Armored Figthing Vehicules of the French Army during the Battle of France.

[Lord_Waka 1,932]

(First, sorry for my bad english, that's not my first language.

Second, this article haven't the vocation to have a enorme description of all the AFV of the french army in 1940, if you want more informations about a vehicule, send me a PM)

 

During the Campaign of France, unlike what a lot of peoples think, the Panzerdivisionen didn't etablished their total dominance against a french army quasi-only composed of infantry. The french tanks caused a lot of problem to the avance of the germans Panzers in France, but, mainly do to a outdated strategy from the First World War, the french tanks failed to contain the avance of the germans troops, but they have caused heavy losses in the ranks of the PanzerWaffe. 

 

Before 1936, the most important tank of the French Army was the FT-17 from the World War One. It was the first true "modern" tank (Turret, engine at the back, nice mobility for his time)... and during the 20s, the FT was still a good vehicule, but with the new tanks wich were released during the early 30s, like the BT, the FT-17 was outclassed. And with the new dictatorship regime in Germany, the risk of a war are back, and the French army need to be ready in that case. During the second half of the 30s, a lot of tanks were made during this area, and a lot proof their qualitys during the Battle of France. Here is a list of them. They are classed by the number wich were built. 

 

1: The light tanks

 

The light tanks of the french army were using the same concept as the FT-17: they were made to accompany the infantry. For that mission, they weren't needing a nice mobility or a really strong gun (A lot of french tank wich entered in service during the end of the 30s were using the old SA 18 gun from the FT-17), but a nice armor, a cheap cost and a fast construction. 

 

The campaign of France proof that the concept of light infantry tanks was obsolete in comparison to the Blietkrieg strategy.

 

1- The Renault FT-17

 

 The FT-17 was a light tank, made by Renault during the World War One, planned to be a light infantry tank, with a 37mm short cannon or a 8mm machine gun. Unlike the Schneider CA1 or the saint-Chamond, the two others french tanks of WWI, the FT-17 is small, cheap, easy to built and to repair. The first, a series of 150 tanks were ordered in February 1917 fastly followed by many others order. 7 820 were planned to be released, but many were dis-ordered after the en of the conflicts. 3 711 FT-17 were deliver in the World War One, the production continued during the first years of the interwar and 3 728 were in service in the french army during 1921.

 

The FT is the first operationnal tank to use a turret, and to have a engine in the back of the vehicule. The FT-17 fought with sucess during WWI, and is considered as the best tank of this war. The American army also used some FT-17 in 1918 and built hundred of them under license into 1918 and 1921.

 

During the 20s, many FT-17 were exported everywhere in the worl, and he was probably the most common tank of the 10 first years of the interwar. 

 

2 850 were in reserve at the 10 May. Due to the critical situations, some had to fight on the first lines, with catastrophic results. Around of 2 000 were captured by the Reich and used for training up to the end of the war.

 

The FT-17 have a armament of a 37mm gun or a 8mm/7,5mm (Some modernized versions). Some were made with a 75mm hotwiter, but they were really rarely and not in service during the World War Two. The Ft-17 have a armor of 22mm and less, and have a max speed of 7 Km/h.

 

2- The Renault R35 

 

Made for 1935 call, the R35 was designed to replace the FT-17 as light infantry tank. He use the same short 37mm cannon, the SA 18 , and also have a 7,5mm machine gun as coaxial.(A limited number of R35 were rearmed by the long 37mm cannon SA 38 wich have a way better penetration.). His max speed is of 20 Km/h, but he got a nice armor for his time (40mm on the front.).He got a crew of only two men: A commander/Loader/Gunner and a driver. This is also a terrible default of the R35: The guy in the turret juste have too much missions.His weight is of 10,6 tons. The R35 is the most important french tank of the Battle of France: 945 were in the french metropolitan area in May 1940, plus 243 in the colonies. around or 200 were sent to others countrys (Poland, Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia)

 

The R35 is considered as a bad tank. He got a nice armor, but a terrible mobility, a bad cannon and a commander wich assume too much roles. He was made for a other kind of war: But this kind of war was outclassed, like him.

 

 

 

3- Hotchkiss H35/39 

 

The H35 is a other tank of the 1935 infantry tank call. He is really similar to the R35: Same turret, same guns, same armor. 100 were ordered by the infantry, but he met sucess with the cavalry: He was faster than the R35 (28 Km/h) and 300 were made for the cavalry before the H35 modifié (modified)1939

 

The H35 modifié 1939 got a new engine, wich increase the max speed to 36 Km/h. And the 230 last, the SA 18 was replaced for a longer SA 38 wich got respectable antitank capacity. If the H35 were, like the R35, bad vehicules, the H39 was a nice cavalry tank, especially with the longer 37mm cannon. 

 

710 H35 modifié 1939 were made, plus 400 H35.

 

4- Renault R40 

 

The Renault R40 is a ameliorate version of the R35 with new suspensions and the 37mm SA 38 wich give him nice antitank capacity. The production started on March 1940, around of 120 R40 were made during the Battle of France. They fought with sucess, but they was only avaible on limited numbers. It wasn't enough against the germans troops. The R40 is also a proof that made goods tanks with bad tanks isn't impossible. 

 

5- FCM 36

 

The FCM 36 is a tank of the 1935 Light Infantry tank. It's a vehicule wich have bring a lot of interessing things, and was probably the best tank of the 1935 programm, but know a Iow production.

 

The FCM 36 is one of the first tank wich use a inclined armor. His inclined 40mm give him a incredible protection for his time. He also use one of the first diesel engine wich give him a nice range (225 Km/h or 16 hours). But like the others tanks of this programm, the FCM 36 use the obsolete SA 18 an his slow (24 Km/h). He have a weight of 12 tons. 

 

100 FCM 36 were made and deliver to infantry. 200 others were ordered in September 1939, but finally replaced for B1 Bis order. 

 

The replacement of the SA 18 by the SA 38 on the FCM 36 was planned, but it was never done due to the armistice. This tank have meet some limited sucess during the Battle of France (His armor offered a really nice protection, and his cannon can kill a Panzer II or a 38(t) without a lot of problem. But against the Panzer III or IV it was a useless weapon. )

 

2- Medium tanks

 

1- Somua S35

 

The Somua S35 is an answer to a call of the cavalry for a Automitrailleuse de combat (Figting armored car). The cavalry was wanting a vehicule of 13 tons, with the turret of the B1 Bis, and a crew of two men. 

 

Somua answered to this call with a tank of 19 tons, a crew of three mens, the turret of the B1 Bis and a really nice armor (40 to 55mm, inclined on the front and the back). The prototype was presented to the cavalry during 1935 and immediatly adopted. The production started in 1936, and the first tanks entered in service in January 1937. When he enter in service, the Somua is probably the best tank of the world. He have a nice cannon (47mm SA 35 semi-automatic), probably the best armor of the world, an a nice mobility. His only major problem is the turret, only one men fit in. 

 

During the Battle of France, the Somua were the terror of germans tankers. The armor of the french tanks were quasi impenetrable, even of the front, but the 47mm SA 35 haven't got any problem to destroy a early Panzer IV. The Somua is considered as the best tank of the Battle of France, only the bad french strategy prevented his shone. 440 S35 were made.

 

2- Renault D1

 

 

The Renault D1 was a infantry tank made by whith the NC29 , a ameliorate FT-17. He use a 47mm mod 1892 from the french navy as his cannon, have a weight of 14 tons, and a crew of 3 mens: The commander/gunner, the driver and a radioman. At his start, the D1 use FT-17 turret, because his turret wasn't ready. After that, he used the ST-1, wich wasn't definitive. His final turret, the ST 2, was ready only for 1936, when this tank wha already quasi-obsolete. The D1 were sent in North Africa during the end of the interwar, but In June 1940, due to the critical situation, The D1 are sent back in France. They fought against the Panzerwaffe with terrible results. 

 

The D1 is considered as one of the worst failure of the french army during the interwar. 

 

3- Renault D2

 

The D2 was a updated version of the D1 made by Renault. Designed in 1931, the french army adopted him in 1933. The first D2 entered in service in 1937. He use the short 47mm SA 34, have a armor of 40mm on the exposed zones, a max speed of 23 Km/h. A second serie, wich use the long 47mm SA 35 (The same as the Somua one) entered in service in 1939-1940.

 

The D2 fought with sucess during the battle of France, but the S35 is considered as way better: For the same cannon, he have a better armor (40mm-55mm) an mobility (40 Kmm/h onroad, 32 Km/h offroad).

 

Even if the D2 wasn't a bad vehicule, he is in the shaow of the S35, and it's for good reasons.

 

4- AMC 35 

 

 

The AMC 35 was a medium tank made by Renault. The prototypes were tested in 1936 and 1937. It was one of the first french tank with a two-man turret, He use the 47mmm SA 35, like the S35, but he got a inferior armor (47 to 25mm)

 

The french army prefered the S35 to the AMC 35, and only 47 were ordere and used for training. But in June 1940, due to the terrible situation, they were used for defense on the french rivers Seine and Loire by the cadets of the cavalry school of Saumur. The met some sucess, but it was more due to the default of the germans tank (Mainly Panzer I, II, 38(t) and 35(t) ) than the qualitys of the french one. 

 

11 Were deliver to belgium and fought during the invasion. 

 

 

 

I'm posting the Heavy tank and the Reco vehicules in a other post to be allowed to post images. Sorry for the discomfort. 

Edited February 22, 2015 by Lord_Waka

[Lord_Waka 1,932]

3- Heavy tanks

 

1- Char B1/B1 Bis

 

 

The origins of the heavy tank B come from a call of the general Estienne of 1920, for a infantry-support heavy tank. Estienne called all the tank builter to do a prototype, and then, the french army will choose the nice elements in all prototype and use it to make a final vehicule. The prototypes were presented in 1924, After the finalisation of the blueprints, the french army ordered a prototype in 1927. He was finished in 1930. This vehicule had a armor of 25mm, a crew of 4 men, a max speed of 45 Km/h. His armament was composed of a 75mm hotwiter in the hull, two machine guns in a turret and two machine guns in the hull. The test were made in 1931, and the french army decided to pass the armor at 40mm and to replace the two turret machine guns by a short 47mm cannon. The production of the B1 started in 1935. This vehicule got a short 47mm cannon and a machine gun in a turret, a machine gun and a 75mm hotwiter in the hull. Only 35 B1 were made before his replacement on the production lines by the B1 Bis.

 

The B1 Bis got a incrased armor (60mm inclined on the front, 55mm on the sides), his short 47mm cannon is replaced by a SA 35 wich is longer, and have nice anitank capacity. The weight pass from 28 to 31 tons, the speed is limited at 25 Km/h.

 

For his time, the B1 Bis is a monster. Even is sides armor is diffilcult to penetrate. He got two powerfull cannons, and he is really impresive. But he also got terrible defaults: His maintenance is difficult. His fiability is terrible, an he his long and expensive to product. 

 

369 B1 Bis were made, they fought with sucess during the campaign of France, when their armor was quasi-impenetrable. But due to their horrible fiability, many were wrecked by their own crew.

 

2- Char FCM 2C

 

 

The FCM 2C was a heavy tank made by FCM as heavy infantry support tank, for the World War One. But they entered in service in 1921, due to the long time of production. The FCM 2C have a 40mm armor wich is impressive for his year. He goes at 12 Km/h, have a main armament of 75mm and a secondary of 4 8mm machine guns. That's the heavier tank wich reached production: He have a weight of 70 tons in Battle order.

 

During the Battle of France, they were still in reserve. 6 were blocked on a train due to a attack of the Luftwaffe and scuttled. 2 others were scuttled at their bases due to technical problems. The Reich captured the two others. 

Edited February 22, 2015 by Lord_Waka

[WildBlueYonder 3,072]

Thanks, really interesting read! The Somua was also a very short tank so it was even difficult to hit.

[OBERSTGRAF 2,243]

Would be nice to see French tanks in the game. :)

[Querulous1 3,276]

Yes, cannot wait for French tree 2016

[Uhxohr 101]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing this. :)

[Lord_Waka 1,932]

Thanks for your support guys !

 

Here are the last ones, the reconaissance vehicules and the tank hunter.

 

 

4- Reconnaissance vehicule

 

1- Panhard 178 

 

The Panhard 178 is a heavy armored car made by Panhard for the french army. The prototype was presented in October 1933, accepted during 1934 and the production started in 1935.

 

The Panhard 178 use as main armament a long 25mm cannon (SA 34) with 150 rounds, wich can penetrate 40mm of armor,  and a 7,5mm machine gun. He got a max armor of 20mm, and 7mm for the weakest zones. This Panhard goes at 73 Km/h onroad.

 

480 Panhard 178 were in service in the french army in 1940, they were used with sucess for the reconaissance, but due to the critical situations, a lot were used in combats. They met some sucess due to their nice gun, but that wasn't their fonction,and many were lost due to the poor armor. 

 

The Panhard 178 was also the main combat vehicule of Vichy. The use of Panhard 178 by Vichy was autorized by the Reich, but the vehicules were turretless. Some turret were made in secret in case of a german invasion, but they weren't used by Vichy in November 1942. The turret were mounted on Panhard 178 during the liberation by the french resistance. 

 

The production of the Panhard 178 started back after the war, but the vehicules were higly modified.

 

2- AMR 35 

 

The AMR 35 Renault was a light reconnaissance vehicule, base on the AMR 33. Their armament is composed of a 7,5mm or 13,2mm machine gun in the turret (ZT-1). The vehicule is also fast, 55 Km/h onroad, and light, 6,5 tons. Some versions were made: The ZT-2 use a 25mm gun, the ZT-3 is a tank hunter version, but only ten vehicules of those versions were made. 

 

Due to the critical situation of June 1940, they were used as infantry support, but they suffered heavy losses due to their poor armor (13mm and less). 187 AMR 35 were made.

 

3- AMR 33

 

The AMR 33 is a light reconnaissance vehicule, made for the french army by Renault. It's one of the smallest vehicule of his time: He is long of 3,50m, have a widht of 1,60m and a height of 7,63m for a weight of 5 tons. He got a 7,5mm machine gun and a crew of two men, for a max armor of 13mm. The most important default is the lack of a radio, wich is a serious limitation to the reconnaissance capacity of the AMR 33.

 

But even with that default, they were used by sucess for the reconnaissance of the french army during the Battle of France. But the only thing they was able to do was to confirm the disaster....

 

123 AMR 33 were built.

 

5- Tank Hunter

 

1- Laffly W 15 TCC

 

The Laffly W 15 TCC was a french tank hunter, made on the base of the civilian vehicule W 15 T. The prototype is presented in March 1940, but refused on the 6 May. But on the 17, due to the critical situation in France, The french commandement ask Laffly to start the production. The first conversions were finished on the 24 May. 61 Laffly W 15 TCC were completed during the campaign of France.

 

They use a long antitank 47mm cannon mod 1937, wich got really nice antitank capacity. The cannon was installed on the back due to the utilisation of the vehicule: It was a ambush vehicule wich need to run just after shot. The Laffly goes at 48 Km/h and have a weight of 4 960 Kg. The Laffly fought with sucess during the campaign of France, but it wasn't enough against the hundred of Panzers. 

 

2- Tank Hunter Lorraine 

Due to the panic of May-June 1940, the french army was needing antitank vehicules, fast to build and cheap. The chassis of the logistic tankette Lorraine was chose to carry a 47mm Mod 1937. We got really poor informations about this vehicule, but aparrently, some were used during the end of the campaign of France. 

 

(I'm adding the AMC 35 to the medium tanks soon) 

 

6- Logistic vehicules

 

1- Renault UE

 

The Renault UE was a tankette, made to carry small guns (like 25mm antitanks), or ammo for the guns or infantry. 

 

The original call was made in 1930, for a light armored vehicule able to carry mortars or small cannons, and the prototype of Renault was chosen the next year. The production started during 1932. A ameliored version, the UE 2, was made in 1937 and made to be easier to produce. The UE was unarmed (The last UE 2 had a position to fix a AA machine gun, but it was rarely used). 

 

The UE can reach 30 Km/h on road and 10 Km/h offroad. The trailier of this vehicule can carry:

 

8.100 7,5mm ammo

2.688 8mm ammo

150 OF grenades

114 VB grenades

OR

18.000 7,5mm ammo

OR

162 mortar ammo

15 000 8mm ammo 

OR

2 81mm mortars

OR

4 machine guns with small load of ammo.

 

This variety in the load make the UE able to help every kind of units. Without her trailer, the UE have a weight of 2,64 tonnes. The armor is really Iow, and can resist to rifles shoot only at less than 300 meters.

 

More than 5 100 UE were built, and were used in every infantry divisions. 

 

2- Lorraine 37L

 

 

The Lorraine 37L was presented in 1937. Planned to replace the UE, the production of this vehicule started in January 1939. 432 were made before the armistice, not enough to replace the thousands of UE, even if the 37L can carry a more important load and is faster (35 Km/h). 

 

The armor of the 37L is only of 4-6mm because the main task of this vehicule isn't the combat, but only the transport of munitions. Some were built by the Vichy regime, officialy for agricultural tasks. Some chassis were used by the germans with a 75mm guns, under the designation of Marder I. Some others were used as Self-Propulsed artillery, with 105, 150 or 122 mm guns. 

Edited March 30, 2015 by Lord_Waka

[ThomasElsass67 305]

Well done and thanks for the info! :good:

For the FT-17 you could say that he was still in service untill 1945 by Germany (true story).

 

 

EDIT: the Somua is my favorite tank of 1940, he was perfect and it's a beauty.  :yes: 

Edited February 22, 2015 by ThomasHawk67

[Umbriellan 2,986]

For the FT-17 you could say that he was still in service untill 1945 by Germany (true story)

 

1949 - Indochina War ~~ ( "first Indochina war", for international people)

 

--edit:

nope: still in use today ~~

 

[spoiler]

[/spoiler]

 

---still searching for the exact year.

But: in March 1945 the Division du Tonkin &  Groupement Motorisé du Tonkin were still using 9 FT-17.

http://france1940.free.fr/vichy/tk_indo.html

Edited February 22, 2015 by Umbriellan

[ThomasElsass67 305]

Oh, never heard about that, thanks. ;)s

[Fifty_Calories 619]

FT Blockhaus Schneider? lol? 

[SaLoED 743]

Nice read, thank you !

[Retu 220]

Couple of interesting tidbits.

 

Did you know that the front wheels of the Renault FT-17 were actually made out of wood?

 

[spoiler][/spoiler]

 

And Germans kept using French Somuas almost right up until the end. This destroyed Somua was photographed near Tornio, Finland on 29.10.1944.

 

[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Lord_Waka 1,932]

Couple of interesting tidbits.

 

Did you know that the front wheels of the Renault FT-17 were actually made out of wood?

 

[spoiler][/spoiler]

 

And Germans kept using French Somuas almost right up until the end. This destroyed Somua was photographed near Tornio, Finland on 29.10.1944.

 

[spoiler][/spoiler]

For the Somua, yes, I know that, but after 1942, that was training tanks wich have to fight on the frontline due to the critical situation. And to be honest, I won't talk of the Beutepanzers, that's a enorme subject. I think I will kept the French Beuteupanzer for a other article ^^'

 

For the FT-17, I discover anything. 

[PorcoRosso86 569]

Thank you waka, beautiful informations about french tanks... many things i don't know them

[xx_CoolHand_xx 511]

And Germans kept using French Somuas almost right up until the end. This destroyed Somua was photographed near Tornio, Finland on 29.10.1944.

Germans used almost all captured French tanks 'right until the end'. The question is how and where.

 

Some Chars, Somuas and various other types were used as tanks at less critical battlefields - in Yugoslavia, Finland etc. Panhard armoured cars were used for recce purposes by several Panzerdivisions on the Eastern Front.

 

But, majority of captured French tanks were rebuilt into self-propelled artillery carriers, ammo carriers etc.

[Lord_Waka 1,932]

Germans used almost all captured French tanks 'right until the end'. The question is how and where.

 

Some Chars, Somuas and various other types were used as tanks at less critical battlefields - in Yugoslavia, Finland etc. Panhard armoured cars were used for recce purposes by several Panzerdivisions on the Eastern Front.

 

But, majority of captured French tanks were rebuilt into self-propelled artillery carriers, ammo carriers etc.

You sure ?

 

For me, the majority was used against the french resistance, yugoslavians partisans, and for training, even if a lot were used as SPG or ammo carrier....

 

 

Thank you waka, beautiful informations about french tanks... many things i don't know them

Thanks you ! 

[xx_CoolHand_xx 511]

You sure ?

 

 

About what?

 

EDIT: I'm counting not only 'tanks' as such, but 'armoured carriers' too - because whether equipped with 37, 50, or 75mm cannons, they were used for armoured warfare a lot. Here a rough list of French tanks and armoured vehicles as in German service during WWII:

 

- Char B1: some used for training as PzKpfw B1 (f) Fahrschulewagen, 24 modified as flamethrowers  as PzKpfw B1-bis (Flamm), and few modified to carry a 105mm howitzer

 

- Chenillette Lorraine Type 37L (supply carrier): about 360 captured and pressed into service as Lorraine Schlepper (f), as ammo- and artillery-tractors etc. 170 converted to 7.5cm Pak40/1 auf Geschützwagen Lorraine Schlepper (f), or simply 'Marder I', in July/August 1942. 94 converted to 15cm sFH13/1 (Sf)... and 12 to 10.5cm leFH18 (Sf) auf Geschützwagen Lorraine Schlepper (f) etc... BTW, there was one example that received the Soviet 122mm howitzer too, and became known as the 12.2cm Kanone (r) auf Geschützwagen Lorraine (f).

 

- Hotchkiss H-35 & H-39: around 550 captured and pressed into service by Wehrmacht as tanks though with installation of a German radio and a new, flat-roof cupola. Most of these were used for occuppation duties, but 24 were later converted to 7.5cm Pak 40 L/48 auf Gw 39H (f) and 48 to 10.5cm Panzer Feldhaubitze 18 auf Sfh 39 (f)

 

- Panhard AMD 178: about 190 entered service with Wehrmacht as SdKfz 178 Panzerspähwagen P204 (f) and saw intensive use on the Eastern Front in 1941 (more than 100 lost by the end of that year, though). 43 were then modified to serve as railway-protection vehicles. 30 (in total) were still in service on the Eastern Front even as of May 1943. Some 30 additional examples were captured when Germany overrun Vichy France. These were re-armed with the 50mm L/60 in open-topped turret and used for internal security purposes well through 1944.

 

- Renault FT-17: PzKpfw 18R 730(f), used mainly for internal security (guarding German airfields in France, for example)

 

- Renault AMR-33VM & AMR-35ZT: PzSpWg VM 701 (f) and PzSpWg ZTI 702 (f), quite a few captured (French Army lost nearly 75% of them during the first few days of the May 1940 campaign because of their poor reliability); shortly used for recce purposes, driver training and security duties in 1940-1941.

 

- Renault R-35: quite a few captured in 1940 (over 800) and saw widespread service with Wehrmacht; basic tank was used for recce on the Eastern Front in 1941-1942 as PzKpfw R-35 (4.7cm). Meanwhile, many had their turrets removed and were used for towing artillery or carrying ammo (Munitionspanzer 35R (f)). Others received a new superstructure mounting Skoda's 4.7cm Pak (4.7cm Pak(t) auf Panzerkampfwagen 35R(f) ohne Turm), of which around 100 were still in service as of D-Day June 1944 (see Schnelle Brigade 30), and during the Battle of Arnheim. Another batch was converted to 10.5cm leFH 18 auf GW 35R, and few carried an 80mm mortar (Mörserträger 35R (f)).

 

- Renault UE (supply carrier): over 3000 captured by Germans and saw widespread service as artillery tractors, or as Gepanzerter Munitionsschlepper UE (f), some converted to carry 3.7 Pak as 3.7 Pak (Sf) auf Infanterie Schlepper UE (f), some to carry rockets (with Wurfrahmen) etc., etc. etc... at least 40 in service as artillery observation vehicles with 21.PD in Normandy, 1944..

 

- Somua S35: around 300 captured and pressed into service as PzKpfw 35-S 739(f), with flat cupolla and radio; primarily used for training before PR.211 was sent to Finland, in June 1942, while others were deployed in Yugoslavia by the SS Division Prinz Eugen. At least a dozen still in service as of December 1944.

Edited March 5, 2015 by xx_CoolHand_xx

[Lord_Waka 1,932]

-UPDATE- Added the Renault UE and the 37L at the end of the last article, in a new category (Logistic vehicules)

[xSLPDxMabzie55 100]

Armor on French vehicles mainly consisted of week-old baguettes.

Except the Char B1... Those baguettes were at least three weeks old.


Anyway it would have been nice to see French armor conduct a major offensive in 1939, would have saved the world a lot of trouble. Unfortunately the French military was dead set against an offensive war, which ultimately led to their downfall.

[Waroch 2,008]

Beware of that kind of badly done revisionist history. Poland was isolated and out of reach at the start of the conflict, the result of years of questionable diplomatic policies. To give the Polish army a chance to keep standing for at least a few months, it would have required a massive salient in Germany's western defenses in the opening week of the war. At that time the French army was in no way capable of breaching into a fortified frontier guarded by more than 30 divisions, even more so in the prospect of a sudden strike. The industry, although growing rapidly in capacity, was still not able to sustain prolonged offensive operations.

September 39 was simply too late or too early for any kind of direct offensive.

[fdsdh1 1,290]

the Somua was a great tank

 

 

 

I really like that armoured car too, the French make some pretty awesome armoured cars today too! AMX10RC

[olife1 706]

+1 WAKA !great read!thx for sharing!!

[Waroch 2,008]

Yep, the S35 wasn't half bad. There's a well known story of Somua tankers who converted to Shermans in 1943. They cut out the SOMUA plaque and stuck it on their M4. It tells how much they were fond of their little beast!

[ThomasElsass67 305]

Yep, the S35 wasn't half bad. There's a well known story of Somua tankers who converted to Shermans in 1943. They cut out the SOMUA plaque and stuck it on their M4. It tells how much they were fond of their little beast!

 

 

Thanks for this little story, i never knew that. :yes: