RichB
Well-known member
Broke out the second CTA build to work on while watching various Remembrance Day specials
T-17E Staghound
In July 1941 the US Army issued specifications for a medium armoured car. Ford produced a 6x6 vehicle designated T17 and Chevrolet a 4X4 vehicle designated T17E. Both vehicles were equipped with the same turret mounting a 37mm gun and a coaxial .30 MG as well as a bow mounted .30 MG. The US Army selected the T17 Deerhound as a backup to the M8 Greyhound. The 250 units built were offered to the British when the M8 production started but were refused due to the many deficiencies found during testing. The vehicles were disarmed and handed over to the US Military Police for use on the US Home Front. (The British were responsible for the "hound" series of names for US armoured cars.)
The British were much more impressed by the T17E and formally requested that this vehicle be put into production for their use beginning in January 1942. By the end of production nearly 4000 vehicles had been built. The Staghound was an innovative design using two rear facing 6 cylinder engines feeding a single transfer case. Either engine could be shut off or on while the vehicle was in motion. It also had a selectable 2 or 4 wheel drive system and selectable powered or manual steering. The Staghound did not have a chassis as the armoured hull was stiff enough to permit the suspension to be directly attached to it.
Staghounds reached the front to late to see action in its original intended theatre, North Africa, and saw their first combat in Sicily and Italy. It's size limited it's effectiveness in the narrow village and mountains roads. It proved much more useful as the campaign in Italy became more mobile in mid-1944. The Staghound also saw action throughout the campaign in NW Europe.
Post-war, surplus vehicles were passed onto rebuilding European armies and eventually to armed forces in the Middle East, Africa and South America, serving into the 1980's.
There were 6 Staghound variants built or prototyped during the war.
Staghound Mk.I (T17E1) - standard turret with 37mm main gun.
Staghound Mk.II - a field modification replacing the 37mm gun with a 3 inch howitzer.
Staghound Mk.III - standard turret was replaced by a Crusader turret initially armed with the Ordnance QF 6 Pdr and later the Ordnance QF 75mm.
Staghound Command - standard turret was removed and additional radios were installed in the hull.
Staghound AA (T17E2) - standard turret was replaced by a Frazer-Nash power turret fitted with 2 x .50 MG's.
Staghound (T17E3) - prototype with standard turret replaced by the M8 HMC 75mm turret.
Cheers,
Rich
T-17E Staghound
In July 1941 the US Army issued specifications for a medium armoured car. Ford produced a 6x6 vehicle designated T17 and Chevrolet a 4X4 vehicle designated T17E. Both vehicles were equipped with the same turret mounting a 37mm gun and a coaxial .30 MG as well as a bow mounted .30 MG. The US Army selected the T17 Deerhound as a backup to the M8 Greyhound. The 250 units built were offered to the British when the M8 production started but were refused due to the many deficiencies found during testing. The vehicles were disarmed and handed over to the US Military Police for use on the US Home Front. (The British were responsible for the "hound" series of names for US armoured cars.)
The British were much more impressed by the T17E and formally requested that this vehicle be put into production for their use beginning in January 1942. By the end of production nearly 4000 vehicles had been built. The Staghound was an innovative design using two rear facing 6 cylinder engines feeding a single transfer case. Either engine could be shut off or on while the vehicle was in motion. It also had a selectable 2 or 4 wheel drive system and selectable powered or manual steering. The Staghound did not have a chassis as the armoured hull was stiff enough to permit the suspension to be directly attached to it.
Staghounds reached the front to late to see action in its original intended theatre, North Africa, and saw their first combat in Sicily and Italy. It's size limited it's effectiveness in the narrow village and mountains roads. It proved much more useful as the campaign in Italy became more mobile in mid-1944. The Staghound also saw action throughout the campaign in NW Europe.
Post-war, surplus vehicles were passed onto rebuilding European armies and eventually to armed forces in the Middle East, Africa and South America, serving into the 1980's.
There were 6 Staghound variants built or prototyped during the war.
Staghound Mk.I (T17E1) - standard turret with 37mm main gun.
Staghound Mk.II - a field modification replacing the 37mm gun with a 3 inch howitzer.
Staghound Mk.III - standard turret was replaced by a Crusader turret initially armed with the Ordnance QF 6 Pdr and later the Ordnance QF 75mm.
Staghound Command - standard turret was removed and additional radios were installed in the hull.
Staghound AA (T17E2) - standard turret was replaced by a Frazer-Nash power turret fitted with 2 x .50 MG's.
Staghound (T17E3) - prototype with standard turret replaced by the M8 HMC 75mm turret.
Cheers,
Rich
