The Renault FT was one of the first successful tanks. It saw service in the last year of World War I, was used by armies around the world between the wars and was still in service towards the end of World War II.

In 1916 the French Army asked Renault to design and construct a light tank but serious delays caused by the internal bickering common in French circles meant trials did not start until April 1917.

Deliveries did not commence until March 1918 but over 3000 had been delivered by the end of the war and they were used successfully in two major actions.

After the war they served in many armies around the world and France still had 1560 in service at the beginning of World War II.

After France was defeated, the Germans used many of these tanks for internal policing duties in France until around 1944.

This model represents a FT in French service at the beginning of World War II

Matchbox 1/76 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in January 2006