Projet 57 (š«š·French, HT-10, promotional, with shell ejection animation)
Historical Reference:
A French heavy tank that emerged as a development of the Somua SM project. In the updated version, engineers attempted to fix the shortcomings of the original design and improve the vehicleās characteristics. The tank was supposed to receive a new turret with a more shell-resistant shape, and the chassis was redesigned to account for increased speed and weight. Its firepower was also expected to improve, with the possibility of installing a 100 mm or 120 mm gun with an autoloading mechanism. High mobility was to be provided by a new MP 65 diesel engine from Saurer. Based on its overall specifications, the vehicle could have become a formidable opponent for Warsaw Pact tanks. A conceptual design was ready by 1958, but in the same year, the AMX-50 with similar features and design was already undergoing trials. During testing, it became clear that the concept had missed its time. As a result, the AMX-50 program was officially closed in 1959 in favor of the new Europanzer project, and the Projet 57 shared its fate.
