WWII French Laffly V15T Tractor 4×4 wheels at 1/56 scale for resin printing

$8.00

Having developed the Laffly S15T as a design request back in September 2020 I wanted to gain better value from the many hours it took me to develop that initial vehicle. This led me to start on the road of developing the other vehicle variants based on the Laffly Chasis.

During the 1930’s Laffly produced a range of all-wheel-drive cross-country trucks (and tractors) for military purposes. They were often designed by Laffly and produced in conjunction with other companies such as Hotchkiss who even provided the engines. All featured an additional set of small wheels in front and similar set suspended beneath the driver’s cab to help the vehicle cross ditches and obstacles.

The Laffly V15T was a 4×4 all-terrain liaison vehicle (VLTT – voiture de liaison tout terrain) used as a tractor for the 25mm AT gun.

Development of the V15T

The French cavalry was in the process of motorization pre-war. It was not satisfied with the performance Renault UE supply tankettes in their role, for towing its light artillery. This was part due to the low power, low speed and complicated wheel-train of the Renaults, to achieve reliability with high speed. For that, only a wheeled, more powerful vehicle would do. The new vehicle as planned was to be used as link “VLTT” (Off-road vehicle) as a tractor for light guns, especially the 25 mm antitank. Laffly S15 already had a nice model able to carry the heavier 47 mm APX and from its 6×6 drive extrapolated quickly the 4×4 Laffly V15T to answer this cavalry request.

Production by Laffly:

Impressed by the first tests of the vehicle, the cavalry ordered the first 100 in 1938. However, Laffly being already overloaded, its production line full with the 6×6, it could only deliver 80 in a first batch in 1939, followed by 20 in early 1940. With WW2 ongoing it became even harder to provide the vehicles, as more were to be ordered in bulk. Laffly by then was evidently no longer able to meet the demanding full-scale production. After negotiation of licences for a complete retooling and blueprints (by now property of the army, the standard procedure in wartime), production was given to La Licorne. It was setup in 1940 but was just getting started in May 1940, over 1.386 total to be deliver before the end of September 1940. However it is generally agreed that less than 200 vehicles had been delivered by June 1940. Most of these vehicle were parked when France fell, not able yet to join their units, and captured afterwards by the Germans.

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