From The Archive - Renault FT and TSF - Internal Paint Finish – Part 2 -Engine Bay Colour - Inside Track | Renault TSF Tank Kent

Our previous piece on the Renault FT and TSF interior covered the crew cabin area below the turret. The engine compartment is more difficult as most survivors have spent many decades outside and have none or little evidence of paint in the area. The Maginot line survivors are even worse given the exposure and position of the various hulls and turrets with Renault FTs in the valleys and the TSFs on the higher ground given their use as communication posts. Access into these vehicles from the outside was from the rear in the case of the Renault FT where the rearmost panels had been removed to facilitate access. The Renault TSF hulls fared somewhat better with access gained via the blockhaus (fixed turret roof) hatches. Any residual internal engine bay paint within these machines is sketchy to say the least. . The problem with survivors that spent years in service after WW1 is that they all appear to have been repainted. We are therefore fortunate to have gained access to very few who saw limited service after the war. Examining the interior of these engine bays provides a mixed bag of results. The first was brought back to the US immediately after the First World War. It has spent its life largely in private hands and was missing key rear and front armoured panels. The paint survived reasonably well behind the fuel tank and radiator areas. The images provided show clear evidence of grey which have been accentuated where oil has been spilled over the years. The second set of images is of one of the two Renault FTs that was brought back from Afghanistan by the US a few years back. These were taken by Charles Lemons during his time as curator of the Patton Museum at Fort Knox. They have subsequently been moved to the US Cavalry and Armor Collection at Fort Benning. The paint has survived very well within these vehicles as evidenced by the images. The dark grey of the walls and faded black of the engine’s block and water inlet manifold. We have analysed a very good condition engine deck hatch on our TSF. The interior of this panel retains not only the original grey paint but markings as well. There is a number stamped into the middle of the plate and the 3 number (last 3 numbers of the registration) system quite crudely painted over the grey. The debate as to whether there was grey or no paint at all should now be over…..

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