Description Renault UE Chenillette

a renault ue chenillette de ravitaillement d infanterie modèle 1931 r in musée de l armée in paris. has straight mudguards, restor lights , typical pig-tail hooks of production vehicles



the calottes



the bin



the driver s cabin

the chenillette ( small tracked vehicle ) or tracteur blindé ( armoured tractor ) renault preferred call it, indeed small vehicle: 280 centimetres long, 174 cm wide , having highest point @ 125 cm; roof 103 cm high. cargo carrying capacity rather limited. there rectangular armoured bin @ back, 145 cm long (its length corresponds width of vehicle whole), 60 cm wide , 36 cm high, able hold load of 350 kg (lower original specification of 500 kg); unloading made easier possibility tilt bin; plate hinges downwards, forming slope on cargo can slide ground. main cargo carried tracked trailer, close copy of british type, length of bin of again 145 cm, width of 110 cm , height of 35 cm; weighing 775 kg, can hold load of 600 kg — whereas specification had asked 400 kg. tracks can removed road transport; there 2 road wheels per side.

the bin forms compartment of vehicle; larger front compartment crew , engine. four-cylinder 38 hp engine positioned in centre, driver left , commander right. gear box (six speeds forward, 2 reverse), differential , transmission placed in front of engine. these mechanical parts placed under 2 projections on otherwise steeply sloped armour of glacis; these can retracted maintenance of mechanical parts. each crew member, sitting below hatch way of entrance or exit, has fuel tank behind seat, having total capacity of 56 litres, allowing range of hundred kilometres. exhaust pipe runs in front of commander right ending in silencer on right side of vehicle; in later production vehicles armoured cover added; tended overheat later variant of cover had cooling slits.

to reduce height of vehicle has been made impossible crew members retract heads under roof. protect these vital parts 2 hemispherical armoured hoods (calottes) have been fitted. these have vision slits improve field of vision front section of these hoods can visor pivoted backwards on section. otherwise bar between roof , glacis have hindered entrance, forward hinging glacis hatches have extension forming roof section fits around front part of hood; if hood retracted , hatch opened, larger entry space available. interesting feature of vehicle internal communication system used. when hoods closed, 2 crewmen, separated engine between them, cannot directly communicate; neither internal nor external radio communications possible, there no radio sets fitted. system of white, blue, green , red lights, can made shine continuously or flicker, used commander direct driver when buttoned up, based on predetermined signal code:

forward: continuous white light.
to left: continuous blue light.
to right: continuous green light.
backwards: flickering white light.
slow down: flickering red light.
stop: continuous red light.
decouple trailer: alternating white , red light.
tilt bin: alternating green , white light.

the suspension system closely resembles vickers type. there 18.4 cm wide tracks 131 small links , 3 bogies per side, sprung small leaf springs, carry each 2 small road wheels. prototype had armoured plate protecting assembly omitted on production vehicles save weight, leaving 2 elongated beams brace whole. likewise sprocket simplified: prototype s had been closed disk, production type had 6 circular holes; later vehicles fitted wheel 6 spokes. there 2 return rollers. in suspension system flimsy , vulnerable. compensated limiting official maximum speed thirty kilometres per hour, although combination of weight of 2.64 metric tons engine power of 38 hp allow higher speed; during testing 36 km/h attainable. reduces chance of accidents while towing trailer; loaded road speed reduced 25 km/h, cross-country speed ten km/h. wading capacity thirty centimetres; trench crossing capacity 120 centimetres. turning circle 3 metres; slope of 50% can climbed.

the value of chenillette armoured fighting vehicle limited. in french service, modèle 31 carried no armament, although later vehicles had attachment points removable aa-machine-gun fitted — had operated outside vehicle in awkward crouched position due low height. crew use personal weapons through hatches while sitting inside hull highly impractical. consideration had been given arming machine-gun, direction de l infanterie feared if such weapon mounted, ue misused light tank rather being dedicated correct tactical resupply role. likewise armour protection minimal. vertical plates had thickness of 9 millimetres, other plates, riveted, 6 millimetres thick, enough stop normal rifle bullets , shell fragments.