Landships II

Luca · Major

St. Chamond late La Bigorre

Pzkpfw-e · Commander in Chief

The restored one from Saumur.
www.youtube.com/watch

Luca · Major

Hi Pzkpfw-e
Thank you for your reply
I visited the Museum at Saumur this Summer and took some good pics of their St.Chamond :)
My idea is to reproduce a more colored camo scheme though...
As for the dio, it would be interesting for me to know in which way "la Bigorre" ended its war...

Paul Bonnett · Hero

Hi Luca
I found the following site that has a page about the St Chamond but its in the french language. http://engins-blindes.leforum.eu/t108-Saint-Chamond.htm

I hope it is of use to you

Paul

Luca · Major

Hi Paul
Thank you for your reply
I actually took advantage from from French sites and FB groups to make a (at least) likely St. Chamond

As soon as possible I'll post pics of the finished model

argonne64 · Captain

Hello
I made "La Bigorre" last year .
This is the Camo sheme I used.
Please note that the char was fitted with a "paneau d' appel "

Cheers

Olivier La bigorre.jpg

Luca · Major

Hi Olivier
Thanks for your reply
Maybe you have some references as for this paneau d'appel?

Actually I have to add it to my model...

Luca · Major

Here are pics of the model at the moment...

Regards

Luca

argonne64 · Captain

Hello
Beautiful camo !
Regarding panneau d appel :
There are a lot of information here :

forum.pages14-18.com/viewtopic.php
Google on this website , you will see other articles on this matter.

La bigorre was fitted with "crampons" on the tracks , Blast Model are making the kit.

Cheers
Olivier

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonjour Luca,

With your questions, about "La Bigorre" :

" . . . any kind of info about it (its operational history, pics to reproduce the correct camo scheme . . ) ?"

this Saint Chamond was not exactly the good choice.

The tank number is unknown, team and tank commander are undknown

I can only say, that the tank number from "La Bigorre" is between number 62669 and 62800 . . . .

There is only this photo and, perhaps and other very bad and dark photo from the right side, with the same ace in the rear side.

This other photo was done in october 1918 by an american soldiers.

For that reason, is only possible to say that "La Bigorre" was probably, a third Battery's tank from Groupe AS 35 (Groupement AS XI),

fighting with the 80th US Army Infantry Division, in Montfaucon/Nantillois sector.

For it's tank number, it is, perhaps, number :

62672 - 62674 - 62697 - 62701 - 62703 - 62705 - 62708 - 62730 - 62734 - 62736 - 62737 - 62738 - 62739 - 62771 - 62772 to 62777 - 67782 to 62787 - 62788 . . . . .

These numbers are known to be from AS 35 Group (but no more identified), or their Groups are really undknown.

Before, "La Bigorre" was probably, one of the three spare tanks from AS 35 (or from an other Group . . . .).

Ace of club, with 3 Tank Batteries Groups, was reserve to the three tanks of the "Section d'Echelon".

It's not possible to say, if this ace was also painted on the right side . . . , and why two differents ace on this tank !

Perhaps, no time, to wipe off the old markings.

Luca, your camo "est remarquable" and quite good for many other Saint Chamond from these last months of the war !

Camo and marking's are a difficult choice and, for example, the number 62800, in August 1918, the last Saint Chamond built, is arrived, in tank units, (coming from Cercottes, after long months on parking) in its unmodified factory camouflage.

It was not the only one and, at that time, teams have probably not many times to change camo and markings.

Olivier, your camo is an other very interesting type, closed from that is used aby n other AS 35 tank : "Véni vidi Vici" also from 2nd Battery (number 62580 - AsCo2).

Bon Week End - Michel

-- Edited by Tanker on Saturday 13th of October 2018 01:47:03 PM

-- Edited by Tanker on Saturday 13th of October 2018 01:57:46 PM

Luca · Major

Olivier, thanks a lot, that forum you send me the link to is great, and now I can reproduce the panneaux d'appel!

Michel, thanks a lot for your exhaustive infos

I didn't know about a second photo of La Bigorre...Maybe you know the state of the vehicle in this second pic? I mean...wrecked, operational...
However, let's say that the dark (right) side of the moon (La Bigorre) allows some room for a likely story to be told in the diorama...

Thanks again gentlemen
I'll keep you up to date

Luca

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonjour Luca,

This second photo will not help you for your diorama. The tank was in a wood, on a waiting position.

Its tarpaulin, hide a great part of the front tank and, an american comment on the photo is :

" French tank Souilly woods".

Souilly is at about 20 km South West of Verdun, and AS 35 Group was disembark there from train on September 22th.

Two days later, the Group go to Béthélainville (by roads), and later fight with 80th US ID.

The only details (of this photo) is the Ace of diamonds card, painted on the tank and, this tank could be an other tank from these AS 35 third Battery . . .

On the first photo, landscape, around "La Bigorre", look like Missy-au-bois sector and, on July 18th (fights with the Big Red One),

a Saint Chamond from this 3rd AS 35 Battery was destroyed, 1 km west of Dommiers village.

It is, perhaps, their South ot Soissons (with the 1st US ID), and not with the 80th US ID, in Argonne, that La Bigorre was destroyed . . . .

These two photos was the only I knew with this kind o cards on the rear side.

AS 35 Group is good for this two photos, but its impossible to give you other informations on it . . .

You probably weel-understood now, why I have written " it's not a good choice" (Lol !)

Bonne poursuite de diorama - Michel

-- Edited by Tanker on Sunday 14th of October 2018 03:16:40 PM

Luca · Major

Hi Gents

Olivier, thanks again for the link, it was really useful to reproduce the "panneau d'appel" smile

Michel, I imagined that La Bigorre was knocked out by "Sturmtruppen", perhaps after some kind of mechanical problem, and this could of course be in the 1st US ID sector...At least, I hope so biggrin