Renault NC

The Renault NC is a French light tank developed by Louis Renault in the 1920s as a rebuild for existing Renault FTs, but produced only in limited numbers for the export market. It began as a parallel development of the FT Kégresse after an order in 1923 for two new prototypes with an improved suspension and a more powerful engine. The second prototype, NC-2, was finished first in December 1925 with a modified Kégresse leaf spring suspension and a 62 horsepower engine, and the NC-1 prototype followed with twelve wheels and three large vertical coil springs per side, allowing 18.5 kilometres an hour, in 1926 the fastest French tank ever developed; it was later sold as the NC-27. The French Army and cavalry showed no interest, so Renault turned to export. Poland ordered one in 1928 and declined more, Sweden bought one as the experimental stridsvagn fm/28, which survives in the Arsenalen tank museum at Strängnäs, and Japan bought ten in 1929 as the Type 89 Otsu-Gata Sensha. The NC-3 prototype became the Char D1.