The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - the french S-35, R-35 and H35/39 Tanks - Feb. 1st, 2005

www.wwiitechpubs.info ^ | Daren Beazley

[SAMWolf]

Char Léger Modèle 1935-R (Renault R35)


Renault R35s of the 44éme B.C.C. counter attack German positions in the Abbeville area, May 29th 1940. Under the able command of Lieutenant René Bardel, the R35s enjoyed considerable, if short lived success in this attack, breaking through the German frontline and causing considerable material loss in the village of Villers-Mareuil before being forced to withdraw by superior forces.

Following combined exercises in 1932 and 1933 the French infantry called for the design of what became known as the '6 ton tank' as a replacement for the light Renault FT tank. The vehicle was to have a crew of two and be armed with one or two 7.5mm machine-guns or a 37mm gun. It was to be armoured to 40mm and be capable of a top speed of between 15 to 20 km/h. Four manufactures took part in producing design studies to meet the specification. These were Renault, Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), Compagnie Général de Construction des Locomotives and Delaunay Belleville.

The first prototype was manufactured by Renault at the end of 1934 and was based upon the Auto-mitrailleuse de Reconnaissance 1935 Type ZT which had already been accepted into service. The vehicle was thus christened the Renault ZM. The tank was sent to the trials commission at Vincennes for extensive testing which started in January of 1935 and continued throughout the spring at both Vincennes and Mourmelon. Events in Germany then began to hasten the process of development and by April the Renault ZM was accepted into immediate production without waiting for the completion of the aforementioned trials. An initial order was confirmed in May 1935 for 300 examples under the name of char léger modéle 1935-R (R-35). The R-35 was to become the most numerous of French light infantry tanks in service in 1940. Over 1,600 examples were produced.

As with most French vehicles, R-35 tanks were taken over and used by the German Wehrmacht. Approximately 200 R-35’s were issued in 1941 to German units in preparation for operation ‘Barborossa’, primarily for reconnaissance duties. They were designated Panzerkampfwagen 35R. When the weather and ground conditions during the Russian winter deteriorated, large numbers were used as ammunition carrier or tractors to replace or support wheeled transport. Without turrets they were known as Traktor or Munitionpanzer 35R. Captured Hotchkiss H-35 and H-39’s were also pressed into service in this role.

Other conversions were made for the roles of self-propelled anti-tank gun or field howitzers. For example the Czechoslovakian manufactured 4.7cm PaK(t) L/43.4 anti-tank gun was mounted to the R-35 chassis and became known as the 4.7cm PaK(t) auf Panzerkampfwagen 35R(f) ohne Turm. 200 examples had been modified to this standard by the end of 1941.

The standard German issue 10.5cm field howitzer was also mounted on the R-35 chassis. Conversions were made to this standard in 1943/44 by the firm of Alfred Becker, Krefeld. They also made similar mountings for the H-39, FCM 36 and Char B1. In this conversion the R-35 was designated 10.5cm leFH16(SF) auf Geschützwagen 35R(f) and had a crew of 5.



Another version of the R-35 was developed by Atelier de Construction d’Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) which introduced a new suspension that gave slightly more ground clearance and a better cross-country performance and consisted of 12 small road-wheels each side mounted in pairs with vertical coil springs protected by skirting plates. The tracks were redesigned and were similar to that of the Char B1. This vehicle was essentially the same as the R-35 although some examples mounted the longer barreled 3.7cm SA 38 L/33 cannon. It was officially referred to as the AMX 40, but generally became known as the R-40. Two battalions were equipped with this tank in May 1940.

Remarks

The vehicle had a crew of two, driver and commander/gunner and weighed nearly 10 tonnes. Main armament consisted of a 3.7cm SA18 L/21 in a cast APX-R turret that was also standard issue to the Renault R-40, the Hotchkiss H-35 and H-39 series of vehicles.

Suspension consisted of five road wheels each side, two pairs on bell-cranks acting upon each other through rubber springs between the upper arms and one mounted independently.

The tank commander gained access to the vehicle via a hatch at the back of the turret. He stood on the floor of the vehicle and had access to a rotating cupola and three periscopic binoculars (or episcopes) in the turret walls for observation purposes. Here he also had access and could fire both the 1918 model 3.7cm SA18 L/21 cannon along with the coaxial machine-gun.

The driver sat on the left while the engine and transmission took up the right hand side of the vehicle. He gained access by two doors in the superstructure, which opened upwards and forwards, the upper half of which incorporated an episcope with armoured visor. Vision to either side was provided through vision slits backed by armoured shutters.

A fire-proof partition separated the fighting compartment from the rear part of the tank which included the Renault 4-cylinder engine, radiator and fuel tank. The self-sealing fuel tank was mounted immediately behind the partition on the left hand side. It was divided in to two parts, a reserve tank on top provided a direct, gravity feed to the carburettor while the main tank supplied fuel by pump. Behind the fuel tank was a radiator and engine oil cooler. Behind that was a belt-driven fan drawing air in through grills in the engine deck and from the fighting compartment.

The engine, on the right, transmitted power forwards, through clutch and gearbox situated in the fighting compartment, to the differential unit at the front and thus drove the sprockets through a final drive reduction system.

[SAMWolf]

Hotchkiss H-35



While the infantry chose the R-35, the cavalry had to make do with the rejected H-35. It was faster than its colleague in the infantry and better suited for the reconnaissance and covering missions.



Having the same turret as the R-35, it suffered under the same handicaps: only one seat in it and a short 3.7 cm gun useless against other tanks. The Germans captured lots of those tanks and put them in service on the Eastern Front in the rear area, among other as turretless tractors.



Identification: The H35 differs from the R-35 by its running gear (the three bogies are similar and do not have a visible central spring) and the pilot's hatch is on the right of the hull. Compared to the H-39, the H-35 has a rear hull sloped to the ground. Some H-35 will be rearmed with the same longer 3.7 cm gun as the H-39.


A H-35 destroyed during the campaign of May 1940 in the West. Notice the running gear with three similar running gear. That differentiates this tank from the very close R-35.

Hotchkiss H-38/39

H38, char leger 1938 model H serie d, was the infantry designation for Hotchkiss H-39 tank. H39, char leger modele 1935 H modifie 1939, was the cavalry designation for Hotchkiss H-39 tank..Both H-38 and H-39 could have short or longer 37mm gun.


Hotchkiss H-38

Improvement of the cavalry tank H-35. The engine is more powerful and the armor reinforced. With a greater speed and a better autonomy, this tank is in a better position to fulfill the covering and reconnaissance missions devolved to the cavalry.


Hotchkiss H-39



Despite its qualities, it can not avoid the defeat in 1940. It continued its career in the Wehrmacht in secondary missions. One captured H-39 was the first tank of Tito's partisans. Just after the war, Israelis got hold of a dozen units, the first model they had in numbers, and used them until 1956.



Identification: The rear hull, sloped on the H-35 is almost flat on the H-39. Many H-39 were rearmed with a longer 3.7 cm gun.


H-39 of the 7th Cuirassé, which tried around Amiens to oppose the German progressin first to the Sea then to the South. The H-39 on the picture have longer 3.7 cm guns.

Additional Sources:

users.swing.be/tanks.tanks/complet
www.achtungpanzer.com
www.somua.com
www.military.cz
www.jeux-strategie.com
oberkampf.muddeln.free.fr www.fronta.cz
www.ww2tanks.com

[SAMWolf]

The Germans captured some 600 Hotchkiss light tanks after the fall of France. In 1942, 24 (some sources state 60) captured French Hotchkiss H-39 (including at least one H-35) light tanks were converted to self-propelled anti-tank guns. The new vehicle was armed with the 75mm PaK 40 L/46 anti-tank gun. The new panzerjäger was designated 7.5cm PaK40(Sf) auf Geschutzwagen 39H(f). This vehicle, too, was known as the Marder I. In this conversion, the armament was mounted in an open-topped fighting compartment. A four-man crew operated the vehicle. The main armament could be traversed 30 degrees to the left and right. In addition to the main armament, a 7.92mm MG 34 was carried inside the fighting compartment. Armor protection ranged from 10 to 34mm.



Conversions were done by Captain Alfred Becker's Baukommando in Paris and at Krefeld (in cooperation with Alkett in Berlin) as well. New vehicles served with units stationed in France, including the 8th Panzerartillerie Abteilung and Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 200, commanded by Major Alfred Becker.

Turrets of vehicles converted to weapon carriers were used in fortifications along with some tanks dug in as fixed bunkers. Similar vehicles carried a 105mm howitzer in place of the PaK 40, and were known as 10.5cm leFH 18(Sf) auf Gw 39H(f).

[SAMWolf]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

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************Snippy, I bequeath to you the FR TH PL.

148 posted on 08/24/2004 11:39:45 AM PDT by Cannoneer No. 4 (I've lost turret power; I have my nods and my .50. Hooah. I will stay until relieved. White 2 out.)

Good morning Cannoneer, I'm awake just long enough to post, 'see' you in the morning. :-)

[Brad’s Gramma]

Sleep well, snippy. Thanks again, for the ping! :)

[radu]

Good morning to all at the Foxhole!!

To all our military men and women past and present, military family members, and to our allies who stand beside us
Thank You!

[Iris7]

Looks like the Germans got a lot more use out of those French tanks than the French did.

That last piece on German converted self propelled guns I found interesting. They all seem to be direct fire weapons. I have been curious about the Marder 1 for some time.

The Germans confiscated nearly all cars and trucks in conquered areas and used them for the war. The Eastern Front used a lot of truck transport up since the Germans had so many different kinds of trucks that getting parts in the field to fix them was nearly impossible. Logistic problems for the logistic service, heh heh.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

[alfa6]

Treadhead Tuesday Bump for the Freeper Foxhole

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[The Mayor]

February 1, 2005

A Clear Call

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears." —1 Samuel 3:10

Bible In One Year: Exodus 14-17

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When George Washington Carver was a student at Iowa Agricultural College (now Iowa State University), he and a friend planned to go as missionaries to Africa. But as his agricultural studies progressed, Carver, a devout Christian, began to sense a different calling from God.

When Booker T. Washington asked him to join the faculty of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, Carver made it a matter of earnest prayer. In 1896, Carver wrote to Washington: "It has been the one ideal of my life to be of the greatest good to the greatest number of my people possible, and to this end I have been preparing myself for these many years." He pledged to do all he could through the power of Christ to better the conditions of African-Americans in the racially segregated South.

Carver's sensitive heart and willing obedience to God bring to mind the experience of Samuel. Under the guidance of Eli the priest, Samuel responded to God's voice by saying, "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Samuel 3:10).

During a lifetime of service, the distinguished African-American scientist George Washington Carver honored God by obeying His call. He has left a rich legacy and lasting example for us all. —David McCasland

Oh, make me, Lord, so much like Thee,
My life controlled by power divine,
That I a shining light may be
From which Thy grace may ever shine. —Robertson

A life lived for God leaves a lasting legacy.

[GailA]

Good morning...it's still looking gloomy, with threat of rain. Guess that means the dog gets to delay his dreaded bath for yet another day.

[Professional Engineer]

Goooooood Morning Foxhole! Flag-o-Gram.

[Professional Engineer]

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
get them bogies rollin'
TREADHEAD!

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone!

[Soaring Feather]

GM, PE. Thank You.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Brad's Gramma

[SAMWolf]

Hey Radu.

You surviving the winter down there?