AMX-13 | Tank Chats
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- Опубликовано: 12 июн 2024
- With over 7,700 units built and still in service today, this French light tank stands as a testament to its enduring legacy and historical significance. David Willey gives us an in depth analysis of the development and history of the AMX-13.
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00:00 | Intro
00:38 | Development
07:30 | Design Features
12:22 | Production
17:48 | Upgrades
#tankmuseum #AMX13 #FrenchTank
I'm so glad there is a 30 minute video about one of these 1950s French oscillating turrets, nobody talks about them that much and they really are facisating and very unique.
I was in a USAF base in the '80s and their was about 30 of these in the woods for a big NATO exercise. They drove one around the base on the 4th of July and it leaked oil everywhere!
Check out farg motorpool... you will see loads of them!
Willey does the best chats hands down.
The consistency and density of information is unparalleled
I do have astrong love for mr. Fletcher, but I would absolutely consider them equals
Whoever is ones favourite, I think we can all agree the content produced by this channel is top notch!
DeGaulle. Such a shameless slyt.
I've only found this channel a few days ago and I'm glued. All of the presenters are amazing and pack so much detail and history into the chats.
The most insane pronunciation of basically every word.
The last AMX13s were still in service at the end of the 80s. I drove this vehicle, equipped with a 30mm twin-tube. It was lively and agile, but the gearbox was capricious, and if I missed my double declutch the gear lever would vibrate loudly because the gear wouldn't engage; the palm of my hand still remembers it, because it was painful. Even for us it was an old vehicle, but we had fun driving it. (translated with google translate)
@@maximillianwylde5163 Very easy to use, because at the time there were no electronics. It was rustic and sturdy. The only real problem for me was that it ran on gasoline and not diesel. The risk of fire was significant, even in the presence of an automatic extinguisher, and therefore the damage was still significant.
Thanks for your insights, always great to hear from people that actually used them.
Was it spacious and comfortable?
@@Danielbros9 You could say there was room, but not spacious. The comfort was mainly due to the fact that it is a tracked vehicle, so holes and bumps are forgotten. I got my AMX13 license in 1985 and we still had Jeep Willys and what they had in common was that they both ran on super fuel. It was another era...
@@Fiumara2A looks like a lot of fun and oww! At the same time
We missed you, Dr Willey. (Typo corrected. )
*Willey. Yes, I agree, we miss him
Agreed. On the other hand, how is Mr Fletcher?
@@axellundgren6151 Happily retired.
@@JohnyG29 thats good to hear. I was fearing something else...
@@axellundgren6151 In case you missed it, there was a retirement episode done 9 months ago. It's called: "David Fletcher: Hanging up the microphone".
Greetings from Singapore, where national service (conscription) is alive and well. We had a large fleet of over hundreds of modified AMX-13s, now retired.
Our modified tanks were designated SM-1s, and had a Detroit diesel engine, a new transmission, hydro-pneumatic suspension, a laser range finder , new FCS, fire suppression system, and etc. I loved the simplicity of the autoloader - one worked a wheel to get a round out of one of the two revolver like magazines in there bustle and a rammer slammed it into the breach - everything operated inches away from your upper torso.
Crew comfort was virtually non-existent. Aside from the proximity of the autoloader operating, each member of the crew was wedged into their positions and it was noisy when the vehicle started to move. Redeeming features - the seats had cushions and I recalled that when the engine was running, the fighting compartment was drafty from air circulating in from the engine compartment.
The vehicle was mechanically reliable though and was quite easy to service and maintain.
Great backstory from the tank museum. I doubt many of us who served with the vehicle for generations knew much about that. And oh, by the way, after retirement, some of the tanks were converted into bridge launchers-I guess that’s history repeating itself.
I believe it's one of the first in the world of modified 75mm AFSDS rounds to be use in a tank.
@@MarkzOng interesting. I didn’t know that the gun had been modified. But yes, it could fire a APFSDS rounds.
I am uncertain if the M10 Booker with an XM360 120mm cannon would be considered the true successor to the AMX-13 SM1, or would the Hunter AFV with the XM360 cannon be the one?
@@crimcrusader8459 looking at hunter space and design, it definitely take into consideration of future modular growth. There are some shortcomings of design but generally wide enough to fit at least an 105. Fun facts of rumours have it they tried onto the bionix but apparently not wide enough to fire all angles.
worked as civilian contractor for SAF in Australia, for Exercises & logistics. The turret had canvas shroud for split turret. Definately not for large people. They had bridging AMX13, without the turret. Saw them loading & firing APFDS roads.
The Dutch used these as tank-destroyers in their independent Anti-Tank companies. These were affectionately referred to as the 'Shooting Rollerskates' when comparing them with the other available tank-flavours (The Centurion and the Leopard 1 which were much larger and hefty.). Crew were specifically selected on length (or lack thereof) and spine flexibility since as a commander one had to bend forward and backward with the elevation of the turret. The Commander's hatch actually was not really a hatch, but more so an oversized heavy-duty helmet. Crew would not as much mount their tanks, but more so put it on for wearing it.
The Dutch version employed the 105mm main-gun which made for rather remarkable fire drill since when firing with the gun traversing outside roughly the front fenders, there was a distinct possibility, bordering to likelihood, that the tank would flip over due to the gun recoil. Seeing the AMX-13 firing at the shooting range alone, made on a little queasy since it would violently stagger back with the recoil. It kicked like a mule and bit like a crocodile and with the auto-loader, one would rather not be in range of its business-end. They were fast, loud and deadly when used in their intended battle environment and role as an ambush type of tank-hunter/destroyer.
The 105 mm gun kicked so much that in time cracks showed up in the steel of the turret of the Dutch AMX-13s.
@@Franky46Boy Hm, That must have been at the early stage of use, because, although regularly (as in daily at the shooting range) checked for this, this was not a known and/or frequent problem when I was involved this remarkable vehicle.
The Leopard routinely had vastly more incapacitating problems with is hydraulics (fuid: Red and Toxic).
@@Centurion101B3C It was in the newspapers then and on the NOS-Journaal.
Sadly indonesian army still use this obsolete tank
@@zupra5638😂
Sweden almost bought the AMX-13 in the early 50's when the UK refused to sell the Centurion.
Then the UK economy tanked and getting foreign Currency took priority.
The first batch of mk3 centurions where delivered straight from UK Army mobilisation depots.
Countries were queuing around the block to get Centurion and then the Korean War started which halted British arms exports temporarily. I don't think the AMX-13 was a Centurion replacement. The Swedes had expressed an interest in autoloader technology quite early on and trialled the vehicle in Sweden, and I'm not sure if they had any serious intent to buy it as such, rather they wanted to study the technology.
Ironically, the Centurions proved too heavy and expensive to properly defend much of Sweden which lacked the good roads to support fast Centurion movement, so they developed the S-Tank and such to provide coverage for that capability problem. If the Swedes had gone all-in on AMX instead, they might have ended up not developing half the vehicles they eventually did, instead focusing on up-gunning AMX.
@@shaddaboop7998 No the AMX-13 was really on the table because the Centurion was not available.
It wasn't the ideal choice but it's what's available.
@@AdurianJ That wasn't the impression I had. I doubt it was intended as a main battle tank replacement. Sweden was developing an indigenous main battle tank with an oscillating turret before they decided on Centurion.
@@shaddaboop7998 The deal for 400 AMX-13 was ready to sign when the Centurions came available, invalidating the need for the domestically developed "Kranvagn"/"E.M.I.L." tank project that the AMX-13 was intended to supplement.
Appreciate the lack of 'filler words' in David's tank chats. Easy to follow but full of information, thank you.
american here, i (and my father) really enjoyed our visit to the tank museum.
I've seen this tank on display in the Dutch National Military Museum. The Dutch army, unlike most other countries, fitted it with a 105 mm gun and used it as a reconnaissance vehicle in the sixties and seventies.
yeah, whan i was in the dutch army in 79 i was told the big 105mm gun turned out to be too much for the turret bearings.......
If they wanted to fire 105 mm gun it had to remain between the headlights. Otherwise the tank would be thrown on its side. The quality was crap. They always broke down and were never available for exercises.
@@gabbertje-rh7rw Yes, I heard this too. Essentially a stug or a hetzer so, not a great situation for a tank.
A lot of firepower for a thirteen tonne vehicle
Reliability wise better than mist western tanks apart from leopard 1
Maintainence load about a quarter of centurion
Often reliability was a factor of cheap purchase and cheap maintenance@@barrygleeson8415
My AMX13 105mm is in good condition and works faultlessly.. FARG Motorpool to see videos..
Travelling to London from Sydney this Christmas. See you at Bovington!
You will love it.
Did you get time to go to the museum
I remember the AMX in Top Trumps with the blue tipped wire guided missiles on the turret front in the picture. I always thought it was a good looking light tank. Lovely chat and many thanks.
One of my favorite designs aesthetically. So unique!
as much as I enjoy the aesthetics these things would have terrified me to drive since the armor could be penetrated by firm sneeze.
The same can be said for many medium tanks, most light tanks, all APC's, and Most IFV's. Historically armor isn't everything. It really depends what you're up against, and the doctrine of you're army.
From my ~15 years experience and multible deployments, I've always been shitting my pants, and flooring the pedal, when ever RPG's or other high calibre start flying. When ever possible. Else praying, even though I'm not religious.
Until the age of the commercial drone, I have always prefered mobility over armor, in everything but a main battle tank, because of the typical ways different vehicles are utilised.
Fighting a low intensity insurgency is different though. IED threats require Up-armoring.
But now that real time air survailance costs basically nothing, and small payloads can be guided through a window when driving 60km/h, by a guy who has played videogames his intire life, with only 30min additional training. I'm not so sure anymore. Survivability is probably the way to go on any vehicle, going forth.
I'm glad, that I'm retired. While war fighting has always been shitty. I really feel pity for soldiers these days.
@@soul0360 the issue I have with the AMX-13 is that even old AT rifles could pen the armor. armor doesn't need to stop everything but being a "tank" that can't handle even a single round from WW2 era autocannon fire is off-putting at the least.
@@soul0360mobility still matters, anti drone systems are just something that need to be delevoped
How strange! I was just thinking about this tank a day ago after watching some war movies. Perfect timing! The whole AMX series really did have such a unique look. Beautiful beasts!
Arguably, the most successful "Light Tank" ever produced.
Not the M24 Chafee, actually?
@@southerncross86 Check the numbers. ...and the Chaffee was produced during wartime so the numbers are a bit inflated by comparison (imo) yet, even so; almost twice as many AMX13s were produced than the M24. The AMX13s were very successfully marketed to almost a dozen nations and used in almost as many conflicts. The Chaffee was handed-out for free as "lendlease" and given away and they had a mediocre war-record at best.
what about the stuart, if we are going by numbers, around 22k were made, 3x the amx 13
Nothing arguable about it. It is
I love French tanks. They're so unique
I feel like with this one the french built the tank they wished they'd had in 1940
@@nahnahahaah6265not really they had lots of German captured tanks and American / British left overs. Definitely took ideas from all over the place then added the french twist.
What's that saying? Something like "No one copies the French and the French copy no one"
Be honest, they are WEIRD
@@murphy7801 The French army immediately post war had Panthers. They we so unreliable/maintenence nightmares the got rid of them.
This has to be one of my favorite tanks designs. Right behind the American M-48 series.
Some more details that were left unsaid in the video - with it being French, the white flag of surrender comes standard! It also has 5 reverse gears, and 2 forward, just in case the Germans attack from the behind!
@@khaldrago911 hahahaha the American tank I believe also came with a cigarette machine and whiskey dispenser.
@@Atvsrawsomeyup! And that’s how World War 2 was won, and we saved y’all’s precious france, cupcake!
@@khaldrago911 I'm actually American btw haha
@@Atvsrawsome German tanks towards the end of the war were so slow because on top of carrying all that armor, ammo and gun they were carrying the weight of what they were doing back home too haha
No offense to Chris, but it's great to see David doing a Chat.
I could hear David talk all day about tanks....legend
Definitely one of my favorite tanks.
A very capable gun on a light and highly mobile chassis.
The use of an autoloader in an oscillating turret to fit the relatively large gun was a smart design solution.
And although it is a utilitarian design it has an elegant, streamlined shape to it.
If I had the money to buy a tank and drive it around my property, I would probably buy an AMX 13. 😄
Check out FARG Motorpool channel to see our work and restoration of AMX13 tanks
Love that huge Dinky Supertoys box in the background.
Glad to see you back. Excellent and very complete information.
AMX-13 is one of the best looking tank designs, such a unique look and an extensive service and upgrade history
🤦🏻♂️
Check out FARG Motorpool channel to see our work and restoration of AMX13 tanks
Been waiting for this chat for awhile, thanks a ton David and crew for the enjoyable start to my day
Excellent tank chat. Thank you, Mr. Wiley! You've done it again.
This guy is incredible. Talk about a subject matter expert - kudos!
A major vehicle in the West after World War II.
A vehicle that demonstrates French inventiveness.
As a child I had toys of these plastic tanks and later I served in a cavalry regiment but the 13th was no longer in force.
Too bad somewhere.
One of the big advantages of the wobbly turret is it reduces the tank's height. While a traditional mantle turret requires the turret roof to be high to accommodate the breech of the gun during depression, the wobbly turret's roof simply raises up. This also has a bunch of weight savings.
It does seem to have fallen by the wayside, but if unmanned turrets take off (eh), the idea may get revisited as it offers the potential to have extremely tiny hull-down silhouettes (which again, weight savings)
It has fallen of fashion due to the necessity of a stabilizer.
Stabilizing a gun is way easier than the whole turret.
But yeah I agree that with unmanned turrets we could very much see this kind of design make a come back.
The other tremendous advantage in being unmanned is a man doesn't have to fit in it either. Which may further benefit the oscillating design.
They could go further in unmanned for weight savings. Have a reciprocating gun with almost no armour in turret. Means you can have a heavy gin with almost no turret weight. The compromise is that you could easily lose the cannon in an attack but this may be acceptable.
The Singapore army operated upgraded AMX13S1 until the Leopard2A4 replaced it in 2010. Our neighbour Indonesia still operates the AMX13s
AMX-13 SM1
yeah even though most of the crew are probably are the grandsons of the first crew XD. its really sad since most of cavalry units that still uses it are begging it to be phase out
Looks like a nice little tank from France. I like it :)
Excellent video on a very interesting vehicle. I want to thank Dr. Willey and all the staff at Bovington for a great time at this past Tiger Day, if you get the chance to attend one in the future do so as it was well worth it.
This guys got a great voice and knowledge , give us more tank chats with him plz 🎉
Awesome tank chat, thank you mr. Willey!
I was trained as a medic during my military service and was posted to an armour unit. It was using the venerable AMX-13 as the main battle tank. Watching this video shed new information that I did not know of then on this sturdy dependable tank. Fond memories of watching it fire off FS rounds during live firing sessions. Sad to see it being retired in favour of newer and more capable MBTs after decades of service to the army. Salute!
Finally something French! Oh and welcome back!
Another fascinating talk! Thank you
Excellent video. My knowledge has been expanded. Thank you David et al.
Very informative as always, thanks for another excellent Tank Chat.
LazerPig brought me here, the professionalism and knowledge are why I stayed. lol
I started with the Sherman video and this is the 4th one I've watched in a row. Very well done.
An excellent Tank Chat.Have a good one.
Love this content. Deeper dive in all these tanks and other tracked equipment. Very cool... 😁👌
Excellent chat! I learned a lo!
I’ve been waiting for this episode since I first found this channel 3 years ago
Welcome back, you have been missed ... a whole lot !
It is understandable that “inspired” by is the word required . The picture of a Panther parked offset by the AMX 13 is very awesome looking .
Brilliant video and you really go into fine details love watching them❤❤❤❤
Inspired by Panther gun! Very diplomatic! My brother-in-law was an AMX-13 Commander for the Singapore Army about 30 years ago. Cheers
I like them all , yet Dr. Willey ability to communicate the overall picture with lots of details and a really great sounding accent , cheers .
I look forward to these videos.Keep them coming.👍
amazing to see these documents, what a piece of historical context
Great chat.
Willey is brilliant. My favorite!
Another great video. Great to see David back. How is Finn?
I never realised how small it was. Looks massive in most photographs
A lot of firepower for 13 ton tank
Interesting. It looks like an M18 with the turret mounted towards the rear. That auto loader was innovative. The 105mm monster would have been nice to have in your avg allied tank column during WW2.
Chris and David are two of my favourite RUclips presenters.. when are we going to have a co-presented Tank chat?
Perhaps when the museum gets an Abrams?
Gotta love the ideas the French come up with; a unique solution to a common problem
there have also been several joint Franco-British projects, such as the Concorde and an unfortunately canceled project to develop the Mirage 4 together. (too bad not to make aircraft carriers together, we would save a lot of money)
That's why they are French. If they didn't exist, we'd have to invent them.
Pardon, while I drive off in my Citroen DS.
Excellent video, I learned a lot.
Danie's Dad Here .... We saw a LOT of these on various ranges as targets in Germany during the late 1980's-early 1990's ...
Great video. Thanks.
Such an interesting design.
Thank you for the presentation very informative
One of my favorites.
Excellent info only Dave Willey could make a 1950's French tank talk interesting so well researched as always.
I cracked an AMX-13 turret with a 120mm round from Chieftain. Ripped the turret clean in half, along the 2 half’s of the turret.
I would suggest that it should be compared to a MBT, but something more like CVR(T) Scorpion.
This is a wonderful video about the MAX -13 light tank produced by French ...video clearly explained the political-military background of upgraded this tank after WW2...under US financial supported ...thank you for sharing
MAX-13? Is that the bigger version?
An ingenously unique tank.
Long time waiting for this one!
excellent presentation!
And He even used the word "miles"!!! My new coolest guy on YT!
The AMX13-2D was amazing, you could only see its side profile, when it was facing you it was just a thin slit
i love these french tanks videos
Beautiful desteroyer, remind me the sk -105 both are great machines, vielen dank 👍💖💯
Nice, Love Historical stuff
AMX great French engineering 👍👌
Great to see!
Remind me of an AMX-13 slipped and hit few onlookers and food sellers in Indonesia few years ago.
... and then the French discovered the oscillating turret and fell in love with it.
*I very much wish I could hear Mr. Fletcher's take on this machine; his understated backhanded compliments & damming with faint praise...* 😄
It would be interesting to see an overview of the tanks and airplanes that they were designing after the war.
DAVID WILLEY IS BACKKKK!!!! Hooorahh!!
Cool Tank Video.
I got into one in the mid nineties during my military service, from the top hatch to the driver's seat I hit my head five times.
Also, I'm fairly tall and notoriously clumsy but still, all these prodruding pieces of metal wanted me dead, I know it.
A very good, fact filled video.
Excellent video about a landmark vehicle, I always liked the look of the oscillating turrets.. Any chance we can get a chat about the vehicles that didn't get the funding.
It was used by the Singapore Army 🇸🇬, back in the 60s and was intergrated in Singapore first tank batalion which is now a armored regiment. As years passed, it was refurbished and upgraded to the AMX 13 Sm1 Variant. In 2004, It was replaced by the German made leopard 2A4 MBT and was also refurbised and upgraded to leopard 2SG (Singapore Variant) and in addition to the leopard 2A7.
Many of our SIngaporean Soldiers, Conscript, Regular and Reserve have memorable experience operating the AMX 13.
Thanks!
Awesome thanks 👍
Nice Action Man poster in the background, had several of the figures but I never got the Scorpion tank 😕, I did get a knockoff Ferret armoured car though.
My uncle had the dinky centurion
From the moment I first saw this tank I was fascinated with it. Not my favorite tank, but I do respect it’s ingenuity.
I like the historical background on these vehicles alot. And i'm looking forward to find a new pixel toy (AMX US) available in the virtual garage very soon; are You listening WG?!
Dream of visit the museum one day
I love this design, this and Panhard EBR are sexiest post WWII designs.
You will love our channel looking at Panhard armoured cars then! Check out FARG Motorpool channel to see our work and restoration of AMX13 tanks
The turret was used on the Panhard EBR armored car as well.
one might have mentioned that the Austrian Kürassier used the AMX 13 turret with the 105 mm gun. This was exported to some countries, including Brazil, whose Marines considered it the max firepower that would fit into a landing craft.
Yeah, what was the chassis Kurassier?
@@NormAppleton it was adapted from the Austrian Saurer APC
that's some high quality video
Merci !
I s’pose one of the benefits of oscillating turret is that if the gun gets stabilised, the crew get stabilised with the gun.
GREAT STORY!