Armored Car

Armored Car “CHABO”

The first attempt to create your own, Hungarian, belongs to an armored car in 1932 then known designer N. Shtraussler plant firm “Manfred Weiss, built a four-wheeled non-armored vehicles AC1. Then she was taken to EnglaND, where he received a booking. In 1935 this was followed by improved model AS2 again to assess sent to EnglaND, where soon (in 1937) moved himself a designer. Armor aND turret machine equipped the British firm “Olvis. “Weiss” also produced two more chassis remained in Hungary.

In 1937 Shtraussler at the plant “Olvis (soon formed aND the firm” Olvis-Shtraussler “) built a prototype car AC3. These machines are ordered Holland to their colonies, Portugal aND EnglaND (for service in the Middle East). All chassis are manufactured, Manfred Weiss, “but” Olvis-Shtraussler “- armor, engines, transmissions aND weapons.

Hungarian company in 1938 began to prepare an armored car for the army. AS2 with armor of mild steel aND the tower was tested in 1939 aND served as a prototype serial machine called 39.M. “Chabo. Chabo – youngest son of Hun king Attila. After the departure of the Huns from Western Europe because of the terrible destruction of the Gallo-Roman forces at the Battle of Catalaunian fields (451) aND his father’s death in 453, he settled in Pannonia. Hungarians see some of the relationships with the Huns, because of their common forefather Nimrod had two sons: Mohorev appeared the ancestor of the Magyars, aND the Hunor – Huns.

To finalize the “Chabo” Shtraussler have not had a relationship. Order the production of 8 training (from nebronevoy steel) and 53 armored vehicles plant Manfred Weiss, received in 1939 before the end of construction of the aforementioned prototype AC3. Production lasted from spring 1940 to summer 1941

PA Chabo “had individual spring suspension four driving wheels, dual control. To advance the use of rear pair of wheels at the back course (for which the crew entered the secoND driver) used both. Engine (eight-, carburetors, liquid-cooled) supplied Germanic branch of the company “Ford”.

Arm “Chabo” the same 20-mm-tank as “Toldi” I aND 8-mm machine gun 34./37.A “Gebauer” in the tower with an independent fire. By the latter provides shop for 25 rounds.

Building the armored car of welded armor plates, arranged with a slope. The crew includes: Commander, gunner, machine gunner, the front driver, rear driver (he is also a radio operator). Radio got all the machines. Armored car was completely on the level of the then similar vehicles, with good speed, but a small reserve.

There was a commander’s version of the BA, armed only with machine guns, but equipped with two simplex radios R / 4, aND R / 5 aND loop antenna. Because asthma was quite satisfactory, in late 1941, followed by an order for 50 (in 1942 – released 32, aND the next – 18), aND in January 1943 for another 70 – (built – 12 in 1943 aND 20 in 1944). Results thus produced 135 PA Chabo “(30 of them in the commander’s option), all – plant” Manfred Weiss. They are the same for armored Danube fleet were built 18 towers “Chabo” with armament.

BA entered service in the 1 st and 2 nd motobrigady and 1 st and 2 nd Cavalry Brigade on one company in each brigade. The structure of a company included 10 BA, 1 BA commander and 2 “iron” training. Infantry Brigade had a platoon of 3 “Chabo. All these parts except the 1 st Cavalry Brigade took part in the April war in 1941 against Yugoslavia.

In the summer of 1941 on the Soviet front fought 2-ND  – and 1 st Cavalry Brigade aND a company of BA 2 ND Cavalry Brigade (of 57 BA). In December 1941, when these parts are returned to the reconstitution aND replenishment, they have 17 machines. Combat experience has shown the weakness of arms aND vulnerability. BA could be used only for reconnaissance.

In January 1943, the Don, along with 1 st Cavalry Brigade killed all of its 18 “Chabo. In April 1944, 14 “Chabo” (company of 2-ND TD) went to the front. However, this time in August at the completion of the division returned with 12 asthma.

In the summer of 1944 in the Army were 48 combat-ready “Chabo. At this time, the platoons of 4 BA (1 – a commander) is also part of four infantry divisions (PD). In June 1944 the company “Chabo” fought in PolaND in the 1-st CD aND lost 8 of 14 cars. In the fighting on the territory of Hungary, unfolded in September, attended by both TD aND a CD with a company of asthma aND nine PD (for the BA in each platoon).

“Chabo” fought to the end of the war and none of them now do not preserved.

In 1943, Manfred Weiss, tried to create a severe asthma “Hunor” modeled on the German four-BA Puma, but with Hungarian engine Z-TURAN. The project was completed, but construction has not had time to begin.