Land Weapons

Recon Vehicle (1951)

Panhard

EBR

EBR 75 (M1951)
EBR 75 (M1955)

Development of the EBR 75 (Engin Blindé Reconnaissance) was based on a pre-war prototype and subsequently became one of the first major armored vehicles to be designed in France after the war, along with the AMX-13 light tank. The EBR 75 features eight wheels of which four are tired and used for road movement, while the four intermediate wheels have steel gousers to improve cross country performance and are lowered via a hydropneumatic system. The EBR 75 is unique in having two drivers, one at the front and the other in the rear; the latter being used to control the vehicle in the event that it requires a high speed reverse exit. Armament varies depending on variant but involves either a 75-mm or 90-mm gun on a rotating turret along with twin fixed machine guns, thereby continuing the French tradition of heavily armed reconnaissance vehicles. A small number were also built as APCs for colonial use. The EBR 75 was used extensively during the Algerian War and exported to Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and Portugal, the latter which also used it during various colonial wars in Africa. It was eventually replaced by the AMX-10RC in the 1980s.

Designs for a new armored car for reconnaissance duties began in 1938 as the AMR 201, of which one prototype was built but subsequently lost in North Africa after the war began. This design served as the basis for the EBR 75. Four basic variants were built which varied in terms of their armament and turret designs. The basic EBR FL-11 featured a lower profile turret, which was replaced with that of the AMX-13 in the EBR FL-10, but both retained the basic 75-mm gun. Another version of the EBR F-11 was armed with a 90-mm gun instead which had much greater armor penetration. Lastly, the EBR ETT was an APC with two small turrets for mounting machine guns, as well as hatches for the troops to fire from inside. It was the only variant to have just one driver.

Preceded by:

None

Succeeded by:

AMX-10RC (1981)

Datafile

DesignEBR 75 (M1951)EBR 75 (M1955)EBR 90EBR ETT
TypeRecon VehicleRecon VehicleRecon VehicleAPC
Year1951195519631957
Crew4443
Dimensions
Length (w/Gun)5.56 m (6.15 m)5.56 m (7.33 m)5.56 m (6.15 m)5.21 m
Width2.420 m2.420 m2.420 m2.440 m
Height2.320 m2.580 m2.320 m2.320 m
Ground Clearance0 m0 m0 m0 m
Track0 m0 m1.740 m0 m
Track on Ground0 m0 m0 m0 m
Weight
Combat13,500 kg15,200 kg13,500 kg13,000 kg
Ground Pressure0.75 kg/cm²0.80 kg/cm²0.75 kg/cm²0.70 kg/cm²
SuspensionCoil springsCoil springsCoil springsCoil springs
Performance
Speed (Off-Road)105 km/h105 km/h105 km/h105 km/h
Range (Off-Road)650 km650 km650 km650 km
AmphibiousNoNoNoNo
Fording1.20 m1.20 m1.20 m1.20 m
Vertical Obstacle0.40 m0.40 m0.40 m0.40 m
Trench2 m2 m2 m2 m
Gradient60%60%60%60%
Powerplant
Engine1 x 200-hp
Panhard
12 H 6000
1 x 200-hp
Panhard
12 H 6000
1 x 200-hp
Panhard
12 H 6000
1 x 200-hp
Panhard
12 H 6000
FuelGasolineGasolineGasolineGasoline
Power/Weight14.81 hp/t13.16 hp/t14.81 hp/t15.38 hp/t
Armament
Main1 x 75-mm
75mm SA 49

Rifled Gun
↑ 15° / ↓ -10° / ↔ 360°
1 x 75-mm
75mm SA 50

Rifled Gun
↑ 15° / ↓ -10° / ↔ 360°
1 x 90-mm L/50
CN-90 F3

Smoothbore Gun
↑ 15° / ↓ -10° / ↔ 360°
None
SecondaryCoaxial:
1 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Anti-Aircraft:
1 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Coaxial:
1 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Anti-Aircraft:
1 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Anti-AircraftT52:
1 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Anti-AircraftT52:
2 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Anti-AircraftT52:
2 x 7.50-mm
7.5mm MAC 31
Ammo7.5-mm:
7.5-mm:
7.5-mm:
7.5-mm:
Armor
TypeSteelSteelSteelSteel
Thickness10 - 40 mm10 - 40 mm10 - 40 mm15 - 40 mm
Max Effective40 - 40 mm RHAe40 - 40 mm RHAe40 - 40 mm RHAe40 mm RHAe
Hull Upper Front40 mm40 mm40 mm40 mm
Hull Lower Front40 mm40 mm40 mm40 mm
Hull Upper Sides16 mm16 mm16 mm15 mm
Hull Lower Sides16 mm16 mm16 mm15 mm
Hull Lower Rear40 mm40 mm40 mm-
Hull Top20 mm20 mm20 mm20 mm
Hull Bottom16 mm16 mm16 mm20 mm
Turret Front40 mm40 mm40 mm-
Turret Sides20 mm20 mm20 mm-
Turret Rear20 mm20 mm20 mm-
Turret Top10 mm10 mm10 mm-
Production
Builtn/an/an/an/a
Total1,179

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