Renault FT-17 Light Tank (Riveted Turret) 1:72 Flyhawk 3001

Plastic model kit: Renault FT-17 Light Tank (Riveted turret) 1:72 Flyhawk 3001

We present the plastic model kit of the Renault FT-17 Light Tank in 1:72 scale, produced by the renowned company Flyhawk. This model is a great opportunity for military history enthusiasts and modelers who wish to recreate one of the most influential tanks in history.

Model characteristics:

• Scale: 1:72
• Manufacturer: Flyhawk
• Catalog number: 3001
• Turret type: Riveted turret

History of the Renault FT-17: The Renault FT-17 is a French light tank that revolutionized the design of armored vehicles. It was the first production tank to feature armament mounted in a fully rotating turret. The configuration of this tank, with the crew compartment at the front, engine at the rear, and main armament in a rotating turret, became the standard for future tank designs. For this reason, many military historians consider the Renault FT to be the first modern tank in the world.

During World War I, over 3000 units of the Renault FT were produced, most of them in 1918. After the war, these tanks were exported on a large scale, and their copies and derivatives were produced in the United States (M1917), Italy (Fiat 3000), and the Soviet Union (T-18). The Renault FT participated in interwar conflicts around the world, but by the beginning of World War II, it was already considered outdated.

Tank turret: The first turret designed for the Renault FT was round and made of cast steel, almost identical to that of the prototype. It was adapted to mount a Hotchkiss machine gun caliber 8 mm. In April 1917, for tactical reasons, it was decided that some vehicles should be capable of carrying a small gun. The Puteaux gun caliber 37 mm was chosen, but attempts to create a turret made of cast steel that could accommodate it were unsuccessful.

The first 150 units of the Renault FT were intended solely for training and made of unarmored steel with the first model of the turret. Meanwhile, the Berliet company developed a new design – a polygonal turret made of riveted plates, which was simpler to produce than the earlier cast steel turret. It was called "omnibus" because it could easily be adapted for mounting both the Hotchkiss machine gun and the Puteaux 37 mm gun with a telescopic sight. This turret was widely mounted on production models.

In 1918, the Forges et aciéries Paul Girod produced a successful round turret, which was mainly cast with some rolled elements. The Girod turret was also an "omnibus" design. It was supplied to all companies producing the Renault FT, and in later stages of the war, it became more common than the Berliet turret. The turret was mounted on a round ball bearing and could be easily rotated by the gunner/commander or locked in position using a handbrake.

Assembly and painting kit. Does not include paints or glue. For assembly, separately sold modeling tools are needed (including cutters, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and plastic model glue (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.