The Renault R39 was an improved variant of the French Renault R35 light tank, introduced just before World War II. Weighing 10.8 tons, it featured a longer and more powerful 37 mm SA 38 gun, offering better armor penetration than the earlier SA 18. It had a 7.5 mm MAC 31 machine gun for secondary armament.
Powered by a Renault 4-cylinder, 85 hp petrol engine, it had a top speed of 20 km/h (12 mph) and a range of 140 km (87 mi). With up to 45 mm of armor, it provided solid protection but suffered the same drawbacks as the R35, including a one-man turret, which overburdened the commander. Though an improvement, the R39 was produced in small numbers, because the French army was more interested in the Renault R 40 version with upgraded suspension. The tank saw limited action before France’s defeat in 1940.
The Renault R 39 on the photos has the longer 37 mm gun but this was a postwar conversion. It is on display in the Museum of Armored Vehicles in Saumur.
