Hobbyboss 1:35th St Chamond tank

[warpedcrisis]

Saint-Chamond (tank)

St._Chamond by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The Saint-Chamond, named after the commune of Saint-Chamond, was the second French heavy tank of the First World War, with 400 manufactured from April 1917 to July 1918. Although not a tank by the present-day definition, it is generally accepted and described as such in accounts of early tank development. Born of the commercial rivalry existing with the makers of the Schneider CA1 tank, the Saint-Chamond was an underpowered and fundamentally inadequate design. Its principal weakness was the Holt "caterpillar" tracks. They were much too short in relation to the vehicle's length and heavy weight (23 tons). Later models attempted to rectify some of the tank's original flaws by installing wider and stronger track shoes, thicker frontal armour and the more effective 75mm Mle 1897 field gun. Altogether 400 Saint-Chamond tanks were built including 48 unarmed caisson tanks. The Saint-Chamond tanks remained engaged in various actions until October 1918, belatedly becoming more effective since combat had moved out of the trenches and onto open ground. Eventually the Saint-Chamond tanks were scheduled to be entirely replaced by imported British heavy tanks.

Saint-Chamond tank

Place of origin
France
Specifications
Weight
23 tonnes
Length
8.9 m
Width
2.7 m
Height
2.4 m
Crew
8 (commander-driver, gunner-loader
assistant gunner, four machine gunners, mechanic)

Armor
11–19 mm
Main
armament
75 mm gun
Secondary
armament
Four 8 mm Hotchkiss machine guns
Engine
4-cylinder Panhard-Levassor (petrol)
90 hp (70 kW), Crochat-Colardeau
electric transmission
Power/weight
4 hp/tonne
Suspension
Coil spring
Speed
12 kilometres per hour (7.5 mph)

Char_St_Chamond_tank by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Development

The Schneider

In January 1915, the French arms manufacturer Schneider sent out its chief designer, Eugène Brillié, to investigate tracked tractors from the American Holt Company, at that time participating in a test programme in England. The original French project was to provide mobility to mechanical wire-cutting machines of the Breton-Pretot type. On his return Brillié, who had earlier been involved in designing armoured cars for Spain, convinced the company management to initiate studies on the development of a Tracteur blindé et armé ("armoured and armed tractor"), based on the Baby Holt chassis, two of which were ordered.
Experiments on the Holt caterpillar tracks started in May 1915 at the Schneider plant with a 75 hp wheel-steered model and the 45 hp all-caterpillar Baby Holt, showing the superiority of the latter. On 16 June, new experiments followed in front of the President of the French Republic, and on 10 September for Commander Ferrus, an officer who had been involved in the study (and ultimate abandonment) of the Levavasseur tank project in 1908.
In early 1916, the first prototype of the Schneider tank was assembled in an army workshop. It featured tracks from the American-made Holt caterpillar tractors that were already used in France for towing heavy artillery. Private Pierre Lescure designed the fighting compartment. Lieutenant Fouché lengthened the tracks to improve trench-crossing ability. In this early form the prototype of the Schneider was called Tracteur A - not for security reasons, but because nobody knew exactly how to call such vehicles; the French word char was not yet applied to tanks. Eugène Brillié, the chief designer at Schneider, rejected this Tracteur A prototype. Instead he had invented a tail for his own tank's chassis thus providing the same trench crossing ability but for less overall weight and length.
The Saint-Chamond

While Brillié began to assemble this second prototype which was to become the Schneider CA1, the arms manufacturer Forges et Aciéries de la Marine et d'Homécourt (aka "FAMH"), based at Saint-Chamond, Loire, was given an order for 400 tanks by the French government, a political move prompted by General Mourret of the Army "Service Automobile". Saint-Chamond intended to build a tank that would be partly similar to the Schneider. Brillié refused to share his patents for free, and Saint-Chamond refused to pay. As a result the "Forges et Acieries de la Marine et d'Homecourt" company, being unable to replicate certain patented details (notably the tail) of the new Schneider tank, developed its own proprietary design: the "Char Saint-Chamond". It included a "Crochat-Colardeau" gasoline-electric transmission, a traction system already used on railcars in service with the French railways. Furthermore, the freedom to design a heavier and larger tracked vehicle gave Saint-Chamond the opportunity to upstage the Schneider company. This they did by installing on their "Char Saint-Chamond" a more powerful, full size 75 mm field gun plus 4 Hotchkiss machine guns instead of the two machine guns present on the Schneider tank.

Saint-Chamond's technical director was Colonel Émile Rimailho, an artillery officer who had become dissatisfied over the insufficient reward he had received for helping design the famous Canon de 75 modele 1897 field gun as well as the Modele 1904 155 mm "Rimailho" howitzer. Following his departure from the French State arsenal system (APX) and joining Saint-Chamond, Rimailho designed a 75 mm field gun similar to the Mle 1897 75 mm gun he had co-developed with Sainte-Claire Deville. It was the proprietary Canon de 75mm TR Saint-Chamond (Modele 1915), designed to fire the regular French 75 mm ammunition. Colonel Rimailho, who had a direct financial interest in selling his company's gun, induced the Ministry of War to specify that the new Saint-Chamond tank would also mount the Saint-Chamond made 75. In so doing Rimailho had also upstaged the Schneider CA1 tank which could only be fitted with a smaller Schneider-made fortress gun firing a 75 mm reduced charge ammunition. To accommodate a regular length and full size 75 mm field gun, a hull longer than on the Schneider tank was essential. The earliest Saint-Chamond prototype, a tracked vehicle longer and heavier than the Schneider tank was first demonstrated to the French military in April 1916.
When Colonel Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne, who had taken the initiative to create the French tank arm, learned that an order for 400 additional tanks had been passed on April 8, 1916, he was at first quite elated. When it later became apparent that they would be of a different type,
Estienne was shocked and wrote:
I am painfully surprised that an order has been launched of this importance without asking the opinion of the only officer who, at the time, had undertaken a profound study of the technical and military aspects involved and who had brought the supreme commander to the decision to take this path [towards a tank arm].

As a result of Rimailho's manipulations, the new tank had become a rather cumbersome and underpowered vehicle. It lacked a rotating turret, instead using a large overhanging front compartment housing the long 75 mm gun protruding from the nose.
Within the forward fighting compartment and on the left was the driver, also the vehicle commander. On the right a machine gunner operated the front Hotchkiss machine gun. This machine gunner was also responsible for the breech operation of the 75 mm gun which he had to perform after pivoting on his seat to the left. A loader (referred to in some sources as the gunner) adjusted the gun's elevation, observing the target through a small hatch in the front of the tank, which left him vulnerable to enemy fire. Traversing the 75 mm gun required traversing the whole tank, and this was performed by the driver. A second fighting compartment at the back held one machine gunner next to the secondary driver's position, where the tank could also be driven backwards by the mechanic in an emergency. Between those two compartments stood in the open the gasoline engine and the electric generator. Narrow passageways on both sides of the engine connected the front and rear compartments. The passageways also held Hotchkiss positions, one on each side in front of the engine. Altogether, the Saint-Chamond had four Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun positions: one in the front, one in the back and one on each side of the tank.
Despite weighing 23 tons, the tank could manage a top speed of 12 kilometres per hour (7.5 mph). This speed was seldom achieved in the field as the long nose was prone to digging into the ground. The relatively high maximum speed on flat ground was made possible by the "Crochat Colardeau" transmission which coupled a Panhard-Levassor 4 cylinders 90HP sleeve-valve gasoline engine to an electric generator capable of giving an output of 260 amperes under 200 volts. The generator was connected to two separate electric motors, one for each track, thus permitting perfect gradual steering of the tank.
Due to its short tracks and over-extended body, the vehicle experienced major difficulties in crossing trenches and overcoming obstacles. This led to such negative reactions by the crews in training that a special mention was passed on to General Headquarters:
Nobody wants to serve on the Saint-Chamond. Second Lieutenant de Gouyon, principal Saint-Chamond driving instructor at Marly, has publicly declared that it has become virtually impossible for him to continue to carry on and, since he is a Member of Parliament, that he will request to have the whole matter placed on the next parliamentary agenda.


Improved Saint-Chamond tanks (1918)

Originally the crew of nine men was protected by 11 mm of steel armour on the sloping front and 17 mm on the sides. Later on, the addition of an extra layer of spaced 8.5 mm armour on the front improved protection. Beginning with the 151st vehicle, the roof was also redesigned with a double slope so that satchel charges and grenades would slide off. Concurrently, the original two observation turrets in front and on top were done away with and replaced by a single low profile square turret permitting front and sides vision by the tank's driver/commander. With time, the tracks were also widened in two steps from 324 mm to 412 mm to lower their ground pressure. After Saint-Chamond tank No 210 the more effective Model 1897 field gun was installed instead of Rimailho's (profitable) 75 mm Saint-Chamond gun. At about the same time barrel-like rollers were added underneath the front and rear of the tank to help crossing trenches. This improved version was later called, unofficially, the Modèle 18. Production slowed down in March 1918, after at least 377 had been assembled, and ceased completely in July 1918.
Initially, forty eight Saint-Chamond tanks were modified as supply and recovery vehicles that could tow the lighter Schneider tanks. Their first action as a fighting vehicle took place at Laffaux Mill on May 5, 1917. Sixteen Saint-Chamond tanks were engaged there, several of them getting stuck into some trenches, but only three were destroyed in combat. During the rest of the war, twelve groups in total were formed with Saint-Chamond tanks : Artillerie Spéciale Nos. 31–42. In mid-1918, since combat had left the trenches for the open fields, it was used to engage German field gun batteries (Nahkampfbatterien) at a distance with its 75 mm cannon. The Saint-Chamond proved at last quite effective in this specialist assault gun role. The Saint-Chamond's final engagement in battle, with initially 16 tanks, took place in early October 1918, in support of the U.S. First Division near Montfaucon. As reported in Ralph Jones et al. (1933) in reference to this last engagement : "The Saint Chamond tanks were handicapped by damage to their tracks, by derailments, by the breakage of the caps of connecting rods on forward bogies and of track pins". By that time, the Renault FT tank had taken over the major role in the French tank force and had also been purchased by the American Expeditionary Forces in France.
After the war 54 were rebuilt as ammunition carriers; the remainder were scrapped. There are unsubstantiated stories about Poland using the tank against the Red Army in 1920. If true these specimens were in all probability not from the Soviet Army—the latter never had been supplied with them and the French Expeditionary Forces to Russia were only equipped with the Renault FT.

Surviving example
Saint-Chamond.Saumur.0004fq2z by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
The last Saint-Chamond tank remaining in existence, an improved mid-1918 model, alongside other French tanks of World War I (Schneider CA1 and Renault FT), is preserved at the Musée des Blindés at Saumur, France. It had survived, together with a Schneider CA1 tank of the same vintage, at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds Ordnance Museum in Maryland and was donated by the U.S. to the French government in 1987. Between 2015 and 2017 it was restored to running condition and repainted in a World War I camouflage scheme, at a cost of €120,000. It took part in various displays throughout 2017 to mark the centenary of the first use of tanks by the French army.

St._Chamond_-_Historial_de_la_Grand_Guerre,_Peronne_(1) by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

A full-size replica in polystyrene foam, built by students of the Lycée Le Corbusier at Tourcoing, is on display outdoors at the Historial de la Grande Guerre museum in Péronne, France.

The kit 1:35th by hobby boss
PTDC0035 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

PTDC0036 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr


PTDC0037 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

PTDC0038 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Box art

PTDC0039 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Brand new and unstarted kit

PTDC0040 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The camo scheme should be intresting.

PTDC0041 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Very small pe fret.

PTDC0042 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Even smaller decal sheets just a few numbers.

PTDC0043 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The main hull.

PTDC0044 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The malin hull top and bottom looks nice and clean with no flash.

PTDC0045 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0046 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

A nice fit between the upper and lower hulls.

PTDC0047 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

PTDC0049 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Another hull part.

PTDC0048 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Tiny bit of flash on this part.

PTDC0050 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Two of these sprues.

PTDC0051 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Four of these sprues.

PTDC0052 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Close up on the wheels.

PTDC0053 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Suspension parts.

PTDC0054 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Back of said parts. Looks nice and clean with no flash.

PTDC0055 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Four of these sprues. Machine guns and hatches.

PTDC0056 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Look nice with some detail on the guns.

PTDC0058 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Two of these sprues .

PTDC0059 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

PTDC0060 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

PTDC0061 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Drive sprockets and small parts

PTDC0062 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

First of the big sprues.

PTDC0063 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Front end and the gun.

PTDC0064 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Hatches.

PTDC0065 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

More parts of the gun.

PTDC0066 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Top hatch.

PTDC0067 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Other parts.

PTDC0068 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Gun end.

PTDC0069 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Other large sprue.

PTDC0070 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Plates.

PTDC0071 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Parts.

PTDC0072 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0073 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

More parts all look good with no flash.

PTDC0076 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Tracks.

PTDC0077 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Close up of the tracks.

PTDC0078 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0079 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0080 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Tracks just click togther and are workable.

Instruction booklet.

PTDC0081 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0082 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0083 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0084 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0085 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0086 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0088 by andrew Haycock, on FlickrPTDC0089 by andrew Haycock, on FlickrPTDC0090 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Not many steps.


Referance books

PTDC0091 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0092 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Tanks 100 years of armoured warfare.

PTDC0094 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0095 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Some nice colour plates for referance.
PTDC0096 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0097 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

WW1 the first mechanized war.

PTDC0098 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0099 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0100 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0101 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Nice build of the takom kit with some usefull info and pictures.

Modelling WW1 tanks

13120 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

More info and referance about the use development and problems with the St chamond tank

[gaz45]

Nice choice there mate

[Gary30]

Interesting choice! Can't wait to see this progress, good luck buddy

[warpedcrisis]

Nice choice there mate

Thank you should be an interesting build.

[warpedcrisis]

Interesting choice! Can't wait to see this progress, good luck buddy

Thank you

[warpedcrisis]

Ok so first mini update .

Made a start on the tracks.




In less that 20 mins I managed to do a complete side of 36 tracks . They just clicked together with out the use of glue.



The second run only took 10 mins.
Very happy wth how they went together.

More to come soon.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Interesting build
If this tank were a girl people would describe her as having a great personality and best seen at night
Gheeze that thing is ugly!!
But very different and will make for a cool build


They hounded me in the bomber sig that my poor dear Short Sterling was the ugliest plane ever produced
Bunch of meanies

[Kevthemodeller]

Very interesting subject one you don't here much about, not sure if the French ever used them on mass

[Tomcat64]

Well that's a kit I didn't know existed!

I was lucky enough to see one of these running at TankFest last year - let me know if you need shots of anything in particular and I'll see if I have anything useful but here's one of it rumbling around the arena


Really looking forward to seeing how this comes together - fascinating subject!

[warpedcrisis]

Interesting build
If this tank were a girl people would describe her as having a great personality and best seen at night
Gheeze that thing is ugly!!
But very different and will make for a cool build


They hounded me in the bomber sig that my poor dear Short Sterling was the ugliest plane ever produced
Bunch of meanies

lol my a-10 warthog my give the short sterling a run for its money on the ugliest plane produced
thank you

[warpedcrisis]

Very interesting subject one you don't here much about, not sure if the French ever used them on mass

thank you

[warpedcrisis]

Well that's a kit I didn't know existed!

I was lucky enough to see one of these running at TankFest last year - let me know if you need shots of anything in particular and I'll see if I have anything useful but here's one of it rumbling around the arena


Really looking forward to seeing how this comes together - fascinating subject!

Will do and thank you

[warpedcrisis]

Made a start
PTDC0112 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
This step had to be one of the worst one as this small did not want to sit into place repeated on the other side as well.

PTDC0113 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

A small drum and the 2 offending parts.

PTDC0114 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The drum and 2 small parts in place on the lower hull.

PTDC0115 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

2 more small drums on the rear on the lower hull.

PTDC0116 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The lower hull attached to the the track section.

PTDC0117 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The front of it needed a bit of extra clamping.



So did the rear.



Adding more of the drive section




Adding the lower armour



More small parts going on.



Wheels
.


Suspension parts.



Sprockets.





Wheels going together 16 in total.



Suspension units been built.




Suspension units and sprockets in place

[gaz45]

Coming alone nicely mate

[pourquoi61]

Very nice and well detailed.

[warpedcrisis]

Coming alone nicely mate

cheers

[warpedcrisis]

Very nice and well detailed.

thank you

[warpedcrisis]

Ok long over due update

PTDC0154 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Started on the lower areas. The bottom of the drive plate and two of the wheel sections.

PTDC0155 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0156 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The first of many wheel sections done.

PTDC0157 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The large drive wheels and its associated parts.

PTDC0158 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

PTDC0159 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0160 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Two sections in place.

PTDC0163 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Complete run .

PTDC0164 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0165 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Rinse and repeat on the other side.

PTDC0166 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Adding the attaching brackets.

PTDC0167 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Added the end detail.

PTDC0168 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Test fitting it in to place.

PTDC0169 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0170 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Glued in to place but had to remove two locating pegs from the one end to get it to fit.

PTDC0172 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

One of 6 strengthening beams to be made and added.

PTDC0171 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Adding the strengthening beams to the underneath of the main drive section.

PTDC0173 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

All six beams attached.

PTDC0174 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Had to bend this one a bit to get it to fit.

PTDC0175 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The main gun.

PTDC0176 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0177 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr
PTDC0178 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

The mounting plates for the main gun.

PTDC0179 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

In place.

PTDC0180 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

Lots of small parts to be added.
PTDC0181 by andrew Haycock, on Flickr

In place now



The gun mounted inside the lower hull.



Small doors / hatches for the upper hull.



The upper hull.




The hatches now in place.



Part of the exhaust sytem.



Machine guns.



And more machine guns.



The rest of the exhaust system.




Attaching the lower and upper huls togther.




Adding the small details .



Two small pe parts .

Next up paint

[Kevthemodeller]

Wow there's some real detail in this kit she's looking good mate

[Tomcat64]

Great progress - the suspension and running gear looks especially fiddly; nice job pulling it all together.

[pourquoi61]

The plastic part count on this one is something else.
Brilliant.