The Renault FT, frequently referred to in post-World War I literature
as the "FT-17" or "FT17", was a French light tank that was among the most revolutionary
and influential tank designs in history. The FT was the first operational
armored tracked vehicle or tank to have its armament within a fully rotating
turret,[a][citation needed] The
Renault FT's configuration – crew compartment at the front, engine compartment
at the back, and main armament in a revolving turret – became and remains the
standard tank layout . Over 3,000 Renault FT tanks were manufactured by French
industry, most of them during the year 1918. Furthermore, beginning in October
1918, American industry produced 950 nearly identical licensed copies of the
Renault FT ( the "Six Ton Tank" ). Armour historian Steven Zaloga has called the Renault FT "the
world's first modern tank."[2]
However R.L. DiNardo states that the distinction should be applied to the
earlier Motorgeschütz
designed by the Austrian Leutnant Günther Burstyn.[3]
Development[edit]
Studies on the design of a novel light tank were initiated in May 1916 by
automobile and truck manufacturer Louis Renault. Evidence[which?] suggests that
Louis Renault himself drew the new tank's preliminary design, unconvinced that a
sufficient power-to-weight ratio could be achieved for the
projected heavy tank types requested by the military.[citation needed] One of
his most talented designers, Rodolphe Ernst-Metzmaier, produced the final
drawings.
Though his design was technically far more advanced than the other two French
tanks at the time, namely the Schneider CA1 (1916) and the heavy Saint-Chamond (1917), Renault encountered
difficulties in getting his proposal accepted by the head of the French tank
arm, Colonel (later General) Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne. After the first
British use of heavy tanks on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, the French military still
pondered whether a large number of light tanks would be preferable to a smaller
number of superheavy tanks (the later Char 2C). However, Estienne convinced the French
Commander in Chief that the light tanks were a more feasible and realistic
option. After receiving two large government orders for the FT tank, one in
April 1917 and the other in June 1917, Renault was at last able to proceed.
However, his design remained in competition with the Char 2C until the end of
the war.
Crew locations shown with panels
open
The prototype was refined during the second half of 1917, but the Renault FT
remained plagued by radiator fan belt problems throughout the war. Only 84 were
produced in 1917 but 2,697 were delivered in 1918 before the Armistice. At least
3,177 were produced (the number delivered to the French Army); some estimates of total production
for all versions go as high as 4,000. Furthermore 514 were delivered directly to
the U.S. Army, 24 to Great Britain, and three to
Italy – giving a probable total production number of 3,694.
Manufacturers[edit]
About half of all FTs were manufactured in Renault's factory at Boulogne-Billancourt
near Paris, with the remainder subcontracted to other concerns. Of the original
order for 3,530, Renault accounted for 1,850 (52 per cent), Berliet 800 (23 per cent), SOMUA (a subsidiary of Schneider & Cie) 600 (17 per cent), and Delaunay-Belleville 280 (8 per cent). Renault
agreed to waive any royalties. When the order was increased to 7,820
in 1918, production was distributed in roughly the same proportion.
When the USA entered the War in April 1917, its army was short of heavy
materiel, and had no tanks at all. The American Expeditionary Forces were first issued
514 French-made Renault FT tanks in 1918. Previously, in December 1917, a sample
tank of the Renault FT type had reached the USA with detailed drawings and a
Renault engineer. Contracts to produce 4,400 Renault FT type tanks for the US
Army, by three American assembly plants, were promptly signed. American-made
Renault type tanks were officially named Six Ton Tank M1917 and closely resembled the
French Renault FT original. Finished machines started to come through in October
1918 just one month before the Armistice of November 11. Production of the
American-made "Six Ton Tank" continued after the Armistice, reaching a final
number of 952 delivered to the US Ordnance Department.
as the "FT-17" or "FT17", was a French light tank that was among the most revolutionary
and influential tank designs in history. The FT was the first operational
armored tracked vehicle or tank to have its armament within a fully rotating
turret,[a][citation needed] The
Renault FT's configuration – crew compartment at the front, engine compartment
at the back, and main armament in a revolving turret – became and remains the
standard tank layout . Over 3,000 Renault FT tanks were manufactured by French
industry, most of them during the year 1918. Furthermore, beginning in October
1918, American industry produced 950 nearly identical licensed copies of the
Renault FT ( the "Six Ton Tank" ). Armour historian Steven Zaloga has called the Renault FT "the
world's first modern tank."[2]
However R.L. DiNardo states that the distinction should be applied to the
earlier Motorgeschütz
designed by the Austrian Leutnant Günther Burstyn.[3]
Development[edit]
Studies on the design of a novel light tank were initiated in May 1916 by
automobile and truck manufacturer Louis Renault. Evidence[which?] suggests that
Louis Renault himself drew the new tank's preliminary design, unconvinced that a
sufficient power-to-weight ratio could be achieved for the
projected heavy tank types requested by the military.[citation needed] One of
his most talented designers, Rodolphe Ernst-Metzmaier, produced the final
drawings.
Though his design was technically far more advanced than the other two French
tanks at the time, namely the Schneider CA1 (1916) and the heavy Saint-Chamond (1917), Renault encountered
difficulties in getting his proposal accepted by the head of the French tank
arm, Colonel (later General) Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne. After the first
British use of heavy tanks on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, the French military still
pondered whether a large number of light tanks would be preferable to a smaller
number of superheavy tanks (the later Char 2C). However, Estienne convinced the French
Commander in Chief that the light tanks were a more feasible and realistic
option. After receiving two large government orders for the FT tank, one in
April 1917 and the other in June 1917, Renault was at last able to proceed.
However, his design remained in competition with the Char 2C until the end of
the war.
Crew locations shown with panels
open
The prototype was refined during the second half of 1917, but the Renault FT
remained plagued by radiator fan belt problems throughout the war. Only 84 were
produced in 1917 but 2,697 were delivered in 1918 before the Armistice. At least
3,177 were produced (the number delivered to the French Army); some estimates of total production
for all versions go as high as 4,000. Furthermore 514 were delivered directly to
the U.S. Army, 24 to Great Britain, and three to
Italy – giving a probable total production number of 3,694.
Manufacturers[edit]
About half of all FTs were manufactured in Renault's factory at Boulogne-Billancourt
near Paris, with the remainder subcontracted to other concerns. Of the original
order for 3,530, Renault accounted for 1,850 (52 per cent), Berliet 800 (23 per cent), SOMUA (a subsidiary of Schneider & Cie) 600 (17 per cent), and Delaunay-Belleville 280 (8 per cent). Renault
agreed to waive any royalties. When the order was increased to 7,820
in 1918, production was distributed in roughly the same proportion.
When the USA entered the War in April 1917, its army was short of heavy
materiel, and had no tanks at all. The American Expeditionary Forces were first issued
514 French-made Renault FT tanks in 1918. Previously, in December 1917, a sample
tank of the Renault FT type had reached the USA with detailed drawings and a
Renault engineer. Contracts to produce 4,400 Renault FT type tanks for the US
Army, by three American assembly plants, were promptly signed. American-made
Renault type tanks were officially named Six Ton Tank M1917 and closely resembled the
French Renault FT original. Finished machines started to come through in October
1918 just one month before the Armistice of November 11. Production of the
American-made "Six Ton Tank" continued after the Armistice, reaching a final
number of 952 delivered to the US Ordnance Department.