SOMUA MCG

The SOMUA MCG was a half-track artillery tractor and recovery vehicle of the French forces during World War II.

It was used to tow medium artillery pieces such as the 155 mm mle 1917 howitzer and the 105 mm mle 1936 field gun, as well as their specific ammunition trailers. Of this main version 345 were produced: 264 until 1 September 1939 and another 81 until the end of May.

There was also a recovery version, fitted with a crane, to recover broken-down tanks, of which about 440 were produced.

Foreign use
After France surrender, many Somua MCG and MCL halftracks were captured by the Germans and put to use in the German army. Some were used as artillery tractors. Most were converted by Major Alfred Becker's workshop (Baustab Becker) into armoured halftracks. These were used to fill a variety of roles in 21st Panzer Division, when it was reformed after its destruction in North Africa. Variants of these included a armoured rocket launcher with a 8cm R-vielfachwerfer, a self-propelled mortar mounting a 8cm Reihenwerfer multiple mortar array and a tank destroyer version with a 75 mm Pak 40 anti-tank gun.