SOMUA S35
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The vehicle was designed and manufactured by the
Société d'Outillage Mécanique et d'Usinage d'Artillerie (SOMUA) and comes
from a requirement from the French High Command in 1931. It was a tank for
the cavalry, fast, well armed and well protected. It was the world first
tank made of whole cast armor instead of bolted plates.
It entered in service with the French army in
1935/1936 and a total of 430 Somua S35 had been delivered until the defeat,
they all saw action. Due to the French tactics at the time it was not used
to its best effect. Many experts regarded the Somua S35, in 1940, as the
best medium tank in the world. Equipped with excellent cast and sloped
armor, the tank was considered hard to kill by German anti-tank gun teams as
well as by German tank crews.
One other advantage was that it was able to turn on the spot because of
differential steering (like on the B1bis) which allowed both tracks to go in
opposite directions (without moving forward), one track was slowed down
while the opposite track was accelerated.
Other unusual for the time feature
concerning the Somua S35 is the automatic fire extinguishing system. Made by
"Telecamit", it is made of 3 pressurized tanks containing each a litre of
methyl bromide. Situated between the access hatch and the firewall and near
the driver, the tanks are connected to sprinklers set around "hot "spots" (carburettors,
fuel dump, fuel tanks, etc.).
Length : 5.38m
Width : 2.12m
Height : 2.62m
Crew : 3 men (Commander, driver, radio operator)
Maximum armor : 47mm
Maximum speed : 45 km/h (Somua V8 engine, water cooled, gasoline, 190 hp at
2000 rpm, up to 2300 rpm, 12700 cm3)
Transmission : 5 forward, 1 reverse
Diameter of turning circle at 6 km/h : 12m (Jentz)
Autonomy : 255 km (on road)
Ground pressure : 0.85 kg/cm² (compared to 0.73 for PzIIc, 0.92 for a Pz III
e/f and 0.83 for PzIV d)
Armament : a 47mm SA35 L/32 gun (28 HE and 90 AP - traverse 360° and
elevation -18 to +18°) and a coaxial 7.5mm MAC1931 in the turret (3750
rounds, RoF = 750 rpm, traverse 10° left and right and elevation -18 to
+18°).
Detailed armor thickness (mm) :
Turret Front : 42mm/0° + gun and CMG mantlet (42mm)/round covering about 50%
of the front surface
Turret Sides : 42mm/23°
Turret Rear : 42mm/24° (rear hatch is 42mm thick)
Turret Top : 30mm/74° and 90°
Copula : 40mm/25° and 90° (round)
Hull Front, Upper : 47mm/21°
Hull Front, Lower : 47mm/round
Hull Sides, Upper : 40mm/15°
Hull Sides, Lower : 40mm, 25mm+10mm/0° + protective skirting plates to
protect the wheels
Hull Rear : 35mm/0° and 25mm/30°
Hull Top : 25mm/82° and 90°
Hull Bottom : 20mm/90°
47mm SA35 L/32 - in German service : 4.7cm KwK 173(f)
Practical AT range : 800-1000m
Ammunition :
Obus de rupture Mle1935 (APC) - in German service : Pzgr 176(f)
Caliber : 47x193R mm
Weight of projectile : 1.620 kg (sometimes 1.625 kg is indicated)
Length of projectile : 145mm (length of the case : 193mm and total length of
the shell : 325mm)
V° = 660 m/s (sometimes 680 m/s is indicated)
Penetration : 40mm/30° at 400m
Obus explosif Mle1932 (HE) - in German service: Sprgr 175(f)
Caliber : 47x193R mm
Weight of projectile : 1.410 kg (142g explosive)
Length of projectile : 183mm
V° = 590 m/s
Source:
David Lehmann
Documents from Aberdeen Proving Grounds
German Documents from the National Archives
Panzertruppen