4th Afghan Renault FT tank

[the_shadock]

Finally, there were 4 different Renault FT tanks in Afghanistan, in 2003 :

2 of them were found in a dumb and were brought to Fort Knox

1 of them went to the Saumur Tank Museum in 2006 :
http://museedesblindes.fr/spip.php?article121

the 4th one is still in Afghanistan :


compare to an old picture :


It didn't move at all !!!

P-O

[Massimo_Foti]

I am still wonder what happened to the L 3/35 over there

Massimo

[JimWeb]

I would put money on that being a captured ex-american interventionist forces tank from the russian civil war and subsequently passed to the afghans when they were sucking up to the russians in the 1930s

More views would help - as well as a look at the engine.

[the_shadock]

- Massimo_Foti

I am still wonder what happened to the L 3/35 over there

Massimo

you can see that, thanks to this forum and the world wide web, we always find the fate of vehicles that seemed to have disappeared, like this Renault FT it will be the same with the L3/33 in Afghanistan.

- JimWeb

I would put money on that being a captured ex-american interventionist forces tank from the russian civil war

Did the USA use Renault FTs during the russian civil war? Because this is not an US 6-ton M1917.

P-O

[JimWeb]

- the_shadock

- JimWeb

I would put money on that being a captured ex-american interventionist forces tank from the russian civil war

Did the USA use Renault FTs during the russian civil war? Because this is not an US 6-ton M1917.

P-O

Yes they supplied a number to the white russian Forces in Siberia but they found their way to the red forces though they were missing armament etc..

[profil]

the_shadock wrote
. 4 different Renault FT tanks in Afghanistan:

2 of them were found in a dumb and were brought to Fort Knox
1 of them went to the Saumur Tank Museum in 2006 :
museedesblindes.fr/spi...article121
the 4th one is still in Afghanistan

I think:
the Saumur Tank is the same as one of found on dump

[Manu-Military]

Here is the new ex Afgan Saumur FT tank.
I took these photos during the 2008 annual show.
Please note that Saumur's staff were pretty happy to get this unit since it is the only one they have with the 37mm gun. Cheers from Normandy.

[Manu-Military]

And here are a few others taken during the show. Enjoy !

[the_shadock]

- Manu-Military

Here is the new ex Afgan Saumur FT tank.
I took these photos during the 2008 annual show.
Please note that Saumur's staff were pretty happy to get this unit since it is the only one they have with the 37mm gun. Cheers from Normandy.

this one is not the Afghan Renault FT.
The Afghan one has a machinegun, is displayed in the WW1 room of the museum (while the 2 others in running condition are stored), and can be seen here during its restoration :
http://www.museedesblindes.fr/spip.php?article121

Moreover, the Afghan one is not in running condition, the engine and gearbox were removed to give spare for the 2 other Renault FTs.

P-O

[Manu-Military]

- the_shadock

- Manu-Military

Here is the new ex Afgan Saumur FT tank.
I took these photos during the 2008 annual show.
Please note that Saumur's staff were pretty happy to get this unit since it is the only one they have with the 37mm gun. Cheers from Normandy.

this one is not the Afghan Renault FT.
The Afghan one has a machinegun, is displayed in the WW1 room of the museum (while the 2 others in running condition are stored), and can be seen here during its restoration :
http://www.museedesblindes.fr/spip.php?article121

Moreover, the Afghan one is not in running condition, the engine and gearbox were removed to give spare for the 2 other Renault FTs.

P-O

Oops sorry you're bloody well right! I totally forgot this point!
One thing is sure : the Afghan FT brought the museum the 37mm gun turret which they were missing. They actually switch the turret from the second FT in running order with the Afghan FT.
So the latter got the former museum FT turret with a mg and the second FT in running order got the Afghan turret with the 37mm gun.
These info are from one of the museum mechaniocs who worked on the restauration project.
Errr... not sure if this is clear enough?

[the_shadock]

it is, at least for me

thanks for the information, I didn't know about the 37mm gun.
Here you can see a picture of the Afgan FT carrying the MG of one of the other FTs (the machinegun and mantlet still carried the old paint of the former tank at that moment) :

http://www.museedesblindes.fr/IMG/jpg/FT_21.jpg

This fact also explains why the other FT (which now carries the 37mm gun) was repainted at the same time.

P-O

[TrevorLarkum]

Some interesting detective work!

[the_shadock]

just a shame that the 3 FTs @ Saumur have a rounded Girod turret.. would have been interesting for them to get an hexagonal one.

Moreover, all the front wheels have metal segments instead of original wooden segments..

P-O

[Manu-Military]

If you want wooden idlers wheels, the Brussels FT unit has them, but you must already know that don't you?
As far as the octogonal turret, there is one unit in the USA that has it. It is a true WWI veteran since it has been destroyed at the left rear corner.
Bought and brought back to the States for display after the war it has been lost in a private colection after being recently bought again by a museum and is now on display again.
Sorry for forgetting where it is but our US readers may know it.

[the_shadock]

Manu,

yes I already know all of them, I just said that it's a shame for the Saumur Museum visitors not to see at the same time various turret and wheel models that equipped the Renault FTs.
It's IMO more interesting to see 2 variants side by side, rather than 2 identical tanks (during the Carrousel, the only difference between the 2 FTs is that one has a 37mm gun).

For the tank you are speaking of at the very bottom of your last message, it is located at the National WW1 Museum, Kansas City, MO (USA).

more information on :
http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_FT-17.pdf

and
http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_French_Tank_Turrets.pdf
(which includes FT turrets)

Pierre-Olivier