M3 Scout Car

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

M3A1 Scout Car
4x4
SuspensionLeaf springs
Fuel capacity30 US gal (110 L)
Operational
range
250 mi (400 km)
Maximum speed 50 mph (80 km/h)
ReferencesBishop[1] & Foss[2]

The M3 Scout Car (known as the White Scout Car in

British Commonwealth service) was an American-produced armored car. The original M3 Scout Car was produced in limited numbers, while the improved M3A1 Scout Car saw wide service during World War II
and after.

Design

The main production variant, the M3A1 Scout Car, was a lightly armored, open topped,

four wheel drive vehicle designed to be used in the reconnaissance role. The M3A1 Scout Car was crewed by a driver and commander, while there was seating for six additional occupants in the rear.[1][2]

Powered by a Hercules JXD 6-cylinder in-line petrol engine delivering 110 hp (82 kW), the M3A1 Scout Car had a maximum road speed of 50 mph (80 km/h) and the 30 US gal (110 L) fuel tank gave a maximum range of 250 mi (400 km). The vehicle’s four wheel drive and bumper mounted unditching roller enabled it to cross a 1.5 ft (0.46 m) wide trench and climb a 1 ft (0.30 m) high step, maximum fording depth was 28 in (0.71 m).[1][2][3][4]

The armored body of the M3A1 Scout Car was produced by the

Diebold Lock and Safe Company, it had a maximum armor thickness of .5 in (13 mm) and was open topped, providing good fields of view but no overhead protection for the occupants, a canvas cover was provided for protection from the elements. The underside protection was also limited, giving little protection from the effects of land mines for the vehicle’s occupants.[1][2][5]

The M3A1 Scout Car was typically armed with a 0.5 cal (12.7 mm) M2 Browning heavy machine gun and one or two .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns, all were mounted on a skate rail upon which the pintle mounts could be moved about. Due to its open top, the occupants were also able to employ their personal weapons.[1][2][6]

History

Development

M1 Scout Car
M1 Scout Car
M2 Scout Car
M2 Scout Car
M2A1 / M3 Scout Car
M2A1 / M3 Scout Car
M1 Scout Car

The M1 Scout Car was the first of a new series of armored cars developed by the

machine guns mounted on static mounts inside the vehicle. Seventy-six M1 Scout Cars were delivered to the US Army.[7][8][9]

M2 Scout Car

The M2 Scout Car was a development of the M1, tested in 1935 the almost identical looking M2 was larger and more powerful, designed with as many commercial components as possible to keep costs down it could accommodate a crew of seven. The M2 Scout Car weighed 3.95 short tons (3.58 t), was powered by a 94 hp (70 kW) engine and retained the top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). Twenty M2 Scout Cars were delivered to the US Army.[7][10][11]

M2A1 / M3 Scout Car

The M2A1 Scout Car, later redesignated the M3 Scout Car, was a further development of the M1 and M2 Scout Cars. The M2A1 / M3 Scout Car retained the 94 hp (70 kW) engine and had a top speed of 60 mph (97 km/h). Sixty-four M2A1 / M3 Scout Cars were produced, all being assigned to the 7th Cavalry Brigade.[7][8][12][13]

M3A1 Scout Car
M3A1 Scout Car
M3A1 Scout Car
Interior of an M3A1


M3A1 Scout Car

The M3A1 Scout Car was the final development of the series. Primary external differences from the M3 were a widening of the body over the fenders, the removal of the rear door of the M3 and the addition of the front roller. Internally, the M3A1 had an improved engine and was fitted with the machine gun skate rail. A total of 20,918 were produced between 1939–1944. It was the only version to see service outside of the United States, with the exception of Philippine Scouts in the 26th Cavalry Regiment (PS) who were issued the M2 variant before 1937.[1][2][7][6][14]

Variants

37 mm Gun M3

The M3A1E1 Scout Car was developed to increase the range and fuel economy of the vehicle, it was powered by an 81 hp (60 kW) Buda-Lanova 6DT-317 six-cylinder diesel engine. 3,340 were produced, all were sent to the Soviet Union.[7][15]

The M3A1E2 Scout Car was a version with an armored roof.

The M3A1E3 Scout Car was an experimental version fitted with a pedestal mounted

37 mm Gun M3
.

The M3A1 Command Car was a command version, fitted with an armored screen and additional side armor.[16]

The

M2 Half Track was developed from the M3A1 Scout Car by adding half-tracks to the rear of the vehicle. The post-War BTR-40 was a Soviet development of the M3A1 Scout Car concept.[17]

Service

Scout-car-british
British White Scout Car being used as an ambulance
US Army M3A1 Scout Car
US Army M3A1 Scout Car

United States

The M3A1 was used by cavalry units of the

M3 Half-tracks.[5][7][18]

Throughout 1943, most US Army units replaced the M3A1 with the

US Marine Corps in the Pacific theater, but none saw combat.[2][19]

George Patton
's modified M3A1 Scout Car

General

George Patton used an M3A1 as a command vehicle, modified with additional armor and a raised fighting compartment.[7]

A total of 11,401 M3A1 Scout Cars were allocated for supply to US allies under

Free French, Czechoslovak and Polish units.[20][21][22]

King George VI
reviewing troops from a White Scout Car

Britain

In British Commonwealth service, the White Scout Car was regarded more as an armored truck, reflected in the designation "Truck, 15cwt, 4x4, Armoured Personnel", and was used in a variety of secondary roles, being issued to engineer, artillery (as an observation vehicle for field artillery observers) medical (as a protected ambulance) and signals units; within the

Armoured Car Regiments it usually served in Squadron or Regimental headquarters. It was used by British Commonwealth forces in every theatre they fought in except Burma.[2][7][8][16][21]

Soviet Union

In Soviet

towing hitch proved to be unreliable, the M3A1 remained in widespread service throughout the war.[8][23]

China

The

Chinese Nationalist Army received M3A1 Scout Cars from 1942 and used them throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War
.

Postwar service

After the war, many vehicles were sold, mostly to

Latin American countries while they remained in Soviet service until 1947. A few vehicles were used by Israel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. At least one Israeli M3A1 was modified with top armor and a revolving turret. France employed its M3A1s in the First Indochina War[24] and the Algerian War.[22] By late 1990, the only country with M3A1s remaining in service was the Dominican Republic.[citation needed
]

Operators

M3A1 Scout Car
Soviet M3A1 of the 1st Guards Mechanized Corps, Vienna
Second World War
Post-War

See also

  • List of "G" series military vehicles

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Bishop 2006, p. 106.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Foss 2007, p. 55.
  3. ^ US War Department 1942, p. 6.
  4. ^ Green 2016, p. 31.
  5. ^ a b Green 2016, p. 13.
  6. ^ a b Green 2016, p. 29.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Forty & Livesey 2006, p. 340.
  8. ^ a b c d Green 2017, p. 17.
  9. ^ Green 2016, pp. 12 & 25.
  10. ^ Green 2017, pp. 17 & 47.
  11. ^ Green 2016, pp. 13 & 25.
  12. ^ Green 2016, pp. 13 & 27.
  13. ^ Berndt 1993, p. 162.
  14. ^ a b Green 2017, p. 48.
  15. ^ US War Department 1942, p. 267.
  16. ^ a b The Desert Rats Association.
  17. ^ Chant 2004, p. 135.
  18. ^ Green 2017, pp. 17–18.
  19. ^ Green 2016, p. 18.
  20. ^ Green 2016, p. 14.
  21. ^ a b Imperial War Museum.
  22. ^ a b c "1939 M3 A1 SCOUT CAR". chars-francais.net.
  23. ^ PLAM.RU.
  24. ISBN 9781472831828
    .
  25. ^ a b "Trade Registers". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  26. ^ "Legendarios". FAV-Club. Retrieved 2017-02-24.
  27. ISSN 1765-0828
    .

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to M3 Scout Car.
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