World War II Database

Contributor: Alan Chanter

ww2dbaseThroughout the 1930s the Soviet Union developed a family of armoured cars, or broneavtomobil in Russian, of which the best were a series of six-wheelers that began with the Broneavtomobil-1 or BA-1 design in 1932. In 1938 the Broneavtomobil-10 or BA-10 design entered into mass-production and rapidly became the standard armoured car in the Soviet Union's reconnaissance and independent armoured units. It was not a particularly modern vehicle for its day, though very typical of its era (armoured cars of similar type were built in Britain, Germany and the United States), for it was a bulky, functional piece of equipment whose World War I ancestry was evident from its outmoded appearance.

ww2dbaseThe BA-10 armoured car was built on a military version the of the GAZ-AAA six-wheeled commercial truck chassis (the GAZ truck being a Russian copy of a Ford design) that had been suitably modified and reinforced to cope with the extra weight dictated by the armoured car layout. The use of a front-engined chassis of this kind placed the driver behind the engine, with a co-driver's machine-gun position beside him. Power was provided by an 85 bhp GAZ-M1 4-cylinder water-cooled petrol engine that gave a maximum speed of 57 km/h and a range of 320 km. This proved well-suited to the terrain and distances of the USSR.

ww2dbaseThe turret, located over the rear wheels, was similar to that of many contemporary tanks of the day, mounted a 37 mm (or 45 mm gun in the later BA-32 version). A 7.62 mm machine gun in the hull (and in some vehicles co-axially in the turret) provided a secondary defensive armament. The slab-sided armoured hull was of riveted construction in early vehicles, although welded construction would come increasingly into use later and, in the final version, the hulls sides were more sloping, and with the roof at the rear lowered together with the turret, so that the 45 mm gun only just cleared the part of the hull above the driver's head.

ww2dbaseBA-10 armoured cars first saw combat against Japanese forces during the short-lived border conflict in northeastern China.

ww2dbaseDespite its weight the BA-10 armoured car was a robust and reliable vehicle and, despite the limitations of its 6x4 drive, served the Red Army well until the German invasion of 1941. Indeed its main armament was as good as that fitted in many contemporary tanks. After 1941 few Soviet armoured cars had survived the early battles with the German Wehrmacht, and such was the immediate requirement for tanks that no effort was made, for a considerable time, to build more armoured cars. The Germans captured large numbers of these vehicles and used them for anti-partisan duties both in the USSR and in the Balkans, a role in which the type excelled. Finnish forces also captured a small number of examples during the war, similarly pressing them into service in rear areas. Those that remained in Soviet hands were withdrawn from front line service after 1942, although many would be stripped down, to be used as armoured personnel carriers.

ww2dbaseSeveral variants existed including one pre-war version which was built in quite substantial numbers for use on railways; running on the rail tracks with flanged wheels. Another version, the BA-32, was developed as a half-track, with the rear wheels fitted with tracks, specifically to improve performance over snow or soft ground.

SPECIFICATIONS

BA-10

Machinery	One GAZ-MM 4-cyl engine rated at 50hp at 2,800rpm
Suspension	Wheeled
Armament	1x37mm gun or 1x45mm 20-K gun (49 rounds), 1x7.62mm coxial DT machine gun, 1x7.62mm hull DT machine gun
Armor	6-25mm
Crew	4
Length	4.64 m
Width	2.05 m
Height	2.20 m
Weight	7.5 t
Speed	53 km/h
Range	320 km

Photographs

Visitor Submitted Comments

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1.  Bill says:
10 Dec 2009 04:56:27 PM

The BA-10 (Bronevatomobil 10) armored car
was built in the 1930's. Developed from the BA-3 and BA-6 heavy armored cars, the BA-10
saw action against Japanese forces in 1939.
Used against the Germans during the invasion
of Russia in June 1941, many of these vehicles were destroyed or captured by the
Germans, and used for security and anti- partisan operations, in German service they
were named Panzersphwagen BAF 203(r)
The BA-10 was armed with one 45mm gun, and
two 7.62mm machine guns.
It could be converted to a half-track type vehicle, the tracks fitted to the rear pair of duel tandem wheels. In Russian service
some vehicles were used into 1943.

2.  Bill says:
10 Dec 2009 05:43:25 PM

The BA-9 was armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
This was a lighter design then the BA-10,but
both vehicles looked very much the same.

The BA-6 was developed in 1935 at the GAZ
Factory it was based on the GAZ-AAA three- axle automobile chassis.
The BA-6 also used bullet-resistant tires
that were filled with porous rubber.

The BA-3 Armord car's were issued to the
reconnaissance troops. Vehicle saw action
against Japanese forces at Khalhin-Gol River
in 1939.
BA-3's saw service with Turkey, China, with
Spanish Republican Army and Afghasistan.

The Finish Army used captured BA-3 and BA-6's
until 1956.

Today you can see these armored cars on display at the Tank Museum in Kubinka,Russia another car on display in Moscow, Russia.

3.  Bill says:
9 Nov 2012 06:40:26 PM

The BA-3 was another armored car. Armed with
1x45mm gun w/40 rounds and 2x7.62mm machine guns w/3276 rounds

The vehicle was built on a imported Ford AA chassis, and designed to accept a complete
T-26 turret mounting its 45mm gun. Production was about 180 vehicles, served in the Far East, Finland, Poland units fought Japanese forces during the Battle of Khalkin Gol in the summer of 1939.

4.  Bill says:
4 Oct 2015 12:36:08 PM

OLDIES BUT GOODIES: LESS KNOWN VEHICLES

The OA-vz.30 was a Czech designed armored car.
It was based on the Czech Tatra truck chassis and
mounted a turret w/ 1 x Zb vz.26 machine gun and another 1 x Zb-vz. 26 in the hull, it was powered by a 34hp air-cooled 4-cyl engine, the Germans used them for security. The vehicle was also operated by Slovakia and Romania.

Another armored vehicle was the Skoda/Czech
OA vz.23 this vehicle was designed with compound curves and looked very streamlined.
It was lightly armored and couldn't stop armor piercing rounds fired at close range.

The OA vz.25 was another forgotten armored vehicle. Armed with 4 x Maxim 08, 7.92mm machine guns the way it was designed, one couldn't tell if it was coming or going. The machine guns stuck out from the vehicle, like a porcupine, something from Dr. Who...

Dr. Who: a BBC Science-Fiction TV Show