A fully illustrated examination of the M8 and M20 armored cars which served the Us Army throughout World War II. Specifically designed as a reconnaissance vehicle, the Ford M8 Light Armored Car was intended primarily for use by mechanised cavalry units. A total of 8,523 units were built. Able to move quickly and cover long distances without refuelling, they supported the advance of armoured columns by undertaking reconnaissance. Though the thin floor armour made it vulnerable to mines, the M8 served in Europe and the Pacific until the end of the war. Derived from the M8 series, 3,791 M20 Armored Utility cars were built. The M20 was designed without a turret, enabling its use for more specialised purposes such as carrying personnel or artillery spotting. While the project to build the M8 launched in 1941, the first armored cars were only received by the army in March 1943. An Ordnance Department officer, Lt. J. R. Muray, is tasked with being the link between the various components of the army and the industrialists. Throughout the process of creation and production, Muray kept his notes, reports and letters - 1,500 pages of archives have enabled the author to faithfully retrace the process of creating these cars, from the first draft to the end production in June 1945. AUTHOR: Didier Andres, born in Verviers in Belgium, was passionate about military history and particularly about American vehicles of World War II. He had a large archive of documents and imagery, and contributed to books and magazines for twenty years. He is the author of US Army Chevrolet Trucks, US Army Ambulances & Medical Vehicles and US Army Signal Corps Vehicles.
Contents The Genesis of Light Armored Cars The M8 Light Armored Car The M20 Utility Armored Car Commonalities Use in Europe Appendixes Bibliography Acknowledgements
Didier Andres, born in Verviers in Belgium, was passionate about military history and particularly about American vehicles of World War II. He had a large archive of documents and imagery, and contributed to books and magazines for twenty years. He is the author of US Army Chevrolet Trucks, US Army Ambulances & Medical Vehicles and US Army Signal Corps Vehicles.
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