- Yes
- No
Hello everybody. Today, I’d like to suggest the ARL V 39 for France’s Ground Forces in War Thunder. Also known as the ARL 1940 V939 40, the ARL V 39 was essentially the bigger cousin of the Somua SAu 40, as both were infantry support assault guns using the same gun platform. However, while the SAu 40 was based on the chassis of the SOMUA S35 medium cavalry tank, the ARL V 39 was developed on the chassis of the Char B1 heavy tank. The ARL V 39 was the only platform fully developed to meet the specifications of the assault gun project. Two prototypes were built in 1938 and completed by 1940, but they were evacuated to Morocco after the fall of France in May 1940. Their ultimate fate remains unknown to this day.
Key Characteristics
- Developed on the Char B1 heavy tank chassis.
- Armed with a 75mm Model 1929 casemate high-velocity APX gun.
- Features better armor and mobility compared to the Somua SAu 40.
- Equipped with stereoscopic rangefinder in an observation turret for improved accuracy.
History
Development HistoryThe ARL V 39 originated from a study initiated in July 1932, requested by the Consultative Council on Armaments, which explored the defensive capabilities of self-propelled guns against tank assaults. Later, in mid-1935, a project was launched to address France’s need for a new self-propelled infantry support assault gun, as France had no such vehicles in service at the time. This new SPG was designed to perform direct fire independently and provide fire support as part of an artillery group.
Four manufacturers, Puteaux, Rueil, Garnier-Renault, and SOMUA, submitted early proposals for SPG designs. Puteaux’s prototype, presented in July 1935, failed to meet expectations, and Garnier-Renault’s proposal also failed, never progressing beyond the conceptual stage. This left two manufacturers: SOMUA and ARL (Rueil), which submitted designs based on their existing tanks. SOMUA proposed the Somua SAu 40, based on the SOMUA S35 medium cavalry tank, while ARL developed the ARL V 39, based on the Char B1 heavy tank. Both designs successfully advanced to the next phase of development.
ArmamentThe ARL V 39’s primary armament was a 75mm high-velocity APX gun with a semi-automatic breech and an automatic loader. The semi-automatic breech automatically closed and opened, while the automatic loader used a spring-based rammer. This system allowed the loader to load rounds with minimal movement and effort, significantly increasing the gun’s rate of fire.
The gun, also mounted on the SAu 40, was derived from the 75mm 1929 casemate fortress gun, originally designed for the Maginot Line as a static defense. It was developed from the famous Mle 1897 field artillery. The tank could carry up to 200 rounds of ammunition, firing two primary types of rounds with a maximum recoil of 375 mm:
- Mle 1915 High Explosive (HE): Fired at 400 m/s with a reduced charge.
- Mle 1910M Armor-Piercing (AP): Fired at 570 m/s, capable of penetrating 50 mm of armor at 1,000 meters.
Design and FeaturesThe gun was mounted in a casemate configuration with a horizontal traverse of 6 degrees left and right and an elevation range of -10 to +30 degrees. A unique feature was its ability to retract the barrel by 400 mm into the hull, reducing the vehicle’s overall length and preventing obstructions during off-road movement.
The ARL V 39 featured a 360-degree rotating observation turret mounted on top of the hull. Operated by the commander, this turret was armed with a 7.5mm machine gun for defensive purposes, typically pointing rearward. The turret also included: a vision block, a binocular periscope with an 8x sight, and a stereoscopic rangefinder with a range of up to 2 kilometers. All these components were pointing at frontward, the same direction as the main gun for rangefinding.
The vehicle was protected by 50mm of frontal armor, with the front and rear armor made of cast steel and the sides, roof, and floor made of rolled steel. The SPG was crewed by five personnel: a commander, driver, gunner, loader, and radio operator.
The ARL V 39 was powered by an Hispano engine producing 250 hp and could reach a top speed of 42 km/h (26 mph) on roads. It featured an electromagnetic transmission with 8 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed, as well as the ability to perform neutral steering when stationary or immobile.
Testing and FateThe ARL V 39 was developed in parallel with the Somua SAu 40, but the ARL V 39 was the only assault gun fully meeting the project’s specifications. The first prototype, constructed from soft steel, was completed in June 1938 and underwent successful testing from March 23–25, 1939. This success led to an initial order of 72 units in October 1939, with 24 designated as unarmed command vehicles. These were intended to equip eight infantry battalions, each with two batteries of three vehicles and one command vehicle.
Production was scheduled to begin in October 1940, with an initial rate of 10 units per month. However, by the start of the Battle of France in May 1940, the order was increased to 108 units, though none were completed. Only two prototypes were functional before France’s capitulation. These prototypes were evacuated to Morocco and hidden in a tunnel, effectively ending further development or production. Their ultimate fate remains unclear, but it is believed they were either scrapped by German forces or buried in the desert.
During World War II, the 75mm Mle 1897 was France’s most widely used artillery gun, employed in fortifications, coastal defense, and anti-tank roles. To modernize its anti-tank capabilities, France developed new rounds in 1939, including the Brandt CC HEAT (probable), PCOT 40 APCBC, and Brandt 75/58 APDS rounds. The 75mm Model 1929 casemate high-velocity APX gun, derived from the Mle 1897, could theoretically use these rounds. However, many of these rounds were unavailable for the Mle 1929 APX in practice. Refer to the sources below for more information on these rounds.
PCOT 40 (APCBC)
I’ve attached charts of penetration statistics and shell details. Credit for these charts goes to CaID, who also assisted me in researching this vehicle and its gun.
Charts (Made by CaID)
While the Somua SAu 40 in War Thunder uses the same gun platform as the ARL V 39, it does not have access to these advanced rounds, likely for balance reasons, and remains at BR 1.7. Given the ARL V 39’s superior armor, mobility, and potential access to HEAT, APDS, and APCBC rounds, it could justify a higher BR, potentially around 2.3.
Specifications
ARL V 39General Characteristics
- Crew: 5 (commander, driver, gunner, loader, radio operator)
- Dimensions
- Length: 5.8 m (19.0 ft)
- Width: 2.57 m (8.4 ft)
- Height: 2.45 m (8.0 ft)
- Width (excluding tracks): 2.37 m (7.78 ft)
- Ground clearance: 0.4 m (1.31 ft)
- Wheelbase: 4.8 m (15.75 ft)
- Space between tracks: 1.966 m (6.45 ft)
- Track Width: 0.4 m (1.31 ft)
- Mass: 25 metric tons (27.5 US tons)
- Powertrain
- Engine: Hispano-Suiza V12
- 250 hp (190 kW) @ 2,800 rpm
- 240 hp (176.5 kW) @ 2,400 rpm
- Transmission: 8 forward, 1 reverse
- Performance
- Power/Weight: 10 hp/ton
- Maximum speed: 42 km/h (26 mph) on roads
- 1st Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 4.32 km/h (2.7 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 5.03 km/h (3.1 mph)
- 2nd Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 5.87 km/h (3.7 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 6.85 km/h (4.3 mph)
- 3rd Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 7.88 km/h (4.9 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 9.18 km/h (5.7 mph)
- 4th Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 10.74 km/h (6.7 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 12.51 km/h (7.8 mph)
- 5th Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 14.66 km/h (9.1 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 17.1 km/h (10.6 mph)
- 6th Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 20 km/h (12.4 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 23.25 km/h (14.4 mph)
- 7th Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 26.8 km/h (16.7 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 31.05 km/h (19.3 mph)
- 8th Gear:
- @ 2,400 rpm: 36.3 km/h (22.6 mph)
- @ 2,800 rpm: 42.33 km/h (26.3 mph)
- Reverse Gear: 5.03 km/h (3.13 mph)
- Range: 160 km (100 miles)
Armament & Armor
- Main Gun
- 75mm model 1929 casemate high-velocity APX
- Zoom: 4x
- Horizontal traverse angle: 6° right and left
- Vertical traverse angle: -10° to +30°
- Ammunition capacity: 200 rounds
- Mle1910M (APHE)
- PCOT-40 (APCBC)
- Brandt 75/58 (APDS)
- Brandt CC (HEAT)
- Mle1915 (HE)
- Mle1917 (HE)
- Secondary Gun(s)
- 1 x 7.5 mm MAC 1931 Châtellerault (mounted in a rotatable observation turret)
- Zoom: 4x
- Horizontal traverse angle: 360° (within the turret: 8° left and right)
- Vertical traverse angle: -10° to +16°
- Ammunition capacity: 6 magazines with 150 rounds each (900 rounds total)
- Rangefinder in the Observation Turret
- Zoom: 17x
- Field of View: 2.10°
- Max. distance: 2 km (1.24 miles)
- Armor
- Hull
- Front (Sloped): 50 mm (2.0 in)
- Upper Plate @ 60°: 40 mm (1.575 in)
- Gun Mantlet @ 35°: 50 mm (2.0 in)
- Sides: 30 mm (2.0 in)
- Rear: 40 mm (1.575 in)
- Roof: 15 mm (0.59 in)
- Floor: 10 mm (0.39 in)
- MG Turret:
- Front: 38 mm (1.5 in)
- MG Mantlet: 38.5 mm @ 5° + 25 mm (1.51 in @ 5° + 0.98 in)
- Sides: 20 mm (0.79 in) @ 16-38°
- Rear: 38 mm (1.5 in) @ 23-32°
- Roof: 20 mm (0.79 in) @ 8-17°
- Cupola
- Spherical: 34 mm (1.3 in)
- Roof: 34 mm (1.3 in)
Images
Atelier De Construction Rueil 75 Automoteur ARL Manaul (Source)
Conclusion | Why it should be in the game
The ARL V 39 was a French assault gun prototype developed to meet the demand for a self-propelled infantry support vehicle during the pre-World War II era. While similar in role to the Somua SAu 40, the ARL V 39 was larger, better armored, and based on the Char B1 heavy tank chassis. Its sloped frontal armor, decent mobility, functional rangefinder, and potential access to advanced ammunition make it a superior option.
In War Thunder, the ARL V 39 would serve as an excellent low-tier SPG for France, offering better armor, mobility, and firepower compared to the Somua SAu 40, along with the functional rangefinder. A BR of 2.3 would be fitting for this unique vehicle.
- Atelier De Construction Rueil 75 Automoteur ARL (January 1939)
- On the Drawing Board (1) : Tanks and Armoured Cars
- Canons automoteurs
- ARL V 39 - Wikipedia
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃
