LT Renault FT vz.7/24 - "Walk 'N' Gun"

DrunkenLamp · August 31, 2026, 9:04pm

Would you like to see this vehicle in-game?

Yes
No

0 voters

LT Renault FT vz.7/24

History

The Renault FT is tank that was introduced in the Great War, with it being the first tank with fully rotatable turret and being able to be equipped with either machine gun or cannon. During and after the great war, this tank saw success in export, being exported to many nations such as Afganistan, Poland, United States and many more nations, among these was Czechoslovakia.

After the end of the great war, the new nation of Czechoslovakia immidietly started looking for tanks, with the first talks between France and Czechoslovakia being started in 1919 for the purchase, these talks were unsuccesful. Later in 1921 Czechoslovak representatives finally made a breaktrough with the French and purchased single Renault FT with puteaux SA-18, this tank was delivered in 1922. This tank served primarily for familiarization with this new technology. In 1923 Czechoslovakia ordered more Renault FT tanks for the training of new crew members. Among these orders was single Renault TSF which does not have any arnament and has a radio station inside.

The second Renault FT that was delivered to Czechoslovakia kept it’s 8mm Hotchkiss Mle.1914 machine gun, this arnament was kept in Czechoslovak Army until 1935 where it was cannibalized for parts to repair the remaining few functional Renault FTs.

In 1929, Czechoslovakia decided to replace the Hotchkiss-armed Renault FTs with much more domestic weapon, this being the TK Schwarzlose vz.7/24.

The TK Schwarzlose vz.7/24 is watercooled heavy machine gun based off of the Austrian Schwarzlose heavy machine gun. After the great war, Czechoslovakia ordered for the vz.7/12 (Schwarzlose in Czechoslovak service) to be rechambered to 7,92mm mauser, compared to original 8mm. This modification was carried out by Zbrojovka Janeček.

These machine guns were used up until the 1939, where majority of them was captured by German Army in Czechoslovakia, renamed to s.MG 24(t). Slovak State continued to use these machine guns until late 1945. After the end of second world war, these machine guns would be used for security forces. Use completely stopped in late 40s.

In Czechoslovakia, Renault FT was known as “Lehký Tank Renault FT” (Light Tank Renault FT). These tanks served in Czechoslovak service till 1938, first tank being used for parts in 1933. Czechoslovakia sought no purpose in these tanks in-case of war broke out, due to their age and bad arnament.

During May Uprising in 1945 in Czechoslovakia, Czech resistence saw themselves facing the old tank, with it being used by German forces. Most likely being one of the few that survived Czechoslovak service just to enter the German one.

Last destroyed Renault FT in combat

The last Renault FT was taken out of combat on 8th of May, 1945 at 4 PM. After the combat ended, Czech resistence in Prague wrote “Tygr” (Tiger) as a joke on the side of the vehicle.

Characteristics

Armament

7,92mm vz.7/24
- -10° degrees of depresion, +18° degrees of elevation
- Firerate: 520 rounds/minute
- Muzzle velocity: 835 m/s
  Spoiler
  - 7,92x57 Mauser vz.23
  - 7,92x57 Mauser vz.24
  - 7,92x57 Mauser vz.30
  - 7,92x57 Mauser vz.31
    - vz.31 has around 13-14mm of penetration
  - Ammunition count: 4500 rounds