 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2013) |
| M1917 | |
|---|---|
 M1917 tank at the Canadian War Museum | |
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| No. built | ~950 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 7.25 tons |
| Length | 16 ft 5 in (5,000 mm) |
| Width | 5 ft 10.5 in (1,791 mm) |
| Height | 7 ft 7 in (2,310 mm) |
| Crew | 2 |
| Armor | 0.25" to 0.6" (6.35mm to 15.25mm) |
Main armament | 37mm M1916 gun or Marlin Rockwell M1917 machine gun, the latter then replaced by the M1919 Browning machine gun[1] |
| Engine | Buda HU modified 4-cylinder, with forced water cooling 42 hp (31 kW) |
| Transmission | Sliding gear, 4 speed forward, 1 reverse |
| Suspension | Coil and leaf springs, with bogies and rollers. |
| Fuel capacity | 30 US gal (110 L) (30 miles on the road) |
Operational range | 48 km (30 miles) on road. |
| Maximum speed | 8 km/h (5.5 mph) - 20 km/h |
The M1917 was the United States' first mass-produced tank, entering production shortly before the end of World War I.[2] It was a license-built near-copy of the French Renault FT,[2][3] and was intended to arm the American Expeditionary Forces in France, but American manufacturers failed to produce any in time to take part in the War. Of the 4,440 ordered, about 950 were eventually completed. They remained in service throughout the 1920s but did not take part in any combat, and were phased out during the 1930s.
- ^ Hunnicutt, R.P. (1992). "World War I and Postwar Modifications". Stuart: A History of the American Light Tank. Novato, Cal.: Presidio Press. pp. 24–26. ISBN 0891414622.
- ^ a b Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt) p. 2
- ^ Evolution of American Tanks | Animated History, retrieved 2024-01-03