Editions du Barbotin

Track Story No. 7: FCM 36 Light Tank

by  Pascal Danjou

Reviewed By  Andrew Birkbeck, IPMS# 27087

MSRP: 14.50 Euros (US$20) Here we have No. 7 in Editions du Barbotin's monograph series covering French military vehicles of the 1930's and WW2, this time covering the third, and least known (at least to me) of the three "1933 light tank program" contestants that entered into French Army service prior to WW2. The other two were the Hotchkiss H35 and the Renault R35. The 1933 light tank program was implemented to replace the aging FT17, which had served the French Army in the latter stages of WW1 and throughout the 1920's. As such, the three winning designs were infantry support tanks designed to support the infantry as they plodded along on the battlefield. Of the three designs, FCM's (Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterrannee) was produced in the fewest numbers, barely 100 in total. This book, like the others in the series, measures 9.75 by 7 inches, with 62 pages and a card cover. Within these pages is a bi-lingual (French/English) written history of the vehicle under discussion, together with approximately 80 period black and white photographs, and color artwork along with a handful of archival period line drawings. Reproduction of the photographs is for the most part quite good, and the artwork is first rate. Between the covers we find the text divided into a series of "chapters", with supporting photographs. Chapters 1 and 2 cover the origins of the FCM 36, describing the French Army light tank "scene" at the time of the discussions that lead to the 1933 light tank program. There were in fact 14 entries for this program, and along with the winning FCM 36 design, the losing entries are discussed each in turn as well. (The other two "winners", the Renault and Hotchkiss designs are not covered, they having been well discussed in two previous Track Story monographs). Chapter 3 covers the organization of the BCC's (Bataillon de Char de Combat or Combat Tank Battalions) of which there were only two equipped with the FCM 36, 4th and 7th BCC. Chapter 4 covers the period of the Mobilization and the Phony War, leading to Chapter 5 which covers the "Battle of France". Chapter 6 covers the use of the FCM 36 with German forces, both utilization of the tank itself, and then various tank components (chassis) in the production of limited numbers of SPGs etc. Finally, there is a chapter on colors and tactical markings of the FCM 36 in French service. This beautifully illustrated with 12 pages of excellent color artwork covering both French and German schemes. Overall then, this is an excellent book and a "must have" for anyone interested in French military vehicles of World War Two and the immediate pre war period. There is only one major "problem" with this book from an English language point of view: the English is "Frenglish", and as such can be a tad hard to follow. Sometimes the problem seems to be a difficulty in correct translation from the French to English, other times the author fails to translate and you get some French and English all in the same sentence. While not making the text impossible to understand, it certainly makes it a "challenge" at times. However, the excellent period photos and the superb color artwork for me more than made up for the translation difficulties, and I rate this Track Story publication, as with all their others, very highly. The only problem for the modeler is trying to find a model kit of the FCM 36. In 1/35th scale the French resin firm Azimut produces one, and it is my understanding that at one time another French resin firm, NKC, also produced a kit in 1/35th. In 1/72nd scale I am sure a firm such as Alby produced a kit, but how to locate any other than the Azimut one will be a challenge.

My thanks go to Editions de Barbotin for providing IPMS/USA with this book for review. All the Track Story books, along with the firm's excellent small-scale armor magazine, Minitracks, can be seen at www.minitracks.fr .

Information, images, and all other items placed electronically on this site are the intellectual property of IPMS/USA ®.