Which of these 1900s tanks were designed and built BEFORE the others?

The story behind the answer

Renault FT is correct because it was a World War I tank, entering service in 1917—decades before the Panzer IV (late 1930s), the M4 Sherman (1942), and the Cromwell (1943). It pioneered the now-standard layout: driver in front, engine in back, and a fully rotating turret on top.

Often called the “father of the modern tank,” the FT’s design influenced virtually every tank that followed, including the later WWII models listed here. Over 3,000 were built, and some even saw action into the 1940s. Memory tip: FT = “First Turret”—the first truly modern turreted tank, and the earliest of the options.