Char d'Assault St. Chamond

The Story of Char d'Assault St Chamond

Considered a main battle tank during World War I, the Char d'Assault St. Chamond had characteristics more similar to a World War II "Assault Gun" - now classified as a "Self-Propelled Gun" (SPG). St. Chamond originated in France and saw most of World War I after being introduced to the French army in 1916.

Despite potential tanks on the battlefield of that era, the St. Chamond proved to be a clunky tool of war that would never really be able to traverse even the most mundane terrain.

Despite this operational limitation, the French had enough foresight to equip tracked vehicles with powerful and reliable 75mm howitzers for long-range fire.

The design of the St. Chamond tank was led by Colonel Emile Rimailho, who used the chassis of the American Holt tractor as a starting point (similar to the previous competing Schneider CA tank). The chassis and track system were retained, and a bulky armored hull superstructure was built on top of the system to provide the required fighting compartment. The engine is located in the center of the fuselage, suspended by coil springs.

There is a driver's position at the front and rear of the vehicle to allow forward and reverse travel without turning the tank completely or the front driver being blinded backwards. The main armament is a fixed front-firing 75mm main gun of limited height and up to 4 x 8mm Hotchkiss machine guns to protect the tank from enemy infantry. One machine gun is mounted on the right side of the front of the fuselage and the other is mounted on the rear of the fuselage. There are machine gun defenses on both sides of the hull - so the vehicle provides all-round protection.

Armor thickness up to 11 mm.

Colonel Rimailho was involved in the design of St Chamond, known here for his contribution to the French army, dating back to his time at the French National Armory, where he helped develop the excellent Canon de 75mm modele 1897 Field Pistol. When his efforts were not adequately compensated, Rimailo protested and joined St.

Chamond's team, designing his 75mm weapon primarily around the 1897 model. As such, the 75mm main gun of the original Saint-Chamont tank will, to a certain extent, follow the form and function of the French Army field gun - although the ability to adapt to the new role and fire existing French Army 75mm guns has been released.

St Chamond is powered by a Panhard-Levassor 4-cylinder 90 hp petrol engine. The powerplant was then mated to an electric Crochat-Collardeau drivetrain, which in turn made the overall design unnecessarily heavy.

Generators are charged to power each individual track system, allowing speeds of 7.5 miles per hour under ideal conditions. Range is limited to 37 miles.

The large St. Chamond tank requires 8 operators to operate various onboard systems. The driver also served as the tank commander, visible from the protruding upper hull brackets. He was sitting in the front left of the car. To his right is the main gun mounted in the center of the forward fuselage.

To the right of the main gun is a machine gunner who also acts as the main gun's breech operator. A second driver is at the rear and takes action whenever the vehicle requires reverse control. Additional machine gunners were stationed on the sides and stern of the design.

The first St. Chamond prototype was completed in September 1916 and about 400 had been ordered.

St. Chamond's most unique design feature is her oversized fuselage structure, which extends to the front and rear of the chassis. While this provided the necessary interior volume for the guns, crew and engines, it naturally gave the tank a very long hull, which made traversing rough terrain and trenches extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Once in trouble, St. Chamon was an easy prey for German artillery fodder or shell-carrying German infantry. While the front hull had basic ballistic protection due to its sloping front, the sides, rear, and top of the vehicle were flat with little artillery protectiona major threat to tanks on World War I battlefields.

In addition to the unfavorable hull design, the right front gunner manages the breech function of the 75mm main gun, adding unnecessary duties in the heat of battle (a dedicated gunner/loader is responsible for the main firing and lifting maneuvers). ). The main gun, which is fixed in the forward position, is limited in height and overall range, and since the main gun does not move laterally, the driver must rotate the entire tank to reach the target.

To make matters worse, the engine was housed in an open-air tap in the design center, separating the front and rear fighting compartments. The outdoor placement ensures that the fighting compartment is noisy, smells of grease and oil, and emits fumes, making it a harsh working environment for the crew.

Remember, the eight men had to spend hours in close quarters under the pressure of the fight. Channels were provided on both sides of the engine to allow for the distribution of the crew, although these also housed the side gunners, making quick and efficient internal maneuvers difficult.

One advantage of an open-air engine is the ease of temporary repairs and maintenance in the field.

St. Chamond saw her armor increase from 11mm to 19.5mm after the action. The main gun designed by Rimailho was also abandoned in 1917 and replaced by the French Army's standardized Type 1897 series. A new roof design was implemented to roll enemy shells off the tank, while other protruding structures have been removed for a simpler, cleaner look. When towing Schneider tanks, early combat St.

Chamond tanks had their weapons removed and used for towing.

On May 5, 1917, the first "real" direct combat action against the Saint-Charmond tank took place, during which 3 of the 16 systems deployed were lost in battle, the others Stranded on rough terrain as expected. In limited combat service as a front-line battle tank, the Saint-Chamont made no impression and was eventually abandoned in favor of the excellent French FT-17 two-person light tank. The highlight of the St. Chamond series is its offensive capability, which allows its 75mm main gun to deliver results on distant targets. In this role, St.

Chamond basically becomes the assault gun she never imagined. The St Chamond series will end the war, while other chassis are replaced with complementary roles, eg. B. As a supply transporter on the chain.

Some 377 St Chamond tanks were completed during the war, only one remains today - this is on display at the Museum of the Blind in Saumur.

Specification

Basic

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Performance

Performance

Armor

Not available.

Changes