Renault DAB1

The Renault DAB1 was a tracked vehicle prototype built in two examples in 1939 for the French Army by Renault. Tested at the start of the Second World War, it never entered series production. It was meant for the infantry, to walk at the pace of the foot soldiers at 4 kilometres an hour like a horse, towing the 1937 infantry cart while carrying 300 kilograms of ammunition for heavy infantry weapons, and also to tow the 25 mm SA34 gun or the Renault UK trailer. The Vincennes test commission gave a favourable opinion in October 1939, and in December one prototype was tried in the Briançon region with the 72nd fortress alpine battalion beside an Olier tracked tractor and a Laffly V10M. The Laffly was adopted for alpine troops and the Unic TU1 for infantry. The DAB1 reused many parts of the Renault UE2 tankette, notably the running gear, and its 30 horsepower engine moved it at 1 to 15 km/h.