Tanks in WWI

[K.Kocjancic]

Where were tanks used during WWI?
Western front, Africa - any more?

[Peter H]

In 1919 some British tanks were delivered to the Russian White Army in southern Russia:

[Peter H]

Kharkov 1941--German photo of a trophy British tank from the Russian Civil war displayed by the Soviet authorities.

[Zeydlitz]

I believe having seen pics of British tanks being deployed by Freikorps and/or Reichswehr troops against Communist/Socialist rebels in Germany ca. 1919-20. (?) I might of course be mistaken...

[K.Kocjancic]

Thanks for the photos.

Regards,
Kocjo

[Peter H]

Something on Allied tanks used in the Russian Civil War:

http://www.tankmuseum.ru/tank.html

And Freikorps using British tanks in Berlin:


http://www.altearmee.de/archiv/photoarchiv/nov1828.JPG


http://www.altearmee.de/archiv/photoarchiv/nov1829.JPG

[Peter H]

The Italian Fiat 2000--2 were delivered in early 1918 but never saw combat.


http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Ital ... 2000-b.jpg

France also sent around 100 Renault TF-17s and 20 Schneiders to the Italian front in 1918 but this link says "they received little use or interest by the Italians."

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/Ital ... Tanks.html

[K.Kocjancic]

Thanks for the new info!

Regards,
Kocjo

[Retro]

from http://www.nemo.nu/ibisportal/5pansar/index.htm

The bizarre "Tzar-tank" was built in 1915. Design by Lebedenkow . It was probably the largest tank ever made in the world. Two huge wheels on each side were supported by two minor ones in the rear. This photo and the drawing (see below) shows a difference in shape and position of the crew's cabin. Two prototypes were made but the heavy costs made the financing cease in 1916 and the project was abandoned. The photo above shows a wreck without wheels in the rear and the last of the two was dismateled for scrap in 1923.

Weight: ca 40 tons
Length: 17,8 m
Height: 10 m
Width: 9 m
Crew: 10
Gun: 2 + 2/7,92 mm
Engines: 2x240 hp
Speed: 17 km/h
Cost: 250.000 rubel

[Retro]

And secunde pic

[David Lehmann]

RENAULT FT-17/18

Probably the first modern and one of the most successful tank of World War 1. This light tank was the first of the classic tank design which featured a turret with a 360-degree traverse. The main drawback was the design took in little thought for maintenance and repair and the tanks broke down often as a result. The FT-17 was often used in mass attacks. 480 were used in the counterattack near Soissons in July 1918 alone. This tank remained in service right up to 1944 when the Germans used them in the street fighting in Paris. The allies encountered a few following the Torch landings in 1942.
The FT-17M was armed with a 8mm Hotchkiss MG and in 1931 it was replaced by a Reibel MAC31 in 7.5mm, the FT-17C was armed with a 37mm SA18 L/21 gun and the FT-17BS had a short barrelled 75mm BS gun. There was also a command radio version (TSF), a FT-17 "char demineur" (one of the earliest minesweeping tanks with 2 plough shares mounted on the front to sweep mines out of the way.), a "char projecteur" (a searchlight variant for police use) and a version carrying fascines which could be dropped into wide trenches. About 3728 had been built until 1921 (2100 with MG, 1246 with 37mm gun, 39 with 75mm gun, 188 TSF, 155 for "school" units) and more than 3177 during WW1 alone.
The FT-18, close to the FT-17 was distinguished by the cast cylindric turret, whereas the FT-17 has an octogonal one. It has been widely exported : Italy, USA, USSR, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Holland, Japan, Poland. It has been used by the French and the Spanish armies during the Rif war between 1919 and 1926. 1560 were still on hand in 1940 in the French Army and about 723 in operationnal units in metropolitan France and in the colonies. The Germans used them under the name Panzerkampfwagen 17R/18R 730(f) many were used in security task on the rear lines, in armored trains or were given to the Luftwaffe as snow plows for airfields.
weight : 6.7t
crew : 2 men
maximum armor : 22mm
maximum speed : 7.5 km/h
autonomy : 35 km
armament : a 8 mm Hotchkiss TMG, a 7.5mm MAC1931 TMG, a 37mm SA18 L/21 gun or a 75mm BS gun.


http://perso.club-internet.fr/po2260/FT ... EPOQUE.htm

http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/ft17_mit.htm (MG version)

http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/ft17_canon.htm (gun version)

http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/ft17_divers.htm (various versions)

About "the little interest" in Italy, the Fiat 3000 was a duplicated of the French FT-17 produced after WW1 ... and used for example during the Spanish civil war.

Here a site about FT-17s used by Spain during the Rif War (just after WW1) :
http://home.insightbb.com/~j.dapena/tanks/cipri.htm


SCHNEIDER CA1
http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/schneider.htm

SAINT-CHAMOND
http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/ ... hamond.htm

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0006&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0013&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0019&sif=0

http://imagen.britishpathe.com/scripts/ ... 0028&sif=0


ARMORED CARS
http://www.chars-francais.net/archives/ ... leuses.htm

[David Lehmann]

During WW1 the Germans only produced 20 tanks, the British about 1300 tanks and the French about 4000 tanks (mostly FT-17/18c and FT-17/18m).
I know a few British tanks were used by French units also (about 100 Mark V ordered in 1918 but they arrived too late to participate to the war) and that the tanks used by the US expeditionnary force were were FT-17/18. Did the British used some FT-17/18 too or not at all ? I know it was never exported to UK but I thought that perhaps on the field several units were partly issued with it ?

Regards,

David

[David Lehmann]

French Schneider tank :







David

[David Lehmann]

French FT-17s :

[David Lehmann]

FT-17 in US service :