FT 17 Tank

The Renault FT 17 is a light, two man tank with riveted flat armoured plates. It has a fully rotating, manually operated, one man ‘Berliet’ turret. The FT 17 was the first tank to display modern tank qualities such as a fully rotating turret and an engine compartment separated from the crew compartment. It had the capability of fitting larger weapons as well as a wireless set. The tank had very good cross country and vertical climbing performance.  

Introduced 1917, Designed by Renault in France the FT17 was built by a number of manufacturers. The four cylinder, liquid cooled petrol engine is capable of thirty five horse power and can reach a top speed of 7km/h in 4th gear. It has a cone clutch and a four speed gearbox with one reverse gear. Steering is by hand levers, brakes and clutch. The running gear consists of six return rollers and nine road wheels fitted to each side. The large front idler wheel is made from steel rimmed laminated timber.

FT 17 tank were used by France and USA on the Western Front.  They were also used during the Polish Soviet War of 1920, by US Marines in China, Brazil, and the Spanish civil war, and by Vichy French in Syria and Morocco, and German army and Luftwaffe for static defence in France. 

The FT 17 in the Memorial’s collection saw action on the Western front in 1918 and suffered some minor battle damage. At the end of the First World War it was transported to Australia as a gift from France Government.