Renault FT-17 Light Tank (1917)
The French Renault FT-17 of 1917 broke new ground in the field of tanks, featuring a lightweight design with armament concentrated in a traversing turret
The FT-17 came about, in part, through the persistence of French Army Colonel Jean-Baptiste Estienne. The idea of fielding light-class tanks in World War 1 was something of a "nonsense" theory with French authorities, the accepted doctrine being on use of the large and lumbering "landships" developed by the British as heavy tanks - roaming fortresses outfitted with cannon and machine gun. Regardless, the resulting Renault light tank design, the FT-17 of 1917, produced a two-man system mounting a then-potent 37mm cannon or one or two anti-infantry 7.62mm machine guns for self-defense. The FT-17, on the surface, was as much a unique military tank design as it was in reflecting the appearance of a child's life-size riding toy due to its compact form and utilitarian appearance.
Nevertheless, the FT-17 proved crucial to French offensives in the latter years of the war and this importance spread to the American Expeditionary Force who were handed both French and British tanks as their participation increased into 1918. The Americans even adopted the FT-17 as the M1917 6-Ton and outfitted it with American-minded systems for ease of logistics. The FT-17 series was fielded from the spring of 1917 onwards though the type would not see direct operational combat until the offensives of 1918.
The FT-17 proved a highly capable armored tracked combat system, so much so that it continued in an operational level into the post-war years. Beyond the French and American adoption, the FT-17 was also inducted into the inventories of the Italians and Russians and these went on to inspire localized forms to be developed - thusly influencing a long line of foreign tanks used throughout 1920 and into 1930. Other notable operators included Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Iran, Japan and Poland. Sadly for some host nations of the 1930s, the FT-17 (or its derivatives) was still an active part of their defense and offense during the time of the Spanish Civil War (1935-1939) and World War 2 (1939-1945).
Large production orders during and following World War 1 ensured the legacy of the system for decades since its inception. Final forms were retired in the late 1940s to which 3,694 examples were produced by then. One of the last major recorded uses of FT-17 tanks was in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War - a modern battlefield to feature a World War 1-era tank development. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
Renault FT-17
Light Tank
Country of Origin: France
Manufacturer: Renault (among others) - France
Initial Year of Service: 1917
Production: 3,694
Focus Model: Renault FT-17
Crew: 2
Overall Length: 11.48ft (3.50m)
Width: 5.61ft (1.71m)
Height: 6.99ft (2.13m)
Weight: 7.3 US Short Tons (6,589kg; 14,526lbs)
Powerplant: 1 x Renault liquid-cooled 4-cylinder gasoline engine generating 35hp.
Maximum Speed: 5mph (7.7 km/h)
Maximum Range: 22 miles (35 km)
NBC Protection: None
Nightvision: None
Armament:
1 x 37mm main gun
1 OR 2 x 7.62mm machine guns (one rear-facing)
Ammunition:
238 x 37mm projectiles
4,200 x 7.62mm ammunition
Variants:
FT-17 - Base Light Tank Series Designation
Char Canon - Fitted with 37mm main gun
Char Mitrailleuse - Fitted with 8mm machine gun
FT-17 CC - Command and Control Vehicle with added communications equipment.
FT 75 BS - Self-Propelled Gun modification; fitted with Schneider 75mm howitzer; 39 examples produced.
Char TSF - Signals Tank
FT Modifie 31 - Upgrade of 1931; fitted with 7.5mm Reibel machine gun.
FT-Ko - Imperial Japanese Army models of 1919; 13 examples.
Russian Renault - Imperial Russian copy
M1917 "6-ton" - American Army designation for use by American Expeditionary Forces; based on FT-17 with US modifications.
FT CWS - Polish Training Vehicles
M26/27 - Modified suspension and tracks; utilized by Poland and Yugoslavia.
T-18 - Soviet variant
FIAT 3000 - Italian Variant
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