French WW2 era light infantry tank Official designation: - Char léger Modèle 1935 R The most numerous French tank of WW2, some 1,540 R35s were produced between 1936 and 1940. Intended as a replacement for the ubiquitous Renault FT of WW1 vintage, before WW2 they served with France, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia. Captured by Axis forces, they were then spread to other countries including Bulgaria and Croatia. Switzerland operated twelve that had escaped from France, Hungary had three from Poland. An Australian regiment operated four which they had captured from the Vichy French. After WW2 they served with both Syria and Lebanon, some of the latter seeing action during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. This is a genuine French Army example. During a recent restoration its original serial was discovered and it has now been painted in its own genuine colour scheme, as received in September 1939 by the 21ème bataillon de chars de combat (21 BCC), part of the 508ème Groupe de bataillons de chars (508 GBC). It is on display in the “France 1940” hall. Musée des Blindés, Saumur, Pays de la Loire, France