BBA16 M3A1 Scout Car (1 Viewer)

[Rob]

So as i understand (thanks to CS for this)this arm'd car was not used much at the Bulge and was pretty rare.So was it used more in Normandy and North Africa?.Would appreciate any info,this is one of my faveourite US vehicles and was just wondering what theatres it was most common in?.

Rob

 

[rws591]

Were they present at all?

 

[binder001]

The US forces had officially replaced the M3A1 Scout Car by the time of the Ardennes offensive. The only photo that I have ever seen of a US M3A1 Scout Car in the ETO was in the 3rd Armored Div. history "Spearhead in the West" where troops are seen removing waterproofing from one. In all my years of looking at photos of US military units in WW2 I have never seen a photo of a US-operated M3A1 in combat in Europe in WW2. One learns to not state catagorically that there weren't ANY, but they would be up there with hens' teeth in rarity, if any were used.

Yes, there wee quite a lot of Scout Cars in pre-war training, in North Africa and in Sicily. I'm not sure of when the last one's in Italy were replaced, but they don't show up in photos of US forces in Italy.

The Free French got lots of Lend-Lease and "hand me down" equipment and they seem to have had M3A1s longer than the US, plus some British armoured car regiments used them later than US units did.

In US Army service, by 1944 the M3A1 was replaced by the M8 armored car, the M20 armored utility vehicle or halftracks. US production capacity and transporation allowed units to replace obsolete equipment faster than any other army of WW2.

So, BBA16 can be many things, but should not be a US vehicle from the Battle of the Bulge.

 

[MCKENNA77]

The US forces had officially replaced the M3A1 Scout Car by the time of the Ardennes offensive. The only photo that I have ever seen of a US M3A1 Scout Car in the ETO was in the 3rd Armored Div. history "Spearhead in the West" where troops are seen removing waterproofing from one. In all my years of looking at photos of US military units in WW2 I have never seen a photo of a US-operated M3A1 in combat in Europe in WW2. One learns to not state catagorically that there weren't ANY, but they would be up there with hens' teeth in rarity, if any were used.

Yes, there wee quite a lot of Scout Cars in pre-war training, in North Africa and in Sicily. I'm not sure of when the last one's in Italy were replaced, but they don't show up in photos of US forces in Italy.

The Free French got lots of Lend-Lease and "hand me down" equipment and they seem to have had M3A1s longer than the US, plus some British armoured car regiments used them later than US units did.

In US Army service, by 1944 the M3A1 was replaced by the M8 armored car, the M20 armored utility vehicle or halftracks. US production capacity and transporation allowed units to replace obsolete equipment faster than any other army of WW2.

So, BBA16 can be many things, but should not be a US vehicle from the Battle of the Bulge.

Thanks binder, that was some cool info. I never knew the M3A1 saw time in North Africa. What I would really like to see is that dude Prieto do a North African desert repaint of the M3A1, that would be pretty tight. Heres a pic of a real M3A1 from Littlefields collection in Palo Alto.

Take Care
MCKENNA

 

[Rob]

The US forces had officially replaced the M3A1 Scout Car by the time of the Ardennes offensive. The only photo that I have ever seen of a US M3A1 Scout Car in the ETO was in the 3rd Armored Div. history "Spearhead in the West" where troops are seen removing waterproofing from one. In all my years of looking at photos of US military units in WW2 I have never seen a photo of a US-operated M3A1 in combat in Europe in WW2. One learns to not state catagorically that there weren't ANY, but they would be up there with hens' teeth in rarity, if any were used.

Yes, there wee quite a lot of Scout Cars in pre-war training, in North Africa and in Sicily. I'm not sure of when the last one's in Italy were replaced, but they don't show up in photos of US forces in Italy.

The Free French got lots of Lend-Lease and "hand me down" equipment and they seem to have had M3A1s longer than the US, plus some British armoured car regiments used them later than US units did.

In US Army service, by 1944 the M3A1 was replaced by the M8 armored car, the M20 armored utility vehicle or halftracks. US production capacity and transporation allowed units to replace obsolete equipment faster than any other army of WW2.

So, BBA16 can be many things, but should not be a US vehicle from the Battle of the Bulge.

Gary,once again i thank you for a very helpful and informative post.

Rob

 

[Harrytheheid]

It still LOOKS pretty good though.


Cheers
H

 

[Rob]

The US forces had officially replaced the M3A1 Scout Car by the time of the Ardennes offensive. The only photo that I have ever seen of a US M3A1 Scout Car in the ETO was in the 3rd Armored Div. history "Spearhead in the West" where troops are seen removing waterproofing from one. In all my years of looking at photos of US military units in WW2 I have never seen a photo of a US-operated M3A1 in combat in Europe in WW2. One learns to not state catagorically that there weren't ANY, but they would be up there with hens' teeth in rarity, if any were used.

Yes, there wee quite a lot of Scout Cars in pre-war training, in North Africa and in Sicily. I'm not sure of when the last one's in Italy were replaced, but they don't show up in photos of US forces in Italy.

The Free French got lots of Lend-Lease and "hand me down" equipment and they seem to have had M3A1s longer than the US, plus some British armoured car regiments used them later than US units did.

In US Army service, by 1944 the M3A1 was replaced by the M8 armored car, the M20 armored utility vehicle or halftracks. US production capacity and transporation allowed units to replace obsolete equipment faster than any other army of WW2.

So, BBA16 can be many things, but should not be a US vehicle from the Battle of the Bulge.

Gary,talk about coincidence!.I just purchased the new Osprey book Firefly v Tiger,in it there is a pic of a knocked out M3A1 in Normandy on 14th August 1944.However after reading your post this must still have been a very rare vehicle.(Its difficult to make out markings on the vehicle in question,but it does have the large white star on it.)

Rob

 

[Jim5615]

As I understand it Rob, once the halftrack came along, the US gave most of the White scout cars to our British cousins.

 

[Rob]

Ah of course,Gary did say that didn't he Jim. I must have thought he meant there were no M3's at all in ETO,he was of course refering to those in US service.Sorry,i've a brain like a flatfish!!!

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

Do you mean like this fellow?

 

[Rob]

In my defence Brad,it was early in the morning and i had a Baaaaaaad hangover!

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

In my defence Brad,it was early in the morning and i had a Baaaaaaad hangover!

Rob

So did that chap

 

[binder001]

Yes, it was the US that dumped the Scout Cars. The Russians liked them so much they made their own post-war version. A number of Allied forces had Scout Cars for quite a while. Many went on to serve smaller armies post-WW
2.

The new Osprey "Duel" series looks pretty good. I just finished reading "Tiger vs. Firefly" and found it to be well written. A great detailed description of the action that ended Wittmann's carreer.

Gary

 

[Rob]

Yes, it was the US that dumped the Scout Cars. The Russians liked them so much they made their own post-war version. A number of Allied forces had Scout Cars for quite a while. Many went on to serve smaller armies post-WW
2.

The new Osprey "Duel" series looks pretty good. I just finished reading "Tiger vs. Firefly" and found it to be well written. A great detailed description of the action that ended Wittmann's carreer.

Gary

Yes i really like the book.How incredible that a young man who'd only fired about six tank rounds in his life ended the life of Germanys greatest Tank Panzer hero?!.

Rob