Renault FT-17 Light Tank,
Renault FT 17 Infantry Tank4
Origins in World War I
General Estienne came up with the concept of a light vehicle to support the infantry.4 Renault came to the project in mid-1916 as the potential order would be for 1,000 vehicles.4
Design
The design was ready by the end of 1916 and it had a crew of two with a machine gun.4 This design was not approved as it was to cramped and wasn't armed with a heavy enough gun.4 Even with this an order for 2,500 was placed for a vehicle that would have a 37mm gun.4 Even with this requirement some early models only had a machine gun for it's main armament.4
The turret could rotate 360° and the tracks were on each side of the hull.4 The engine was in the rear.4 There was a large idler wheel in front that helped it climb over large obstacles.4 There was also a tail that helped it cross trenches.4
| Round | Weight | Muzzle Velocity |
|---|---|---|
| 37 mm AP3 | 1.1 lb3 | 1,273'/sec3 |
| 37 mm HE3 | 1.2 lb3 | 1,204'/sec3 |
Few carried radios.
Renault wasn't able to produce all the tanks so work was farmed out to other factories.4
Usage
They were first delivered in March 1917 to the French army.4
Originally used during World War I, first appearing in the Forest of Retz on May 31, 1918.
At first the tanks weren't massed, but by the counterattack at Soissons there were 480 massed.4
World War II
Oldest tank used in World War II. Between wars tanks were extensively modified. Around 2,500 were in France in 1940. Some were used by the Vichy French in North Africa and Syria.
Supplied to Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Holland, Japan, Poland, Spain, and the United States.
Renault BS4:
Armed with a short barrelled 75 mm gun.4 970 were ordered before the end of World War I, but only a few were completed.
The turret was redesigned to have 7 sides. The escape hatch as offset to the left and there was an extension on the turret to allow for the recoil of the gun.
Some were used in North Africa.
Char démineur, Renault FT-17:
Had 2 plough shares mounted on the front to sweep mines out of the way.1 Only in prototype stage.
Char fascine FT-18:
Had a cradle for a fascine in the front which could be released from inside the vehicle.
Char projecteur:
Turret had 4-legged mast installed that had 2 searchlights on top.1
Char Renault TSF:
Command version that had box like structure installed where turret was.1
Char Reanult TSR:
Had a special radio.4
German Use:
Many were scrapped. Some turrets were mounted in Atlantic Wall defenses, others used as training vehicles, and others used for occupational duties in occupied countries. Some were used in the fall of Paris in 1944. Some had dozer blades installed and used to clear Luftwaffe airfields of snow.
| FT-17 | Renault BS4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver. 21,3,4 |
|
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 14,560 lb, 14,750 lb, 15,432 lb 6.5 tons1, 7.4 tons3, 9.6 tons2 6,618 kg, 7,000 kg |
7.2 tons1 |
| Length w/gun | 13' 25"1, 13' 3", 16.4'3, 16' 5"4 without tail piece: 13.3'3 4 m, 4.22 m2, 5 m4, 5.02 m |
|
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 6' 7", 7'1,4, 7.5'3 2.13 m4, 2.14 m, 2.15 m2 |
|
| Width | 5.67'1, 5.75'3, 5' 7", 5' 7.5"4, 5' 8.5", 5' 9" 1.71 m4, 1.75 m, 1.95 m2 |
|
| Ground clearance | 18"3 | |
| Ground contact length | 82"3 | |
| Ground pressure | 7 psi3, 8.5 psi | |
| Turret ring diameter | ||
| Armament | ||
| Main | 8 mm MG1 37 mm SA182 37 mm Puteaux L/213 OR 8 mm Hotchkiss 1914 MG3 37 mm Char-canon FT 17 4 |
75 mm1 75 mm Char-canon Renault BS4 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 7.5 mm MG MG Char-mitrailleuse FT 174 |
|
| Side arms | ||
| Quantity | ||
| Main | 240 | |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | 4,800 | |
| Side arms | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | Front: 352 Side: 352 6 - 221, 164 0.3 - 0.6"3 |
|
| Hull Front, Upper | ||
| Hull Front, Lower | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | ||
| Hull Rear | ||
| Hull Top | ||
| Hull Bottom | ||
| Turret Front | ||
| Turret Sides | ||
| Turret Rear | ||
| Turret Top | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | Renault1,3,4 | |
| Cooling method | Water1,4, Thermo-syphon3 | |
| Cylinders | 41,3,4 | |
| Net HP | 351 @ 1,500 rpm 354, 393, 842 |
|
| Transmission | Sliding gear3 4 forward, 1 reverse3 |
|
| Steering | Clutch brake3 | |
| Starter | ||
| Electrical System | ||
| Ignition | ||
| Fuel type | Gasoline1 | |
| Octane | ||
| Capacity | 24 gallons3 | |
| Fuel consumption - road | ||
| Fuel consumption - cross country | ||
| Power to weight ratio | ||
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | 360°, hand3 | |
| Max Speed | 4.8 mph1,4, 6 mph3, 6.2 mph 7.68 kph, 7.7 kph4, 8 kph, 35 kph2 |
|
| Cross Country speed | 4.4 mph | |
| Road radius | 22 miles4 , 37 miles 35 km, 35.4 km4 |
|
| Cross Country radius | 24 miles3 | |
| Turning Radius | ||
| Elevation Limits | ||
| Fording depth | 27"3, 3' 0.9 m |
|
| Trench crossing | 4' 6", 6.5'3 5' 9", 5' 11" with tail 1.8 m with tail |
|
| Vertical Obstacle | 2'3 | |
| Suspension (Type) | Coil and leaf spring, and pivoted bogies3 | |
| Wheels each side | ||
| Return rollers each side | ||
| Tracks (Type) | Dry pin3 | |
| Llength | ||
| Width | 13"3 | |
| Number of links | 323 | |
| Pitch | 10"3 | |
| Tire tread | ||
| Track centers/tread | 4.65'3 | |
| Production | 1916-: 3,177, Renault & Co. 1916-: 5,0003 |
Sources:
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- Tanks - Over 250 of the World's Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles, Chris Chant, 2004
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