Tankopedia
InterwarLightLight TankFrance

Renault R35

In service 1936 - 1940s

Well-armoured French infantry tank crippled by a two-man crew and a weak gun.

Built byRenault

Renault R35
Renault R35 at Latrun — Bukvoed, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

Development history

The R35 replaced the Renault FT in infantry support units and carried thicker armour than most 1930s light tanks. The short 37 mm SA18 was near-useless against armour, and the commander had to load, aim, fire and lead at once. Captured examples served the Germans as gun tractors and were rebuilt into tank destroyers.

Variants

One canonical record, 2 recorded variants.

  1. R35 with SA18

    1936

    Original short 37 mm gun, poor anti-armour performance.

  2. R39 / R40

    1939

    Long 37 mm SA38 gun; R40 added AMX scissor-type suspension.

Notable actions

  • Battle of France 1940
  • Syria-Lebanon 1941