Landships II

eugene · Field Marshal

info on Char D2

Tim R · Hero

Here you go Eugene

http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/renault_d2.htm

http://www.chars-francais.net/maquettes/renault-d2.htm

Enjoy!!!!

All The Best

Tim R.

eugene · Field Marshal

thanks

frogott to check out chars-francais a trully great site for french tanks

eugene · Field Marshal

After looking over the site and my own sources I found out that I ahve a lot less on the D3 that I thought

Does any one ahve any good photos or scans that you can post?

I am trying to get enough info to scratch build a D3 or a D2

SASH155 · Major

Eugene: The Renault D-2 was produced to the tune of 100 vehicles and saw combat in May/June 1940 with de Gaulle's 4�me DCR (Division Cuirass�e) in the 19�me BCC (Brigade de Chars de Combat) but also with the 345�me (aka. 1/19 BCC), 346�me and 350�me CACCs (Compagnies Autonomes de Chars de Combat). The first fifty built (between early 1935 and early 1937), delivered between May 1936 and February 1937, were armed with 47mm SA-34 guns; the last fifty, armed at the 11th hour with the longer 47mm SA-35 gun, were delivered in the spring of 1940, just barely in time to face the Germans. Twenty turrets from the earlier tanks were sent back to Rueil for conversion with the more powerful weapon from March 1940, and as a result de Gaulle had a force with both versions. The CACCs all had 15 each of the later upgunned version. There was also the earlier D-1, of which 160 were built between January 1932 and early 1935, later rebuilt with an ST-2 turret (most early ones had an FT-17 turret fitted due to develpment problems with the intended turrets and only ten very early ones were delivered with the deficient early ST-1 turret in 1931). Most D-1s tanks were armed with an old 47mm mle. 1902 naval gun, although the last batches built had the much more modern 47mm SA-34. The D-3 was a one off, solely experimental, called a "Char Colonial". It had an unusual track designed for use in rough terrain (ie: in the Rif in Morocco). It was also armed with a 47mm gun (the mle. 1902 no doubt). The tank was delivered in April 1932 and abandoned only a month later due to its thin armor, alleged insufficient speed (although the specs. stated at least 32km/hour) and for being overweight. It was apparently used in self propelled gun experiments subsequently. If I were building one of these I would build either the D-1 or D-2 as they actually saw service, unless experimental types are your thing. I will attach photos of all of these vehicles. The D-2 with the SA-35 gun from the 345�me CACC was taken in 1940 heading for the front past refugees going the other way. The D-1 with the ST-2 turret is seen in Tunisia in 1943 in operations against the Germans. The "D-3" is a photo from Pierre Touzin, who said in his book that it was probably of that tank, and he was not even totally certain that the tank was in fact a D-3, although with some detective work he was reasonably assured that it was. Enjoy

-- Edited by SASH155 at 19:35, 2005-12-28

eugene · Field Marshal

thanks for the info, but I just realized, this isnt the CHAR I was wondering about, I was wondering of the wwi protype replacements, for the char d'assult schneider, that was the char 2, char 3 I was wondering about, but thanks for this early ww2 armor info, just as interesting, as a matter of fact, I was toying around with an idea of making a SOMUA tank in a dio with an old ft-17

SASH155 · Major

Great, I am glad it is of use to you. That SOMUA S-35 might be in better company with a Hotchkiss H-39 light tank, the other tank with which the DLMs (Divisions L�g�res M�chaniques) were equipped. The FT-17 was still in use in 1940 with three independent CACCs (10 tanks each) and with eight organic to reserve infantry division BCCs (63 vehicles each) if you also include "le Battaillon Coloniale", part of "l'Arm�e des Alpes" that checked the Italians at the border (and even invaded Italy in return!) in June 1940 when France's back was up against the wall (the infamous "stab in the back"). I'm your French tank or anything else go to person when you need info, as I have loads of French language publications on French hardware old and modern. For English languages sources, try to pick up Steven J. Zaloga's now long out of print Squadron/Signal "Blitzkrieg" and his book on the FT-17 from Osprey, unfortunately also out of print and the only one they ever did on a French tank from any era. I would love to see a few of their treatments done in future on the S-35, Char B-1, AMX-30 MBT etc...