Silent clang of arms

Renault FT.

It’s November when we enter the small box office of the Musée des Blindés in Saumur. The hostess at the till is well equipped in her heated workspace, but a museum tour does require a winter coat at this time of year though.

A large number of tanks and armoured vehicles in various halls are arranged by theme, country or conflict. The First and Second World War receive full attention, but also more recent battlegrounds are shown to the public, based on the equipment used. The total collection comprises some 800 vehicles, 200 of which are in fully drivable condition. This makes it the most important collection of army vehicles throughout the world.

Renault FT.

The army tank is now over 80 years old. During WW1, various attempts were made to come up with an armoured vehicle that could be deployed on the battlefield while optimally protecting its occupants. The first real tank, which in fact still serves as a model for the current armoured personnel carriers, was the Renault FT. This vehicle appeared in 1917 and helped to bring the conflict to an end. The museum has several examples of the FT, which distinguish themselves through their domes and colour schemes. In addition, various display cases are filled with miniature variants to show the great diversity of the compact Renault. At the same time they also explain the importance of this invention in history.

Particularly nice is an original Renault lorry of 1917-vintage that could carry a 75mm gun. A modified version of this lorry was suitable for moving a Renault FT tank when loaded on its flat floor. After all, the tank only managed to achieve a top speed of just few kilometres per hour. The 18km/h speed of this 60 CV four-cylinder petrol vehicle made more of an impression at the time.

Renault AGC1.

The museum's collection subsequently shows a nice display of Renault tanks, particularly ones from the second half of the 1930s, as the French army used them at the beginning of WW2. There is, for example, the Renault ACG1 that came on the market in 1935 with four-cylinder petrol engine – good for 180hp of power and a 42km/h speed. Production was limited to no more than 100 copies, of which only seventeen were meant for France itself. Renault’s AMR stood for ‘automitrailleuse de reconaissance’ and was launched in 1933. The production of this vehicle remained limited also. Renault sold just 123 of them. By applying a modest form of armour plating, this cavalry vehicle was relatively light, fast and manoeuvrable, but it did not do very well in a tank battle.

Renault AMR 33.

Renault R35.

Renault B1 bis.

Next up is the Renault B1 bis, which took extremely long to develop. The order to develop a powerful armoured tracked vehicle came from the French army as early as in 1921. A design was chosen in 1925. However, it took until 1934 before the final order was placed for a 28-tonne version fitted with 272hp Renault six-cylinder petrol engine. This tank was built by a variety of manufacturers, including Renault. The museum owns one of them. In 1940 this was the most powerful French tank and served as an example for British and American designs.

Renault R39.

The Renault R39 prototype, intended as a successor to the R35, never reached production. Major improvements were its more powerful engine and its armament. But the French army eventually opted for the Renault R40, which used the suspension of the light AMX tank.

Renault VAB.

More recent tank history is brought to the museum in the shape of a Renault VAB. This partly armoured wheeled vehicle was – and is - deployed in large numbers throughout the world during numerous military conflicts and peacekeeping missions. Furthermore, the museum shows plenty of tank engines, including plenty of Renault ones.

 The Musée des Blindés is open all year round with the exception of December 25 and January 1. Look for the precise opening times on www.museedesblindes.fr.