| M3A1 Scout Car | |
| Type: | Armored car |
| Origin: | United States |
| Is Vehicle: | Yes |
| Used By: | See Operators |
| Wars: | World War II Second Sino-Japanese War Chinese Civil War Hukbalahap Rebellion Indonesian National Revolution Greek Civil War 1948 Arab–Israeli War Costa Rican Civil War 1958 Lebanon crisis First Indochina War Algerian War Laotian Civil War Cambodian Civil War Congo Crisis Dominican Civil War Portuguese Colonial War Salvadoran Civil War |
| Designer: | White Motor Company |
| Design Date: | 1939 |
| Manufacturer: | White Motor Company |
| Production Date: | 1939–1944 |
| Number: | 21,054 (M1: 76 + M2: 20 + M2A1/M3: 64 + M3A1: 20,918) |
| Crew: | 2 |
| Passengers: | 6 |
| Armour: | Maximum |
| Primary Armament: | .50 cal M2 Browning |
| Secondary Armament: | 1–2 x .30 cal M1917 Browning or M1919 Browning machine guns |
| Engine: | Hercules JXD 6-cylinder in-line petrol |
| Drive: | Wheeled 4x4 |
| Suspension: | Leaf springs |
| Ref: | Bishop & Foss |
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.
The main production variant, the M3A1 Scout Car, was a lightly armored, open topped, machine gun armed, 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.
Powered by a Hercules JXD 6-cylinder in-line petrol engine delivering, the M3A1 Scout Car had a maximum road speed of and the fuel tank gave a maximum range of . The vehicle’s four wheel drive and bumper mounted unditching roller enabled it to cross a wide trench and climb a high step, maximum fording depth was .
The armored body of the M3A1 Scout Car was produced by the Diebold Lock and Safe Company, it had a maximum armor thickness of 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.
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.
thumb|180px|M3A1E3 with 37 mm Gun M3The M3A1E1 Scout Car was developed to increase the range and fuel economy of the vehicle, it was powered by an Buda-Lanova 6DT-317 six-cylinder diesel engine. 3,340 were produced, all were sent to the Soviet Union.
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.
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.
The M3A1 was used by cavalry units of the US Army in its intended cavalry role during the North African campaign and the invasion of Sicily, being employed for reconnaissance, screening and as an armored command vehicle. The M3A1 was fast and reliable, making it popular with its crews. However, it was a major disappointment in its intended role, because of its poor off-road performance and its lack of overhead protection. Cavalry units were forced to supplement it with the M2 Half-Track Car and the larger M3 Half-tracks.
Throughout 1943, most US Army units replaced the M3A1 with the M8 Greyhound armored car and the similar M20 Utility Car, although the M3A1 was retained for rear area security and convoy escort duties. A small number of M3A1s were employed in the Normandy campaign. A few M3A1s were used by the US Marine Corps in the Pacific theater, but none saw combat.
thumb|180px|General George Patton's modified M3A1 Scout CarGeneral George Patton used an M3A1 as a command vehicle, modified with additional armor and a raised fighting compartment.
A total of 11,401 M3A1 Scout Cars were allocated for supply to US allies under Lend-Lease, 6,987 were supplied to the British Commonwealth, 3,310 to the Soviet Union and 104 to the Chinese Nationalist Army. Some were also supplied to Free Belgian, Free French, Czechoslovak and Polish units.
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 Royal Armoured Corps’ Tank and 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.
In Soviet Red Army service, the M3A1 was used as an armored personnel carrier by brigade and corps reconnaissance units and motorcycle battalions and regiments, operating alongside the BA-64 armored car. The M3A1 was also used as an armored command vehicle and a gun tractor for the ZIS-3 76-mm field gun, although the towing hitch proved to be unreliable, the M3A1 remained in widespread service throughout the war.
The Chinese Nationalist Army received M3A1 Scout Cars from 1942 and used them throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War.
After the war, many vehicles were sold, mostly to Asian and 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[1] and the Algerian War. By late 1990, the only country with M3A1s remaining in service was the Dominican Republic.
thumb|alt=M3A1 Scout Car|Soviet M3A1 of the 1st Guards Mechanized Corps, Vienna
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Dutch East Indies - 40 vehicles, out of an order of 400, were delivered before the colony was overrun by Japan.
New Zealand - M3A1s used by 2nd NZ Division engineering units.
Polish Armed Forces in the West
United States
Brazil - 100 M3A1
Cambodia - 15 M3A1s used by the Cambodian Army in 1954-1975.
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
France[2]
Greece
Israel
Lebanon - M3A1s used by the Regional Gendarmerie and the Lebanese Air Force in 1949-1959.
Liberia[3]
Mexico
Norway
Philippines Poland
Portugal - M3A1s used by the Portuguese Army in Africa during the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974).
United Kingdom
Dominican Republic
El Salvador