1:56 Char B1 To

The "Char de Bataille" B1 was the main tank used by the French Army during World War II. The original project was conceived in the mid-1920s, and many technical solutions, such as the large open tracks, are typical of that era. It wasn't until the mid-1930s that deliveries to the units began. Robust and massive, it was improved in its "bis" version to enhance its performance and operational capabilities. It was equipped with a 47-mm gun in a turret and a 75-mm howitzer mounted in a casemate at the front of the tank. Although it was overall a good tank for its time, the Char B1 was used primarily to support infantry divisions and not in autonomous armored groups, which would have provided greater operational flexibility against the German armored divisions during the 1940 campaign in France.