Lorraine 40t

Type| Medium Tank
Place of origin| France
Specifications
Mass| 39.7 metric tonnes
Length| 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Width| 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in)
Height| 2.85 m (9 ft 4 in)
Crew| 4 (commander, gunner, driver, loader/radio)

* * *

Armour| 30-45 mm

Main
armament

| 100 mm SA 47

Secondary
armament

| 1 x 7.5 mm coaxial machine gun and 1 x 7.5 mm machine gun on roof
Engine| Maybach HL 295 12VC
850 hp
Suspension| torsion bar

Operational
range

| 300 km
Speed| 60 km/h (37 mph)

The Lorraine 40t was a prototype France medium tank of the Cold War.

## Development

After the end of the Second World War, the French Army was in pressing need of a modern tank with heavy armament. In March 1945, French industry was invited to design a tank, which resulted in the AMX-50.

However, it was already obvious in the early 1950s that the AMX-50 tank might turn out to be too heavy due to attempts to improve the gun and armor in response to Soviet tanks such as the IS-3. Thus, in 1950, a 40 tonne medium tank project was started. The Lorraine company built a medium tank prototype based on their earlier Canon D’Assaut Lorraine project.

## Description

The total weight was limited to 39.7 tonnes.[1] The Lorraine 40t featured a pike nose design similar to the IS-3. It had an oscillating turret like the AMX-50.[2] The Lorraine 40t mounted a 100 mm SA47 gun fed from a drum autoloader similar to that of the AMX-50 project.

The vehicle inherited the Veil Picard pneumatic tires from the Canon D’Assaut Lorraine which helped to reduce weight.[2] The engine used was the Maybach HL 295 12VC engine which gave a speed of 60 km/h (37 mph).[2]

The Lorraine 40t had a SCR 508 radio for external communications.[3]

The two prototypes were apparently scrapped after the discontinuation of the project.

## References

1. ↑ Jeudy (1997) p. 215
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 (in fr) Lorraine 40t, 15 March 2017, https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/lorraine-40t, retrieved 2020-02-02
3. ↑ (in fr) 1952 LORRAINE 40 tonnes, http://www.chars-francais.net/2015/index.php/9-archives/de-1945-1990/700-1952-lorraine-40t, retrieved 2020-02-02

Template:ColdWarFrenchAFVs

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