10.5cm leFH 16 (Sf.) auf Geschützwagen FCM 36(f)

[Solarmod 1,203]

Welcome, to yet another captured conversion. As with all of these, these would be used in a SPG-like manner, rather than as a howitzer.

(This is one, waiting to be fitted with it's gunshield, in the factory)

This, is the FCM-36, with a 10.5cm LeFH 16 mounted in it's superstructure. This was built, much like several of my other suggestions, as a way to get more mobile howitzer units up and available. as such, this vehicle was not designed for frontal assaults, but in the event they could, they had the gun depression to fire on the relatively soft armored targets, but could still elevate to fire upon targets up to 6 miles away.

 

Anyways, onto the history:

The total number of these odd beasts is unknown, but it's most likely 8-12. There is no documentary evidence to support or deny, but there's a photo (shown below) of 6 gun barrels sitting on the factory floor, while 2 of them sit behind with their guns attached. There was a rain cover made to downplay the disadvantages of the open-topped design, but at the same time, this was a massive issue that isn't in the game, so for now, we will skip over the canvas cover. The first 8 built were sent to an Artillery Batallion on the 31st of October, 1942, with four more being sent to the same unit in early 1943.

(As mentioned, the 6 guns, awaiting the other 6 FCM 36's, of the first 8 to be assembled)

 

The design:

Because of how small the hull is on the FCM 36, there was only a limited amount of space for ammunition. Only 36, (37 counting a pre-loaded round) could be stored. The propellant charges on board were stored to the left, while the projectiles were stowed on the right. A MG 34 was mounted to the top right of the superstructure, carrying a 50 round drum, it also carried at least 3 spare drums, but the exact amount is debatable.

 

(A photo of a fully loaded FCM 36, the German modification, obviously.)

 

The history of the 105 FCM 36:

100 FCM 36 tanks were built and finished by May 1940, and by the Fall of France, it is commonly thought that only about 50 of them remained operational, so the German army decided to use some of them to strengthen their forces around France, using their 37 new FCM 36 tanks under the designation Panzerkampfwagen FCM 737(f), and if you don't already know this, F, designates France. Ten were equipped with the 7.5cm PaK 40 anti tank gun, and were designated as a Marder I, much like both other types of Marder I.

 

It is not clear, however, whether or not the FCM 737(f) tanks that were converted  were withdrawn from security patrols, and converted into SPGs and Tank Destroyers, or if the chassis of the 22 FCMs were made from knocked out or abandoned vehicles that were recovered and captured. 

 

The operational history of the 10.5 FCM 36 vehicles starts with their issuing to the gepanzer Artillerie-Abteilung (SFL.) z.b.V (Armored Artillery Batallion) on the Western Front from an order dated 31 October 1942. They were divided between two SPG batteries called 1.Batterie and 2. Batterie. 4 SPGS were in each battery. Four more were built and issued into 3.Batterie in early 1943, and this gives to the argument that 12 10.5cm leFH 16 (Sf) auf GW FCM 36 (f) were in fact built. 

 

In March 1943 the unit had it's name changed, to the Sturmgeschuetz-Abteilung 931, also known as the Stu.Gesch.Abt 931, which was equipped with the other FCM 36 vehicles with the 75mm guns, as well as an AA battery of 2cm Flak auf gep.Zgkw P 107 vehicles for defense. On the 6th of may 1943, they were merged with Pz.JG.Kp 931, and were renamed to the verst.Pz.Jg.Abt, and were part of Schnell Division West.

 

The unit had been once again renamed several more times over the course of May, June, and July 1943, ending up as the 200th Assault gun Battalion, as part of the 21st panzer division. and finally their stories ended in February 1943, being equipped with 10.5cm leFH 18 (sf.) auf Geschutzwagen 39H(f) SPGs, of which they had the leFH 18, a better gun made for longer ranges, as well as 4 versions of the same tank equipped with the Pak 40, and in the decision of maintenance of parts that were more available, for the 39H, or the maintenence of the FCM 36, which had many less parts, it was chosen to replace them with the Hotchkiss tank SPGs, and by the first of January, 1944, there were none of the FCM 36's left in German Service, as shown by a battle report. It appears their stories ended where they did, and it is not currently known what happened to them, and as such, there is no surviving example of this oddity of war.

 

Thanks to the interenet, we can see here a few photos of these rare machines, never used in combat.

 

The gun: 

The gun, like on the Char B2 version of this tank, is a 10.5cm leFH 16 howitzer, mounted in a casemate, it was made originally to replace the 10.5cm leFH 98/09 during WW1, and was used en masse by the German army, even after the wars, where they destroyed and gave away their equipment in reparations. The gun was given a muzzle brake, and over it's time, was given an HE shell, an APHE shell, and a shrapnel shell. It took 3 horses to tow one howitzer and ammo, or it could be one tank, and the German army, always being one for forced mechanization, did what they could with what they had to make the "ultimate" fighting force.

 

Specifications:

Dimensions (L, W, H) 4.60m (4.46m without the gun barrel) x 2.14m x 2.15 m

Total weight, Fully Loaded, is 12.2 tons

Crew 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)

Engine: Berliet MDP V-4 diesel engine, 91 hp

Top road speed: 24 km/h

Main Armament10.5 cm (4.13 in) leFH 16 howitzer with 37 rounds

Secondary Armament: 7.92 mm (0.31 in) MG 34 machine gun

Hull Armor Front: 25-40 mm 
Sides and Rear: 20 mm

Upper Armor Front: 15 mm
Sides: 15 mm
Rear: 15 mm

Total production: ~12

 

Conclusion: I think this and the Pak 40 versions of the tank could very well be interesting premium, or event vehicles, and I think they have their own place in the game as oddities of war, I think this vehicle would make sense at a BR of 2.3, as it's slow, relatively poorly armored, but has a massive gun, but I could also see it at 1.7.

 

Sources:

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/10-5cm-lefh-16-sf-auf-geschutzwagen-fcm-36f/

Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999 (Yes, I bought this book to use as a seperate source for my weird suggestions)

German Artillery at War 1939-45 vol.1 by Frank V.de Sisto. (I also bought this book for research)

https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=792

https://ww2db.com/weapon.php?q=370

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_105_leFH_16.html

 

Edited October 7, 2020 by Solarmod

[TerikG2014 1,389]

Hi thanks for your suggestion however could you please add a poll otherwise this post will be closed in 48 hours 

 

Edited October 8, 2020 by TerikG2014

[Milocat 4,854]

+1, always happy to see more of these modified captured vehicles.

[Solarmod 1,203]

9 hours ago, TerikG2014 said:

Hi thanks for your suggestion however could you please add a poll otherwise this post will be closed in 48 hours 

 

Yeah it was late, I'll put one up.

[WiseMinerva 454]

+1 I want it and the 75mm version.

[TerikG2014 1,389]

13 hours ago, Solarmod said:

Yeah it was late, I'll put one up.

Great thanks  

[Solarmod 1,203]

On 08/10/2020 at 00:19, TerikG2014 said:

Great thanks  

Glad to be of service 

[Borotovas 4,500]

+1

[epic_villager_24@psn 2]

I was just about to do the pak 40 one

 

[Solarmod 1,203]

2 hours ago, epic_villager_24@psn said:

I was just about to do the pak 40 one

 

Do it! I honestly burnt myself out on writing suggestions for a while, go ahead!