The first "modern" tank - the Renault FT

The Renault FT was the first tank that looked like what modern readers will consider a tank - an armored chassis with a rotating turret on top containing the main armament. The design was done by the Societe des Automobiles Renault, who had declined Colonel Estienne's original request to produce an armored vehicle based on the Holt tractor (the Colonel would move on to the Schneider company that produced the CA1). After Colonel Estienne approached Louis Renault again, Renault agreed to produce an armored vehicle, but to his design.
Renault's first limit was that the vehicle would be no more than 7 tonnes, since he did not believe he had engines strong enough to move heavier vehicles. Second, it would use an engine that would work at any angle, as opposed to the British tanks using gravity-feed fuel systems, so that slopes would not cause engine stalls.

Renault would produce around half the FTs built during the war, with others being manufactured by Automobiles M. Berliet SA, Société d'Outillage Mécanique et d'Usinage d'Artillerie (known by the acronym SOMUA), and Automobiles Delaunay-Belleville. Over 3,000 FTs were manufactured, along with post-war production of 950 M1917s (a license-built American version).

The original design of the FT carried only an 8mm Hotchkiss MG, with no plans for other armament. Colonel Estienne required that the tank also be capable of carrying a 37mm cannon, the L/21 Puteaux SA 1918. This required a different turret, and the manufacturing firms of Berliet and Girod both produced "omnibus" turrets capable of mounting either the Hotchkiss or the Puteaux. A small number (approximately 40) of FT 75 BS tanks were produced with the 75mm Blockhaus Schneider cannon that was carried by the CA1. A typical battalion consisted of 40 Hotchkiss FTs, 31 Puteaux FTs, and 4 communications tanks with no armament that carried a wireless set.

In France, the FT would continue to serve into World War 2, with over 500 machinegun-armed FTs still in service at the start of the war. They were used by the Germans in occupied Paris and by Vichy France in Africa, where they were completely outmatched by modern tanks. The FT was also the inspiration for the Italian FIAT 3000 and the Soviet T-18.

Surviving tanks: There are over 60 surviving FTs and variants, including a running FT in Warsaw.

Renault FT
Fire Control: 0
Armament: Hotchkiss M1914 or 37mm L/21 Puteaux SA 18 or 75mm L/9.5 Blockhaus Schneider
Ammo: 4800x8mm or 240x37mm or 30x75mm
Fuel Type: G, A
Veh Wt: 6.7 tonnes
Crew: 2
Mnt: 3
Night Vision: None
Tr Mov: 4/2
Com Mov: 3/1.5
Fuel Cap: 95
Fuel Cons: 10
Config: Veh
Susp: T:2
HF: 4
HS: 3
HR: 3
TF: 3 (riveted turret) or 4 (welded turret)
TS: 3 (riveted turret) or 4 (welded turret)
TR: 3 (riveted turret) or 4 (welded turret)