The Somua MCG was a French half-track artillery tractor produced in the 1930s. After France’s defeat in 1940, many of these vehicles were captured by the Wehrmacht, which designated them as Somua MCG 307 (f) and used them as transport vehicles, gun tractors, and supply wagons.
In the summer of 1944, during the Paris Uprising, some of these vehicles were captured by the FFI (Forces Françaises de l’Intérieur)—the French resistance movement. The improvised FFI units used the captured half-track vehicles for street fighting, transporting personnel and weapons, and as mobile support platforms. These vehicles often bore makeshift markings: tricolor flags, the inscriptions “FFI” and “Vive De Gaulle,” Lorraine crosses, or numbers painted on with improvised paint.
The Paris version from August 1944 is characterized by:
- Irregular, field-style paintwork—usually still in the German Dunkelgelb color, sometimes with remnants of camouflage,
- Distinctive FFI markings applied quickly and in high contrast,
- Signs of heavy use—dirt, damage, missing equipment,
- Improvised armament—often featuring captured MG 34/42 machine guns or the fighters’ own small arms.
The model in this configuration captures the distinctive atmosphere of the battles for the liberation of Paris: improvisation, a variety of equipment, and the dynamic atmosphere of August 1944.