Tank set Renault R35, Valentine IX and Panzer I COBI 2740 - World War II 1:48

Do you know that (Renault R 35):

• The Renault R35 was designed as a light tank to support infantry and break through enemy defensive lines.
• The R35 saw combat in the early stages of World War II, particularly during the German invasion of France in 1940.
• The tank was also known for its thick armour for its time - it was up to 40mm thick, making it resistant to most anti-tank weapons of the 1930s.
• The main weapon of the R35 tank was the 37mm Puteaux SA 18 gun, which was supplemented by a coaxial (pointed in the same direction) Chatellerault MAC31 7.5mm machine gun.
• The R35 had a two-man crew - a driver and a commander who operated both the gun and the machine gun.
• The tank was powered by an 82 hp Renault petrol engine, which allowed it to reach a top speed of around 20 km/h.
• A total of approximately 1,600 units were produced between 1936 and 1940.
• French tanks often had problems with spare parts availability and maintenance, and this was also the case with the R35.
• After the surrender of France in 1940, many captured R35s were used by the German army, who often re-armed and adapted them to their needs.
• R35 tank crews often gave their machines nicknames, such as Turtle, Bear, Beetle or Steel Rider.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: length 4.02 m, width 1.87 m, height 2.13 m
• weight 10,6 t
• armour up to 43 mm
• power unit Renault petrol engine with 82 hp (61 kW)
• number of gears 4 + 1
• maximum speed: on the road 20 km/h, off-road 10 - 12 km/h
• range 130 km on the road, 80 km off-road
• wading distance 0.85 m
• main weapon 37 mm Puteaux SA 18 gun
• Chatellerault MAC31 7.5 mm machine gun
• crew 2 persons

Jean-Pierre LeBlanc about R35 tank:

"The Renault R35 is the French answer to the question nobody asked - how to make a tank that is slower than the infantry it is supposed to support."

You know that (Valentine IX):

• The British Valentine IX medium tank combined reliability and effective armour, making it a cornerstone of Allied defensive and offensive operations.
• Valentine IX tanks were deployed on many battlefields during World War II, including the North African campaign and the Italian campaign.
• This model was equipped with a 6-pounder (57mm) gun, giving it superior anti-tank capabilities compared to earlier versions that only had 2-pounder (40mm) guns.
• The tank had heavy armour that reached up to 65mm at the front of the hull, giving the crew good protection from enemy fire.
• The exact number of Valentine IXs produced is not known, but Valentine tanks overall were produced in numbers of over 8,000, making them one of the most widely used British tanks of the war.
• The Valentine IX was also supplied to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease programme, where it was used by the Red Army in the fighting on the Eastern Front.
• Some troops nicknamed the Valentine IX "Ironclad" (covered in iron) because of its durability and heavy armour, evoking the image of old warships protected by iron plates.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: length 5.49 m, width 2.63 m, height 2.37 m
• weight 17,7 t
• armour up to 65 mm
• power unit General Motors 6004 diesel engine with 138 hp (103 kW)
• number of gears 5 + 1
• maximum speed: on the road 24 km/h, off-road 15 km/h
• range 145 km on road, 95 km off-road
• wading distance 0.9 m
• main weapon 57 mm QF 6-pounder gun
• 7.92 mm Besa machine gun
• crew 3 persons

Lieutenant George Milligan about Valentine IX tank:

"When the British designed this tank, they thought, 'Why not make it interesting?' And by that they meant that you would remember every pothole on the battlefield."

You know that (Panzer I):

• Although originally intended for training, the German Panzer I tank proved surprisingly effective in real combat situations due to its mobility and simplicity.
• Some Panzer Is were exported to China, where they were used during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Others were sent to Spain, where they took part in the Spanish Civil War.
• During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Panzer I proved inadequate against modern tanks and anti-tank weapons.
• The Panzer I was deployed during the invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940, but was quickly replaced by heavier and better armed tanks.
• The tank's main armament consisted of two 7.92 mm machine guns, which was less than most more modern tanks of the time.
• The armour was thin, only 7-13 mm, which provided only limited protection against enemy shells and grenades.
• In total, approximately 1,500 Panzer Is were produced, a relatively small number compared to later German tanks.
• In addition to the basic models, there were variants such as command tanks (Panzerbefehlswagen I) and flame-thrower versions (Flammpanzer I).
• Although the Panzer I was not an ideal battle tank, its production and use provided valuable experience that was used in the development of more advanced German tanks such as the Panzer III and Panzer IV.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: length 4.02 m, width 2.06 m, height 1.72 m
• weight 5,4 t
• armour up to 13 mm
• power unit 4-cylinder Krupp M305 petrol engine with 60 hp (44.7 kW)
• number of gears 5+ 1
• maximum speed: on road 37 km/h, off road 15 km/h
• range 145 km on the road, 95 km off-road
• wading distance 0.5 m
• main weapon two MG13 machine guns of 7,92 mm calibre
• crew 2 persons

Friedrich Weber about tank Panzer I:

"Panzer I is great for learning tank basics if you want your tanking career to end very early."