German Heavy Tanks

This is first German heavy tank, which took part in battle. There are rumors some of them were in the USSR in spring 1942.

German Char B1 bis Panzerkampfwagen B2 740 (f) Flammpanzer

The most funny thing is that gunner of the main gun (75mm/17 calibers) - can't rotate gun left/right!
He can only manipulate it up/down. Moreover, German 75mm gun, 24 calibers was completely unuseful against Soviet tanks. German called it as a "cigar-butt"
Can u imagine what does 17 calibers gun? As my point it's just a mortar.

I believe this was the first German heavy tank, used in the Norwegian campaign, spring 1940:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neubaufahrzeug



IIRC there were two different versions.

I would say that a captured Char B doesn't really count, as a German tank!

Well, the version you posted first doesn't actually have the 17 caliber 75mm gun - it's been replaced by a heavy flamethrower, hence the designation Flammpanzer

And imho, the early Tigers are still the first 'real' German heavies, since the Nbfz that were used in the invasion of Norway might as well have not existed, not having been used in any major actions after that, afaik.

I just knew abt. this "heavy" tank a couple days ago. I was so impressed that decided to share this knowledge with SF Community.
This name "heavy" is a very tricky, coz Soviet T-34 medium tank had a weight of ~30 tons and equipped with 76mm gun(~30 calibers).
This so called "heavy" Char B1 tank had ~32 tons and was equipped with a ridiculous 75mm gun(17 calibers! It is mortar) and had a name - HEAVY, and used till 1945! Incredible
There are so many unexpanded things in WWII.

PS

kapulA wrote:Well, the version you posted first doesn't actually have the 17 caliber 75mm gun - it's been replaced by a heavy flamethrower, hence the designation Flammpanzer

OK, I confess that originally this tank had 75mm gun, then when Wehrmacht captured it was modified. I just don't understand how this piece of ... splinters could have the name "heavy"?