Hello. I recently visited the FT 17 "Five of Hearts" at Fort Meade and have a few questions that I hope the members of this forum can answer. The first question is about the tank's camouflage scheme, which while stunning its appearance, seems to me to be a fantasy paint job. Is it even close to what the tank my have had in 1918? Second, is about the tanks designation as "Five of Hearts." The museum's webpage states that the name is derived from the practice of "assigning suits and numbers from playing cards to identify tanks." So, can one assume that since the tank was assigned to Company C, 344th Tank Battalion, it is the fifth tank in whatever platoon was designated the "Hearts" platoon? From Signal Corps photos at NARA, one can see FTs that were painted with spades, hearts, and clubs in either triangles or circles (probably to designate companies).
Does anyone have further information? Also, I think the NARA photos are widely available on the web, but I anyone wishes, I will be happy to post them here.
