REST OF THE WORLD
ROTATING TURRET
The 360-degree rotating turret mounted atop the hull of the French Renault FT-17 light tank redefined the battlefield capabilities of the weapons system, allowing the armoured vehicle to fire in any direction.
TRACK CONFIGURATION
A large forward idler wheel was fitted to each track to improve the FT-17’s ability to negotiate battlefield hazards such as shell holes and to climb over obstacles that would otherwise impede its progress.
HULL CONSTRUCTION
The FT-17 was constructed without an actual chassis. Components were attached or riveted directly to the tank’s hull, which was constructed with steel plating. Specifications called for the entire tank to weigh less than seven tons.
ENGINE PLACEMENT
The four-cylinder Renault petrol engine of the FT-17 light tank was placed at the rear of the vehicle to reduce the potential of a catastrophic fire in the crew compartment and focus weight to the rear for greater traction.
The evolution of tank design proceeded rapidly during the 20th century and beyond as numerous nations acquired systems or embarked on development efforts of their own. Although Great Britain, Germany, the Soviet Union, and the United States were the most prolific in driving forward the most successful tank designs, French engineers made a significant early contribution with the World War I era Renault FT-17. Later, while their country was under Nazi occupation during World War II, engineers continued working on tank designs of
