| Tango01 | 05 Aug 2014 10:54 p.m. PST |
"World War I was shaped by a whole pile of new vehicles developed during the fours years of conflict. One hundred years after the start of the war, we're taking a look back at the most remarkable vehicles—planes, cars, tanks, zeppelins—the war helped bring about. Tanks play a fundamental role in modern warfare. It wasn't always that way—a century ago, horses were still important to ground campaigns and motor vehicles were just beginning to ferry officers on European battlefields. To find the root of the tank's dominance over how we fight now, we have to look back to May 1918, when France's Renault FT tank first rolled into battle. The FT has been called the world's first modern tank. Much of the FT was designed by Louis Renault, founder of the French automaker that still exists today. French general Jean Baptiste Eugène Estienne, considered to be the "father of French tanks," asked Renault to build a tank that was lighter and more nimble than the models already in service, which were large, heavy, and slow. Renault, though he had no experience with tracked vehicles, took up the challenge and ended up helping pioneer a century of armored vehicle development. As a cheap, lightweight, maneuverable, and comparably quick tank, the FT was designed to overwhelm enemy firing positions with sheer numbers…"
Full article here
link Amicalement
Armand |
| GarrisonMiniatures | 06 Aug 2014 2:56 a.m. PST |
Agree it can be described as the first modern tank, but 'To find the root of the tank's dominance over how we fight now, we have to look back to May 1918, when France's Renault FT tank first rolled into battle.' is way over the top – the tank's dominance was due to the British heavies and I don't think the FT had anywhere near as much impact during WW1 as they did. Post war, FT was the dominant style, no doubt. Likewise, during the war the British Whippets were quite capable. Perhaps if the French had produced a decent heavy… |
| OldGrenadier at work | 06 Aug 2014 4:24 a.m. PST |
I think the point may be that the FT was the first operational tank with a turret. It was the prototype of the modern tank. |
| David Manley | 06 Aug 2014 5:11 a.m. PST |
Two different points being made. They are not the same. |
| GarrisonMiniatures | 06 Aug 2014 5:35 a.m. PST |
Agreed. One point the article is suggesting is that it was the first successful tank. It wasn't. The British heavies were. The other point the article is claiming is that was the first modern tank. It was. The article is simply claiming far too much for it. |
 Legion 4  | 06 Aug 2014 8:02 a.m. PST |
Well it was the first tank with a turret and lasted for two wars. And bought or manufactured by various nations … not to mention those captured and put to use … |
| DeRuyter | 06 Aug 2014 10:06 a.m. PST |
It was also purchased by the US and I believe it was the US Army's first tank. I am surprised Tango didn't include this link to an excellent Kickstarter that includes 28mm resin models of the FT-17: link |
| Tango01 | 06 Aug 2014 10:07 a.m. PST |
Interesting points guys. Amicalement
Armand |
| N Drury | 07 Aug 2014 2:24 p.m. PST |
On hard level ground it might make 5mph compared to the 4mph of the British heavier tanks but on rougher ground they'd both be a lot slower and the latter could actually be faster. |
| Dave Crowell | 08 Aug 2014 10:00 a.m. PST |
I think it is fair to say that the FT changed the way tank warfare was conceptualized and was the first "modern" tank. It did change the way we fight today, in a way I am not sure the British heavies did. However the British heavies were without doubt the first successful tanks. |
| Tango01 | 08 Aug 2014 11:34 a.m. PST |
Agree with you Dave. Amicalement
Armand |
| Lewisgunner | 09 Aug 2014 5:03 a.m. PST |
I love the FT and it was a great tank. the other tanks, A7v, mark V, schneider, St chamond were all mobile pill boxes, but the FT was a proper tank . The others were all designed to break through trench lines, only the FT was going to work once the war had become more mobile. |
| Matsuru Sami Kaze | 10 Aug 2014 6:41 a.m. PST |
There is an FT-17 on display at the First Division Museum at Wheaton, IL. The U.S. version. A multitude of other tanks are also there to look at, touch, or climb upon, as well as the superb indoor Divisional museum with its dioramas. The grounds are known as Cantigny. |
| N Drury | 11 Aug 2014 10:15 a.m. PST |
As it was very slow and had a limited range it wasn't really a breakthrough or an exploitation weapon. The true exploitation arm was still the cavalry division in 1918. Armoured cars would have been of more use than the FT once clear of the trenches. |
| spontoon | 11 Aug 2014 3:50 p.m. PST |
Imagine what a British Mk.V tank with a FT turret would have been like! |
