Tamiya Plastic Model Kit

French Light Tank H39 (1/35)

This 1/35 scale plastic model assembly kit recreates the French Light Tank H39, an improved version of the H35 designed to meet the French Army’s needs for heavier armament and enhanced armour protection. Featuring a Hotchkiss 6-cylinder engine producing 120 horsepower, the H39 offered increased speed and manoeuvrability compared to its predecessor. Armour thickness reached up to 40mm, improving defence against anti-tank munitions of the era.

• 1/35 scale plastic model assembly kit
• Length: 138mm, width: 56mm
• Realistic turret with 37mm SA 38 gun and 7.5mm Reibel machine gun
• Accurate hull and turret detailing with welded and cast textures
• Assembly type tracks with realistic upper sag
• Parts to build French or German Army versions
• Includes 1 full figure (French crew) and 1 torso (German crew)
• Two marking options for French 1940 and German 1945 versions
• Metal chains included for the French Army variant

Note: This model kit requires assembly and painting. Glue, paints and tools are not included and must be purchased separately.

History:

The Hotchkiss H39 entered production in the late 1930s as an evolution of the H35, designed to address the need for a more capable infantry support tank. Equipped with a short-barrelled 37mm SA 38 gun and a 7.5mm machine gun, it excelled against lightly armoured targets but was less effective against German Panzer III and IV tanks. Approximately 1,200 units were built between 1938 and 1940, serving with French forces until the fall of France. Captured vehicles were repurposed by German troops in occupation and police roles, with some converted into self-propelled guns. Post-war, the H39 saw service in other nations, including Syria, and remains an important milestone in the development of WWII armoured vehicles.