DEVELOPMENT
Following the end of WWII, the French Army were looking for more indigenous designs instead of relying on American M4 Sherman or captured German panzers. The time period between the end of the 1940s and early 1950s saw extensive French interests in air-portable, fast light tank designs. One of those that interested the authorities was the AMX-12 tonnes designed by the AMX (Atelier de Construction d'lssy-les-Moulineaux). This design had a unique feature that the war time tanks never enjoyed - oscillating turret and auto loading mechanisms.
However, despite the promising designs, the AMX-12t was deemed as underpowered and suffered problems with the chassis in relation to track tensioning. Thus it was rejected and AMX went about correcting these faults and thus resulted in the AMX-13.
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| design plan for the proposed AMX-12 tonnes |
The AMX-13 fixed most of the faults that the AMX-12t had and improved on both engine power and track rigidity. It also embodies the new concept of the oscillating turret and autoloading systems.
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| AMX 13 with the 75mm, note the small size |
An oscillating turret is where the main gun is fixed onto the turret and non-movable. Instead of elevating and depressing inside the actual turret like a traditional tank, the entire upper half of the oscillating turret moves up or down on a hinge connected with the lower turret and hull to give the main gun elevation and depression. This was a design that boasted low sillouette thus allowing better concealment in terrains. However, since most of the gun breech (a French copied version of the German 75mm gun) is protruding at the back of the turret, this limited the amount of elevation the AMX-13 had and in certain situations this was a huge deficiency.
You might wonder why the gun breech is jammed right back to the rear of the turret. Answer lies within the fancy concept of the autoloader. Common post war tank improvement discussions within the major powers focused on reducing the number of crews in one tank thus allowing less stress on the commander and keeping the size and weight of tanks down to a minimum.
An auto loading mechanism seem to fit that idea as it can reduce the size of the tank as well as the position of the loader in the tank. Nearly all modern tanks and SPGs have auto loading mechanisms (chiefly starting with the T-72, then ending in the T-90 and the recently announced T-14 Armata Universal Combat Platform) Those tanks have only a commander, driver and gunner.
The trend started off with the French when the AMX-13 was introduced. An auto loader is basically an armoured magazine attached to the breech of the tank that can rapidly dispense the shells stored in the magazine. Thus achieving maximum rate of fire for a short time. This however, meant that- apart from 21st Century autoloaders- the tanks must retreat back to a safe position in order for the crew to reload the magazine.
The AMX-13 scores two 6 round autoloaders, one on each side of the German copied 75mm and later indigenous 90mm guns. This allowed a burst of 12 shells within 55 seconds. And the AMX 13 has the mobility to be able to quickly retreat and reload. Being very small, the AMX can be air transported as well as presenting a smaller silhouette to the enemies.
Since the chassis of the AMX-13 is extremely versatile and interchangeable, many SPGs and variants have been made upon that chassis. There are still Singaporean AMX-13 in service today that is using the 90mm gun or even an 105mm.
The AMX 13 have also been adapted into various bridge laying vehicles as well as recovery vehicles.
An auto loading mechanism seem to fit that idea as it can reduce the size of the tank as well as the position of the loader in the tank. Nearly all modern tanks and SPGs have auto loading mechanisms (chiefly starting with the T-72, then ending in the T-90 and the recently announced T-14 Armata Universal Combat Platform) Those tanks have only a commander, driver and gunner.
The trend started off with the French when the AMX-13 was introduced. An auto loader is basically an armoured magazine attached to the breech of the tank that can rapidly dispense the shells stored in the magazine. Thus achieving maximum rate of fire for a short time. This however, meant that- apart from 21st Century autoloaders- the tanks must retreat back to a safe position in order for the crew to reload the magazine.
The AMX-13 scores two 6 round autoloaders, one on each side of the German copied 75mm and later indigenous 90mm guns. This allowed a burst of 12 shells within 55 seconds. And the AMX 13 has the mobility to be able to quickly retreat and reload. Being very small, the AMX can be air transported as well as presenting a smaller silhouette to the enemies.
Since the chassis of the AMX-13 is extremely versatile and interchangeable, many SPGs and variants have been made upon that chassis. There are still Singaporean AMX-13 in service today that is using the 90mm gun or even an 105mm.
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| AMX 13 with the 105mm autoloading gun |
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| A 105mm howitzer armed SPG based on the chassis of the AMX 13 used by the Bundeswehr |
The autoloader concept lasted well into the late 20th century and is all thanks to the AMX 13.
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