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Israeli Improvised Armoured Car, Type 1.


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Very nice result, especially the scratch work and the detailing. Interesting that you have two variations on the same base M3 to compare. They look purposeful vehicles, but retro; there's an air of WW1 design about them.

 

Although a worthy subject to model, it was perhaps a dubious vehicle to bother converting into an armoured car. In the Bovington Tank Museum Tank Chat #138, David Fletcher MBE says of the M3 Scout Car; "trouble was they actually had a lousy cross-country performance," and "they were quite good on the roads if you didn't mind not going around corners too much." He also bags the roller at the front; "I think the British actually took the roller off and threw it away because it was no damned good at all." I do like his no-holds-barred reviewing style.

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21 hours ago, Maginot said:

Very nice result, especially the scratch work and the detailing. Interesting that you have two variations on the same base M3 to compare. They look purposeful vehicles, but retro; there's an air of WW1 design about them.

 

Although a worthy subject to model, it was perhaps a dubious vehicle to bother converting into an armoured car. In the Bovington Tank Museum Tank Chat #138, David Fletcher MBE says of the M3 Scout Car; "trouble was they actually had a lousy cross-country performance," and "they were quite good on the roads if you didn't mind not going around corners too much." He also bags the roller at the front; "I think the British actually took the roller off and threw it away because it was no damned good at all." I do like his no-holds-barred reviewing style.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. With regards to the worthiness of the M3 Scout Car, in 1948, with every surrounding Arab nation, hostile towards the new state of Israel, the Israelis grabbed anything that was available. I don't think that quality control was high on their lists of priorities at the time.

 

John.

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On 05/02/2022 at 14:32, Carius said:

You've done a fantastic and amazing job John. It's a rare vehicle on this scale and for your collection.

 

Cheers my friend.

 

Cesar

Many thanks Cesar. I always appreciate your comments.

 

John.

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Hi John. As always,  it's a real pleasure to see one of your completed builds. This one looks superb! Your detailing takes it to another level as does your beautiful painting and weathering. Exceptionally well done! :worthy: :worthy:

Kind regards, 

Stix

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9 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Hi John. As always,  it's a real pleasure to see one of your completed builds. This one looks superb! Your detailing takes it to another level as does your beautiful painting and weathering. Exceptionally well done! :worthy: :worthy:

Kind regards, 

Stix

Thanks Stix for your very kind words. As always, they are very much appreciated. Take care.

 

John.

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  • 1 year later...

It is very easy to criticise WW2 vehicles - and the M3 Scout was essentially pre-war - through the lens of current expectations.  The M3's off-road and cornering performance were as good as anything else of the period - i.e. not great by today's standards even for Chelsea Tractors.  And there wasn't really anything else like it at the time.  British forces certainly liked and appreciated it well enough in N Africa, Italy and NW Europe as, effectively, a wheeled Universal Carrier.

 

And Haganah was certainly not in the position of being able to be choosy.  Yes, I'm sure they would have liked a fleet of "proper" armoured cars, but that wasn't happening apart from an odd few.  And the main intended role of these early improvised armoured cars on M3s, Dodge WCs etc was on-road convoy escort and internal security.  Although they became more widely used.  Don't forget that the main British vehicle used in that region in the Mandate days until the middle of WW2 was the Rolls Royce Armoured Car backed up by some semi-improvised Wagner armoured trucks, all 4x2s.  Although 4x4 Otters, M-H Mk IVs and other WW2 vehicles appeared in the late war and immediate post-war period.  The RAF even operated 2 captured SdKfz222s for a while.

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