Somua S-35, Char S-35

Somua S-35 tank at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds:

Nick Francis

Somua S-35 tank at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds:

Nick Francis

S-35, ?, SAu-40

In the early 1930s the calvary issued specifications for a Automitrailleuse de Combat (AMC).⁸ It was built by a Schneider subsidiary called Société d'Outillage Mécanique et d'Usinage d'Artillerie (SOMUA)^7,8 at Saint Ouen. It was initially called the AMC SOMUA AC-3 but it was decided to make it the standard medium tank of the French army and was then designated the Char S-35. S being short for SOMUA and 35 the year of it's introduction.⁸

It entered service in 1936 and by June 1940, around 500 had been produced.⁸ When Germany invaded about 250 were in front-line service.

There were three cast sections that were bolted together.^7,8 The lower section stretched the full length, with the engine, transmission, controls and suspension were mounted.⁷ The other armored sections were then bolted to the top rim of the lower section.⁷ The rear section covering the engine and transmission.⁷ The front section covered the fighting compartment and held the turret.⁷

The turret was electrically traversed.⁸ The turret only had room for the commander which hampered it in fighting against the Germans. The turret was identical to the one used on the Char B1-bis and the D2. The commander sat on a saddle in the APX 4 turret, which rotated around a pole mounted in the floor.⁷

The driver was located on the left^7,8 of the hull and had a hatch that was in front of him which was usually left open when the tank moved behind the lines. The radio operator sat on the right.^7,8 The normal way to enter and exit the tank for the driver and radio operator was through a door on the left side of the hull.⁸ There was also a floor escape hatch.⁸

A double differential system was used for steering.⁷ There were two assemblies of four bogie wheels mounted in pairs on articulated arms that were controlled by semi-elliptic leaf springs.⁷ One bogie wheel was mounted independently in the rear on a coil spring.⁷ The wheels were made of steel, with rims that ran in a groove in the tracks.⁷ Two return rollers also ran in the grooves.⁷

There were supposed to be two radios installed.⁷ There was a shortage of radios and about 80% of the S-35s did not have them.

The engine was on the left in the rear and a self-sealing gas tank on the right. There was a fireproof bulkhead separating the fighting compartment from the engine.⁸ The idler was located in front and the drive sprocket in the rear.

One fault that was discovered during combat was that the upper and lower hull halves were joined by a ring of bolts, if an anti-tank round hit the seem it could split apart the hull.^7,8

The 47 mm L/34 had a muzzle velocity of 2,200'/sec.⁷ The 47 mm AP shell weighed 3.8 lbs and had a muzzle velocity of 2,805'/sec.⁹

Organization

There were 13 tank battalions in four Divisions Cuirassées de Réserve (Reserve Cavalry Divisions).⁸ Each battalion had 34 tanks.⁸

Each mechanized cavalry division would have a regiment of S-35s.

Attack at Crécy-sur-Serre

On May 11, 1940, Charles DeGaulle was made commander of the 4th Armored Division.⁸

In the attack on the bridge at Crécy-sur-Serre on May 19, 1940, Charles DeGaulle used two companies (20 in each company) of S-35s that he had received at reinforcements.⁸ Unfortunately due to poor coordination with air cover, the French S-35s were pounced on by Stukas.⁸

S-40:

In 1940 an improved model with a modified suspension and a 220 hp engine was started, but few had been completed by the fall of France.

SAu-40:

Self propelled gun with a 75 mm gun to the right of the driver and a new turret. Only a prototype was completed.

German Use:

PzKpfw 35-S 739(f):

Was considered the best tank faced by the Germans in the invasion of France. By mid-1941 many were issued to German units. From 1941-1944 many were used by training units. Used by the 211th Panzerabteilung in Finland in June 1941. Also in Normandy in June 1944. They were used in Panzer detachments along with the H-38. The commanders being given the S-35s. Several hundred were given to Italy. Had a FuG5 radio installed.³

Sources:

1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
2. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
3. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
4. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
5. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
6. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
7. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
8. Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
9. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?