the french renault r 35 tank
infantry tanks (chars)
light tanks (chars légers), similar other nations light tanks, though intended used more infantry support rather scouting, , such better armoured slower many other light tanks. renault r 35 common type; small numbers of futuristic fcm 36 built. r 35 exported several eastern european countries, including poland.
medium tanks (chars de bataille), these in fact meant specialised breakthrough tanks (char d1, char d2, char b1).
heavy tanks (chars lourds); world war i-vintage char 2c ever operational in class, being reason why breakthrough role delegated chars de bataille.
cavalry tanks (automitrailleuses). these classes focused on speed in addition power , protection of other tank designs, , intended both anti-tank , anti-personnel work. law tanks (chars) had part of infantry, cavalry called tanks automitrailleuses. these included hotchkiss h35.
armoured combat tanks (amcs or automitrailleuses de combat), medium tank sacrificed armour speed, , had similar armament infantry tanks (amc 34, amc 35, somua s35).
armoured reconnaissance (amrs or automitrailleuses de reconnaissance), light tanks (amr 33;amr 35), intended general reconnaissance , maintaining security screen. specialised reconnaissance carried out amd s or automitrailleuses de découverte, typically armoured cars or half-tracks.
french 13.2 mm-armed amr 35s, belonging 4e rdp, 1re dlm.
the renault ft had long life , saw use in world war ii , later in indochina. utilised far away in china, during chinese civil wars, , versions of tank used both against , japanese during invasion of china. large number found way both republican , nationalist hands during spanish civil war. used in russian revolution both bolsheviks , white russians, , later finns against soviets. france exported ft right world war ii. design developed italians fiat 3000 , ussr t-18.
by mid-1930s french army replacing aging ft fleet mixed force of light tanks both in infantry , cavalry branches, medium , heavy tanks. infantry light tanks included renault r 35, followed ft concept quite closely small size, two-man crew, , short 37 mm gun armament. was, however, heavily armored. r 35 used equip independent tank battalions, armoured reserve allocated @ army level , intended reinforce infantry divisions in breakthrough operations. french infantry divisions had no organic tank component. r 35 exported poland , romania. cavalry had similar hotchkiss h 35, armed same 37 mm, light recon tanks such amr 35.
france produced may have been best tank of 1930s, somua s35. tank equipped armoured divisions of cavalry had execute exploitation phase of battle , best combination of armour, firepower , mobility prior appearance of german pzkpfw iv ausf. f2 , soviet t-34. s 35 had long 47 mm gun kill tank in service, heavy cast armour , speed.
a char b1 bis @ musée des blindés @ saumur
the french char de bataille char b tank formidable tank, heavy cast , riveted armour, same long 47 mm gun in s 35, , hull-mounted 75 mm howitzer. char bs equipped radio , tank invulnerable tanks , towed antitank guns. equipped armoured divisions of infantry, specialised breakthrough units.
char d1 st2 turret in 1936
the french plan of 1926, calling creation of light infantry support tank, led development of existing renault nc1 prototype char d1. on 23 december 1930 first order of 70 main production series of char d1 tanks made, followed on 12 july 1932 second order of 30; last order on 16 october 1933 of 50 vehicles, total of 150, delivered between january 1932 , 1935.
in general, french tanks of 1930s well-armoured, innovative vehicles owed little foreign designs. however, light tanks lacked firepower , french tanks weakened one-man turrets. vaunted char b had commander tasked commanding vehicle, aiming main gun, , loading main gun. if platoon leader or company commander, had additional tasks of controlling other units. such heavy set of tasks overwhelming, , reduced effectiveness of tanks. lack of radios light tanks not seen major drawback, since french doctrine called slow-paced, deliberate manoeuvers in close conformance plans: methodical battle concept, adopted because wargaming showed superior. role of small unit leaders execute plans, not take initiative in combat. opposite of german doctrine, stressed initiative , decision-making @ low command levels (auftragstaktik). in 1939 belated effort made improve flexibility , increase number of radios
despite views of estienne , later charles de gaulle, french general staff failed in defining effective military doctrine regarding use, due division of labour between infantry , cavalry tanks.
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