White Armored Car (M3a1 White armored with SA38), first genuine Israeli vehicle

CaID · May 4, 2024, 5:53am

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i would like to suggest what could be a genuine rank 1 Tank for Israel (and it would actually offer good gameplay regarding the balance and immersion) White Armored Car

the White armored car was an Israeli conversion of the M3A1 scout car into an actual combat vehicle. been under armored, having an “okayish” gun, but great mobility, this armored car was used exclusively by Israel and developed by them. developed early in the history of modern Israel, the White armored car was amounts of the first vehicles that were in service in Israel and possibly the first developed by them. the chassis was based on the M3A1 scout car bought all over Europe after WW2 (there were just thousands of them that were no longer used in Europe) Israel had covered them into wheeled tanks by installing a turret with a gun which the European power also had no used for it. the French 37mm SA38. while the French gun had rather limited anti-tank power, it was still a gun that was capable of dealing with the vehicles met in the Middle East in 1948. built-in 1948, Israel had produced them in small numbers and used them in combat during the first Arab-Israel war of 1948.

the development of these vehicles started after the failed attack of the 82nd Armored Battalion on Iraq al-Manshiya (Kiryat Gat) where the Israeli realized the Hotchkiss tank was just unfit to fight the enemy tank. the main reason was the gun. the tanks was stripped of their gun and scrapped, the guns were installed on a white armored car. they served in the battalion mechanized 79 (formerly 73) is also the armored battalion 82 , Also in the 9th Battalion of the Negev Brigade and in the Infantry Brigades . after the battle of summer of 1948, the gun was just unable to deal any consequent damage on the enemy so they were stripped of the armored car and the 40mm 2-pounder became the services gun.

Firepower

the main armament was the 37mm SA38 gun , the gun had a decent rate of fire with 15 rounds minutes and a penetration that was a bit lackluster but still capable with 50mm at 100m using APC rounds . the turret is capable of a full rotation but very likely manual which means the speed shall be around 15° sec. the turret appears to have a coaxial at the right side and a MG34 was placed in the hull. overall, the firepower is right for a very early rating of the game

Mobility

the mobility of the White armored car is by far its best asset. capable of reaching 80 km/h on the road , the weight has been estimated at 6.5 tonnes (chassis = 5.6 + gun = 0.3 + turret & roof = 0.6?) , making it a rather light vehicle for the game standard. the engine providing 110 hp was more than enough for the light vehicles. the power weight ratio shall be approximately 18 hp/ton which is quite good for the acceleration. this armored car would be perfect for flanking and arriving at the key position early in the game which makes up for the lack of firepower.

Protection

the protection of this vehicle is not at all his best asset. the vehicles could easily be qualified as “glass cannon”. with 6mm of armor about EVERYWHERE except the driver port which is 15mm , the armor would barely protect from the LMG fire. any vehicles could be a treat to it. even the GAZ 4M who’s is renowned to be the weakest vehicle against ground targets. a welcome modification of the vehicles was the addition of the roof on the chassis making up for the most obvious weakness of the vehicles. the vehicle has a crew of at least 3 men (driver, hull gunner, gunner). the exact armor of the turret is unknown but very probably has two layers of 6mm on the front but 6mm on the side.

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