The Char B1, which literally means “Tank B1”, was a heavy French tank with a frontal armor thickness of 40 mm and had a short 47 mm gun. The B1 started out as a self-propelled gun with a 75 mm field howitzer. The added secondary 47 mm gun gave it a Battle Tank status, two 7.5 mm Reibel Machine Guns completed the heavy tank. The Char B1 bis was an upgraded version with 60 mm frontal armor and 55 mm side armor, which made it one of the most well-protected tanks of its time. A longer 47 mm gun gave it a good anti-tank capacity. Powered by a Renault 6-cylinder, 307 hp petrol engine, it had a top speed of 28 km/h (17 mph) and a range of 200 km (124 mi).
However during the Invasion of France in 1940, its one-man turret, high fuel consumption, and complex maintenance requirements limited its effectiveness. Despite strong resistance against German forces, the Char B1 was ultimately outmaneuvered by more mobile enemy units. Some captured Char B1’s were later used by the German Wehrmacht during World War Two.
