Tank origin

After the war, the French Army found itself in possession of a large number of M24 Chaffee light tanks. Experience had proven that the American 75 mm M6 gun, while versatile as both an anti-armor and infantry support weapon, was woefully inadequate at penetrating late-war armor. In order to capitalize on the inventory of Chaffee tanks, the French experimented with adding the new, high velocity 75 mm SA50 gun (believed to be based on the Panther’s 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70) and the AMX-13’s radical oscillating turret and autoloader in order to improve the anti-armor capability of the now aging Chaffee. The result was the AMX Chaffee. Beyond the prototype, none of these tanks were ever made.