Carro da Battaglia Renault B1.bis

Recensione del Modello Matchbox in Scala 1:76

The Char B1.bis was an upgraded version of the earlier 27 t Char B1 main battle tank, con a 47 mm high velocity gun e 46-60 mm of armour protection. In the late 1930’s the Char B1.bis was one of the most advanced carri armati in the world, but when war came in 1940 it showed some important deficiencies.

The one-man torretta turned out to be a disadvantage in combat, requiring too much work ed attention from the capocarro who would have been better employed directing the vehicle, observing the enemy e communicating con fellow commanders. Instead, the man had to operate the radio, fire the co-axial mitragliatrice, load the 47 mm gun e spot targets for his weapon as well as the 75 mm howitzer operated by the hull gunner. Not surprisingly, when their carri armati came under fire, capocarri francesi would focus on their gunnery skills instead of giving tactical advice. Communications breakdowns were a common occurance, compounded by the fact that carri armati penetrating le linie nemiche often had their radio antenna severed by shrapnel ed intensive anti-tank fire. By contrast, the extra crew member in Pz.Kpfw. III e later models allowed the vehicle’s commander to concentrate on target acquisition e tactical communications con the other Panzers in his platoon. Company commanders monitoring the chatter would be better able to evaluate the situation, deploy reserves e launch flanking attacks when an opportunity presented itself.

According to the 1938 model of the Division Cuirassée developed by generale francese Martin, carri armati pesanti Char B1 e carri armati medi Renault D2 should have been deployed in mixed demi-brigades of due battaglioni carri ed un battaglione di fanteria motorizzata. A training division of this type was established at Nancy in 1938 ed it was used as a cadre upon which the 1st e 2nd DCR were built in gennaio of 1940. Unfortunately, the mixed demi-brigade concept was not maintained, the newly created divisions e the 3rd DCR which was raised in marzo of 1940 had a reduced establishment con one heavy ed one carro armato leggero brigade of due battaglioni each, operating 34 char B e 45 char H respectively. Only one battalion of fanteria motorizzata was attached at divisional level, not enough to exploit a breakthrough, dislodge fanteria nemica e cannoni anticarro o to hold ground against a determined counter-attack.

Panzer Ersatz

Carri armati francesi Char B1 were well protected, their frontal armour could not be penetrated by cannoni anticarro nemici da 37 mm PaK 35/36. Quite a shock for the Germans, even their carri da combattimento Pz.Kpfw. IIIF needed a lucky torretta hit at under 500 m range to defeat a Char B1.bis. As a result, Char B1 attacked agressively e they routinely broke through le linie nemiche, only to be left stranded there without adequate fanteria support to exploit the penetration.

Unless they are accompanied by fanteria, carri armati are virtually blind e they can be picked off by cannoni anticarro firing against the weaker side armour. As a result, unsupported carri armati are usually compelled to break off the attack e return to their own lines. Such action proved very costly for the esercito francese. In an attack, carri armati are often immobilized due to mechanical problems, difficult terrain o minor battle damage. Unless the ground is held by fanteria, it will be impossible to recover the immobilized veicoli during the night. As can be seen, without fanteria support the initial battlefield success of the Char B1.bis actually accelerated its downfall. Many of the damaged veicoli were recovered e repaired by the Wehrmacht, some served in specialist armoured units fighting against the Allied Invasion Forces nella Normandia.

Contenuto

Tre soldati ed one tank commander
Carro armato leggero Renault FT-17
Diorama base
Char de Bataille Renault B1.bis

• Tipo: Main Battle Tank, 1939-1944
• Hull Armament: 75 mm L.18 Puteaux
• Torretta Arm.: 47 mm L.35, MG 7.5 mm
• Peso: 32 t
• Velocità: 28 km/h
• Equipaggio: capocarro/cannoniere, guidatore, cannoniere

Valutazione

• Scale model con much raised detail.
• Excellent choice of subject, a very important e versatile vehicle.
• Intermediate level of difficulty. Track assembly is easier than on most other tank models.
• Choice of closed o open torretta hatch, con the capocarro practically sitting outside of the vehicle!
• High quality kit. Parts fit very well e there is minimal flash.
• Compatibile con Airfix, Fujimi, Nitto, e VAC-U-CAST.
• Carro armato leggero Renault FT-17 included in the set. Not a necessary o very practical combination. The FT-17 is an important vehicle, but it did not serve in the same formation con Char B1.bis tanks. A carro armato leggero H35 o H39 Hotchkiss would have been much better, allowing the wargamer to raise the due armoured brigades of a Division Cuirassée.

• Approximately 5% smaller than the 1:72 scale figure standard. Not a problem in this case, the vehicle is the only one of this type on the market.

Utilizzo Storico

• Heavy demi-brigade of the 1re - 3e Division Cuirassée, 1940
• 46e & 47e BCC of the 4e Division Cuirassée, Abbeville 1940
• Veicoli catturati were re-designated Pz.Kpfw. Char B2 740(f); used by the armata romena e some Wehrmacht units
  • Invasion of Russia, 1941
  • Invasion of the Balkans, 1941
  • Panzer Ersatz und Ausbildungs Abteilung 100, Carentan 1944
    (1 Pz.Kpfw. III, 1 Char B2 740(f), 1 Somua, 17 Renault R35 e 8 Hotchkiss).
  • Panzer Abteilung 206, Cotentin Peninsula 1944
    (4 Char B2 740(f), 2 Somua, 2 Renault R35 e 16 Hotchkiss).
  • Panzer Abteilung 213, Guernsey e Jersey Channel Islands 1942-1945
    Due companies con 14 Pz.Kpfw. Char B2 740(f) e cinque Flammwagen auf Pz.Kpfw. Char B2 740(f) each:
    • Company commander’s vehicle e reserve tank
    • Tre plotoni di quattro veicoli each
    • 4th (armi pesanti) Platoon of cinque Flammwagen

Conversioni Possibili

• Flammwagen auf Pz.Kpfw. Char B2 740(f), 1941-1945

Carri da combattimento Char B1.bis caused the enemy some concern, i veicoli were so thickly armoured that they could not be penetrated by Panzerbüchse anti-tank rifles e 3.7 cm PaK 35/36 guns at ranges beyond 100 meters. With better fanteria support the Division Cuirassée francese might have been a tough opponent not unlike the Panzerdivision, capable of taking ground dietro le linie nemiche e holding on to it. As it was, the punch delivered by the Char B1.bis was not followed up, stalling the attack e giving the enemy time to implement counter-measures. Luftwaffe units used their cannoni contraerei da 88 mm FlaK 18 to defeat the heavily armoured carri armati Char B1 which managed to break through the line. As a last resort, even artiglieria pieces were pressed into service as anti-tank weapons.

Matchbox deserves praise for this excellent model of an important vehicle. Carri armati e trattori d’artiglieria francesi sported a variety of attractive camouflage patterns which can be recreated in miniature. Even after they were captured, the camouflage patterns francesi were maintained. It is to be hoped that autoblindo Panhard, e carri Somua e Hotchkiss will become available in this scale as well.

Matchbox Modellismo

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Soldatini Francesi della Seconda Guerra Mondiale

– Pubblicato: 30.09.1997 – Aggiornato: 28.01.2003
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