Renault FT: the world’s first modern tank

The Renault FT is a French light tank designed and built by Renault, and among the most influential tank designs in history. It was the first production tank to carry its armament in a fully rotating turret, and its layout became the standard for tanks ever since.

Renault FT at a glance

Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Renault FT.

History of the Renault FT

Estienne’s idea

The FT was designed and produced by the Société des Automobiles Renault. It is thought Louis Renault began working on the idea as early as 21 December 1915, after a visit from Colonel J. B. E. Estienne, who had drawn up plans for a tracked armoured vehicle based on the Holt caterpillar tractor and, with General Joffre’s permission, approached Renault as a possible manufacturer. Renault declined, saying his company was at full capacity making war materiel and had no experience of tracked vehicles. Estienne then found that the Schneider company was working on such a vehicle, which became France’s first operational tank, the Schneider CA.

The modern tank layout

The FT was the first production tank to have its armament in a fully rotating turret. Its configuration, with the crew compartment at the front, the engine at the back and the main armament in a revolving turret, became and remains the standard tank layout, and some historians of armoured warfare have called it the world’s first modern tank. Over 3,000 were built by France, most of them in 1918.

Export and copies

After the First World War FT tanks were exported in large numbers. Copies and derivative designs were built in the United States as the M1917 light tank, in Italy as the Fiat 3000 and in the Soviet Union as the T-18. The FT saw combat in interwar conflicts around the world but was considered obsolete by the outbreak of the Second World War.

Design and features

• Rotating turret: the first production tank with its armament in a fully revolving turret.
• Modern layout: crew in front, engine behind, gun on top, the pattern still used today.
• Built in numbers: over 3,000 by France, mostly in 1918.
• Widely copied: the basis of the American M1917, Italian Fiat 3000 and Soviet T-18.

Renault FT versions

• FT with machine gun: the original light tank version.
• FT with 37 mm gun: the gun-armed variant in its rotating turret.
• M1917: American copy.
• Fiat 3000: Italian derivative.
• T-18: Soviet derivative.

Renault’s other military vehicles are on the Renault UE and Renault R35 pages, and its wartime trucks on Renault AHx. More Renaults are in the Renault collection.

Video: Driving a Renault FT-17 tank

Video by colacas on YouTube.

Sources

• Renault FT, English Wikipedia: origins, layout, production, copies