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Later in the 20-ies, they were modified further, mainly by introducing a sort of shield over the mantlet, strengthening the protection of the turret even more. This model portrays this late version, with the double mantlet. The first M1917:s (which was the official US designation) did not roll out of the factory at Van Dorns Ironworks until October 1918, and of these only 10 reached France before the Armistice, none were used in actual combat. All in all, some 950 M1917:s were produced, and this, probably the best variant of the FT-17 to see service, formed the back-bone of the tank force of the US Army well into the 1930-ies. The closest they ever came to combat, was when some of them in 1927 were shipped, together with other parts of the US Marines, to China, as a part of the so called East Coast Expeditionary Force, during the unrest in Shanghai. |
One of the nations that adapted the famous FT-17-tank was the United
States. But unlike other countries, they didn't make a carbon copy of the
french design, but introduced a number of detail changes. The most visible -
and tell-tale sign of a FT-17 being a US M1917 - being an exhaust muffler on the left
side, instead for on the right. Other changes include a somewhat different front at the
drivers compartment and a new type of mantlet for the turret. (There was also
a number of internal changes, like introducing a bulkhead between the engine and
the crew compartment. Also, the engine was fitted with a self-starter.)
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My model is built from the kit by RPM. (A VERY tricky kit, by the way. For a review of this kit, click here!) It has been built pretty much out of the box, and painted up to resemble a tank from the US Marine Corps Light Tank Platoon, that participated in the above mentioned expedition to Shanghai in 1927. Click on the thumbnails to see more views of this model: |
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