Landships II

Tanker · Field Marshal

Tank factory from Saint Chamond

28juni14 · Hero

Thank you, Michel !

This is a very worthy post! The foto content is extraordinary!

Gwyn Evans · Legend

This is really excellent work. My congratulations. I am carrying out my own research into the British tank factories and it would be great to find this much information!

I have spotted one small error. In photo 63, the 'Mark IV' is actually the Mark II Experimental Machine A fitted with Crochat-Collardeau petro-electric transmission. This is mentioned on pages 107 and 133 of Sir Albert Stern's "Tanks 1914-1918: The Log-Book of a Pioneer". Just last week I found records that show that after the machine was no longer needed it was given to the French Government.

Gwyn

CharlieC · Legend

It's only the superimposed text on image #63 which is in error. The caption says "180807 - De Souce britannique bien informée, il s'agit d'un Mark II expérimental. Ce char, testé en Grande Bretagne avec une transmission pétroléo-électrique Crochat-Collardeau a finalement été donné à la société FAMH. "

Google renders this as "From well-informed British source, there is a Mark II trial. This tank, tested in Britain, Petrol-electric transmission Crochat-Collardeau was finally given the FAMH society.

Regards,

Charlie

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonjour,

Charlie, I have just put this comment (under the photo), when I have read the Gwyn's answer . . . . .

I have, now, excavated in my hard disks, and found a document about this tank.

This Mark is arrived from England by boat in Nantes harbour in November 1916. The motor system was changed in Saint Chamond factory.

(Letter FAMH n° 35572 from 27 November 1916, sent to Général Mourret - AN de Pierrefitte-sur-Seine - Fond Albert Thomas - Carton n° 94 AP16)

I don't know if this tank is return in England and if an other Mark was also modified in England with a Crochat-Collardeau system.

I have, perhaps, some other documents . . . . .

Bonne après-midi - Michel

-- Edited by Tanker on Sunday 7th of August 2016 03:04:35 PM

CharlieC · Legend

Thanks for clearing that up.

The images of the Saint-Chamond tank production are interesting to me because they show a production system which is very different from the

production line system introduced by Ford and used almost universally these days. It strikes me the Saint-Chamond production system would make a

nice article for Landships II (with "Tanker's" approval) - any volunteers?

Does anyone know what the outcomes were of the test fit of the Saint-Chamond transmission to a Mark II? In theory it should have worked quite well

since the Crochat-Collardeau transmission needed only a single operator to drive the vehicle rather than the team the rhomboid tanks needed.

Regards,

Charlie

Gwyn Evans · Legend

This Mark II was the only one fitted with the Crochat-Collardeau transmission. It missed the Oldbury tests and was allowed to be retained by the French Government. What happened to it I don't know - anyone seen it recently please let me know...

Lothianman · Colonel

This is a very fine piece of work - and it is always so good to see physically how the setup all fitted together.

Hedi · Lieutenant-Colonel

Thanks for the great contribution, especially the photo of Mark II (Crochat-Collardeau petro-electric transmission).

The 800th St. Chamond is effectively the last manufactured. However, it has only one tower, so all subsequent changes "only" modifications of the basic version (except the cannon)?

Hedi · Lieutenant-Colonel

For more information about "Oldbury transmission trials" (March 3, 1917) there are in the Landships - British tanks in the First World War (David Fletcher), page 22, 23, 40.

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonjour,

Gwyn, with your photos, the place of the Mark II at Saint Chamond is, now, very well known.

See, the end of the topic :

http://pages14-18.mesdiscussions.net/pages1418/Pages-d-Histoire-Artillerie/Artillerie-Speciale-chars-d-assaut/artillerie-speciale-production-sujet_2565_1.htm

Hedi,

The 800 is well the last Saint Chamond M2 and this tank never used more than "one tower" (on left) for the tank driver.

The two "tower" were only on Saint Chamond M1 (with flat roof) . . . .

Bonne lecture - Michel

-- Edited by Tanker on Thursday 11th of August 2016 01:48:56 PM