Hotchkiss H35
| Company type | Light tank |
|---|---|
| Industry | Military vehicles |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Tanks |
Hotchkiss H35 was a French cavalry tank developed prior to World War II. Initially conceived in 1933 as a heavily armored but slow light tank intended for infantry support, it was ultimately declined by the French Infantry due to poor cross-country maneuverability and later adopted by the French Cavalry in 1936.
An enhanced variant, the Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39, introduced from 1938, featured an upgraded engine and, starting in 1940, was equipped with a longer 37 mm cannon. Although plans aimed for at least 4,000 units to equip newly formed armored divisions as the standard light tank, production was restricted to approximately 1,200 vehicles because of France’s defeat in June 1940.
Captured Hotchkiss tanks were subsequently utilized by German forces and their allies, often modified for various roles.
Development
France’s objective in 1926 was to provide infantry divisions with light and cost-effective tanks (char d'accompagnement). The preceding Char D1 failed to meet expectations in terms of weight and cost. In response, Hotchkiss proposed a lighter model constructed from cast steel components in 1933. This proposal received approval on 30 June 1933, followed by formal specifications issued on 2 August for a six-ton vehicle with armor thickness of 30 mm. Three prototypes were commissioned from Hotchkiss alongside competing designs from other manufacturers.
Renault produced the initial prototype which would evolve into the Renault R35. Hotchkiss’s first prototype appeared on 18 January 1935 but lacked armor plating and turret; it underwent testing until March before being replaced by a second prototype tested until May. Both early versions were rejected after armor requirements increased to 40 mm on 21 June 1934. The third prototype, delivered on 19 August 1935 with a cast APX turret and redesigned hull, passed acceptance trials.
An initial order for 200 vehicles was placed on 6 November 1935, with production commencing on 12 September 1936. Subsequent orders included 92 units on 7 September 1936 and another 108 on 23 January 1937. By January 1937, although 132 hulls had been manufactured, none had yet been fitted with turrets.
Rejection by the Infantry and adoption by the Cavalry
Testing conducted through December 1936 revealed that the Hotchkiss H35 exhibited poor handling across rough terrain, rendering it unsuitable for infantry support roles. As a result, the Infantry initially declined further procurement, eventually accepting only the final hundred tanks to equip two battalions: the 13e and 38e Bataillon de Chars de Combat.
However, halting production was politically unfeasible. Consequently, the first batch of 300 vehicles was offered to the Cavalry branch, which accepted them due to budget limitations restricting alternative tank acquisitions. The Cavalry’s greater reliance on roads and mounted infantry reduced the impact of handling deficiencies. The H35’s theoretical maximum speed reached , slightly surpassing the Renault R35’s , although its average operational speed was often lower because of an inferior gearbox.
Description
The Hotchkiss H35 measured approximately long, wide, and tall, weighing between . Its hull consisted of six bolted cast armor sections sealed with Aslic, a tar-lime compound that enhanced armor sealing. The hull featured sloped armor designed to improve deflection capabilities. Despite this, maximum armor thickness only reached , falling short of specifications and exhibiting inconsistent quality due to variability among subcontractors causing either softness or brittleness.
The crew comprised two members: a driver seated front-right behind a large double hatch adjacent to the combined gearbox and steering assembly. Driving was physically demanding; unlike its Renault counterpart equipped with a Cleveland differential, this tank’s steering response was unpredictable. Weak braking systems and difficulty engaging fifth gear limited practical top speed and control, contributing to mechanical unreliability.
Suspension included three bogies per side employing bell crank "scissors" connected to horizontal helical springs supporting rubber-rimmed wheels. The sprocket wheel was positioned at the front while a sprung idler at the rear maintained track tension. Early production bogies had curved sides whereas later versions were straight.
The engine compartment at the rear contained a left-mounted six-cylinder, six-cylinder engine producing 78 hp from a displacement of 3485 cc. Cooling was managed by a centrifugal pump and fan system that also cooled the fuel tank. Fuel capacity totaled 180 liters, enabling an operational range exceeding over mixed terrain. The tank could negotiate trenches up to wide, wade through water depths reaching , ascend slopes up to a gradient of 75% on firm ground, and maintain adequate ground clearance of .
Its APX-R turret mirrored that used on the R35/R40 series: constructed from cast steel with armor thickness of , armed with a short-barreled 37 mm SA 18 gun capable of penetrating only armor thicknesses up to . Turret rotation was manual via handwheel; the commander sat on a suspended seat inside.
Ammunition load included roughly one hundred rounds for the main gun alongside approximately 2,400 rounds for a coaxial 7.5 mm Reibel machine gun stored in fifteen circular magazines. The turret had a rotating cupola fitted with a PPL RX 180 P visor but lacked an integrated hatch; observation relied on vision devices such as binocular periscopes and diascopes distributed around the turret.
For improved visibility, the commander could open a rear turret hatch to expose himself—an approach that carried risk—or operate enclosed using narrow slits or visors which limited situational awareness. Both this configuration and weak armament drew criticism from Cavalry units. To enhance firepower, some tanks were modified with enlarged breeches allowing special ammunition that increased muzzle velocity to about and penetration capability up to roughly , though barrel wear issues prevented widespread adoption.
In spring 1940, many units replaced original Chrétien-type diascopes with more protective episcopes for improved crew safety.
The Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39
To fulfill the Cavalry's requirement for increased velocity, a prototype developed in 1937 replaced the initial 78 hp engine with a more robust 120 hp unit. This upgrade necessitated enlarging the hull and raising the engine deck to accommodate the new powerplant. Enhancements to the tracks and suspension resulted in a higher weight of . This iteration achieved a maximum speed of , improving drivability and addressing earlier Infantry concerns. On 31 January 1939, it was submitted to the Commission d'Expérimentations de l'Infanterie and subsequently approved as the Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39. By 18 February, this model was designated to succeed the original starting from vehicle number 401. Initial orders totaling 200 units placed between 1937 and 1938 had already commenced production, later expanded to include 900 upgraded tanks. The factory referred to this series as Char léger Hotchkiss modèle 38 série D, following the série B, which caused some confusion; officially, it remained a variant of the H35 but was colloquially known as 38 H or 39 H.
This variant was distinguished by a raised, more angular engine deck (eventually fitted with transverse ventilation slits), a reduced operational range of , enclosed idler wheels, tracks measuring wide (wider than previous versions), metal treads replacing rubber ones on road wheels, an exhaust silencer positioned at the rear, and larger, more efficient ventilators.
A modernization effort in 1940 introduced episcopes, tail lights, radios, and progressively equipped approximately 350 vehicles—including about fifty H35s—with an extended L/35 37 mm SA38 gun that enhanced anti-tank capabilities (penetration at ). This armament became standard starting April 1940, with initial installations in January on command variants. The objective was to fully equip all units by late that year. Postwar interpretations sometimes differentiated models with only the upgraded engine as H38 and those with both engine and gun improvements as H39, though contemporaneous sources treated them as a single type.
Although an H40 model featuring enhanced AMX suspension was considered alongside the R40, it was ultimately not pursued.
France
Within the Cavalry branch, Hotchkiss tanks initially replaced lighter AMR 33 and AMR 35 vehicles as primary combat tanks. Due to limited production of the medium SOMUA S35 until early 1939, Hotchkiss tanks equipped three out of four divisional tank regiments.
In April 1940, following Operation Weserübung, the 342e CACC (Compagnie Autonome de Chars de Combat) deployed to Norway armed with fifteen H39 tanks featuring short-barreled guns. After engagements during the latter stages of the Battles of Narvik, twelve of these vehicles retreated to Britain on 8 June, joining the Free French forces as the 1e Compagnie de Chars de Combat de la France Libre. This unit subsequently participated in combat against Vichy troops during the Battle of Gabon and operations in Syria.
At World War II’s outset, deliveries had reached 640 Hotchkiss tanks. Of the 300 H35s assigned to Cavalry units, 232 were operational across ten squadrons while others were held in depots or undergoing maintenance; sixteen were stationed in North Africa. Infantry forces operated ninety out of one hundred H35s across two battalions along with reserves and training vehicles. For H39s, approximately 180 served within four Infantry battalions plus reserves and North African detachments. Allied manufacturing concentrated on producing a single light tank model—the Hotchkiss—due to its mobility aligning with planned armored divisions for a projected offensive in 1941. British and Portuguese industries contributed by fabricating cast armor sections aiming for monthly outputs of 300 units by October 1940 and increasing to 500 by March 1941. Britain agreed to supply armor components in exchange for nine monthly deliveries of Char B1 tanks. Planned production for R40 models was limited to about 120 per month, reflecting diminished focus on infantry support tanks.
These production strategies were disrupted by the Battle of France. In May 1940, Hotchkiss tanks were assigned to two regiments (each with forty-seven vehicles) within three Mechanised Light Divisions and served as AMRs in both the 9th and 25th Mechanised Infantry Divisions (sixteen vehicles each), as well as in the 3rd DLM (twenty-two H35s and forty-seven H39s) and three Cavalry Light Divisions (sixteen vehicles each). Sixteen tanks formed part of 1er RCA stationed in Morocco. Infantry formations included two autonomous battalions plus two battalions each fielding forty-five H39s within three Divisions Cuirassées. Most Hotchkiss tanks operated alongside heavier armored units but suffered from mismatched speeds: slower H35s paired with faster SOMUA S35s; quicker H39s grouped with slower Char B1 models. The majority still carried short-barreled guns. Following the invasion, improvised units such as 4e DCR (forty vehicles) and 7e DLM (forty-seven) included newer long-gun variants, though 7e DLM deployed twenty-two older H35s within its 8e dragons-chars. Production peaked at one hundred twenty-two units in May; records show at least one hundred twenty-one produced in June, bringing total output beyond twelve hundred vehicles excluding prototypes.
Germany
Approximately 550 Hotchkiss tanks were seized and utilized by German forces under the designations Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734(f) and Panzerkampfwagen 38H 735(f), mainly assigned to occupation responsibilities. The distinction between the H38 and H39 variants was often overlooked by the Germans, who frequently equipped many with a cupola hatch.
Eastern Front
Panzer-Abteilung 211 deployed Hotchkiss tanks in Finland during Operation Barbarossa. In 1944, three of these vehicles were modified into 7.5 cm self-propelled guns. Additional Hotchkiss tanks were integrated into independent tank platoons (217, 218, and 219) attached to the 20th Mountain Army as of February 1942. Each platoon consisted of one SOMUA S35 and four Hotchkiss tanks. After these units were dissolved, the tanks were converted into static defenses while their crews formed two Stug III G assault gun batteries (741 and 742).
Balkans
Hotchkiss H35/39 tanks operated in Yugoslavia with formations such as the 7.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen", 12. Panzer-Kompanie z.b.V., and I./Panzer-Regiment 202. Vehicles initially used for training and security duties in France later participated in combat during the Normandy campaign with units including Panzer Abteilung 206, Panzer –Ersatz und Ausb. Abt. 100, and 200. Beute-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung.
Western Front
In 1942, Major Alfred Becker spearheaded a conversion program in Paris that adapted captured French vehicles to mount heavier weaponry. His team transformed 24 Hotchkiss tanks into the Marder I tank destroyer, designated 7,5 cm PaK40(Sf) auf Geschützwagen 39H(f), and converted another 48 into self-propelled artillery platforms known as 10,5 cm leFH18(Sf) auf Geschützwagen 39H(f), which were deployed within France. Additional adaptations included ammunition carriers, artillery tractors called Artillerieschlepper 38H(f), rocket launchers labeled Panzerkampfwagen 35H(f) mit 28/32 cm Wurfrahmen, and an artillery observation vehicle named Panzerbeobachtungswagen 38H (f). By June 1943, German Army records still listed 361 Hotchkiss tanks equipped with 37 mm guns; this figure dropped to sixty by December 1944.
Poland
In July 1939, France supplied three Hotchkiss H39 tanks to Poland for evaluation by the Polish Bureau of Technical Studies of Armoured Weapons with the intention of a larger procurement. During the German invasion later that year, these tanks, together with three Renault R35s, formed an improvised "half company" commanded by Lieutenant J. Jakubowicz. This unit was part of the "Dubno" task force but lost all vehicles due to fuel shortages amid combat against both German and Soviet forces.
Turkey
Two Hotchkiss H39 tanks were exported from France to Turkey in February 1940.
Bulgaria
In 1943, Germany delivered nineteen H39 tanks to Bulgaria for training purposes after being unable to supply their preferred Panzer I models. Following the war, these vehicles were reassigned for use by Bulgarian police forces.
Croatia
A limited number of Hotchkiss H39 tanks were provided to Croatia by Germany in 1942.
Hungary
Hungary received fifteen H39 tanks in October 1942, which formed the core of its 101st Independent Tank Company. This unit operated primarily in counter-insurgency roles across Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland. After suffering losses amounting to about thirty percent of its tanks in combat and destroying the remainder due to logistical difficulties, the company returned to Hungary by late 1944.
Vichy France
Within North Africa, a total of 27 Hotchkiss tanks—comprising thirteen H35s and fourteen H39s—were operated by the 1e Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique under the restrictions of the armistice. An additional five units were concealed in Morocco. These vehicles confronted Allied troops during the November 1942 Operation Torch near Casablanca, successfully destroying three M3 Stuart light tanks. Subsequently, the regiment aligned with the Allied forces and rearmed with M4 Sherman medium tanks by the summer of 1943.
Postwar
Following the conclusion of World War II, Hotchkiss tanks continued to serve with French security units stationed in colonial territories such as French Indochina, as well as with occupation forces in Germany. In 1948, ten H39 tanks were clandestinely transferred to Israel, shipped from Marseille to Haifa. At least one of these remained active within the Israel Defense Forces until 1952.
Surviving vehicles
Presently, one original Hotchkiss H35 and nine modifié 39 models are known to exist; the latter were further altered by German forces during WWII.
The sole unmodified H35 was discovered in December 2008 off Sainte-Cecile beach near Camiers, Pas-de-Calais, France. This turretless chassis is believed to originate from combat around Dunkerque in 1940. The Musée des Blindés located in Saumur intends to recover this vehicle for exhibition, although the retrieval process is both expensive and complex.
A Hotchkiss H35 modifié 39 is displayed at Norway’s Narvik War Museum as a tribute to the 1940 Battle of Narvik. Another example is part of Norway’s Panserparken collection at Rena leir. In the United Kingdom, The Wheatcroft Collection obtained one from Norway’s Arquebus Krigshistoriske Museum. France’s Musée des Blindés preserves an operational vehicle; additionally, a restored Hotchkiss fitted with a Renault R35 turret stands as a memorial at the 501/503e RCC base in Mourmelon-le-Grand. Other preserved tanks are exhibited in museums located in Užice, Serbia; Bulgaria’s National Museum of Military History; Israel’s Yad la-Shiryon Museum at Latrun; and Russia’s Kubinka Tank Museum, which houses a specimen captured from 211. Panzerabteilung in 1944.