http://www.FineScale.com 25Renault FT versus M 1917
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THE M1917 WAS BASED on plans
supplied by the French for the U.S. to
manufacture the Renault FT.
Unfortunately, the plans were metric
and American manufacturers were
geared for the U.S. Customary System
and Society of Automotive Engineers,
both of which used inches and feet. In
short, the tank’s plans had to be con-
verted for ease of manufacture and
mass production. The result was the
Six-Ton Special Tractor, which became
known as the M1917 Light Tank.
The tanks are almost identical in
length and vary a little in width.
According to one source, the height of
the M1917 is 7 inches taller than the FT.
But measurements revealed that both
are almost identical in height as well.
My thought is that a radio antenna
mount on the turret’s ventilation hatch
on the M1917 provided the extra
height since it would have to be taken
into consideration by the troops using
the tank for overhead clearance.
Visual differences include: replace-
ment of the upper armor plate by the
driver’s head with three triangular
plates on either side, relocation of the
muffler from the right to the left side of
the vehicle, as well as changes to the
adjustment system for the compensat-
ing idlers, the support roller assembly’s
rear support, drive sprocket, and the
gun mount. In fact, gun mounts vary
between early and late production
M1917s. Both tanks were mostly bolted
together. Externally, these look like riv-
ets, but internally, they have nuts,
rather than rivet heads.24
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As a final step, I added proof marks (thanks Hayes) with a heated paperclip sharpened with a file.
Use photos to decide where and how many holes to place on plates. FSM
Both upper and lower nose panels needed rivets removed, replaced, or added.I’ll finish my M1917 conversion with the
suspension and turret as well as paint-
ing. Look for Part 2 in the October 2019
FSM, on sale Sept. 3.M1917 NoseRivets replaced in the M1917 pattern.M1917 lower nose plate.AddRemoveMove to match M1917Remove All