1:72 Renault R35

Renault R35 in 1:72 scale

A model of the French light tank Renault R35 in 1:72 scale. The small scale suits cases where a whole unit or a scene with several vehicles is to be built without taking up a whole shelf.

The real subject

The R35 was an infantry tank, that is a machine built to escort foot units rather than for a rapid advance. Its whole character follows from that: the armor reached around forty millimeters, while the speed stayed at around twenty kilometers per hour. The armament was a short gun of 37 mm caliber supplemented by a coaxial machine gun. The hull and the turret were made of cast armor parts, which was a modern method for its day. The crew was only two men, and the commander in the one-man turret had to observe, aim, load and command all at once; French tanks paid dearly for this weakness in 1940. In its time it was the most numerous French tank.

Building and painting tips

• Dry-fit the parts first; in a small scale every gap on the hull shows.
• Cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the rest down.
• Wash and degrease the model before painting so that the paint holds.
• Leave the rounded edges of the cast armor soft; sharp transitions do not look right on them.
• Build the dust and mud up from the bottom upward, and dirty the running gear and the fenders the most.

Who the model is for

For builders of military hardware in 1:72 scale and for anyone interested in French armored hardware of 1940. Paints, glue and other modeling supplies are not included, unless stated otherwise.