In 1917 Renault produced only 84 tanks which was considerably behind schedule. One of the main design problems was the turret. A small cast turret was used on the first production run of training tanks, but it was widely regarded as being too small. A second cast-turret design was stillborn as by the time it was ready, Estienne wanted it to mount either a 37mm gun or a machine-gun and it was only capable of mounting the latter. In addition, there were limits to the number of cast turrets that could be manufactured. In the end, Berliet developed a simpler polygonal turret made of sheet armor plate, called the omnibus turret. The advantage of the omnibus turret was that it could be adapted to mount either the 37mm Puteaux gun, or the 8mm Hotchkiss machine-gun. Eventually, a second, round omnibus turret was also developed. This was manufactured at the Acieries Paul Girod in Ugine from cast and forged pieces. Girod began producing round omnibus turrets in 1918, and the tanks built at Renault in 1918 used both types of turret.

KIT INFO

• Detailed static display plastic model
• Complete interior construction
• All the wheels & track links are movable
• Colored PE & metal tow-chain included
• 3 types of markings