Com-Central.net

Hello,

thanks to Rafal Bialecki, I came across this photo taken in 2007, which shows an US M1917 6-ton tank that I never saw before :



http://foto.mail.ru/mail/wise-wolf/84

In the album description is the location "USA - Montana", so I suppose that it could be the M1917 owned by Hayes Otoupalik (who lives in Missoula, Montana). In the same album, we can see a M8 Greyhound and a Scout Car stored in the same building. It seems that neither Neil nor me saw any photo of the Hayes Otoupalik collection, so maybe someone on this forum know these vehicles and could confirm the location?

thanks

P-O

note from Hayes

Yes, this is my US Model 1917 Six Ton Special Tractor. I believe there is a
better picture on the MVPA Site.... They may use on the Tank List on line. Hayes

I've been in touch with Hayes several times. He is footnoted throughout the register & his collection is listed:

M1917 USA std 37mm gun-armed turret 1
M3A1 Stuart USA std
M3A1 Scout Car USA std
M4A1 Half-Track USA std
M5A1 Stuart USA std
M8 Greyhound USA std
M20 USA std
T16 Universal Carrier USA std

Neil

Neil,

if you loo, to the gallery you'll find the SN for the Greyhound and the Scout Car.. maybe useful to add to your register?

P-O

I see a painted RN on the scout car, and I see a picture of the M20 (no painted RN visable). Dont see a picture of the M8 Greyhound at all... Maybe I'm missing something...

Neil

How do you tell the difference between an M-1917 and FT-17?

I think the easiest way is the US model has the muffler in the left side, French model have the muffler on the right side, different engines

gone

- Neil_Baumgardner

I see a painted RN on the scout car, and I see a picture of the M20 (no painted RN visable). Dont see a picture of the M8 Greyhound at all... Maybe I'm missing something...

Neil

yes that's right, this is an M20 on the photo (I wonder where I saw an M8). I also thought that the SN was readable, but it's not the case..

P-O

Thanks! One more ID question. Do all French have cast turrets and US have riveted turrets?

- armyjunk2

French

Be careful! That's a prototype turret and not really representative of most FT-17s...

Neil

Heres Some that I have, recently taken, for comparison:





Regards
Don

- Dontos

Heres Some that I have, recently taken, for comparison:

Some have argued that this is an "FT-18" - others argue that there is no such thing as an "FT-18."

Neil

I don't think you can tell by the turrets, looking in Tanks Of the World 1915-45 i would say that doesn't work. The mufflers always seem to work.

i'm not sure that the FT-18 ever existed in France.. there were only versions of the FT-17 but no tank was ever called FT-18.
So the Knox FT-17 restoration is finished ? Nice to see it.

P-O