Renault Chasis?

[Von Lerner]

Were Renault Panzer Chassis extensively used? If so, what kind of German vehicles used their chaises? And, if you can do you have any photos of these conversed vehicles?

[David Lehmann]

Hello,

What kind of Renault vehicle would you like to talk about .... there were different tanks (and also many tankettes, trucks, cars etc.) used by the Germans ... as such or just the chassis indeed.

1) Renault UE

About 5,148 Renault UE (model 1931) and UE2 (model 1937) has been built for the French army (according to François Vauvillier's "L'automobile sous l'uniforme"). The German army captured some 3,000 UE tractors (of those many were damaged and were only used to provide spare parts I guess) and had them overhauled in an assembly plant at Paris (Issy-les-Moulineaux) under the direction of the M.A.N. company.
These tractors were used in different tasks :
• towing light infantry guns (leIG18) and 3.7cm PaKs
• towing 5.0cm, 7.5cm and 7.62cm Paks as well as heavy infantry guns (sIG33)
• transporting position material and seated wounded
• self-propelled mount for installed 3.7cm PaK and 2.5cm Pak112/113(f)
• scout car with installed machine gun
• armored car for the protection of airfields
• ammunition carrier +/- trailer to arm gun positions
• 28/32cm rocket launcher
• for training, simulating dummy tanks (T34s)
• artillery observation
....

A significant rebuilding was the Renault UE reconnaissance tank. By the Becker building staff, 24 tractors were equipped with an armored rear body in which radio equipment and observation personnel were housed. Several of these vehicles were used by the 21. PzD.

The Luftwaffe rebuilt UE tractors into genuine small tanks used for securing its airfields and bases. By installing machine guns behind shields and in armored balconies, small series of securing vehicles were created.
The French UE tractor is also used by the Luftwaffe for towing aircraft bombs. Large bombs were simply attached to chains and dragged over the ground. Sometimes transport sleds made of wood were also used to move the bombs.

UE 630(f)
• Infanterie UE-Schlepper (f)
• Mannschaftstransportwagen Renault UE(f) (2 different versions)
• Kleiner Funk- und Beobachtungspanzer auf Infanterie-Schlepper UE (f) (40 produced)
• Fernmeldekabel Kraftwagen Renault UE(f)
• Selbstfahrlafette für 3.7cm PaK auf Renault UE(f) (700 pieces)
• Selbstfahrlafette für 28/32cm Wurfrahmen auf Infanterie-Schlepper UE (f) (2 versions, 40 produced)
• Gepanzerte-MG-Träger Renault UE(f)
• Munitionsschlepper Renault UE(f)
• Sicherungsfahrzeug UE(f) – Luftwaffe security vehicles armed with 7.92mm and/or 13mm MGs
• Panzerkampfwagen Attrape auf UE(f) (dummy tank for training)
• Schneeschleuder auf Renault UE(f) (50 converted in snow ploughs in 1942)
• Schneefräser auf Renault UE(f) (snow milling)


2) Renault AMR light tanks

Panzerspähwagen VM 701(f) (AMR-33)

Panzerspähwagen ZT 702(f) (AMR-35)
• PSW ZT 702(f)
• some were possibly rearmed with 2cm KwK 30 or KwK 38 L/55 guns
• 8cm Granatwerfer auf PSW AMR35(f)

3) Panzerkampfwagen AMC 738(f) (Renault ACG-1)

4) Panzerkampfwagen 17R 730(f) (Renault FT 17)
Panzerkampfwagen 730c (f) is the cannon version and 730m (f) is the MG version. Many were used in armored trains or were given to the Luftwaffe as snow ploughs for airfields

5) Panzerkampfwagen 35R 731(f) (Renault R35)
• Panzerkampfwagen 35R 731(f)
• Befehlspanzer 35R (f) with a MG34 (26 produced)
• 4.7cm Pak(t) auf PzKpfw 35R (f) (200 produced)
• 5.0cm Pak38 auf PzKpfw 35R (f) (prototype)
• Mörserzugmittel 35R (f) (Artillerie-Schlepper – towing of 15cm and 21cm guns)
• Munitionspanzer 35R 731(f)
• Fahrschulpanzer
• Bergeschlepper 35R 731(f) (towing of vehicles)
• Security version on airfields, without turret and armed with a MG

6) Panzerkampfwagen 40 R 736(f) (Renault R40)

7) Panzerkampfwagen D1 732(f) (Renault D1)
I don't think they were really used.

8) Panzerkampfwagen D2 733(f) (Renault D2)
• Panzerkampfwagen D2 733(f)
• number of turrets was possibly sent to Croatia and mounted on armored trains

9) Panzerkampfwagen 770(f) (Renault YS)

10) Panzerkampfwagen B2 740(f) (Renault B1bis)
160 B2(f) tanks were used by the German army :
• Panzerkampfwagen B2(f)
• 10.5cm leFH18/3 auf Geschützwagen B2(f) (18 converted in 1942)
• Flammenwerferpanzer Renault B2 (f), retaining the turret-mounted 47mm, but with the hull-mounted 75mm replaced by a flamethrower (60 converted)
• Fahrschulpanzer B2(f) (turretless)

The French Renault company had also been mobilized by the German occupant to produce trucks and parts.
Most of the archives have disappeared during the allied bombings of 1944 but in François Vauvillier's book "l'automobile sous l'uniforme" it is indicated that about 28000 Renault trucks had been produced for the Germans during the occupation (AHS, AHN, AHR, AGC, ADK, ADH etc.). The Renault factories were administrated by Prinz Von Urach (who will later be the press attaché of Daimler-Benz after WW2).
About 23000 Renault AHS trucks were used by the Germans (captured and produced). From 1941 to 1944, 4000 Renault AHN and 2000 Renault AHR had been produced for the German army. In 1943, 704 AGC3 were delivered. Renault produced also spare parts for the SdKfz-7 and SdKfz-11.

Regards,

David

[Von Lerner]

Thank you very much, do you know if any of the Renault tank chasis were used for the construction of tank destoryers?

[Vuk]

If you missed it
• 4.7cm Pak(t) auf PzKpfw 35R (f) (200 produced)

[David Lehmann]

Yes the one you mentioned as well as Renault UE mounting 3.7cm PaK.

Regards,

David

[David Lehmann]

Most of the tank destroyers built from converted French vehicles were not based on a Renault chassis:

- 7.5cm Pak40/1 auf Geschützwagen Lorraine "Marder I (SdKfz 135)" (170 produced) [Lorraine 37L tractor chassis]
- 7,5cm Pak40 (Sf) auf Somua mSPW S307(f), equivalent of the Sdkfz 251/22 (72 produced) [Somua MCG halftrack chassis]
- 7.5cm Pak40 auf PzKpfw 38H (f) "Marder I (SdKfz 135)" (60 produced) [Hotchkiss H39 tank chassis]
- 7.5cm Pak40 auf PzKpfw FCM (f) "Marder I (SdKfz 135)" (48 produced) [FCM36 tank chassis]

There were also various SPA using these chassis with 10.5cm guns.

Regards,

David

[Valtoro]

What kind of gun is installed here on this UE tankette? (from an expired ebay auction)

[Langemann]

That appears to be a piece of tubing suck through a Tellermine case from the outset. I'm not seeing any breech mechanism in the rear to indicate that's an actual cannon.

Dane

[Valtoro]

Wow...thanks for the fast reply! You have absolutely right about the lack of the breech. It must have been a field configuration to give it a more familiar look of a real tank during exercises.