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Somua S-35, Char S-35, Char de Cavalerie 35S (Somua)10

S-35 Cavalry tank:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank 		S-35 Cavalry tank:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank		 S-35 Cavalry tank:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank		 S-35 Cavalry tank:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank
S-35 Cavalry tank, used by the Germans:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank, used by the Germans		 S-35 Cavalry tank at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds
Nick Francis 		S-35 Cavalry tank at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds
Nick Francis 		S-35 Cavalry tank:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank
S-35 Cavalry tank, used by the Germans:
France's S-35 Cavalry tank, used by the Germans		 S-35, unknown, SAu-40:
S-35, unknown, SAu-40		    

Design

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 left7,8 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

Production

Variants

Usage

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

German Use:

  Somua S-35, Char de Cavalerie 35S (Somua)10
Crew Commander, driver, radio operator7
31,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 43,300 lb, 44,092 lb, 44,200 lb8, 44,800 lb
19.2 tons1,10, 19.5 tons5,7, 20 tons2,3,4, 22.1 tons9
19,500 kg1, 20,048 kg8, 20,363 kg,
Length w/gun 16', 17.33'4, 17.4'9, 17' 4", 17' 7.8"1,5,10, 17' 8", 17.9'8, 17' 10", 17' 11"
5.28 m, 5.3 m2, 5.38 m1,5,10, 5.4 m, 5.46 m3, 5.5 m8
Length w/o gun  
Height 8.58'4, 8.6'9, 8' 7.5", 8' 6", 8' 7"1,5,10, 8.8'8, 8' 10"
2.6 m, 2.62 m1,2,3,5,10, 2.7 m8
Width 6', 6.9'9, 6.93'8, 6.94'4, 6' 11"1, 6' 11.5"5,10, 7' 1"
1.85 m, 1.9 m, 2.1 m8, 2.11 m3, 2.12 m1,2,5,6,10
Ground clearance 1' 4.5"9
0.42 m2
Ground contact length 128"9
Ground pressure 12 psi, 12.1 psi9, 13.08 psi, 13.1 psi8
0.85 (kg/cm2)2, 0.9 (kg/cm2)8
Turret ring diameter  
Armament  
Main 47 mm1,4
47 mm L/322
47 mm SA355,8
47 mm L/343,7
47 mm SA35 L/349
1: 47 mm SA-35 L/3210
Secondary  
MG 7.5 mm MG1
MG2
7.5 mm Model 31 Chatellerault M69
MG - coaxial 7.5 mm MG4,5,8
7.5 mm Model 31
7.5 mm Reibel MG7
1: 7.5 mm MG10
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main 1182,3,8,9
Secondary  
MG 1,2502,3,8,9
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) Front: 1.4"9
Side: 1.6"9
20 - 555, 401,4, 4710
Hull: 418
Turret: 568
Hull Front, Upper 352, 407
36@22°3
Hull Front, Lower 35, 407
36 round3
Hull Sides, Upper 402,4
35@22°3
Hull Sides, Lower 407
10+25@0°3
Hull Rear 352
35@0°3 & 25@30°3
Hull Top 202
20@82°3 & 20@90°3
Hull Bottom 202
20@90°3
Turret Front

2.2"9, 552
56@0°3
Mantlet: 56 round3
Turret Sides 1.8"9, 452, 567
46@22.5°3
Turret Rear 452
46@22.5°3
Turret Top 282
30@70.5°3 & 30@90°3
Engine (Make / Model) SOMUA1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9
Cooling Water2,4,8,9
Cylinders V-84,5,10, 81,2,3,8,9
Net HP 1901,4,5,7,10, 190@ 2,000 rpm2,3,8,9
Transmission 5 forward, 1 reverse2,9
Steering Overlapping differential9
Starter  
Electrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel type Gasoline1,2,4,5,8
Octane  
Capacity 108 gallons, 109 gallons9
410 liters2
Fuel consumption - road 1.5 mpg9
Fuel consumption - cross country 0.7 mpg9
Power to weight ratio 10 hp/ton8
Performance  
Traverse 360°, electric3,9, hand9
MG: 10° left and right
Max Speed 23 mph8,9, 24.8 mph5, 25 mph4,7,10, 25.3 mph1
37 kph2,3,8, 40 kph5, 40.7 kph1, 41 kph10
Cross Country speed 14.3 mph
Road radius 143 miles1,5, 155.4 miles, 159.7 miles, 160 miles7,8,10, 161 miles9
120 km, 230 km1,5, 257 km3,8,10, 260 km2
Cross Country radius 80 miles9
128 km2
Turning Radius 39'
12 m2
Elevation Limits -18° to +18°3
Fording depth 2' 7", 3' 3"5, 39.4"9
0.8 m, 1 m2,5
Trench crossing 5' 3", 7'5, 7' 8", 7.8'8
1.6 m, 2.3 m5,8
Vertical Obstacle 1' 8", 2' 8"5
0.76 m5
Suspension (Type) Leaf springs2,9
Wheels each side 92.7, (4 pairs of 2 on springs, 1 on own spring)7
Return rollers each side 27
Tracks (Type)  
Length  
Width 1' 2", 14.2"9
360 mm2
Number of links 1029
Pitch 4.1"9
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 5.6'9

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. -
  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?
  10. Western Allied Tanks 1939-45, David Porter, 2009
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