FT-17 LIGHT TANK - with 37mm Gun 1939

Description

The combat usefulness of FT-17 tanks in 1939 was very limited, since they were very obsolete and extremely slow by these standards. In September 1939, the 2nd armoured battalion of the Polish Army formed three light tank companies (numbers: 111, 112, 113), equipped with Renault FT-17 tanks. Their mobilization was finnished on 6 September 1939, and then they were transported towards Brzesc on the Bug. Due to bombarding of the track, the 111th light tank company was unloaded near ?uków town on 9 September. In the next few days the company was trying to withdraw to the east, suffering from lack of fuel and lack of contact with friendly units (two tanks were destroyed by a reconnaissance unit of "Kempf" Panzer Division). The details about 111th company’s track are not known, but the remaining tanks were captured on 16 September. The 112th and 113th light tank companies arrived at Brzesc upon the Bug fortress (now: Brest, Belarus). They were deployed in defensive positions there, expecting an attack. The German 10th Panzer Division attacked Brzesc on 14 September. 12 tanks FT-17 of the 113th company, deployed in allotment gardens to the north of the Citadel in Brzesc, were destroyed fighting against German II battalion of the 8th tank regiment. There is no information about the German losses. The enemy tanks, however, did not manage to cross the northern Citadel gate, which was blocked by the tanks of the 112th company. On 15 September the enemy assaults on the Citadel were repelled, with a help of the 112th company’s tanks, which were firing from covered positions within the fortress. On 16 September, after all-day combat, the Polish units abandoned the citadel. A breakthrough trial of the remaining tanks failed, so they were left. (Scale : 1/72e)