Z100-030 HOTCHKISS H35 (EARLY) FRENCH LIGHT TANK

The Hotchkiss H-35 / H-39 is a French light tank from the interwar period and World War II. The first prototypes of this car were made in 1934, and serial production was carried out in the years 1936-1940. In total, about 1,200 tanks of this type of all versions were built. The drive was provided by a single Hotchkiss engine with a power of 78 HP. The wagon's hull was 4.22 m long and 1.95 m wide. The weight was 11 tons, and the operating range was approx. 130 kilometers. The main armament - in the H-35 version - was the 37mm SA18 cannon, and the secondary armament consisted of a single 7.5mm Reibel MAC31 machinegun. The Hotchkiss H-35 tank was developed for the needs of the French armed forces, which in the 1930s sought to replace the outdated Renault FT-17 vehicles with a much newer design. The new vehicle was supposed to be an infantry support vehicle, so the main emphasis was placed on the best possible armor (for this class of vehicles) and good armament, and the top speed was treated rather secondarily. Finally, a vehicle was created that is externally similar to the Renault R-35 and has many common features (e.g. cast armor). After its entry into service, the Hotchkiss H-35 was modernized, unofficially marked as H-39 (official name: Char leger models 1935 H modifie 1939), which primarily had an engine with a significantly greater maximum power, reaching up to 120 HP. It also featured an elevated engine compartment. From the beginning of 1940, the H-39 cars were delivered to units with a cannon The 37mm Puteaux SA38, which had better ballistic parameters than the gun SA18 of the same caliber. The H-35 / H-39 vehicles were used in combat in the 1940 campaign. It is worth adding that many cars of this type were captured by the Germans, who used them in various ways until 1944.