC shells are slower than the AP shells of the 3.7cm L/45 gun (660 versus 745 m/s) but much heavier (1.620 kg versus 0.685 kg) and capped. The French 47mm has a higher KE and a better T/D ratio, leading to a better penetration.
Note about the 37mm and 47mm HE shells :
There were two HE shells for the German 3.7cm guns : the older 3.7cm Sprgr.18 with 26g explosive content and the newer 3.7cm Sprgr.40 with 45g explosive content. Both were produced before the battle of France started.
On the French side the HE shells had 30g (37mm SA18), 60g (37mm SA38) and 142g (47mm SA34 and SA35) explosive content.
Based on penetration values from Jentz (German tests) and calculated, the penetration values at a perfect 0° impact angle and at a range of 100m are about
Main French guns
25mm SA35 L/60 (or 47.2) : about 57mm
37mm SA18 L/21 : about 37mm
37mm SA38 L/33 : about 44mm
47mm SA35 L/32 : about 58mm
47mm SA37 L/53 : about 84mm
Main German guns
3.7cm KwK/PaK L/45 : about 53mm (AP) and 90mm (APCR)
3.7cm KWK L/47.8 : about 55mm
4.7cm PaK(t) : about 78mm
7.5cm KwK/StuK L/2 : about 55mm (APCBC) and 52mm (HEAT)
It gives a good idea of the power of the main guns involved, keeping in mind that the French tanks had a 40-60mm armor and the German tanks had a 13-35mm armor.
In the French tanks and especially the light tanks, there were generally more HE shells than AP shells (3/5th HE shells), illustrating the infantry support role seen as primary task. The French tanks except the 25mm guns and of course the 8mm, 7.5mm and 13.2mm MGs had no tracer shells unlike the German tanks. It was therefore often harder to find the range of a spotted target.
The quality of French tank optics were not at all inferior to the German ones, this is a false statement and an other myth usually spread. In fact they were of similar quality, perhaps a bit more complicated to operate. With the German optics it may have been more easy to determine the range of the target, but only for experienced crew since it was not an easy task. The French optics with their 4x magnification are more suited than German ones to engage targets at long range but the drawback is a smaller field of view which can become an issue during close combat.
In the French tanks, the tank turret gunsight consists of an aiming "v" or "+" and aiming ladders. The telescopic sights have generally a 4x magnification.
The L.762 telescopic sight of the 47mm SA35 gun has a 4x magnification, a 11.81° field of view and consists in a crosshair “+” with three aiming ladders. On the “+” reticle the horizontal line can be adjusted for the elevation. On the horizontal line of the “+” reticle, there are vertical long and short bars. One 2.50m high vehicle covered by a long line is at 500m and the same vehicle covered by a short line is at 1000m range. On the right of the “+” reticle there are two black range ladders : one for the AP shells and one for the HE shells. On the left of the “+” reticle there is one red range ladder for the coaxial MG.
The 75mm SA35 hull gun on the B1bis tank has two L.710 sights (sterescopic telemeter) with a 3.5x magnification, a 11.15° field of view and range ladders (no "v" or "+" reticle). The 75mm SA35 hull gun is a fixed gun with only elevation controls, thus left-right aiming is done via changing the tank's heading with the usual driving system or with the fine-tuned hydrostatic Naeder system.
Another surprising statement is about accuracy of French guns versus German ones. Accuracy is not a matter of nationality, only a matter of ballistics. All the ballistics tests proved that the French guns were very accurate. Some French tankers scored very well, others not so well. This was due to training, 1-man turret etc. but the guns by themselves were totally good ones. About the accuracy of the guns by themselves, here are two examples taken from real 1939-1940 shooting tests with the 47mm SA35 gun (Somua S35 and B1bis turret gun for example) and with the 75mm SA35 gun (B1bis hull gun), both with anti-tank shells :
For the 47mm SA35 :
• 15 shots at 200m : H+L = 10+20 = 30cm
• 10 shots at 500m : H+L = 55+53 = 108cm
For the 75mm SA35 : 10 shots at 400m : H+L = 30+28 = 58cm