1:50 Renault FT

**CharlieC** · #1 09-03-2018, 06:28 PM

To round out the series of French WW1 tanks - a model of the smallest and most useful of the tanks. The design of the Renault light tank started as a private venture by Renault in 1916 and was promoted by Col. Estienne as a better way to use tanks. Estienne likened an attack by Renault tanks as "like a swarm of bees". The first tanks were built at the end of 1917 but there were delays in production and training so the FTs first went into action on 31 May 1918. About 3000 Renault FTs were produced before the end of WW1 and they were highly successful in the role of close infantry support.

The model is of one of the FTs given to the US Army 301st Battalion. The model is fairly straightforward to build although I had lots of problems getting the track frames to line up with the hull. The support frame for the tail is taken from the WoT FT model and modified - I thought original part was pretty inaccurate.

Regards,

Charlie

**PacificWind** · #2 09-03-2018, 10:50 PM

Great work and nice pictures.
FT was always an interesting tank.

**CharlieC** · #3 09-04-2018, 12:14 AM

Thank you.

There are so many variants of the FT. As well as the two different turrets with machine gun or 37mm cannon there was also the 75 BS (75mm Blockhaus Schneider gun) and the TSF (Wireless) tanks.

WoT has a model of a 1930s prototype FT with a 47mm anti-tank gun. There were three different prototypes tested before the end of WW1 fitted with the 75mm Mle 1897 field gun as a light SPG and I have seen an image of an FT bulldozer from the 1920s.

Regards,

Charlie

**Mike1158** · #4 09-04-2018, 03:19 AM

An excellent model of a fine vehicle, long lived too.

**rockpaperscissor** · #5 09-04-2018, 06:24 AM

A very clean build. Nice job!

**Vinalssergio155** · #6 09-04-2018, 06:40 AM

Excellent, a great job.

**PacificWind** · #7 09-04-2018, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieC

Thank you.

There are so many variants of the FT. As well as the two different turrets with machine gun or 37mm cannon there was also the 75 BS (75mm Blockhaus Schneider gun) and the TSF (Wireless) tanks.

WoT has a model of a 1930s prototype FT with a 47mm anti-tank gun. There were three different prototypes tested before the end of WW1 fitted with the 75mm Mle 1897 field gun as a light SPG and I have seen an image of an FT bulldozer from the 1920s.

Regards,

Charlie

That FT 75 BS variant is available somewhere in paper?

**CharlieC** · #8 09-04-2018, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificWind

That FT 75 BS variant is available somewhere in paper?

Yes - the FT model on Landships II (Landships II) has an option to build the model as the FT 75 BS. I think the WoT FT model has a similar option (https://worldoftanks.ru/ru/media/10/...17_paper_tank/) . The production 75 BS was a fairly straightforward conversion of the turret to a fixed casement - the rest of the tank was more or less unchanged.

Regards,

Charlie

**MonsieurE** · #9 09-04-2018, 04:26 PM

That is the bladetype i guess seems to have more than one builded
The two hole in the blade was done for the driver, to see where he goes.....
Some historians argue that We got too much tank so we try to convert them for peace time

**CharlieC** · #10 09-04-2018, 05:16 PM

Thank you - that's more information on the FT bulldozer than I have ever seen before. After WW2 in Australia a lot of obsolete Matilda and Grant tanks were turned into bulldozers - they were a lot cheaper than a conventional bulldozer and the hulls were much stronger. There are still some around even today although I doubt whether any of them can still run.

Regards,

Charlie