Landships II

What you say about the self-starter is interesting, as you'll recall the discussion about this last year (perhaps?). It appeared to us then that the M1917 must have been provided with both electric start and socket(s) for a starting handle, which caused a bit of confusion - although as I said in that thread, it was early days for electric starting and vehicles would likely have retained a starting handle in case the electrics refused to work.

Unfortunately, whether or not a starting handle is present is unlikely to offer any hints as to whether electric start was fitted in 1918, or came along later. Must have a look at FTs.

Here are some good pics inside a museum piece, from Aussie modeler's society Sydney:

http://www.ammssydney.com/renault-ft-17-part-2/         a general link

http://www.ammssydney.com/wp-content/gallery/renault-ft-17-part-2/cntrefwlk_fr_ft17-2_org_010.jpg    a particularly relevant photo.

TCT - thanks for those. There's clearly something there, but it's hard to tell exactly what. The AMMS pic seems to show some sort of perforation similar to that on the M1917. On the other hand, it looks crude enough to have been a bit of improvisation - rough holes cut in for bits of the engine to poke through. (Also a bit disappointing that Mr. Maloney describes it as the FT18). But Witold Lawrynowicz's phototour definitely shows something more organised; see photos 154, 158, & 160. The partition in the M1917 (pic 228 & 235) is different again.

Looking at these, and adding some info provided by the Weald Foundation, I'm beginning to think that there was a partition in both, but that in the FT it was several pieces bolted together in some way, whilst in the M1917 it was built in to the structure, if you follow me.

The starter: TCT - I can't find the earlier discussion; can you post a link? Ivor - yes, I am going off "Stuart". Witold's picture 244 shows the "instrument panel" with an "ignition switch" but no confirmation that it's a self-starter. What is pointed out is a coupler in the bulkhead behind the crew compartment for crank-starting the engine from inside. Hunnicut (p29) says that the M1917 did not have a self-starter, not even those completed after the War, just the extra coupler.

Sorry if this is old ground, TCT. Can't remember details of earlier discussion.

BUT another remarkable (at least, I think so) thing has emerged as a result of this digging, which I shall put in a separate thread.

James, I can't remember if there's much relevant in that thread from last year, but I'll have a look for it. In the meantime, did you think of looking on Landships II? I knew there was a technical section drawing there, which indeed seems to show a partition between compartments; I also found there are old pics taken by Peter Kempf, showing the interior of the Belgian Army Museum FT! It shows a definite bulkhead, different from the one in the Saumur FT, yet also lacking the intake grilles of the M1917:

1) sectional drawing 1 A well-known illustration

2) sectional drawing 2 You can see the starting handle is sticking through some form of cover or bulkhead

3) front view of Belgium FT

4) lower part of partition

5) upper part of chain case Interesting/confusing thing here is that there is no hole in the case to insert a starting handle