The slow, heavily armored infantry tank that defined French defensive doctrine
In short: Designed to support infantry through combined arms infiltration, the Renault R35 was a paradox of design. While its 43 mm armor offered significant protection, its sluggish speed and weak armament left it vulnerable. It became France's most numerous tank of the war, a steel shield for soldiers in a rapidly changing battlefield.
The Renault R35 emerged from a 1926 development plan intended to replace the aging Renault FT from World War I. The goal was to create a cheap, mass-produced 'char d'accompagnement' to assist infantry divisions in offensive operations. However, the path to production was fraught with delays and design shifts. After a competitive bidding process in 1933 involving fourteen companies, Renault's prototype, the ZM, was rushed to meet rising international tensions caused by German re-armament.
Technically, the R35 was a heavy-duty light tank. It featured a 10.6 metric tonne hull constructed from three cast modules bolted together, with armor reaching a maximum thickness of 43 mm. Despite this protection, its mobility was limited; it could manage a road speed of 20 km/h, but cross-country speeds dropped to just 14 km/h. The crew was minimal, often consisting of only a commander who had to act as gunner and loader, a task made more difficult by the lack of a radio in most early models.
The tank's lethality was also a point of contention. The original short 37 mm gun had poor anti-tank capabilities, penetrating only 12 mm at 500 metres. This prompted the development of the Renault R40, which featured a more powerful, longer-barreled L/35 37 mm SA 38 gun. This upgrade significantly improved performance, allowing for 40 mm of penetration at 500 metres. By the outbreak of the war in 1939, France had delivered 975 vehicles, and by June 1940, production had reached approximately 1,685 units.
The R35's legacy is tied to the fall of France. While many were used by the French army, 843 fell into German hands. The Wehrmacht utilized these captured vehicles for security duties, driver training, and even as artillery tractors after removing their turrets.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Renault R35
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