RENAULT R40
 


The Renault R40 is the final variation of the R35. It was developed by the Atelier de Construction d’Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) which introduced a brand new and better suspension that consisted of 12 pairs of small road-wheels on each side mounted in pairs, vertical coil springs, and protective skirting plates. This vehicle mounted the long barreled 37mm SA38 L/33 gun in the APX-R1 turret and had an AMX crossing tail. A little bit less than 120 tanks had been built from 10th May on only and put into service with the serial number 51541 to 51658. They equipped the 40e BCC (30 R40 and 15 R35), the 48e BCC (29 R40 and 16 R35), the reconstituted 28e BCC (24 R40 and 21 R35) in beginning June and two Polish companies in France (companies "Pagézy" and "Chabowski" with 15 R40 each).

Weight : 12t
Length : 4.02m
Width : 1.87m
Height : 2.13m
Crew : 2 men
Maximum armor : 43mm (APX-R turret is cast and hull is cast armor + RHA bolted elements)
Maximum speed : 20-23 km/h (Renault engine, 4 cylinders, gasoline, 85 hp, 5880 cm3, water cooled)
Transmission : 4 forward, 1 reverse
Autonomy : 140 km
Armament : a 37mm SA38 L/33 gun and a 7.5mm MAC1931 CMG (42 AP, 58 HE and 3000 cartridges - elevation of -16 to +20° and traverse of 5° right and 5° left but could be blocked to aim only with the turret rotation).

 

37mm SA38 L/33 - in German service : 3.7cm KwK 143(f)
   

Theoretical rate of fire : 15 rpm
Traverse of 5° right and 5° left (could be blocked to aim only with the turret rotation)
Telescopic sight : 4x (L.767 telescopic sight, range drum up to 1400m for the APC shells and 1600m for the coaxial MG, field of view 11.25°, + reticle)
Practical AT range : 600-800m


L767 Sight

Ammunitions :
Obus de rupture Mle1938 (APC) - in German service : Pzgr 146(f)
Caliber : 37x149R mm
Weight of projectile : 0.700 kg
Length of projectile : 103mm
V° = 705 m/s
Penetration : 30mm /30° at 400m

German tests with 3.7cm Pzgr 146(f) (source : Jentz):
100 meters = 29mm /30°
500 meters = 23mm /30°
1000 meters = 16mm /30°
1500 meters = 12mm /30°

Obus explosif Mle1938 (HE) - in German service : Sprgr 145(f)
Caliber : 37x149R mm
Weight of projectile : 0.670 kg (60 g explosive)
Length of projectile : 110mm
V° = 600 m/s
Equipped with a long RSA Mle1938 fuze



Source:
David Lehmann
German Documents from the National Archives
Panzertruppen