Renault FT

Renault FT v československej armáde
The first request for the purchase of these tanks is a telegram of the commander of the eastern group of Czechoslovak troops of the French General Hennocque of July 3, 1919 in connection with the fighting against the Hungarian Bolshevik troops. In a dispatch sent from Košice to Prague demanded the delivery of two Renault FT companies, each with 15 tanks plus one backup. The tanks were supposed to be ordered on July 8, 1919 through the French military mission, but nothing happened. The effort to get a smaller number of these tanks (6 pieces) for basic training came to naught. Repeated efforts from the end of 1919 to acquire 12 Renault FT tanks had the same end. For various, probably commercial reasons, the French argued that free tanks were not available. Meanwhile, they increased the price of the tank from 60,000 francs to 80,000 francs. Efforts to obtain these tanks did not slow down, and in 1/1920 this topic was renegotiated. The request for two cannon and four machine gun tanks was not accepted. The consent opinion for the supply of tanks was submitted on May 22, 1920, but the price was again increased to 100,000 francs per tank. In 6/1920, the amount of CZK 3,240,000 was set aside for the purchase of tanks, but a month later the army budget was reduced by a third and so this effort was thwarted again. The constant demand of the army to obtain at least some tank was heard by the Ministry of Finance and on December 21, 1920, the amount of CZK 1,132,000 was set aside for the purchase of two tanks, the price of which rose again to 120,000 francs in 2/1921. The tanks were available and there was nothing to prevent the trade. In the end, despite the financial and bureaucratic problems, it was possible to send a lieutenant. František Berger, who was, among other things, commissioned to negotiate the order of one cannon tank. The final negotiations and the takeover of the tank took place in 1/1922. For quality preparation of units, however, it was necessary to import tanks for at least one platoon, which was to consist of five tanks. Efforts to purchase another four tanks continued and the order was closed on January 31, 1923. Months of waiting for the order to be processed followed. The four tanks finally arrived in Milovice on June 30, 1923.
Based on discussions from military officials, a proposal was made to purchase one cannon command tank and one radio tank Renault TSF. These tanks were ordered by order of the Minister of National Defense on December 15, 1923. The tanks arrived on June 30, 1924. Their total price, including fees, insurance and transportation, cost the army 232,403 francs.
Renalt FT tanks were incorporated into the training company of the newly created battalion of attack vehicles (June 7, 1922) based in Milovice. After the reorganization on September 1, 1925, the tanks were incorporated into the tank platoon of the 1st Company of Armored Cars. By October 1, 1930, the tanks were moved to the 2nd Company of Armored Cars.
On October 15, 1933, the battalion was promoted to an assault vehicle regiment, where the tanks formed the 3rd Company of Light Tanks. Intensive training and lack of tanks was the cause of the emergence of models of this tank, which filled the insufficient numbers.
In total, the Czechoslovak army received four cannon tanks, two machine guns and one radio tank. The tanks were given the number 51-57, which in 12/1932 replaced the police registration numbers 13.006 - 13.012.
The armament of machine gun tanks originally consisted of a French heavy machine gun Hotchkiss Mle. 1914. According to the MNO decree of March 28, 1929, these machine guns were replaced by domestic machine guns vz.7/24. Based on the surviving photographs, it is clear that the cannon tanks were rearmed with machine guns as needed. In the years 1927 - 1929, the tanks underwent overhauls in the Prague-Vršovice car arsenal. The last repaired tank was delivered on March 11, 1929. Czechoslovak factories received permission to produce some spare parts. Of interest is the production of spare belt links by Breifeld-Daněk. On April 12, 1928, it delivered 150 links of a slightly modified construction of the belt contact surface. It was identical to u Kolohousenky KH-60.


In 1934, the army began to take over the first tanks of Czechoslovak production, namely LT vz.34. In 1934, the new company was supplemented by these new Czechoslovak tanks in the number of six pieces.
Gradual deliveries LT vz.34 to the regiment of the attack vehicle pushed the old and worn Renault to sporadic training tasks. The decommissioning of tanks was expected in 1934, but only some were decommissioned.
The first tank discarded was tank No. 13.009, which cracked the engine block. Usable parts were used to maintain the remaining tanks. Its turret was used on tank 13.012 (radio). This radio tank was stripped of its box superstructure, which was stored. In its place was mounted a tower from 13.009.
3.10.1935 were canceled two tanks registration numbers 13.007 and 13.011. The tanks again served as a source of spare parts for the remaining tanks.
On April 27, 1936, the tank of registration number 13.010 was canceled. The tank was not disassembled, but it became a static training aid included in the status of the instruction company of the Assault Vehicle Training School. The remaining tanks were used to train tank drivers.
On the end of the Czechoslovak Republic on March 15, 1939, three mobile tanks (Nos. 13.006, 13.008 and 13.012) were seized, which were subsequently confiscated by German troops and sent to German barracks. The same fate awaited the immovable tank No. 13.010 from the Training Vehicle of the attack vehicle in Vyškov. Their final fate is unknown.

Vladimír Francev - Renault FT Tank founder and his service in Czechoslovakia, Jakab publishing, Army No. 3, year of publication 2019, ISSN: 2571-3639