Just saw an FT-17 today at college station, Texas. The real deal, not a US six-ton tank. The Tank is about to be restored and run, hopefully late in 2010, at the Museum of the American GI. The engine runs, although the tank needs to be completely disassembled and sandblasted and repainted, something that appears to be SOP at the museum (awesome collection of US WWII Minty restored tanks and half-tracks). It is currently intact and tracked, was used as a farm vehicle and then apparently was kept as a curiosity. The owner, Brent Mullins, has done fabulous restorations of WWII vehicles and already has restored a French 75 and cassion as he also wants a US WWI appearance. As soon as he finishes his two Shermans (look awesome in the restoration process) he is going to get on the FT-17, appears to be a man with a mission, has all the infrastructure already in place to restore tanks. It needs a turret, upper hull turret plate, drivers visor plate and the drivers doors, the rest is all there (these things were apparently discarded when the vehicle was turning into a utility tractor)--he does have the lower portion of the copula. Brent is also inviting participation of WWI living history folks for events at his facility, so we may be seeing in 2010, 2011 the equipment being used as it was intended, out in the field. Not a bad location either. Just put in Museum of the American G.I. and a good website pops up. Additional information, this tank has what appears to be 345th markings and also what appears to be either 8MM or maybe 13MM hits on the front plate. Brent also has a complete and running FWD with all the bells and whistles and appears to be a pampered original truck with only the wood in deterioriating condition. Also a minty restored French 75 with cassion. I did not realize until today that the FT 17 front wheel was steel rimmed wood...US six ton front wheels were all steel.
