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In my current quest to find out if the French 75mm DEFA and/or CN75-50 gun could be used when restoring a Panther tank (as they were more or less carbon copies of the KwK 42 L/70 gun) I stumbled over something very interesting that I actually didn't know and with my special interest in the Panther it's strange that I've overlooked it. I have to blame it on that my interest for French post war tank design has been marginal at best ...

The French didn't just copy/modify the gun, they were more than a little inspired by German tank design.

Early AMX-50 rear deck, I could have mistaken it for a modified Panther ...



AMX-50 on the move.



The Somua SM, more than a little hint of a Tiger II.



Somua SM rear.




Well, I still need to find out if a French gun could subsitute for a KwK 42.

Cheers,
Rik

Hi Folks!

Very interesting!

Is it just me, or does the track in that last photo look like it came off a Tiger Tank?

Sgt, Scouts Out!

WOW! That is incredible! What a Frankentank!

Nice pixs!

- Rikard_Hufschmied

In my current quest to find out if the French 75mm DEFA and/or CN75-50 gun could be used when restoring a Panther tank (as they were more or less carbon copies of the KwK 42 L/70 gun) I stumbled over something very interesting that I actually didn't know and with my special interest in the Panther it's strange that I've overlooked it. I have to blame it on that my interest for French post war tank design has been marginal at best ...

The French didn't just copy/modify the gun, they were more than a little inspired by German tank design.

Well, I still need to find out if a French gun could subsitute for a KwK 42.

Cheers,
Rik

Saumur has an AMX-50 - one of my favorites... I think this one has a 120 though... There was an AMX-50 with a 100mm gun, but not sure there was an AMX-50 with a 75?...









More info & pics on the AMX-50:

AMX-50 with 10mm Gun

AMX-50 with 120mm Gun

There's also the ARL-44 (right next to the AMX-50 at Saumur), which has been called the French Tiger, although its original design pre-dates the German invasion.







ARL-44

Neil

Wow - absolutely frickin' Wow! Best pictures of the AMX-50 I've ever seen. I did not know the 120mm gun vehicle had survived!

About French armor being influenced by German designs, what first comes to mind is the turret from of the good-old AML-90 AC Those triangular corners always reminded me of the PxIII turret front.

- mike_Duplessis

Wow - absolutely frickin' Wow! Best pictures of the AMX-50 I've ever seen. I did not know the 120mm gun vehicle had survived!

Thanks, although take a look at the links too - they include some more detail shots.

With the exception of the AMX-50 & ARL-44 being parked next to each other, Saumur is really a photographer's dream, especially for German armor. Most of the collection is well spaced out, allowing for all-around shots & inspection. OTOH, the staff isnt very friendly...

Neil

Hi Rikard-
The commander's cupola seen in the top photo appears to be a direct copy of the Panther's cupola. If there is a difference, it is to minor to matter.
Thanks for the pictures, interesting piece of history.
Regards-
Geoff Steer [;-{/)

nt

- Rikard_Hufschmied

Early AMX-50 rear deck, I could have mistaken it for a modified Panther ...

BTW, Rickard, I am sure that is in no small part due to the fact that the AMX-50 was powered by a Maybach HL 295 engine. Maybach produced the engines for France after the war in the French sector.

Incidentally, I'm kinda amused by the new Mercedes-Benz Maybach car. Not that I'm in the range for a Mercedes-Benz, but not sure I could bring myself to drive a car named after German (okay and French) tank engines

Neil