FCM F1

A rare photograph of the FCM F1

## **Overview**

The FCM F1 was a French super-heavy tank developed right before WWII. 12 were ordered by the French army in 1940 to replace the aging Char 2C, however a German invasion forced France to surrender. All that was completed was a wooden 1:1 scale model. The tank was very long and tall, with two turrets. One was placed at the very front, and held a 47 mm high-velocity gun. The second, larger turret was placed at the very rear. This one housed a 90 mm gun, also of high velocity. The rear turret was positioned higher than the front one, allowing it to fire forwards. The FCM F1 was intended to be heavily armored, with around 100 mm, and was meant for breaching heavily fortified areas. Despite two engines totaling 1100 hp, the vehicle was very slow due to its 153 ton weight.

## **French Heavy Tanks**

During the late 30's and early 40's, tanks were classified by their weight. At the time, the class of Heavy Tank, or *Char Lourd*, was filled by the Char 2C. In the 1920s, several attempts were made at such a tank. They were all 'mobile forts', with one or two high velocity guns. Their armor was meant to range between 100-150 mm, and their weight was to be between 70 and 80 tons. Such projects did not succeed, however, and funding was cut.

In 1929, a new design was proposed. It would mount a 120 mm, and would weigh around 70 tons. The engine was 500 hp, and the armor would be 50 mm thick. A year later, the vehicle's specifications were changed. The weight would increase to 75 tons, the weapon would be decreased to a 75 mm gun, and protection was designed to be 40 mm of steel. The unnamed design was discontinued quickly, and no heavy tank development took place for some time.

In 1936, however, new heavy tank dreams were taken up. A new heavy tank was to be created under the *Conseil Consulatif de l'Armement.* It was to weigh 50 tons, and mount a 47 mm gun in a turret with a 75 mm hull cannon. The armor was meant to be immune to a 75 mm gun with AP shells, and its speed was meant to be 30 km/h.

In 1937, ARL, AMX, and FCM all presented designs for the vehicle. The development of these vehicles is highly convoluted, with many designs and failures. Little is known about many of these attempts.

## **Anti-Fortification**

A 45 ton tank project was created for anti-fortification duty. It was meant to have a high-velocity gun, and was designed to travel at 10 km/h with good crossing capability. This, however, was deemed inadequate against modern fortifications, so the weight was upped to 65 tons. Armor was also increased to 120 mm. The French continued to waffle, with 56, 89, and 110 ton tanks considered for the anti-fortification role. This used up valuable time, as a German invasion was imminent.

## **FCM F1**

When WWII started in 1939, the French realized that they had spent too much time on failed projects, and hurried to have one done by the German invasion. The French did not consolidate designs, and thus were left with a huge number of plans. They were even planning a sort of 'skeleton tank', however this was also dropped, but only after much valuable time and energy were wasted.

Later in 1939, designs for the F1 were consolidated. The plans were laid down, and ARL, AMX, and FCM set to work. Six prototypes were to be created. In 1940, yet more unrealistic plans were laid down by France. They planned to create a 220 tons tank, however this did not get far either. AMX's plan for the F1 was behind schedule, and was ultimately abandoned. The FCM F1 was far more successful, with sloped armor and other advanced features. In preparation for the planned 1941 invasion of Germany, some FCM F1s were to be completed at a rate of 3-4 a month. However many realized that the vehicle was an utter waste of resources, so it faced much opposition.

## **Action**

France only made it as far as a wooden mock-up. After the defeat of France, all development on the FCM F1 was stopped. After the war, however, the allies began creating tanks with the same purpose as the F1; to breach heavily-fortified lines of defense. Such vehicles included the British A39 Tortoise or the American T95/T28. Both, however, never entered production.