Char 2C (Heavy tank)

[Louis]

The Char 2C was the largest operational tank ever produced. Char 2C was a French super heavy tank designed in the last phase of WWI. It was developed by a French shipyard, Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM) located near Toulon.

Dimensions 10.27 x 3 x 4.10 m
Total weight, battle ready 69 tons
Crew 12
Maximum speed 15 km/h (9.3 mph)
Range – fuel 150 km (95 mi) – 1260 l
Armament Main: 75 mm gun (2.95 in)
Secondary: 4 x Hotchkiss 8 mm (0.31 in) machine guns
Armor 6 – 45 mm (0.24-1.8in) max

 

[Sempai]

It´s fun to look at trials and tests. But what I don´t grasp is why almost every time they are done a tree has to get murdered. It´s completely unnecessary.

Greetings

 

[Louis]

 

[Rico]

Gives you a good idea of the sheer size of it.

 

[Gunner]

I was curious about what the interior looked like so I did a quick search and found this one.
Looks extremely roomy. Even needed a ladder to get to the turret.
Wow.

Char 2C - Tank Encyclopedia

Char FCM 2C, the French superheavy tank of 1922. Only ten were manufactured by the Mediterranean naval yards, on an initial order from 1917.

tanks-encyclopedia.com

 

[Louis]

Inspecting the wreck of a Char 2C, near Langres, France, June 1940.

 

[mTk]

I'd really like to find out what in the world could cause that kind of damage.

 

[Louis]

I'd really like to find out what in the world could cause that kind of damage.

I consulted the comments in the source on this image and it specifically reports that it was destroyed by its own crew. As you can see here the tank is still on top of a train carriage, in fact the rail line is visible at the bottom of the photo.
After the German advance in 1940, a number of Char 2Cs were shipped south by rail.
This, the Char 2C number 98 (named Berry) was trapped with several others by a train wreck and were unable to disembark, so they were destroyed to avoid capture.