The Renault FT was a World War I French light tank that was among the most revolutionary and influential tank designs in history. The FT was the first production tank to have its armament within a fully rotating turret. The Renault FT's configuration (crew compartment at the front, engine compartment at the back, and main armament in a revolving turret) became and remains the standard tank layout. Consequently, some armoured warfare historians have called the Renault FT the world's first modern tank.
History[]
A Renault FT in German High Command.
During World War I, Indiana Jones encountered some of these tanks in a Central Powers base in Germany. The Imperial German Army were operating them to protect a weapons manufacturing facility. Indy used grenades to disable them and at one point he commandeered one in the facility and used it to defeat German soldiers and rocketeers. He eventually had to leave the tank to plant explosives in the base.[1]
In 1917, some of these tanks fought during the Second Battle of Gaza in World War I. British troops used them for cover as they advanced on the town.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
The tanks in the Second Battle of Gaza
These tanks appear in the The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles episode "Palestine, October 1917" very briefly near the beginning.[2] Historically, none of these tanks participated in any battle in the Middle East during World War I because the British Empire forces did not use the tank in this theatre and it could not have appeared in the Second Battle of Gaza as they first saw combat in 1918.
Special effects artist George Gibbs visited a museum to negotiate renting a small French World War I Renault FT for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but ultimately decided on building a tank instead, this became the Mark VII Tank.[3]
Appearances[]
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles game (First appearance)
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles – "Palestine, October 1917" → Daredevils of the Desert
External links[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (game)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Daredevils of the Desert
- ↑ The Complete Making of Indiana Jones, Chapter 10: "The Professionals: May 1988 to May 1989", p. 204–229