The Renault FT-17 was perhaps the first of the modern tanks, bringing together a layout that is still found in most tanks today. It saw service in the last year of World War I 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 fought successfully in two major actions.

Later they served in many armies around the world.

France still had 1560 in service at the beginning of World War II and, after she was defeated, the Germans used many of them for internal policing duties until around 1944.

This model represents a FT-17 in service at Ressons-sur Matz in 1918.

RPM 1/72 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in November 2003.