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Renault FT-17 (The First Tanks In Russia)
Introduction
During the Russian Civil War, the Red Army captured several Renault FT-17 tanks from the defeated White Army. These tanks had originally been supplied to White forces by France. After their capture, the Red Army briefly used them in the early 1920s, primarily for training and study. While outdated, the FT-17 influenced Soviet armored vehicle development, contributing to the evolution of early Soviet tank designs.
FT-17 Renault History
The Renault FT-17 was a revolutionary French light tank that fundamentally changed armored warfare. Designed during World War I by Louis Renault, it introduced the concept of a fully rotating turret mounted on a tracked chassis—an innovation that became the standard for tank design worldwide. The FT-17 was compact, agile, and operated by a two-man crew: a driver and a gunner/commander. Armament typically consisted of either a 37 mm Puteaux SA18 cannon or a Hotchkiss 7.92 mm machine gun, making it suitable for infantry support and trench assault roles.
By the end of World War I, over 3,000 FT-17s had been produced, and it saw action on many fronts with notable success. Its mobility and versatility gave it a significant edge over earlier heavy and cumbersome tanks. The design was so effective that it remained in service well into the 1940s with various countries around the world. In total, the FT-17 was exported to or used by more than 20 nations, including Poland, Japan, and the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Red Army came into possession of several FT-17s after the Russian Civil War, either captured from White forces or left behind by interventionist powers. These tanks were studied, reverse-engineered, and even copied in limited numbers under the name “Russian Renault.” They played a formative role in early Soviet armored development and contributed to the foundation of future Soviet tank design. Though outdated by the 1930s, the FT-17’s legacy endured in training, ceremonial parades, and museum displays. Its impact on the evolution of tank warfare was profound, making it one of the most influential tanks of the 20th century. The Renault FT-17 proved that a small, well-designed vehicle could achieve battlefield success and change military doctrine permanently.
History in Russia
During the Russian Civil War, the Renault FT-17 played a small but notable role in the conflict. The White Army, supported by France, received a number of FT-17 tanks, which were among the most advanced armored vehicles of their time. These tanks were deployed by White forces in battles against the Bolsheviks, particularly in southern Russia and Crimea. However, as the tide of the war shifted, many of these tanks were captured by the Red Army.
The Red Army initially had limited access to armored vehicles, making the FT-17 an important acquisition. These captured tanks were quickly pressed into service, used both in combat and for training Soviet crews in the fundamentals of armored warfare. While the FT-17 was relatively slow and lightly armed by later standards, its fully rotating turret and modern design provided valuable insights for Soviet engineers and military planners.
By the early 1920s, the Soviet Union had begun developing its own tank programs, inspired in part by foreign designs like the FT-17. Some of the captured FT-17s remained in service for training purposes, but they were eventually phased out as the USSR developed more advanced tanks, such as the T-18 (MS-1), which bore some influence from the French design.
Although the FT-17 had a brief role in Soviet history, its capture and study contributed to the foundation of Soviet armored forces, which would later become a dominant force in global military history.
Russian Copy of the FT-17 the “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin”
This vehicle can be made into its own suggestion since its a different vehicle, but here’s some history on it anyway since its connected to the FT-17.
Production
The design and production of tanks were managed by the Central Armored Directorate of the Main Military Engineering Directorate (GVIU), with Commissar Ivan Khristianovich Gaugel representing Tsentrobron (Soviet Armored Units) in the field. Known for his blunt approach, often relying on vulgar language and a Mauser handgun, Gaugel played a key role in negotiations with subcontractors—many of whom found themselves locked up as “saboteurs” until they agreed to the factory’s terms. Whether due to his methods or in spite of them, the project’s initial phase was completed within months, and by December, production of the “Russian Renault” tanks was set to begin.
However, early assembly efforts faced significant challenges, including a lack of skilled workers, shortages of raw materials, and even food scarcity. The Izhora plant’s armored plates were of poor quality, further slowing progress. As a result, production delays mounted, often met with Gaugel’s characteristically aggressive interventions. It wasn’t until May that full-scale production finally commenced, with the first tanks rolling off the assembly line in August 1920. When completed, Gaugel proudly presented the tank to Leon Trotsky, then head of the Red Army—an act that nearly cost him his life years later when Stalin came to power.
Notably, Mikhail Ilyich Koshkin, the future designer of the legendary T-34, also played a role in this early Soviet tank project. After being wounded in battles near Tsaritsyn and Arkhangelsk in 1918, he recovered in Nizhny Novgorod and later joined the Krasnoe Sormovo plant as a mechanic, marking the beginning of his journey in Soviet tank development.
The first tank was equipped with the only available original 37 mm Puteaux SA18 short-barreled gun. The majority of the remaining units were fitted with modified 37 mm Hotchkiss naval guns, adapted by the Putilov factory. These guns had originally been acquired for the Russian Navy but were later deemed unsuitable and placed in storage. To improve the gunner’s comfort and stability, a shoulder rest was added. The 37 mm guns exclusively fired fragmentation shells, with a theoretical maximum range of 2,000 meters, though their effective range was limited to 400 meters. The shells had a muzzle velocity of 442 m/s, and the gun achieved an effective firing rate of 10-12 rounds per minute.
April 1919. This tank was chosen as a gift to Lenin
Naming:
Once the first tank was completed, workers at the Sormovo plant debated what to name it. Several options were proposed, including “Fighter,” “Comrade Lenin,” and “For Freedom.” In the end, they decided to merge all three ideas, painting the inscription “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin” on both sides of the tank. Additionally, a red star and the letters “RSFSR” were painted on the front of the hull. Each subsequent tank also received a name reflecting revolutionary themes as soon as it left the production line.
The official designation of the tank series remains a point of contention among historians. No specific index or designation was formally assigned. In technical documents, it was often described as a “tank of the Renault type” or “Renault system with a Fiat engine.” In 1927, Fatyanov’s book Tank Renault-Russian, an operational and maintenance manual, simply referred to it as the “Russian Renault.” Some sources suggest alternative names, such as the “KS tank,” referencing Krasnoe Sormovo, or the “M tank,” denoting its small size.
FT-17’s being transported atop truck beds in Russia
Specifications for the FT-17:
General Characteristics:
- Origin: France
- Crew: 2 (Commander/Gunner, Driver)
- Length: 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in)
- Width: 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
- Height: 2.14 m (7 ft)
- Weight: 6.5–7.2 tons (varied by armament and modifications)
Armor:
- Hull Armor: 8–22 mm
- Turret Armor: 16 mm
- Engine Compartment Armor: 6 mm
Armament:
- Primary Weapon (varied by model):
- 37 mm Puteaux SA 18 cannon or
- 7.92 mm Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun (some were refitted with Maxim M1910 machine guns in Soviet service)
- Ammunition:
- 37 mm cannon: 237 rounds
- Machine gun: 4,800 rounds
Mobility:
- Engine: Renault 4-cylinder petrol engine
- Power Output: 35 hp (26 kW)
- Maximum Speed: 7.8 km/h (4.8 mph)
- Range: 60 km (37 miles)
- Suspension: Vertical springs
A Russian Renault (front right) participating in a parade through Moscow’s Red Square in 1929. This marked the last parade to include FT tanks and Russian Renaults.
