Renault FT Tank Turrets

Intended for 3d print.

Tank turret for the French 1917 Renault FT tank. Three variants included: 

- Equipped with a 37mm Puteaux SA 18 cannon 

- Equipped with an 8mm Hotchkiss machine gun 

- Equipped with a 37mm cannon and the back hatch open

History

The Renault FT is generally regarded as the first (production) tank to feature a rotating turret. Rotating turrets had previously been used on armoured cars, but never on a tracked vehicle. The Renault FT was a revolutionary design, and became a template for future tank development.  The Renault FT was a relatively light tank, its weight not exceeding 7 tonnes. Maximum speed was a blistering 7km/hour, and operational range was 60 km.  It was originally equipped with a machine gun, and later on the turret could also be equipped with a 37mm cannon. The Puteaux SA 18 and Hotchkiss machine gun used in this model kit are both historically accurate armaments. The tank would be updated with a Reibel machine gun in the 1930's. Despite updates, by the time of WW2 the tank was considered obsolete.

This model kit is part of an ongoing series, tentatively called "Tank Turrets Through The Ages". The idea is to design era-defining tank turrets from their first inception up to modern day. The turrets will eventually be compiled into a megapack that provides a comprehensive and historically accurate set of turrets, for you to use in your tabletop miniature wargames. This product description will be updated with links to other turrets in the series as I design and publish them.