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Patton's M20 Armored Car


mpguy80/08
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After Joining Patton's Third Army Living Historians, a group out of Texas, I became interested in the vehicles used by Patton. I found a picture of Patton's M20 Armored Car (U.S.A. 60111585) in use in 1944 to escort the US ambassador to Russia, Avril Harriman, around the Third Army Area of Operation. The vehicle was unique in that Patton had it modified from the normal M20 by having the M49 Ring mount for the .50 caliber machine gun removed and replaced by a post mount centered in the combat compartment. The vehicle also had the flag mounts and air horns mounted.

 

My M20 is the Tamiya M20 in 1/35th scale with the ring mount removed and replaced by a mount and .50 cal from the AFV Club WC57 (Patton's Command Car). I also mounted the Generals and 3rd Army Flags and Air Horns from that kit as well. The officer with the binos is from the kit, and Patton is from Verlinden's General Patton & Staff kit, #1848.

 

The model was painted with Testor's Model Master Olive Drab ANA 613 on the exterior and the interior of the open crew compartment and given a drybrush rub of Middlestone ANA 615. The Drivers compartment was painted Model Master flat white with a graphite rub, and a Folk Art Raw Umber Acrylic wash over all. While wet the Raw Umber wash is a dark brown, but dried to a light sand color which settles in the nooks and crannies and appears to be dried mud and or accumulated dirt. The tires were painted with Vallejo German Camouflage Black Brown. I also added some electric cabling and swapped out the Kit SCR 508 for the SCR-506 from Monogram's old M29 Weasel on the right side and an SCR-610 from Tamiya's Gun and Mortar Crew Set on the left side. I replaced the Kit M9 bazooka. I modified a Tamiya M1 Bazooka from their Weapon's and Accessories kit into an M1A1 by shortening the tube and cutting off the forward hand grip and mounted it in the front of the combat compartment box as per the kit instructions.

post-3743-0-87525300-1415037759.jpg

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That's a great looking vehicle. I like the detailing and the different shades of OD visible on the first pic. We want more pictures, PLEASE!

 

Lars

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Yes, Tom, that is the Living History Group I am a part of. I portray the 1SG of Company A, 503rd MP Bn, Patton's HQ Security Company. Denny got a hold of that last year and finished Restoring it just prior to the MVPA meeting in Louisville back in June. First time ever entering a vehicle and they literally took top honors with it.

 

Wayne

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Yes, Tom, that is the Living History Group I am a part of. I portray the 1SG of Company A, 503rd MP Bn, Patton's HQ Security Company. Denny got a hold of that last year and finished Restoring it just prior to the MVPA meeting in Louisville back in June. First time ever entering a vehicle and they literally took top honors with it.

 

Wayne

Then we have a mutual friend, Alan J. We were in the ETO together this summer and hopefully we'll be in CZ republic next year

Tom Bowers

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Wayne,

I see you are interested in vehicles that Patton used. I understand that you are more interested in 3d Army but I can send or post a picture of his jeep while he was in 2AD if you would like. As you can see I use his scout car as my avatar, but for other reasons. I know everything on the web is correct but when I searched for 503d MPs, Military dot Com indicates that B company was the security company.

 

Regards,

CC

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@ Tom: Yes, Alan and I served together on Active Duty at Fort Carson. He's the one who invited me to joining that 3rd Army Group. I met him in 2004 right after I got back from Iraq but before I transferred to Germany. I met him again after my retirement.

 

@ CC: I'm interested in all of Patton's Vehicles. I'm hoping to do his M3 Stuart from when he was standing up the 1st Armored Corps out in California in the not too distant future. I also have his WC-56 that he used in the KFC in North Africa. I'd appreciate the photo of Patton's Jeep. The one vehicle there seems to be little photographic reference on is his M3 Halftrack. I've seen a total of one photo of it and a side view artists rendering. The photo didn't show much except the front of the vehicle.

 

As far as the 503rd goes, a lot of the period documentation we have points at Able Company. I get the impression that within the 503rd MP Bn, the company's missions may have rotated.

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Here are a few more shots of the M20 to show interior details... This shot looking into the vehicle from the left, looking to the right interior side wall.

post-3743-0-00461600-1416535029.jpg

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Looking down into the co drivers hatch to show the M1 Carbine mounting, Canteens and First Aid Kit as well as the SCR-506 Radio mounting in the right side storage bin.

post-3743-0-38001500-1416535310.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yes it did... the one reference I have to it had the windshield mounted and was in a period of inclement weather. I decided to leave it off until I can find a suitable clear plastic to fabricate it but still might leave it off due to the post mount being a little short.

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Very nice model vehicle. Reference the windshield, while I'm not familiar with this vehicle, I got it from a very reliable source that Patton did not like to use windshields even in inclement weather and it used to really make the drivers angry.

 

Regards,

CC

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Here is a colorized photo of Patton's M20. You can clearly see the ring mount has been removed and a pintle mounted .50 cal added. The Windscreen is clearly seen as is the General's flags and air horns.

post-3743-0-39775500-1418594130.jpg

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