FT-17 BUNKERS

[2nd panzer]

Hello;
I've looked thru this forum and found some pics. of bunkers with ft-17 turret
but i can't find any dimensions of these bunkers / ringstands / tobruks
does anybody have any drawings with dimensions? i would be very greatfull
for any info. thanks

[SES]

Hi,
At FlH Grove there was one Tobruk with a FT17 turret. It was identical to a Type 58c with 60 cm walls and a small room.
bregds
SES

[Lars Bertelsen]

Hello

Here is a drawing of a Sonderkonstruktion from France (from Alain Chazette's Album Memorial), and a drawing of the Bauform 58c at Grove mentioned by SES. The turret of the latter was fitted with a non-original front plate designed for an air-cooled MG.

greetings
Lars

[ducatim901]

Most of the FT17 bunkers were placed on a U-stand, this is no original German designation it is more a nickname.
In some places in the Netherlands, the 58c was used to place a Somua turret on top.
I have been searching for a drawing for you but at the moment no luck.
Greetings Jack.

[jopaerya]

Hello

Here some drawings from the socalled "U" stand beside Holland also build in Belgium and France .

Drawings = Landfront IJmuiden from Ruud Pols and Breskens onder beton from Ben Muller .
Photo = Atlantikwall Forum

Regards Jos

[2nd panzer]

jopaerya
the first pic. "tankkoepel" is the one i was looking for, is the second pic with dimensions the same?
also i have seen pics. with the structure above ground, would these be the same but not buried?
thank you all for your time and help.

bob

[Lars Bertelsen]

Hello Bob

Here a few more drawings, with dimensions.
(from A. Chazette’s Tubrouk Typologie)

greetings
Lars

[Manuferey]

Just a comment following some recent information on some WW1 and WW2 French forums provided by French experts: the name "FT-17" (or any variation like "FT17") was actually never used by the French Army nor Renault. It was instead refer only as "FT"for 'faible Tonnage" i.e. "Low Weight" by opposition to the much bigger St-Chamond and Schneider tanks.

It appears the the "-17" was added by Anglo-Saxon writers after WW2. :roll:

Emmanuel

[jopaerya]

Hello

@ Emmanuel that is new for me , Wikipedia sayed that Ft means a combination code for a Renault prototype ??

@ The drawing from Lars with the three ammo niches was this a local design or was it build in several places ????

Regards Jos

[2nd panzer]

Lars;
the drawings you posted are EXACTLY what i have been looking for all over the net!
only problem is the dimensions were distorted in the scan, can you clearfy them?
The "u" ringstand was pretty much solid concrete inside there was only room to fire the gun
and store ammo?

thanks again
bob

[Lars Bertelsen]

Hello

@ Bob: I will send you a better scan.

Could seem that the Germans did also not use the term FT 17. And could seem that most of the bunker mounted turrets were actually “FT 18”
The earliest type of FT-turret was cast in one piece and could only be armed with a MG, but AFAIK this type were not used on bunkers.

greetings
Lars

[Manuferey]

The "18R" designation reminds me of the "B2" "beute" tank designation ( as in "PzKpfw B2 740(f)") instead of "B1 bis" by the same Germans. The French never used "B2" for the B1 bis or B1 ter.

Emmanuel

[jopaerya]

Hello

With help from RV I found 3 of these special tobruks , who knows more places ??

Stp. Preussen
Stp. Waldrand
Stp. Atlantik

Regards Jos

[jopaerya]

Hello

My big friend Dirk Peeters has found a other tobruk as the one in the last post in W.N. Renate .

Regards Jos

[jopaerya]

Hello

Alain Chazette has found a German layout of Stp T 26 , in this Stp there is also such special Ft 17 Tobruk
as in the 2 posts above , on this plan at the same place and with a tactical sign the number 1740 is found .

This would indicate that this variant of the "U" tobruk is called 1740 .

Part of plan = Alain Chazette
Drawing = Berhard Paich
Photo = Dirk Peeters

Regards Jos