H.39

H.39

S.35

H.39

S.35

France

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.0

Class:

Light tank

Research:Free

Purchase:Free

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Description

The Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39 (Hotchkiss light tank 1938 model H) is a Rank I French light tank with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance". The H.39 features a potent gun, an improved armour thickness from its predecessor while keeping the same engine, which makes it, even fully upgraded, a very slow-paced tank.

As a rank 1 French tank, this vehicle is quite reluctant to its likes: under-powered engine and gun with a decent armour at distances. This is a close support tank that is best used in urban maps, following its teammates and waiting for a good shot opportunity.

With a rather constant 50 mm effective thickness from all sides, this tank can certainly take a good beating if spotted at distances (500+ m). Avoid facing heavy guns and you should survive long-range engagements. From closer, you are vulnerable...but you actually need to close in with your foes in order to have a chance (see "Firepower"). With only 2 crewmen, any penetrating shot could be your last.

While not having the best mobility, this tank surely can carry its user wherever it wants, provided there is not too steep hills and/or soft ground: this tank's narrow tracks and low power ratio makes for a poor cross-country capability (for a tracked vehicle).

The new 37 mm is a better gun than its predecessor in every possible way. Not only does this shoots actual AP shells (more shrapnel on penetrating shots) but it also got 50% more penetration while keeping the same (long) reload rate. Know your enemy's inside well, target its gunner first or immobilize it by shooting at the engine. Take your time while aiming as every shot is important. Remember your opponents mainly have twice your firing rate and more penetration. Avoid long range engagements as your gun's penetration values decrease heavily.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armour type:

• Cast homogeneous armour

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	40 mm (8-87°) Front plate 22 mm (75-85°), 40 mm (31°) Front glacis 40 mm (30°) Lower glacis	40 mm (1-33°) 40 mm (1-2°)	40 mm (24-30°) Top 40 mm (9-32°) Bottom	22 mm
Turret	45 + 25 mm (5°) Turret front 45 mm (28-30°) Left side 25 mm (10-19°) Gun mantlet	40 mm (1-27°)	40 mm (8-63°)	25 mm
Armour	Sides	Roof
Cupola	40 mm	40 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are all 15 mm thick.
• Turret ring is 5 mm thick.

Mobility

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons)	Add-on Armor weight (tons)	Max speed (km/h)
12.1	N/A	41 (AB)
		36 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	130	160
Realistic/Simulator	106	120
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	10.74	13.22
Realistic/Simulator	8.76	9.92

Armaments

Main armament

37 mm SA38 L/33
Capacity			Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance	Stabilizer
76			-13°/+20°	±180°	Vertical
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode	Stock	Upgraded	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade	9.30	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Realistic	9.30	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock	Prior + Full crew	Prior + Expert qualif.	Prior + Ace qualif.
7.8	_.__	_.__	_.__

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration in mm @ 90°
		10m	100m	500m	1000m	1500m	2000m
Mle1938	APC	47	44	37	28	20	17

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity in m/s	Projectile Mass in kg	Fuse delay in m:	Fuse sensitivity in mm:	Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):	Normalization At 30° from horizontal:	Ricochet:
								0%	50%	100%
Mle1938	APC	705	0.7	N/A	N/A	N/A	°	48°	63°	71°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the H.39.

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
76	75 (+1)	10 (+66)	1 (+75)	Yes

Machine guns

7.5 mm MAC 31
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity)				Fire rate (shots/minute)	Vertical guidance	Horizontal guidance
2,400 (150)				1,350	N/A	N/A

Usage in the battles

Use the same tactics as with other French rank 1 vehicles: follow the pack and take a few shots whenever the opportunity shows. Use your decent mobility to assist short flanking manoeuvres (i.e.:in urban maps) and fire at your foe's weak sides.

Hull down

In hilly terrain, stick with your teammates near the capture point and wait for anything to fall in your sights. Make sure to immobilize the target on your first shot. As your reload time is quite slow and half of your crew resides in the exposed turret, get back into cover for the reload time and pop out a few meters away from your last spot.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Tiny profile
• Tiny tank
• Has MAC 31 coaxial MG
• Better engine than its predecessor
• -13° of gun depression
• Has LOCK, which makes stop-and-shoot tactics easier and faster.
• Decent reverse speed of -7 km/h
• Can be very strongly angled due to thick side armour (up to ~60 mm LOS thickness)
• Arguably the best French rank 1 vehicle.

Cons:

• Only one choice of ammunition.
• That one choice has no explosive filler
• Only two crew members, one knocked out means tank destroyed.
• Long reload time
• Narrow tracks means poor ground flotation.
• Poor penetration

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,

• reference to the series of the vehicles;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

ETC.

Sources

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• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.