AMX-13-M24

Description

The AMX-13-US is the second subvariant of the AMX-13/75 FL-10, which is the first variant of the AMX-13 light tank family. In 1956, the French Army and the Direction des Etudes et Fabrications d'Armements were looking into cost-effective ways to modernize their fleet of aged M24 Chaffee light tanks. One approach was to combine the hull of the French AMX-13/75 FL-10 light tank with the turret of the American M24 Chaffee. While the official name of this subvariant of the AMX-13/75 FL-10 is AMX-US, it is also known by several unofficial names, including AMX-13 Chaffee, as it was known by troops, and AMX-13 Avec Tourelle Chaffee, which is often seen in some resources. There were only a few of these vehicles built. They first served in French military units tasked with policing colonies like Algeria. When they were no longer needed on the front lines, they were converted into driver-training vehicles.

Introduced in Update "Starfighters", the AMX-13-US is a light tank that performs similarly to the AMX-13/75 FL-11. It does, however, have a roof-mounted 12.7 mm M2HB Browning heavy machine gun, which will come in handy in some situations against enemy aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. Use your superior mobility to ambush choke points and crossroads and, if necessary, capture the zones. Always scout opponents for your allies and avoid engaging multiple enemies at the same time.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret base, turret roof)
• Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet, cupola)

Notes:

• Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
• Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
• Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

Mobility

This tank utilises an AMX-13 chassis with a 270 HP engine. At 19.4 hp/ton, the AMX-13-M24 has decent mobility, which will alllow it to get to best spots. While not one of the fastest light tanks in the game, the AMX-13 chassis, if driven correctly, will allow the player to survive long enough to see the end of battle.

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Main armament

The punchy 75 mm M6 cannon may already be familiar to players due to extensive use of its variants in American tanks, including the M3 Lee, M4 Sherman, and M24 Chaffee. It offers the same excellent selection of shells, ranging from standard M72 AP to the infamous M61 APCBC. However, unlike its American counterparts, the AMX-13-M24 does not feature stabilisation for its gun.

Ammunition

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the AMX-13-M24

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Packing 15 (+33) shells will keep ammo only on the hull's right side.

Machine guns

With the M24 Chaffee turret comes the standard set of a roof-mounted Browning .50 cal and the coaxial .30 cal. The .50 can be used for both anti-air duty and for destroying tracks, add-on armour, side-skirts, and lightly armoured vehicles (such as open-top SPAAGs and SPGs), but the .30 is only suitable for open-top vehicles and for spotting enemy vehicles due to the lack of penetrative power.

Usage in battles

If a player wants to do well in this vehicle, they must understand that playing recklessly in this tank will get you killed immediately. The player's mindset has to be adjusted due to the unusual combination. As with each light tank, the player has to use all tools available, ranging from smoke grenades to optics. It is also recommended to use the roof-mounted .50 cal to aid you on the battlefield. Hug choke points, intersections, and, if needed, push the objective. In Arcade battles, take advantage of the light tank's Airstrike ability to assist in both the air and on the ground. In both Realistic and Simulator battles, spotting is your primary goal, but the player can easily set up ambushes and profit from this premium vehicle.

Enemies worth noting:

M4A2/A4: these Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there is a guaranteed kill most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's an M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Good mobility: high top speed, good turning and climbing ability
• Equipped with smoke launchers (14 individual smoke grenades)
• Engine in the front protects the crew in head-on engagements
• Uses the same gun as the M24 tanks: various shell types and good penetration
• Excellent gun depression allows for shooting from behind ridges
• M61 APCBC shell with explosive filler can easily knock out enemy vehicles with a single shot
• Fast turret traverse allows it to track targets easily
• Pintle-mounted .50 cal MG allows for air defense and some anti-tank ability (e.g. Marder III, Sd.Kfz.234 series, Breda 501, etc.)
• Scouting ability
• Gun stabilizer

Cons:

• Light armour overall with a prominent weak spot: the base of the turret
• Unstable cannon pitch due to tall turret layout and bouncy hull
  • After firing, it is difficult to stay on target with the recoil
  • After braking, Acquiring targets is slow as the hull rocks back and forth for a short while
• Tall silhouette
• Poor reverse speed
• Shells drop dramatically at long distances, making distant and moving targets hard to shoot at
• Reload time is pretty slow for a light tank
• Low ammo count can be a problem in long games or RB/SB matches but not so low that ammo rack detonations are rare

History

In 1956, the French military attempted to modernise its light tank "fleet", and a few solutions were suggested. One of these was to attach an M24 turret to the newly developed AMX-13 chassis, which lead to the designation AMX-US. Soon, other nicknames were added, like "AMX-13 Chaffee" or "AMX-13 Avec Tourelle Chaffee" (French: AMX-13 with Chaffee turret). A small number of these conversions were produced until the FL11 turret was introduced. These tanks were sent peacekeep and protect French colonial interest, but were soon replaced with the new AMX-13 with an oscillating turret.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the AMX-13-M24 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

• AMX-13 (Family)

Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

• M24 (Family)
• BT-7 (F-32)

External links

• [Wikipedia] AMX-13
• [Tanks Encyclopedia] AMX-US (AMX-13 Avec Tourelle Chaffee)