The Six Ton Tank M1917 was a US tank, and was America's first important mass produced tank. The Six Ton Tank M1917 was a license

License

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 built near-copy of the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 Renault FT, and was accepted by the army in October 1918. The US Army ordered approximately 4,440 Six Ton M1917 Tanks between 1918 and 1919, receiving about 950 tanks before cancelling the contract. No US manufactured tank reached Europe in time to participate in World War I.

Features

• Armament: One 37mm cannon or one colt 7.62mm machine-gun.
• Armour: 17mm
• Crew: 2
• Dimensions: Length - 5m; Width - 1.9m; Height - 2.3m
• Weight: 6.4 tons
• Power Plant: Budha HU modified 4-cylinder water cooled 42hp.
• Speed: 8km/h 5.5mph
• Range: 48km 30 miles (on road).

History

Thirty-one tanks were built during World War I and 10 were sent to Europe. After the war Van Dorn Iron Works created 950 more. 374 had cannons and 526 had machine guns and 50 were signal tanks. A later, modified version, the M1917A1, was a lengthened, rebuilt updated version compared to the M1917, with a 100 hp Franklin engine and an electric self-starter rather than a crank starter. The crew, a driver and gunner, were separated from the engine by a bulkhead. All steel wheels were fitted as well as a turret, which were found on some French examples. In 1940 the Canadian Army bought 250 surplus examples at scrap value (about $240 each) and the Armoured Corp gained valuable experience and training on them before embarking on Europe and using the more modern equipment.