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    Renault FT-17 light tank


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    Hey! I have pics of another one I had forgotten about. This one is in Kansas City, Missouri at the US National World War I Museum.

    Also, note that this one and the one at Compiegne are different from the one at the WTS in Koblenz.  That one appears to have a cast rounded turret, while these have turrets made of flat plates bolted together.

    DSC06556.JPG

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    The original had the rounded turret. The FT-17 was a Renault, but it was cooperation of different companies like Berliet, Delauney Belleville and SOMUA (Societé d´outillage mécanique et d´usinage d´artillerie).

    Some british companies produced the additional steel plates. Until end of 1917 only 83 tanks were built. Some producer had their own turrets, so we see rounded and other ones. Until the end of the war more then 3000 were built.

    The german Wehrmacht used them too! Here are some captured ones.

    here is a site about survived FT-17

    http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_FT-17.pdf

    A good book in english:

    "French light tank Renault FT and U.S. six-ton tank 1917" (by Witold J. Lawrynowicz)
    ISBN-10: 83-60672-00-9

    ISBN-13: 978-83-60672-00-6

    FT-17 (2.WK 2x).JPG

    FT-17 (2.WK).JPG

    Edited by The Prussian
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    Believe it or not, a member of the Great War Association in the US made a running model of one of these out of plywood and metal and brought it to our Spring 2016 event at Newville.  It was static, as I understand the transmission failed, but very very impressive.  

    Even more inriguing was the fact that he scaled up plans from a 1/35th scale Tamiya plastic model rather than using measurements and photos of actual examples.  I have no idea what the interior looked like, but it is a true labour of love and very cool.

    13015201_10154176198297848_9109556567036686693_n.jpg

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    • 1 year later...

    You were talking about Renault Ft17 tanks kept outside. What about this one? It's from the National Military Museum in Bucharest. Also, what model is it? I only know it was received by the Romanian army in 1919 together with other 90 vehicles in the first Romanian tank division.

    1024px-Renault_FT17_National_Military_Museum_Bucharest.JPG

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