![]() ![]() The first FTs were deployed to the 1st BCL (Batallion de Chars Légers), and the FT saw its first action in May 1918 at Foret de Retz. The FTs armed with the Puteaux SA 18 37 mm were referred to as the “male” version while the FTs equipped with the coaxial Hotchkiss 7.92mm machine gun were referred to as “female.” The FT Renault also featured a turret that was armed with either a Puteaux SA 18 37 mm short-barreled gun or a coaxial Hotchkiss 7.92mm machine gun. ![]() A tail was added to the end of the Renault to stabilize the vehicle and prevent the rear end of the tank from falling in when passing over a trench. ![]() The FT Renault featured Renault 4-cylinder air- cool petrol engine that was located at the rear of the tank, along with a modified Holt Chassis that provided better mobility over difficult terrains. Even the US received blueprints and created 1200 of its own to support French and US forces. The FT was so effective that towards the end of the war, that Renault could not keep up with the demand for the tank, therefore production had to be outsourced to other companies in France. The first 84 were delivered prior to the end of 19 more delivered over time until November 1917. The FT Renault was produced in mass numbers from 1917 to 1918. The FT had great success in WWI and is widely regarded as the world’s “first modern tank” as it inspired the design of many of the tanks we know today. Louis Renault of Renault Automobile Company originally produced the FT Renault, but eventually, demand for this tank was so high that it was outsourced to other automobile companies around France and even some U.S companies. The FTs, although lighter in armor, could be produced in mass, and thus relied on “swarm” tactics to overwhelm its entrenched enemies. The first light tank of its time, the FT Renault, was easier to manufacture, cheaper, and more agile than the heavy and largely immobile tanks of the time. FT Renault is known for revolutionizing tank warfare. ![]()
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