- Yes
- No
- Benelux
- USA
- Other / I don’t know
- I said no
The M8 Greyhound was a widely used American armored car designed in 1942 as a reconnaissance vehicle, lightly armed and armored even for 1942 standards, it was completely outdated by the 1960s but still used in a lot of countries.
It was also used by Belgium, mostly by the Air Force for base security and also by the Force Publique in the Congo.
Without delving too deep into details regarding the Congo Crisis, a few days after the Congo gained independence, elements of the new Congolese National Army mutinied and severe ethnic and tribal violence erupted. Belgium then sent troops to protect their own civilians, making Belgian presence in the region still strong.
Not long after, the Katanga province in the south revolted and declared independence, with support from Belgium, and during this messy conflict, two M8s were modified by the Belgians/Katangese, both by raising the turret but not exactly in the same way.
Here we can see how additional armor was put around the top machine gun on this first M8, giving the vehicle a taller silhouette as well as, in War Thunder’s context, providing some additional protection against strafing attacks from enemy fighters.
Other than the raised turret, no other known modifications were made.
Specifications - M8 Type 1
Armament:
- M6 37 mm cannon (Ammo: 80)
- 37 mm APCBC: 87 mm at 0°, 883 m/s
- Reloading rate: 4.6 → 3.5 s
- Vertical guidance: -10° / 20°
Armor:
9-19 mm RHA
Mobility:
Hercules 6-cylinder engine (110 hp)
Max. speed: 90 km/h
8-speed transmission
Power to weight ratio: 14 hp per ton
Crew:
4 (Driver, Co-driver, Commander/Loader, Gunner)
Dimensions:
Mass: 7.8 t
Length: 4.7 m
Width: 2.31 m
Height: ~2.35 m
While not a very extensive modification of the M8, it’s still a goofy and little-known one that does at least give some additional protection against attacks from the air.
I can only realistically see it be added to a Benelux tree as a Belgian colonial vehicle, or as a quirky US event vehicle due to the M8 being American.
Sources