military experts
EnglishРусский中文(简体)FrançaisEspañol
Set as default language
 Edit Translation

Another Lend-Lease: light M3A1 armored personnel carrier “As scout”

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another hero of the series is known to many of our. Someone saw him in museums. Someone wondered his appearance at a military newsreel shots. And someone will exploit it «Soviet son».

Our hero, as it was with many «Americans» of the period, It was for the USSR really a novelty. Even during World War II, when military equipment appeared at our facilities in record time, nothing like this has not been created.

The reason for this neglect is the creation of such technology in the USSR was not only the backlog of Soviet industry standard by the US industry, but also a sufficient saturation of the relevant parts of the other classes of machines. But with the same objectives.

so, speech today will focus on lightweight multipurpose armored personnel carrier M3A1 Scout Car (scout car). the very, which still raises questions among the majority of visitors to its museums buffer rotating drum, mounted front casing. by the way, this later became the drum «chip» Most armored vehicles made in the USA of the period.

We must start all the same not with the construction and history of the, and on the causes of the idea of ​​creation of such machines.

30-40-years 20 century characterized by the rapid development of armored vehicles in all major armies of the world. motors century dictated the terms of a future war. Their speed and their solutions for multiple units, including intelligence.

Most designers from different countries went towards the creation of light tanks and armored reconnaissance. Basically, the decision was logical. Lungs, high-speed tanks or armored cars could really play the role of vanguard tank units and formations. And the presence of light armor protected the crew from enemy bullets and shrapnel. Plus the mobility allowed him to scout in which case simply break contact with the enemy suddenly appeared, i.e, simply put, take a powder.

At first sight, small armored vehicles and light tanks in full compliance with the decision of the military assigned to them tasks. But it is at first sight. Actually, in the work of these machines was a significant disadvantage. It is in the part of the intelligence.

The magnitude of these scouts significantly reduced the number of members of the crew of the machine. Furthermore, Each crew member had their own responsibilities. When injected into a combat situation, the crew is not so much engaged in the exploration, many fought a battle with the enemy.

The second flaw. Already more specific. When conducting reconnaissance of enemy positions, In most cases, the car must be left at a distance from the enemy. A direct observation should lead foot scout.

It was then, and «crux of the matter». The crew during the reconnaissance is not allowed to leave the car! The commander of the reconnaissance patrol or simply forced to violate the established procedures and the Articles of Association to deprive the crew required in the management of the car crew member battlefield, or to conduct a reconnaissance in force, causing the fire itself.

In other cases, exploration results were more than doubtful. At the level «unconfirmed reports». And the fight itself on poorly protected machines was more than doubtful event. Armored easily affects not only the artillery, but also large-caliber machine guns.

this implies, that armored reconnaissance units to be used not only as a fighting machine, but as a vehicle for the delivery and evacuation of scouts. But, in the same time, it must be sufficiently well armed to support the withdrawal of the group in case of its detection.

first, who came to the following conclusions, Americans were. It was the US military in the 30-ies started talking about creating is an armored personnel carrier. In the early 30-ies of the United States War Department has formulated strict requirements to such vehicles. Then there was also the name of the reconnaissance vehicles (Scout).

later, the operation of these conveyors, it is the name most commonly used for their designation in official documents. Alphanumeric code of the US Army almost did not apply.

As the creation of the first armored reconnaissance vehicles in the US?

The basis of the first car, Traditionally US, put commercial truck-lorry White indiana 4×4. Call this the first armored armored personnel carrier was difficult. more precisely, high-grade armored vehicle. Created by White Motor Sompany in 1933 , the prototype was designated T7. And later, army designation M1.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

M1 carburetor equipped with a 6-cylinder engine Hercules I. working volume 4,6 liters and 75 HP. Open top body of the machine has a 12.7-mm frontal, 7,62-fodder mm and 6.35-mm side armor, provides protection from bullets and small fragments of shells.

Armament scout was very powerful: Two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns Brawning M2 in the front housing part and two 7.62 mm Brawning M1919A4 on its sides.

Alas, after tests at the site, it was decided to release only 76 machines for such weapons two armored cavalry battalion at Fort Knox (Kentucky). History Scout Car M1 on this over.

But the success of the M1, and has inspired other companies to create «scouts». And, designers went again in the traditional way.

Already in 1935 T9 -, another prototype was created. And create a competitor company Sorbitt & with. The fate of this prototype completely repeated the fate of the M1. Limited edition and … oblivion. But some important changes, which then included in the next version, It should be noted.

As the base is still used by commercial truck chassis, but it was mounted 8-cylinder engine Lycoming New Corbitt Eight power 95 HP.

The layout of the machine has not changed much, but the arms was reduced to two machine guns M1919A4 located on the sides. The main difference was the M2A1 variant rail bus, covered by the perimeter of the entire body armor. On this rail with special movable jaws were set and could move guns.

by the way, it became M2 «father» other interesting solutions, used everywhere today. One of the versions of "Scout" was a self-propelled mortar T5E1, caliber 4,2 inch. True to shoot out of the body, as it is done today, mortar could not, but still. Mortar with a special device installed behind the body of the car and drove out fire.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

The materials of the trucks we often mention the company Marmon Herrington Indianapolis. the very, that involved a modification of the "Ford" vehicles. Especially for the army.

Naturally, "Marmont" could not pass such a tasty morsel, as cars spy. They have developed just two "Scout". AT 1935 year at the military court was represented by an armored personnel carrier, reconnaissance A75SSA, characteristics similar to M2.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

It was equipped with 8-cylinder engine Ford V8 power 85 HP. and developed to speed 120 kmh, however, the American army was not interested. A bit more lucky for another car - T13, created on the chassis of a commercial 1-ton truck Ford-Marmon-Herrington: 38 units in 1937 year ordered the National Guard.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

But what about the pioneers? White Motor Company did not «fight» with competitors, and took the path of further modernization of M2A1. An interesting fact is the modernization of not only the engine, the new version received a 5-liter Hercules JXD engine with power 110 hp, but also the case itself.

housing, as already adopted by the army, traditionally considered inviolable. Its changes are always associated with complications when accepting a new car. Nevertheless, White went for a change and body, and the appearance of the machine.

M3 received an armor plate in front of the radiator, which is placed at a rational angle, which increased its bullet resistance. Yes, and the thickness of the armor was increased to 12,7 mm.

AT 1938 It was this modernized armored personnel carrier that was standardized by the US Army under the M3 index. And again the car went into the troops in a small series. To 1940 It had been issued 64 units of this version of the machine. They all went to 13 cavalry regiment and 7 cavalry mechanized brigade.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Experience with the use of these armored personnel carriers was generally recognized as positive.. It was planned to organize the mass production of M3 for reconnaissance units of the American army. but, already in 1939 White Motor Company presents an updated version of the body. Somewhere even revolutionary.

The new car had an elongated aft body. Body width has been increased, it exceeded the outer dimension of the rear wheels. Changed the configuration of the side doors and the design of the windshield, the door in his stern wall was eliminated.

In front of the case, or rather, in front of her, appeared buffer rotating drum, which became a characteristic detail of American armored personnel carriers of the period of the Second World War.

It is in this building that Scout is known to us.. In the US Army, he received the M3A1 index. And it was this armored personnel carrier that went into series in 1941 year.

What is the Scout M3A1 from the point of view of design.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

According to the arrangement of the aggregates, the M3A1 chassis was a typical all-wheel drive (4X4) 1940s light truck with transfer case, which was installed separately from the gearbox and was connected to it by an intermediate shaft.

The Scout had a fully armored top-open enclosure., in front of which was the engine, and behind it were the command and landing squad. Armored Corps had various reservations. The thickness of the armor of the frontal plate of the body of the M3A1 armored personnel carrier was 12,7 mm, and all other sheets - 6,35 mm.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Sometimes the question arises as to the appropriateness of an open roof on an armored personnel carrier. The answer is simple: designers refused additional doors in the rear of the body. Doors are preserved only for the driver and commander. In this way, for quick evacuation of personnel, as well as loading and unloading, the roof would be an obstacle. And so - jump, and all. Or crawl under the rail. Not the most convenient method, but there, where is the place to hit the head - a soft canvas pillow.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

And the second. When firing from the side of the machine, machine gunners used a rail bus, borrowed from Corbitt M2A1. In this way, firing was conducted overboard. The landing troops acted in the same way., providing a circular firing sector.

The standard weapons of the M3A1 version were the large-caliber 12.7 mm machine gun M2 and the 7.62 mm machine gun M1919A4. Transported ammunition consisted of 8 thousand rounds of caliber 7,62 mm 600-750 cartridges of caliber 12.7 mm. Boxes, equipped with machine gun belts, placed in two drawers, located on the sides of the body.

Machine guns were not installed permanently, and on a special system of the mobile machine M22. It was this system that made it possible to move machine guns practically over the entire armored personnel carrier of the armored personnel carrier without much effort..

by the way, on some M3A1 armored personnel carriers, instead of the M1919A4 machine gun, a 7.62 mm Browning M1917A1 machine gun with a water cooling system was installed. In the version of the Soviet army, Maxim machine gun was installed there. But these are more likely exceptions, than the rule.

To increase the reliability of the chassis, wheels with reinforced multi-layer tires with bulletproof filler were used. Scout had a very high speed on the road (to 90 kmh), but limited mobility on rough terrain and could not provide the proper mobility of motorized infantry.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Riding a gas tank… Well, there's something about it, true?

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Today it sounds strange, but it was limited mobility over rough terrain that made the Scouts not very desirable vehicles in the US Army. But, on the other hand, their versatility was striking.

Armored personnel carriers performed not only the functions of reconnaissance vehicles, but also tractors, freely moving 37 mm anti-tank guns, ambulances, transporting in one flight 2 seriously wounded or 3 lightly wounded, staff cars, artillery observer vehicles.

FROM 1942 of the year «Scouts» became the standard armament of armored cavalry tank squadrons, and then the US Army infantry divisions. Since March 1943 years in each armored cavalry platoon was 13 armored vehicles: three in the command group (these cars were simultaneously tractors of 37 mm anti-tank guns), one in the intelligence group and nine «scouts» in three reconnaissance sections.

Scout M3A1 is widely known not only on the European theater, but also in Canada and Australia. US supplied armored personnel carriers to Canadian and Australian armies, troops «free France», Polish, Belgian and Czechoslovak armies. And of course the USSR.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

The first M3A1 received Canadian and Australian units; the English army only accepted them in May 1941 of the year. Used M3A1 in the headquarters of regiments and brigades. Soon they began to be used as ambulances and artillery observer vehicles..

For a long time they served in the tank and armored vehicles of the Scouts as commander and communication vehicles, equipped with a powerful radio station. However, soon each squadron in the regiments of armored vehicles received a platoon of shooters and four Scouts for their transportation. In the second half 1944 years “Scouts” in the British army were already in almost all motorized infantry battalions of the British.

The fate of the Scouts is interesting, which were supplied to the USSR by Lend-Lease. The first deliveries of these machines began at the beginning 1942 of the year. The thing is, that in the documents of that period these machines did not even have a single name. You can find at least three different names for this type of technique.. Armored personnel carrier, armored vehicle and semi-armored vehicle. And all this "Scout" M3A1.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

The car was so unusual, that the Soviet command was forced to organize the training of crews for these armored personnel carriers in a training regiment specially created on the basis of the 20th Tank Regiment in Uryupinsk, and with 1 Martha 1942 years in Ryazan. In parallel, the 3rd Saratov School of Armored Vehicles and Armored personnel carriers trained technical personnel and retrained officers and sergeants for command of the units of these armored personnel carriers.

"Scouts" became the most massive and most popular armored personnel carriers in the Red Army. They were also used, as in the allied forces, mainly, as reconnaissance and staff vehicles. The reconnaissance of a tank or mechanized brigade had 3-4 M3A1, reconnaissance corps - 6-8, and the army motorcycle regiment 13-16.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Cars were truly loved by soldiers and officers.. And for an example of the combat use of this armored personnel carrier, take a description of the reconnaissance actions of the 28th Guards Mechanized Brigade of the 8th Guards Tank Corps during the liberation of Poland in August 1944 of the year:

«To the south of the village of Lenin in the beam, the enemy ambushed. Pulled into the beam, convoy of control vehicles 28 guards mechanized brigade was unexpectedly fired from the left flank and frontally from the factory buildings of the village.
Two reconnaissance squads advanced to the left under the command of Lieutenant Alekseychuk attracted the attention of the enemy ambush. Meanwhile, four separate reconnaissance M3A1 armored personnel carriers under the command of Deputy Chief of Staff of the intelligence brigade Major Tifonov opened heavy machine-gun fire on the enemy.

As a result, 30 nazis, seeing a hopeless situation, dropped their weapons and surrendered, the rest of, in the beam (to 60 officers and soldiers), It was destroyed. Only individual Nazis up to 30 human, stuck in the building, continued to conduct strong machine-gun and machine-gun fire, shooting the road along which the convoy of cars was supposed to move.
Two M3A1 armored personnel carriers sent forward, under the command of Senior Sergeant Starostin and Sergeant Lieberman, came close to the factory building and opened hurricane fire at the windows, causing the enemy to stop resisting. Two anti-tank guns of the 2nd motorized rifle battalion arrived in time to complete the rout of the enemy ambush«.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар" Thick Cavalry Mustache and Professor's Glasses. Correctly, Colonel General Pavel Alekseevich Rotmistrov. And behind him «boy-scout».

Scout M3A1 was produced before 1944 of the year. Totally off the factory conveyors 20 994 armored. Of these, the USSR was delivered 3 034 cars.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Technical data «As scout» M3A1:

BTR combat weight, t: 5,62
Crew, people: 1-2
landing, people: 5-7
dimensions (DSHV), mm: 5626 x 2032 x 1994
base, mm: 3327
Track, mm: 1657
Clearance, mm: 400
booking
Steel armor, surface hardened
housing forehead, mm: 12,7
Board, mm: 6,35

weaponry:
— machine gun 12.7 mm M2NV - 1 (b / k to 700 rounds);
— machine gun 7.62 mm M1919A4 - 2 PC (b / k to 8000 rounds).

Engine:
In-line, 6-cylinder, carburettor, liquid cooling, Hercules JXD
Power, HP: 110
Speed (on the highway), kmh: 91
Power reserve (on the highway), km: 400

Overcomes obstacles:
— climb, city: 30
— wall, m: 0,3
— ford, m: 0,7

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

But on this material it is impossible to finish. Just because, that there remains one important issue for our military equipment. Whose «father» Scout M3A1? This statement at the beginning of the article requires evidence..

Soviet designers during the war dealt with many problems. Alas, but the priority armored personnel carriers did not appear. American and British cars successfully filled this shortcoming. And the production facilities were engaged in the production of other weapons and equipment., eg, Tanks and self-propelled guns, more useful at that current point in time.

The USSR simply didn’t even have such trucks, which could be the basis for the development of armored personnel carriers. Only in 1944 year began testing the Soviet GAZ-63.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

Wide tires were a characteristic feature of this car. 9,75-18 and single-wheel rear wheels, who had the same track, like the front. When driving through mud, the snow, sand all the wheels went "trail to trail", not experiencing additional rolling resistance due to the difference in gauge.

On state tests of all-wheel drive vehicles GAZ-63 demonstrated, as noted in the report of the Main Automotive Department of the Red Army, «record permeability».

At the beginning 1947 years at the Design Bureau of the Gorky Automobile Plant, led by B.A.. Dedkov, began designing a light biaxial armored personnel carrier "object 141", designed to transport eight foot soldiers, - "Scout" post-Soviet. The lead designer was appointed V.K.. Scar. For this machine used the chassis of the GAZ-63, reducing the base to 600 mm and increasing engine power by 10 HP.

Several armored personnel carriers were designed and built., but only in 1949 the year the armored personnel carrier successfully passed state tests and under the designation BTR-40 was adopted by the Soviet Army.

Another Lend-Lease: лёгкий бронетранспортёр М3А1 "Скаут Кар"

At the end 1950 year at the Gorky Automobile Plant named after Molotov began mass production of cars, and its creators were awarded the Stalin Prize. Armored hulls were manufactured by the Murom Locomotive Repair Plant.

It was this Soviet descendant of the American “Scout” that many saw at parades and in museums…

A source

                          
Chat in TELEGRAM:  t.me/+9Wotlf_WTEFkYmIy

Playmarket

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 comment
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments