No,
it’s not the Maus, the massive German Tank which was a lot heavier and
slightly bigger but that never went beyond the prototype state and
certainly never saw combat. It is the French Char 2c, a 69
tonnes behemoth that was in use between 1921 and 1940.
The
Char 2C is the only super-heavy tank ever to attain operational status —
a super-heavy tank is not simply a tank that is very heavy but one that
is much heavier than regular tanks of its period. The next operational
tank to approach its weight would be the German Tiger II heavy tank of
World War II.
CHAR 2C (FCM 2) tank top view of the turretThe
Char 2C had a loaded weight of 69 tonnes, partly because of its armour –
45 mm at the front, 22 mm at the sides – but much of it just because of
its huge size. The armour was among the thickest of World War I-era
tanks, though by modern standards this would be considered thin. It is
still easily the largest tank ever taken into production.
With
the tail fitted, the hull was over twelve metres long. Within its ample
frame there was room for two fighting compartments. The forward
compartment was crowned by a three-man turret (the first such in
history) mounting a long 75 mm gun, and the second, at the rear of the
tank, was topped by a machine gun turret. Both turrets had stroboscopic
cupolas. The three independent 8 mm machine gun positions at the front
gave protection against infantry assault.
French super heavy tank Char 2C number 99 Champagne, Meuse 1940 (ex 51e Bataillon de Chars Lourds)The
fighting compartments were connected by the engine room. Each track was
powered by its own 200 or 250 hp engine, via an electrical
transmission. Top speed was 15 km/h and it came with seven fuel tanks,
containing 1,260 litres, which gave it a range of 150 kilometres. The
suspension contained 39 interleaving road wheels on each side, making
for a total of 90 wheels on the tank.
To man the tank required a
crew of twelve: driver, commander, gunner, loader, four machine gunners,
mechanic, electrician, assistant-electrician/mechanic and a radio
operator. Some sources report thirteen, probably due to pictures of the
crews that included the company commander.
How they were (not) used
CHAR 2C (FCM 2) tank side viewOver
time the ten tanks were part of several different units. Their military
value slowly decreased as more advanced tanks were developed throughout
the 1920s and 1930s. By the end of the 1930s they were largely
obsolete, because their slow speed and high profile made them vulnerable
to advances in anti-tank guns.
Nevertheless, during the French
mobilisation of 1939, all ten were activated and put into their own
unit, the 51st Bataillon de Chars de Combat. For propaganda, each tank
had been named after one of the ancient regions of France.
As
their main value was in propaganda, the giants were kept carefully out
of harm’s way and did not participate in the September 1939 attack on
the Siegfried Line. They were used instead for numerous morale-boosting
movies, in which they were often shown climbing and crushing old French
forts. To the public, they obtained the reputation of invincible super
tanks, the imagined dimensions of which far surpassed the actual
particulars.
French super heavy tank Char 2C number 91 ProvenceOf
course, the French commanders knew perfectly well that this reputation
was undeserved. When the German Panzerdivisionen, in the execution of
Operation Fall Rot the second stage in the invasion of France, ripped
apart the French lines after 10 June 1940, the decision was made to
prevent the capture of the famous equipment.
Char 2C super heavy tanksAll
were to be sent to the south by rail transport. On 15 June the railway
was blocked by a burning fuel train, so it became incumbent to destroy
the tanks by detonating charges. Later Goebbels and Göring claimed the
tanks were hit by German dive bombers. This propaganda lie was to be
repeated by many sources.
One tank was nevertheless captured more
or less intact and brought to Berlin to be exhibited as a war trophy
until disappearing in 1948.
Char 2C number 99 (“Champagne”) France 1940 Char 2C number 99 superheavy tank Char 2C number 99 superheavy tank
Char 2C number 98 “Berry” of the 51e Bataillon de Chars Lourds Char 2C FCM Number 95 – Mairy-Mainville France 1940 Char 2C FCM Number 95 “Touraine” Char 2C captured by germans Char 2C number 91 “Provence”, french superheavy tank
Source: Wikipedia / World War Photo
Char 2C number 99 (“Champagne”) France 1940
Char 2C number 99 superheavy tank
Char 2C number 99 superheavy tank
Char 2C number 98 “Berry” of the 51e Bataillon de Chars Lourds
Char 2C FCM Number 95 – Mairy-Mainville France 1940
Char 2C FCM Number 95 “Touraine”
Char 2C captured by germans
Char 2C number 91 “Provence”, french superheavy tank
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