5/6/2002

Documents received thus far from Chatellerault are online and located in this directory: 

--Luminary

4/8/2002

I uploaded a scanned full article about the manufacturing of the W 15 T by Citroën. It's in French, but important parts will be translated *soon* ;-) 

Article located here:
W 15 T Citroën article

--Pachy

4/3/2002

Pachy uploaded new images taken at Saumur by another researcher he's been in contact with.  

These color photos, showing several interior shots, are located here:
Saumur Laffly color photos

--Luminary

4/1/2002

Added image gallery of Laffly pictures.  Some are redundant with the below.

Images from books and the internet:  
Laffly image gallery

--Luminary

3/29/2002

Luminary, Pachy and myself have set up a research group working on french equipments to provode you technical data (actual researches: Laffly, H-39, DB-7, Br 693. Soon D 520 I guess).

You have stated that you'd have to choose soon between the Dodge or the Laffly. Here is what we are proposing you to choose. All the amount of data we have about the Laffly trucks family. In the actual state, most of this stuff is coming from the L'automobile sous l'uniforme, 1939-1940 , the bible about french vehicules during BoF. 250 pages of pics, history and data about vehicules. From the fridge truck stocking beef to the refuel truck or the motorcycles.

I have also taken interior shots of a Laffly at Saumur. Our investigations in official archives (SHAT of Vincennes and the Châtellerault technical data center) have begun too early to let us provide to you satisfying data. But we've found interesting paths of research. War diaries and AAR of units (written in July 1940) that have used Laffly trucks will be communicated on Tuesday at the SHAT. This is not technical stuff, but interessting remarks about how equipment has performed during the battle).

As for pure technical stuff, we can get it. But with a little bit of time. This stuff is only available at Chatellerault (SW of France, far from Paris, were most of us are living). We can't afford to go there because of lack of time for this, etc. But this is possible to get it via mail, etc. We're working on this, and trying to do it by fax. But it will take at least one month for sure.

The data below would let you to model a Laffly partially.
-- GdG

Laffly S15

a S15R. Additionnal pics: 1, 2

a S15T. Additionnal pics: 1

This IMHO, the best choice. The S15 is available in two versions. The S15R (reconnaissance-liaison truck) and the S15T (artillery puller for 75 Mle 1897 and 105 C guns). The S15T's part is carrying ammunition.

Both have the same caracteristics for the S15R (and in brackets, S15T):
4 cylinders
cylindrer: 2 300 cm^3
Gears: 2X (4 forward + 1 rear)
weight empty: 2 850 kg (3 900)
load: 800 kg(1 400)
(towable load: 1 800 kg)
Wheelbase:1,84 + 1 m
Voie avant (Quick translation note I expect 'voie avant' translates to 'front track. The distance between the centers of the front wheels measured across the chassis.): 1.53 m
voie arrière: 1.54 m
length: 4.64 m
width: 1.85 m
height: 2.15 m
Speed: 72 kph (51 kph)

576 S15R + 411 S15T were delivered until june 1940.

But the S15 is way more interessting because it has been used as a basis for several other vehicules.

S15 L Radio vehicule for the Armée de l'Air

30 were delivered. But not much use in WW2OL.

S15T colonial version

It was used to carry a 75 mm mountain gun in the french Sahara (against Italian Lybia). Few dozens of them were operationnal. These trucks have been used by the Free French in late 1940 with the general Leclerc against the Italians at the first Free French victory of Koufra.

S15 TOE light colonial armored car

other pics: 1 (2nd from the right), 2

Light armored car, made for african climate. Used in Tunisia and Sahara, facing Lybia. 45 were operationnal. Used a MAC 31 (same as in already modeled french tanks) MG. Could transport 4 men in addition of the crews. Used by the Free French at Koufra too.

That's all what I have, unfortunately.

Sources:
S15R: 1
S15T: 1
S15 colonial: 1
S15 TOE: 1

But the main advantage of the S15 is that it is at the origin of a new variant. Basically the same truck, with the same chassis, but lower. All the S15 were produced before the declaration of war. The variant (produced by the Hotchkiss company (yes, they are everywhere!)) is named W15. At the declaration of war, the S15 has been abandonned in the industrial war program, and the W15 selected instead.

Laffly W15 T 47 mm AT gun and 25 mm AA gun puller

Other pics: 1, 2

The Laffly is almost identical to the S15T. There is only a minor difference on the forward independant wheels spindle. It is much lower than the S15T.

Here are the different specs:
Power: pushing up to 56 hp
weight: 3 250 kg
load: 1 200 kg
lenght: 4.50 m
width: 1.90 m
height: 1.30 m

Only 30 had the time to be produced as pullers. 80 chassis produced in May 1940 were used for...

W15 TCC tank hunter

Other pics: 1

The Laffly W15 TCC has been produced in the may-june panic. A prototype has been tested during the Phoney war, and was fully armored. The early may engagements revealed the need for a self propelled AT gun, and W15 chassis were requisitionned to receive SA 1937 AT guns. Armored plates were put to protect the driver, and two small other plates were added to the conventionnal shield of the SA 37. 70 were operationnal by the end of May 1940, and saw action (I have AARs photocopies).

Sources:
W15: 1
W15 TCC: 1

So IMHO, the S15, would be the best choice:

other pics: 1, 2, 3.

The S20 TL is mainly a platoon transport, used for motorized infantry of the DLMs. It was able to transport a 10 men platoon with their weapons (including
2 LMG) or 81, 60 mm mortars or a 25 mm AT gun.
The 25 mm AT gun gun was always put on the truck, and not towed. The gun could fire while being on the truck (forward or rear fire).

Here are the specs:
Cylinders: 6
cylindrer: 3 016 cm^3
max power: 68 hp @ 3 200 rpm
gears: 2X (4 fwd + 1 rear)
weight: 3 900 kg
wheelbase: 2.40 m
voie avant: 1.53 m
voie arrière: 1.54
length: 5.35 m
width: 2.00 m
weight (covered): 2.00 m
(uncovered): 2.45 m
max speed: 65 kph

630 were delivered until june 1940.
The S20TL wasn't really made to tow guns.

S20 TL PC command car variant
It was a command car verison of the S20 TL. Equipped with ER26 radios.

68 were delivered until june 1940.

Different specs:
weight: 4 950 kg
load: 875 kg
length: 5.60 m
height: 2.60 m

S20 TL refuel variant
S20 TL with a tank.

39 were delivered until june 1940

Specs:
fuel capacity: 1 900 l
weight: 4 100 kg
load: 1 800 kg
length: 5.50 m
weight: 2.10 m
height: 2.50 m

S20 colonial version

several dozens sent in Africa...Covered version.

As for the camouflage of S 20 series:

Other pic: 1

Sources:
S20 TL: 1, 2

S20 TL PC: 1

S20 refuel variant: 1

S25T 105 L36S gun tractor

other pics: 1 (very interessting, showing the capacities of the chassis)

This is a more powerfull version, made to tow the brand new 1936 105 gun (sucessor of the 75 mm MLe 1897 gun). 108 were delivered until june 1940.

specs:
cylinders: 4
cylindrer: 3 450 cm^3
max power: 60 hp @ 2 500 rpm
gears: 2X (4 fwd +1 rear)
weight: 5 500 kg
load: 1 500 kg
wheelbase: 1.85 m
voie avant: 1.70 m
voie arrière: 1.66 m
length: 4.85 m
width: 2.10 m
height: 2.50 m
max speed: 40 kph.

Colonial version of the S25

A dozen sent in Africa....

Sources:
S25 T:1
S25 T colonail: 1

S35T towing a 220 mm mortar.
other pics: 1, 2

Mainly made to tow the 155 GPF gun (a must for french artillery). Blablabla... 220 were delivered until june 1940...

specs:
cylinders: 4
cylindrer: 6 232 cm^3
weight: 8 050 kg
load: 1 200 kg
wheelbase: 2.10 m
voie avant: 1.81 m
voie arrière: 1.78 m
length: 5.50 m
width: 2.35 m
hength: 2.85 m
max speed: 40 kph

Source: 1