List of World War II weapons of France
This is a list of weapons used by the military forces of the French Third Republic in WW2.
Handguns
- MAB Model A
Ruby pistol. This along with other French world war I Pistols and Revolvers would have been widely given to French troops in World War II who could not be given model 1935 army standard Pistols which were in short supply. - MAB Model D pistol
- Modèle 1935 pistol
Pistole modèle 1935A standard French sidearm during World War II. Only roughly 10,000 made before German occupation. - Star Model 14
- MAS 1873 revolver
- Modèle 1892 revolver
- Ruby pistol
Rifles
- Fusil Automatique Modele 1917
Berthier Mle 1907/15 M16 rifle. Many late world war I era French rifles such as this Berthier rifle and other late world war I variant of Berthier and Lebel rifles were still in heavy use by French forces in world war II due to newer French rifles the MAS-36 and MAS-40(not in production) not being available in sufficient quantities for thee French military..French forces used some Berthiers and Lebels rechambered for the new 7.5 French round. - Lebel and Berthier rifles
- Fusil MAS36
- Fusil MAS36 CR39
- M1917 Enfield, supplied by the US through Lend-lease to Free French forces
MAS-36. Most modern rifle in widespread French military service in World war II. Only small numbers were produced before the war so only available in small numbers for French forces during World War II. - M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
- Meunier rifle
Submachine guns
- MAS-38
MAS-38 French submachine gun. Production of this gun had just started in 1940 when the Germans occupied France. They used the gun as a substitute weapon. Somehow one of the guns was obtained by a partisan who use the MAS-38 to execute Benito Mussolini the Fascist leader of world war II Italy. - Erma EMP-35
- Thompson M1928 and M1928A1
- MP 18
- MP40 Captured from German troops
- Delacre machine pistol
- Sten
Machine guns
- Breda Model 30 Captured from Italian troops
FM24/29 light machine gun commercially known as MAC 24/29. Was prioritised by the French and as a result unlike other French weapons designed after WW 1 production started quite early in the 1920's and so it was available in large quantities at the start of world war II allowing it to be widely used by French forces in World war II as their main light machine gun. This was the standard squad automatic weapon of the French infantry and calvary in the battle of France - Bren light machine gun - supplied by the British
- Chauchat
- FM-24/29
- MAC 1931
- MAC 1934
- Model 1924/1929D machine gun
- St. Étienne Mle 1907
French Hotchkiss model 1914 machine gun. Used by the French in the later stages of World war I and as their standard medium machine gun in battle of France as they did not see any reason to replace it. - Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié machine gun
- Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun
- Reibel machine gun
- 13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun
- Hotchkiss M1922 machine gun
- Darne machine gun
Anti-Tank weapons
- Boys anti-tank rifle
- 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun
Hotchkiss 25mm anti-tank gun main anti-tank gun of France during Battle of France. Emphasised mobility with its small calibre over penetration - 47 mm APX anti-tank gun
- AC 37 anti-tank gun
- AC 47 anti-tank gun
- 47 mm Model 1931 anti-tank gun
- Canon de 75 modèle 1897 modifié 1933
Anti-Aircraft weapons
- Darne machine gun
Hotchkiss 25mm anti-aircraft gun. French Anti-Aircraft cannon used in small numbers in battle of France and used internationally. Not related to 25mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun - Hotchkiss M1929 machine gun
- Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
- 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-aircraft gun
- Schneider 37 mm Mle 1930
- Canon anti-aérien de 75mm modèle 1939
Artillery
- Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
- Lahitolle 95 mm cannon
- Canon Court de 105 M(montagne) modele 1909 Schneider
- Canon Court de 105 M(montagne) modele 1919 Schneider
Canon de 105 modèle 1913 Schneider. Most widely available light calibre artillery to French army in battle of France - Canon de 105 court mle 1934 Schneider
- Canon de 105 court mle 1935 B
- Canon de 105 L mle 1936 Schneider
- Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider
- Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond
Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider. Most widely available heavy calibre artillery to France during Battle of France - Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider
- Canon de 155mm GPF
- Canon de 194 mle GPF
- Canon de 65 M (montagne) modele 1906
- Canon de 75 M(montagne) modele 1919 Schneider
- Canon de 75 M(montagne) modele 1928
- Canon de 75 modèle 1897
- Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider
Grenades and mines
- F1 grenade (France)
F1 hand grenade. Main grenade of France during Battle of France made during World War I. Modifiable with percussion or timed fused - Modèle 1939 (mine)
Mortars
- Brandt Mle 1935
- Brandt mle 27/31
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Brandt modèle 27/31 mortar.Main mortar of French forces in World war II alongside the brandt modèle 35 which were both produced in their thousands before German occupation of France in 1940 - Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37
- Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry
Armoured vehicles
- Armoured cars
- AM Gendron SOMUA 39
Panhard 178 which was the main French armoured car during Battle of France that was built to be a reconnaissance vehicle - AMC Schneider P16
- AMD Laffly 80AM
- AMD Panhard 165
- AMDL Panhard
- Berliet VUDB
Laffly S15 TOE (théâtre d'opérations extérieures: "overseas theatre of operations") used by French forces in North Africa. Used by Free French forces in the Capture of Kufra - Berliet VUDB4
- Citroen-Kegresse M23
- Laffly S15 TOE
- Laffly 50AM
- Panhard 178
- Armoured personnel carriers
Rear view of Lorraine 38L armoured personnel carrier. Was created from the Lorraine 37L armoured tank supply vehicle. Only armoured personnel carrier in battle of France
Armoured personnel carriers
- Lorraine 37L \ 38L
Armoured utility vehicles
- Renault UE Chenillette
Renault UE armoured supply vehicle. Helped transport weapons and ammunition for the infantry. - Lorraine 37L
Light tanks
- AMR 33
- AMR 35
- FCM 36
Renault R-35 infantry light tank. Most numerous French tank of World war II - Hotchkiss H35, and derived variants
- Renault FT
- Renault R-35
- Renault R-40
- Char D1
- Medium tanks
- Cavalry tanks
- SOMUA S35[1]
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SOMUA S-35.One of the best tanks of its time in armour and firepower and outclassed German Tanks such as the Panzer III and IV in this respect. However overall they(Panzers) were better tanks as they granted far better vision, communication and ergonomics than French tanks which were mostly pretty bad in this regard due to things like a one man turret crew. - Char G1 (Prototype)
- Armoured combat tanks
- Heavy tanks
- Char B1
Char B1 bis variant. Originally the Char B1 was conceived as breakthrough tank using its Hull mounted gun to attack fortifications. Eventually became a Char de Bataille or battle tank that was meant to take on enemy armour. Heavily armoured and armed for its day and was inpenetrable to ordinary German Anti-tank Guns. - Char 2C
- ARL 44 (Prototype)
- AMX M4 (Prototype for the AMX 50.)
- AMX 50 (Later replace with the AMX 30.)
- FCM F1 (Prototype)
Notes
- Beckhusen, Robert (5 September 2019). "France's Somua S35 Was a Better Tank, so Why Did Nazi Germany Beat Them?". The National Interest. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
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