Hotchkiss H35 french light tank ww2

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German soldiers examining the APX turret on an H-35.

H 35 40129

H 35 named L’Ogre

H 35 6

H 35 white 21

H35 40338 rear view

French children play on abandoned H 35 40004

French children play on abandoned tank H35 40004

Abandoned tank H-35 40257

H-35 tanks and Lorraine 37L

Overturned tank H35 number 36 and Renault UE 93612

H35 40370

H35 white 89

H35 code 85

H-35 tanks during parade in Rheims 1939 2

Destroyed H-35 and Panhard AMD 35

Destroyed H-35 code 31 2

H-35 tanks rear view 2

Captured French tank H-35

Captured French cavalry tank H-35 2

H-35 code 31 with trench crossing tail

H35 1940

Abandoned H-35 near Sedan 1940

Overturned tank H35 code 19 40145

Blown-up H-35

Char léger modèle 1935 H code 27 rear

H-35 40317

H-35 tanks during parade in Rheims 1939

H-35 tanks

The tank has been hit and penetrated through the front armour

H-35 tanks Ardenes Spring 1940

H-35 40371

Hotchkiss H-35 314 and 315 in Yugoslavia

Hotchkiss H-35 number 314 and 315 in german service, Yugoslavia

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 (f) winter camouflage

Abandoned Hotchkiss H-35 tank coded “white 8”

Hotchkiss H35 40872

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 3

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 15

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 8

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 (f) 4

Hotchkiss H-38 tank number 40555

Hotchkiss H-35 tank number 83

Destroyed Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 (f)

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 26

Hotchkiss H-35 and Renault R-35 tanks captured intact

Hotchkiss H-35 40375 and R-35 tanks captured intact

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 5

Hotchkiss H-35 tanks photo

German soldiers posing beside a Hotchkiss H38

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 1

Hotchkiss H-38 tanks

Hotchkiss H-39 tanks with heart emblem, France 1940

Hotchkiss H-39 tanks in german service

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 17

Renault R 35 rear number 50728

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 25

Hotchkiss H35 number 82

Hotchkiss H 35 tank

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 12

Hotchkiss H 39 white 94

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 7

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 14

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 22

Hotchkiss H 35 number 93 and Peugeot 202

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 19

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 6

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 16

Hotchkiss H 35 number 40

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 2

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 21

Hotchkiss H35 number 16

Hotchkiss H 39 France 1940

Whitewashed German Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 (f) 9

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 10

Hotchkiss H-35 and Somua S-35 22360 “White 37”

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 13

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 18

Hotchkiss H-39 after capture by German forces in France, Summer 1940

Hotchkiss H-39 tank

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 11

Hotchkiss H 35 40093

Hotchkiss H-35 tank 40179 after capture by German forces in France, Summer 1940

Hotchkiss H-35 tank 40179, abandoned at the side of the road somewhere in France after the german attack in May 1940

Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734 f 23

Hotchkiss H-35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French light tank developed prior to World War II.
In the early 30’s of XX century French general headquarters decided to introduce new tanks to support infantry and cavalry. In 1934 tank Hotchkiss H-35 designed as a vehicle supporting cavalry units. He was unified with the designed at the same time infantry support tank Renault R-35. Both tanks have slightly different shape of the hull and equipment. Tank crew was consisted of two people: the driver was sitting in the hull, and the commander in the turret. It was the biggest drawback of this vehicle, because the commander had to simultaneously operate the cannon and coupled with it machine gun and conduct observations of the battlefield and issue orders. Tank Hotchkiss H-38 was further developed version of tank H-35, was equipped with a more powerful engine with 120hp and a thickened armor. In 1939 was introduced to model Hotchkiss H-39, which has reinforced armor and changed the main armament.
The German army after the defeat of France won the 600 tanks of the H-35 family, which after renovate and modernize the weapons were adopted as a Panzerkampfwagen 35H 734(f). Some vehicles have been converted into self-propelled guns with 105mm howitzers and 75 mm guns, 11 vehicles were armed with missile launchers 280 or 320 mm.
Armour: 40mm, main armament: 37 mm SA18 gun. Production: ~1200 tanks.

Bibliography:

Panzer Tracts No. 19-1: Beute-Panzerkampfwagen Czech, Polish and French Tanks Captured from 1939 to 1940 – Thomas L. Jentz and Werner Regenberg
Les véhicules blindés français 1900-1944 – Touzin Pierre (french)