Renault FT-17 found in Iraq

[sturmhunter]

hi there again,
Thought i'd post these pictures i found on the net of 2 old renaults found in a scrapyard in Iraq.I haven't the link to the webdsite ,sorry.I think these we bought up by an American and shipped to the U.S.You could make one good one out of both of them just about.

[packin9]

Pretty neat pics Sturm. I'll bet they get one running.

[Dimas]

Beautiful! I've saw a couple of years ago the pics of the same tank from the Afgan

[Australian Guy]

Thanks for showing these, you just never can tell where things will turn up.

[sil3nt]

great, but it's coming from Afghanistan

During operations in Afghanistan in 2003, Major Robert Redding, a Special Forces member of the Colorado Army National Guard, found two World War I-era Renault FT-18s while visiting an Afghan scrapyard. Redding sent digital photographs of the tanks to the Patton Museum with a note asking if the museum would be interested.
The two FT-18 tanks were originally built in France during World War I. They were captured from the British Expeditionary Force in the Anglo-Afghan war of 1919.
Fort Knox personnel arrived in Kabul in May 2003 to examine the tanks. The vehicles were in very good shape because Afghanistan is relatively dry, but they were dirty and missing armament. Both tanks still have their original engines, complete tracks and most of their parts.
After permission was secured from the Afghan government, they were flown back to the United States

source: WWI Renault FT-17 tank found in Afghanistan - MLU FORUM

[Australian Guy]

Great update, now it makes sense to hear that they were in Afghanistan.

[sturmhunter]

Thanks for posting and getting the story straight!
I 'm sure your right and they were from afgan rather than Iraq,sorry it was alittle while a ago when i found the photos.

[cgg91]

I remember there was an old Renault tank behind Jack Frost Surplus store in Santa Monica in the early 1970s. It had been hit by a shell on the left side, at the engine, during the WWI (had a spade symbol on the turret I think). It had been in the collection of the De Young Museum in San Francisco previously. I was about 14 when read the surplus store was offering it for sale for $6,000 about 1972. It disappeared, but years later I heard it was owned by a militaria dealer in Montana, Hayes Ot______ . Boy I wish I had gotten it!

[Harry Morant]

If armour could speak what a story they would tell. And the hunt continues......

[Tartan-ninja]

I was part of the UK unit (51st Highland)that was up in the Tank Grave yard (some of our patrol area)above Kabul in late 2002..and one of my lads happened to mention to a US Staff Sgt based at the ANA trg Depot that there was some early tanks and post WWI aircraft (he is a spotter like me)....great to see some of this kit has made it to a new home....as in the Italian aircraft some Hawker Harts..and these old tanks...there is more up in that scrap yard..but you need to dodge the mines....Regards to all

and i think you will find the Afghans were given them and not captured....the Kabul Rd was not one for tanks as the Russians found out later.....