I recently got an email from Hayes Otoupalik about the remaining Ft-17/M1917 tanks here in the US. Following is what he told me.
Last Wednesday I got a chance to take a look at the on at the WWI Museum in KCMO.There are 19 WW1 US Tanks in the USA and 2 French FT-17 are in the following prviate hands:
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in NY Acquired by Museum in Museum in NJ in 1932, and then sold by owner in 1950s to Old Rhinebeck.
MC Bradley to Dr Haigler to Jacque Littlefield and now in the hands of Bob collings and his son in Mass. (has recently been on loan to the Museum of American Armor in Long Island, NY
The West Point Museum WW1 tank came out of private party in Pennsylvania in 1973. It had been bought from MC Bradley in 1967.
American Armored Foundation in Danville, Va. Came from MC Bradley to John Furrer in 1967 to Hayes Otoupalik in 1985 and then sold to Karen and Bill Gasser in Danville, Va.
Hayes Otoupalik Tank came from John Furrer's collection who bought it from MC Bradley in 1967. I purchased it in 1985
French FT-17 Tank. Acquired from French Government by Mr. DeYoung in 1919 and transferred to the Society of Military History in California in 1963. Taken back by DeYoung Museum and sold at auction in 1966 to Army Sgt. Surplus. Sold to Brucker and then transferred to Museum of World Wars and then to the Imperial Car Palace in Las Vegas, Nv. Purchased by Hayes Otoupalik in 1984 and sold/gifted to the national WW1 Museum in Kansas City in 2009 where it resides today!
Alexandria, VA WW1 Tank..... Sold in 1980 to Dr. Moody Jacob in Nitro, W.VA. and then sold to Fred Ropkey in Indianapolis, Ind. and then he moved it to Crawfordsville, Ind. After his death it was sold to a private Party. I do not know know the current owner and would like to know.
Kansas city, Missouri. Privately owned by Mark Beveridge. Came from Canada in the late 1980s.
WW1 Tank at Loef's Scrap Yard in Georgia. Sold by Corporation to a private party in Georgia. This tank was then sold to Allen Cors in Nokesville, Va.
French FT-17 Tank was in Upper Michigan. Sold to Brent Mullins in Texas and now fully restored.
US Model 1917 found in Upper Michigan in the 1970s and purchased by Fred Ropkey. Sold to private party in Anderson, Indiana. I think this tank is now displayed at the Knights Armament Museum in Florida.
So this is the list of privately held tanks in the USA. All of the above tanks remain in private hands except the one now in the West Point Museum Collection and the National WW1 Museum Tank.
There were two tanks in private hands in Canada but now both are in public museums.
One is in the Canadian Armored Museum in Camp Borden that came from Dr. Greg's Tank collection.
The other WW1 Tank was in Alberta, and has since been sold to the Canadian National Army Museum where it has been fully restored.
Larry