FCM 1A

The performance of British Mark I tanks during 1916’s Battle of the Somme inspired France to explore domestic production of its own heavy tank. From October 1916 through most of 1917, the naval firm Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM) developed a prototype from an initial design that called for a 105mm gun, 30mm of armor protection, and a 200-hp engine. The prototype entered trials in December 1917 and performed impressively. However, FCM’s own subsequent designs gained interest instead, and the 1A prototype was ultimately stationed outside the tank school in Versailles.