Tank Chats

[@YouHaveReachedBob]

"It's quite rare. There are two, I think." That really puts these museums' efforts into perspective.

[@ChannelHandlePending]

He meant the ones with the crusader turrets

[@RichWhiteUM]

@@ChannelHandlePending That could be the one in Manitoba. The MK 3 was used by Canada.

[@kyle1180]

I hope David knows how much better this world is having him in it!

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

👍🏾🍻

[@rainerfantasie9573]

I'll have a cup of tea for every time David says "But that's how they did it."

[@richarddixon7276]

And I'd like some shares in PG Tips please ! 😂

[@ShadowDragon8685]

I hope your teakettle is in your lavatory, then.

[@bremnersghost948]

Need 2 x 38 Gallon External Bladders to hold all that :)

[@bremnersghost948]

@@richarddixon7276PG is Monkey Pish, Shares in Yorkshire Tea :)

[@richarddixon7276]

@@bremnersghost948 TEA , Mmmm .

[@johnfisher723]

My father, Trooper Douglas Fisher, served as a loader/radio operator in Staghounds with the 12th Manitoba Dragoons, Canadian Army, during its campaigns through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, from D-Day +30 to the end of the war. He said that British armoured officers felt that the Staghound was too large - it was certainly much bigger than the British-made armoured cars they were used to. The Canadians, however, generally liked it. It size meant it was roomy (my father was 6'5"!), comfortable, and could carry the extra equipment, ammunition and rations they needed, as they tended to operate as detached recce units for extended periods of time. (For my father this included a stint attached to the US Army's 104th Infantry Division. He had fond memories of the Timberwolves.) People who have never fought in armoured vehicles don't tend to grasp the importance of comfort and stowage space. Live inside a tin can for a few weeks and your opinion will change. As for it being TOO big... my father's take was that while it's size had its downsides, it also brought another decided advantage: enemy infantry often initially mistook it for a tank and scarpered - infantry generally prefer to avoid engaging tanks. My father and his comrades had no desire to run into any Jerry heroes eager to use their panzerfausts. The Stag was very reliable and easy to maintain - as were most US armoured vehicles - being built with a lot of US automotive parts (e.g. the two truck engines). And it was easy to operate thanks to its automatic transmission AND power steering - two VERY cutting edge bits of kit in 1944. The Dragoons' job was to scout ahead of the main force, where the Stag's speed, manoeuvrability and fairly good optics were all positives. They also would go out and set up extended radio networks by establishing a sort of daisy chain of vehicles across the front, allowing them to move information quickly across significant distances. The good interior room helped here too. As far as the 37mm gun was concerned, it was useful in knocking out light vehicles, small strong points, and punching holes into buildings, something they were occasionally tasked to do in support of the infantry. They rarely encountered German armoured cars, and their job was not normally to stand and fight anyway, but to secure information and run away from anything likely to stop them from relaying that information back to headquarters. Towards the end of the war they received some of the Stags with the Crusader turret and 75mm gun for their "heavy troop", which were used to take out strong points. The Stag was remarkably fast on the open road... and hard to slow down (drum brakes folks). It was also very quiet for an armoured vehicle, its 13 tons tending to muffle its twin truck engines. I read about a Dutch fellow who has restored one (in Manitoba Dragoons markings!), who takes it to commemorative events. On one occasion, while returning home in it, he pulled up behind a policeman who was directing traffic. The cop had no idea what was behind him... until he turned around, and just about had a heart attack. 😳 An indicator of the Stag's general excellence can be seen in its long postwar service. The Aussies held on to theirs, and actually updated them for potential service in Vietnam. Their nation's decision to pull out of that conflict rendered those plans moot. The Israelis operated some for a time, while the Lebanese operated theirs into the 1980s. Stags were also supplied by the US to Cuba and Nicaragua, and a few could still be seen in military parades in the latter country into the 1980s.

[@magnum427]

Good point regarding the quietness of the vehicle. I have read lots about soldiers being able to hear tracked vehicles (tanks) coming from miles away.

[@johnfisher723]

@@magnum427 For the commemorations of D-Day in 1994 and VE Day in 1945 a large number of restored WW II vehicles were brought into Ottawa (my home city), including a number if Sherman's and Universal carriers. You could hear their tracks rattling all over the downtown. Quite an intimidating sound.

[@davidgoodnow269]

Thank you for providing that historical input, it's good to know the good points and how it was made useful, and that it is family history helps versus internet and gamer imaginings. I thought it looks a good deal like a Ferret, myself!

[@johnfisher723]

@@davidgoodnow269 A bit like the Ferret, yes, but much bigger... 3.7 T versus 14T.

[@mateuszbanaszak4671]

Some people love tanks, some armored cars and some even halftrack's. But we all can agree that we love our Mr. David Fletcher.

[@whiskeypapy4966]

The 17E1 Staghound Armored Vehicle was used by the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua (G.N.)in the war against the FSLN(Sandinistas) uprising in 1978/1979.The Guard possessed about 40 of these vehicles in a order of battle formation of the Primer Batallón Blindado or PBB.All had the 2 30.06 machine guns and the 37mm AT main gun.It was use mainly in the western part of the country like Managua,León,Masaya,Rivas,Southern Border,and in theNorthern cities of Estelí,and Matagalpa.I believe this was the last used of the T17E1 Staghound in combat in the last century!…

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

As much as I love tanks... there's a place in my heart for armored cars. Thanks as usual David! 🇺🇸 🍻 🇬🇧

[@bigwitt187]

I keep armored cars in my right ventricle.

[@johnbastien3872]

We had them here in Canada. Even after the war. Still clean up a lot of 37mm off the ranges from these beasts. Armoured RECCE.

[@the51project]

What a great piece of history. The Staghound's quite good too.

[@rattlesnake551]

lmao

[@tommeakin1732]

I'd be interested to hear why you think AA vehicles (presumably just keeping it to this era) are a waste of time. If their only possible use was against aircraft, I might be inclined to agree - but I gather that many armoured allied AA vehicles in the latter days of the war made themselves useful by putting quite obscene levels of suppressing fire on German infantry and light targets. A vehicle armed with multiple autocannons that's immune to small arms fire does sound like quite a powerful infantry support tool

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

The M-15 and M-16 halftracks were used for "hedgehog clearing" literally from day one (which is D-day ...) in Normandy. They were also useless in their designated role (air defence) but somebody made them work otherwise. When you think about it, a 12,7 mm twin mount isn't going to cut the mustard in air defence anyway. Germany was planning on replacing its 20mm AA guns with 30mm ones since the 20mm lacked the desired impact by 1944/45.

[@RichWhiteUM]

@@ottovonbismarck2443 Some of those half tracks had quad .50 calibers on them. Known quite simply as the Quad 50, those quad mounted heavy machineguns would wreck havoc on infantry and unarmored or lightly armored vehicles. Armor that may stop light firearms fire would be shredded by a .50. Those 4 .50s would have been no fun for dive bombers or close support aircraft to deal with, either. The P-51 Mustang carried 6 of them as its primary armament and did a fairly good job of shooting down what aircraft the Luftwaffe had left. The primary man portable anti-aircraft weapon on US Navy vessels was also the .50 caliber machinegun. On some US destroyers, it was the only anti-aircraft weapon carried. Don't under-estimate what Mr. Browning's machinegun can do. It's still in service with the US military for a number of reasons, including air defense purposes.

[@tommeakin1732]

@@RichWhiteUM In the context of aircraft, heavy machineguns get more praise than they deserve, primarily because of the murica bias you're exhibiting. Any non-explosive round will often go in one side of a plane and out the other unless it hits armour or the engine. If you're luckily you'll ignite some fuel. If you're going beyond light machineguns, it makes sense to jump to cannons for a whole variety of reasons. The only things the .50 cal had going for it over cannons was that it was lighter so you could put a couple more guns on the plane and that would translate to more rounds in the air, and it's armour penetration performance and ballistic were quite good. But in terms of effect on most targets, four Hispanos mk2s or mg151/20's handily beats eight M2's. I'd say that the only time you'd prefer the greater number of heavy machineguns would be if you were strafing houses.

[@Horizontalvertigo]

@N Fels I'd say fair point if the Allies didn't have air superiority at the time of the Normandy landings, but they did, and attempting a landing without air superiority is fairly suicidal. Even if a few hundred Stukas could be magic'd up they'd be torn to shreds by Allied fighter cover. I would presume David's point would be "why waste a chassis on an anti-aircraft vehicle when air superiority is more effective? And if the vehicle isn't any good in its role, why waste resources continuing to make it?"

[@kenbrown2808]

It's a difference in philosophy. we yanks amused ourselves by popping away at any enemy aircraft we saw flying overhead. the brits just closed the hatches until they got bored and buggered off. if the AA turret was a little better designed for ground support, it probably would have been a more useful vehicle, but it looks like the gunner wasn't really in a good position for ground support in the AA turret.

[@denisruiz1068]

In Nicaragua it was known as "tanqueta", used in the war from 1978 to 1979.

[@conradealie9304]

Another great tank chat by David Fletcher. I like his format when he discusses armored vehicles…..country of origin; intended use, strength, weakness and modifications. In this case, the vehicle was used primarily by the British Army and they did all the modifications. I found the modifications interesting. As David Fletcher pointed out, they expanded the capabilities increasing its usefulness.

[@pyrtwistPyrtwistWorldInMotion]

The Crusader turret! That tank is the best looking WWII British tank. Too bad it was such a lump.

[@whiskeypapy4966]

By the way the Staghounds where mainly used in troop support roll in the cities,and towns by the Guardia Nacional in the Nicaraguan conflict.I have asked if it was ever used in the exploration roll,and they emphatically said no,that it was only used in the infantry support roll.

[@zakarydenton5655]

Great narration from the Gentleman here. I love the objectivity of his presentation paired with his obvious love of "The British Empire". It's pride; well-deserved pride. Big thumbs up!

[@chilternsroamer872]

my questions would be (in order) 1. are they reliable (and easy to maintain in the field) 2, do they carry decent radio equipment 3. do they have a decent range (I assume that is a YES with the two extra side fuel tanks) 4. is it decently fast and manoeuvrable (I assume that also is YES, judging by the video) The question of whether they were better than the Daimler Dingo/Armoured Car for recce (aka recon) is more to do, I suspect, with not enough Dingos and ACs being available. If the choice is the Staghound or a motorcycle, give me a Staghound every time (as long as it was reliable). One of the great strengths of American kit was that most of it (afaik) was fairly reliable, while one reads endless tales of fancy German kit abandoned by the crews when they broke down. Another of the great strengths of American kit was that there was a lot of it about. Trying to get an exact comparison as to which vehicle is "best" can entirely miss the point. The best vehicle is always the one that is available, rather than the one that isn't!

[@briansmaller7443]

My Uncle Stan used to crew Staghounds in Italy. he was in the Div Cav of the 2nd NZ Division. They found them too heavy for a lot of Italian roads. The Div Cav was converted to an infantry battalion.

[@alisterbennett]

I read that they had to organise a quick garage sale of all the stuff they had 'acquired' on the way up Italy, before they lost the Staghounds

[@gastonbell108]

David is the real staghound here. Officially retired 10 years ago and still lively as ever.

[@charleshutton84]

My great uncles served with the 12th Manitoba Dragoons who used the Staghound in the ETO

[@derekmills1080]

My late father (2nd Lothians and Border Horse, B Sqdn) used to tell me about the Staghound in Italy. After his 3" American gunned Sherman crawling around, a Staghound doing 30, 40 or even 50mph he called them 'jaunty vehicles with a bit of zip'.

[@FortuneZer0]

Switzerland had an interest in aquiring some. They bought 17 of them for testing but decided against them in favour of the AMX-13.

[@BanjoLuke1]

The Swiss military loaded their budget heavily towards bladed weapons for hand-to-hand combat, removing corks and splicing rope. Armoured scout cars were a lower priority.

[@beatgysi3345]

That's right, in 1951 Switzerland bought used Staghound, not 17 but 64. Of these, 9 fell off the ship while being loaded in Southampton. Of the remaining 55 pieces, only one was used for tests and is now in the tank museum in Thun

[@FortuneZer0]

@@beatgysi3345 Im sure there is a 17 in that story somewhere. I think i go read the sign there right now. Light snowing isnt going to stop me. Nor the guards for I have a badge. Edit: Welp Im wrong. it seems like I got the squadron size of 15-17 stuck in my head.

[@admiraltiberius1989]

Absolutely love the Staghound and its much bigger cousin the Boarhound. Armored cars, especially the bigger ones , are so cool.

[@tamlandipper29]

You may be interested in the ratel series of cars in South Africa.

[@admiraltiberius1989]

@@tamlandipper29 I do enjoy those as well, very much so.

[@Cancun771]

Until _you're_ the poor sod riddled with having to drive them.

[@admiraltiberius1989]

@@Cancun771 i have driven a variety of airport ff vehicles before... and they were difficult with a steep learning curve but quite fun. The 8x8 in particular was a royal pig. But absolutely incredible once you got a feel of it.

[@Cancun771]

@@admiraltiberius1989 As David Fletcher previously explained (Thornycroft Bison video), airports tend to be quite flat. They pose no driving challenge, in contrast to the roadless terrain where an armoured car is supposed to not only go but possibly even fight.

[@luciobricks6799]

One of those vehicles finished in Nicaragua. It was damaged and abandoned in Selva Negra, Matagalpa, during the sandinist revolution and nowadays you can visit it.

[@Wastelandman7000]

I was reading a book about British Light Tanks. They were only slightly smaller than this and much less armored and armed. Plus this is almost 20mph faster. So with all its drawbacks, still a better ride than the light tank.

[@speiss2002]

Staghounds were also used by the New Zealand Divisional Cavalry in Italy.

[@nebifn8817]

Thank you for your excellent work David, I stumbled across your videos recently and now im hooked. I find you to be a compelling and enjoyable presenter to listen to and I hope to see you at the Museum for my first visit.

[@jcee2259]

I'd been assigned to the crew of combat car in a foreign war. But my prior military service secured other duties and which left me alive afterward. I'm not complaining either.

[@iduswelton9567]

The quad mounted 50cal that was mounted on American half-track vehicles was quite useful as an anti-aircraft and anti- personal guns-

[@dicebed]

I could listen to David Fletcher all day - he could describe how a toaster works, and I'd listen :-)

[@ndalby187]

Also, I think the British Ton is based on the weight of a Tun, and the American Ton is just 2,000Lbs.

[@Simon_Nonymous]

I think this was one of your best ones Mr F - I hope for many more videos in 2022 and beyond.

[@TacoSallust]

Gotta love that Staghound.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Mr Fletcher 🐺

[@grantm6514]

So often as I'm watching these I think "Why is this one so familiar?" followed by "...I must have built a model kit of it in the '70s" "... or maybe my friend Nick had this one and I had the Daimler..." "...must have been a Hasegawa kit, they did the best vehicles..." A youth well spent, and particularly fond memories of the powerfully evocative box art on those kits.

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

Hey Grant... my favorite box art from those Wonder Years were the 1/48th Aurora kits... the Panther, Sherman, etc. Whoever created those paintings was a true artist. The Monogram Armor Series kits also stood out... the actual model already built and on a diorama. Just so cool. 👍🏾🍻

[@militanttriangle2326]

One my 2 favorite armored cars of all time. The other being the Saladin. I like this thing so much I just made a 3d computer model of one. Ironic timing for me. But what of the Free Poles? They got some of these for Italy. Granted, I do believe more under British command. But what do I know.

[@darrennicol2442]

The New Zealand Division also used them in Italy.

[@dougstubbs9637]

My brother in law, 1970-1, Army Reserve ( CMF) in Australia was a driver/commander in one. Hard to believe the length of service life. Apparently very tough, but hot and harsh to operate. Good enough to keep the weekend warriors busy. If you joined the CMF back then, you were exempt from service in Vietnam.

[@ShadowDragon8685]

It was built back before we'd discovered Planned Obsolescence, that's why. Stuff we Yankees built back then was built to last until it was _destroyed,_ whenever that might be. As for being harsh and hot to operate, well... It _is_ an armored vehicle. I suppose nowadays we _could_ fit an air conditioning unit without too much fuss.

[@vampirecount3880]

Here in south america we used stuart tanks until recently in my country. Hell in Uruguay it is in active service today if im not mistaken. Here in brazil we even developed a ver effective APDS shell in the 70's and 80'd for the little 37mm gun. We even produced new ones, equiped with 90mm guns until 1983 :D

[@cosmoray9750]

Eisenhower's farewell address Television broadcast on January 17, 1961. " In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together "

[@johncarlaw8633]

@Doug Stubbs " If you joined the CMF back then, you were exempt from service in Vietnam" I recall some CMF who did go to Vietnam for limited support. Non-combat, limited time deployment and I think probably volunteers, so exempt from extended planned combat roles as you say. Medical, Engineering/Construction and Logistical and even Cooks are the ones I recall. Much like fly-in fly-out mine workers today. Now there are big $ corporations to do that.

[@k.l.7972]

🇦🇺we liked the Staghounds, we have one at the Keswick Army Museum on public display in Adelaide - worth seeing! gold coin entry only 👍🏻

[@Horizontalvertigo]

Glad to hear Adelaide has something worth seeing!

[@TeddyBear-ii4yc]

Surprised at the size and that it took 5 crew... so is it more of a wheeled light tank than a AC? The post-war local upgrades with tank turrets with decent AT calibre guns are the parents of the Brit Saladin & French* Panhard Armoured Cars. *In saying that the French had already started down this design path with a 'Push MePull You' type AC design with a front end (steering wheel, etc) at both ends and a big tank gun in a turret... iirc there were drivers in each end so it could get out of trouble just as nimbly as it got into it.

[@stevemiller7433]

With the 3" howitzer, this would have been formidable.

[@DerpyTurtle0762]

I love the M22 Locust-esque turret

[@De_Wit]

Mr Fletcher, with some considerable joy I recently watched your 5 bottom tanks again. With a lot of the vehicles I really wonder how that piece ended up in the museum. If known and interesting, might I persuade you to shortly tell those story's as well? Thank you, and interesting as ever. Jelle

[@teufeldritch]

Was just watching Five Romeo Romeo the other day talking about these.

[@philipreiffel5077]

Come across a fair number of these units on bombing ranges over the years, some were filled with dirt and concrete so they lasted longer as hard range targets, there's a fair amount at museums throughout australia.

[@mudcrab3420]

Staghounds here in Oz were mainly post war. Too late for the desert and have never seen any accounts of them being used in the Pacific. So most of them had long and mostly unviolent lives and hence they are 'relatively' common. I know of at least two in South Australia alone. Like David says, they are larger than you would assume from the photos.

[@garyorban1585]

The building where they were built still stands on Woodward ave. in Pontiac Mi. Would love to bring one home.

[@vampirecount3880]

Staghound blob was quite OP in the first company of heroes :D

[@jacksoni349]

My favorite internet celebrity David Fletcher, I hope you are well my friend!

[@kirkstinson7316]

America had the M3A1 white armored car before the war. They found it's off road capabilities lacking and went with the half track. Later US had the M8 armored car

[@bittyjupiter3607]

I love the Staghound, I don’t really know why but I find it cute, I’d like to maybe own one someday.

[@richardross7219]

Quad 50 cal Brownings and Twin 40mm mounted on half tracks saved the day in the battle of the frozen chosen. The quad 50s were popular in NAM too.

[@KrypticWarrior2]

Lovely piece

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

Always great to hear David's pragmatic insights on them. Cheers for the upload.

[@hvydutytow]

I can’t click fast enough whenever I see Mr. Fletcher has a new video out.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Same here!

[@ndalby187]

That thing is freaking cool.

[@davidjernigan8161]

It looks pretty solid, however three in the turret seems pretty tight.

[@tacomas9602]

Yes it is.

[@huwtindall7096]

Awesome! For some reason I've become really interested in building/painting armoured cars instead of tanks so great to have more history about them. Probably because they are more obscure than the typical AFVs like a Panzer IV or Sherman.

[@tripbrewfoodlife9184]

Nice… but once again little ol’ NZ gets ignored. You know the ones who were the first commonwealth nation to combine a cavalry brigade into their infantry division which later included an entire regiment of the Staghound and then were the ones who actually developed the MkII version (in the field no less).

[@RobTzu]

Who?

[@tripbrewfoodlife9184]

@@RobTzu 🤣

[@clarencehopkins7832]

Excellent stuff bro

[@barrytaylor6565]

Don't interupt David, wait till the end !!!!!

[@endlesnights3817]

Knowing what you now think of AA vehicles, I would be interested to hear your opinion of the Sd.Kfz.222, as it was built around chassis and superstructure where built around it's main armament which was a 2cm auto cannon mounted on an anti-aircraft pedestal. The 222's primary function was as light armoured recon. While the cannon was chosen because it combat other light armoured vehicles, but it was equipped with both a telescopic sight for ground targets, but they where also equipped with a secondary Anti Air sight, and the crews were trained to be able to engage both ground and air targets. And there instances in North Africa where 222s would also escort land convoys in a SPAA role. So it's a vehicle that could engage air targets as a secondary task, but could also do other tasks effetely as well.

[@CabbageFace_]

Loved this one…very interesting

[@peterthegreat5889]

Great video guys, I've made multiple purchases from the shop on my visit and online to support you within the year, Happy new year!

[@gusgone4527]

Probably a vehicle with untapped development potential. I wonder how much influence it had on the requirement resulting in the Saladin? I have a soft spot for Staghound because it's so quick over the ground and it's appearance reminds me of the 6x6 Saladin. BTW Saladin gives me that warm knee trembling feeling. Professional help is being sort but if you have one for sale, give me a shout. Part-x one wife, 61 model, one careful owner.

[@iancarr8682]

Could I suggest an episode regarding the Besa machine gun and its mounting? Looking generally through KZbin I cannot locate any technical appraisal of this weapon only used in British armour.

[@erikdekuil4629]

6:43 : Staghounds parading before queen Wilhelmina, the palace of the Dam, Amsterdam.

[@LopekPower]

Tank Museum Team, You're on fire! I've been clicking on these new videos super fast lately. Super interesting choice of topics!

[@oldesertguy9616]

Another interesting tidbit of history. Thank you.

[@DanBray1991]

I'd love to see an episode on the M7 Priest. It was one of the most common allied vehicles but there's surprisingly little content about it online.

[@tonyjedioftheforest1364]

I didn’t know that the British and American ton were different, every day is a learning day. Thank you for sharing.

[@ptonpc]

Then there are long tons and short tons. US gallons are smaller than UK gallons too.

[@johnfisk811]

@@ptonpc and metric tons.

[@korbell1089]

Mr Fletcher, you may not like anti aircraft guns but I guarantee you that the infantry does. When I was in ADA in the 80s I was attached to an infantry company and the captain was real excited to see us...until he found out that I came with 6 Stinger missiles. He even asked if he could replace me with a vulcan unit. Infantry can't wrap their heads around the use of a missile that can't even hurt tanks but they certainly understand the force multiplier of 3000 rounds a minute! :))

[@ShadowDragon8685]

Infantry aren't concerned about aircraft, because if aircraft are concerned about infantry, the infantry have already lost. Infantry love the kind of air defense units that were engineered for MOAR DAKKA, because they well understand that you can drop those guns and your air defense unit becomes a ground defense unit. Or, if the guns drop well enough out of the box, without needing any earthworks to lower/tilt the hull, it becomes a ground offense unit. And infantry love giving offense to other infantry with volumes of fire meant to offend aircraft.

[@alaric_]

They were happy because they thought they would get mobile and armoured gatling cannon on their side. To shoot other infantry/thin skinned vehicles on the ground. Stingers don't do poop for things on ground. AA-tanks/cars suffer on 'increased cost at the increased mobility' and usually AA isn't one to move very much, unlike artillery that will immediately get anti-artillery shot at it. Also, bigger AA-tank/car is bigger and more tempting target to anyone to shoot at. Even a M45 Quadmount with 4x .50-cal is a smaller silhuette target than full height AA-tank/car and even then it's small calibre bullet that has little impact on airplanes. But putting heavier guns in a small ring turret is giving diminishing returns: the larger you install, the less effective it will be. So best bet is to keep the tank and AA-gun as a separate things, no matter how much the infantry would like it :) And use SAMs :D Sure there are exceptions like the 'modern' Shilka but even that has radar tracking and in my understanding big part of it's combat history has been against other ground targets. Making it a scary but very expensive mobile machinegun emplacement and with huge red target painted on it.

[@CorvusCorone68]

he didn't mean that he doesn't like AA guns, he just meant he doesn't see the point of their being mounted on vehicles; presumably he sees the point of the guns themselves

[@Staghound]

I guess the problem is once you give soldiers a semi armoured vehicle with a couple of machine guns or a cannon and theres nothing to shoot in the sky it will inevitably get pushed into being used against ground targets which they generally also excel at leading to a confidence that generally gets AA vehicles killed when they suddenly come up against something slightly more substantial and they have no way of fighting it. I mean I personally think even a vulcan/ other AA vehicle has its uses against any enemy tank (assuming its not seen) by just raking the hull with machine gun fire and making sure the crew stay buttoned up (limiting their situational awareness) their supporting infantry can't help them out and disabling items like sensors and sights

[@TeddyBear-ii4yc]

@@CorvusCorone68 He should think of them as a mobile AA gun or SP AA gun.

[@richarddavies7127]

My grandfather was on the Marmon Harrington and then went onto the staghound

[@Cohac]

That "dingding" sound you guys use is the exact same as in World of Warcrafts auction house. You're making me constantly alt-tab back into the game to see whats up when I got your videos going in the background :D

[@ThinkingFingers]

I always liked the way the Staghound looked but I guess I never really knew much about it. Makes sense it was too big, especially when things like the Daimler Armored Car was out there. Too bad.

[@ShadowDragon8685]

The Staghound's not too big; Europe's too _small!_ We can fix that with a lot of bulldozers and cement mixers. Raze the whole damn place and build it up bigger and better; bigger buildings, bigger garages, bigger hedgerows (the better to hide a Staghound behind), the works.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Thanks for all the amazing color footage.

[@thebeardedbrush2788]

After watching the Valentine Tank video from a fair while ago, I always wondered what the armoured car was in the background to the left... this video answers that question!

[@SamGray]

No. 144? There's now simply a gross number of these Tank Chats. Looking forward to many more! (Excuse the pun.)

[@thagrifster594]

I love the comment about the tons at the end. It’s just really meant to confuse you..Lol another great review “chaps”. Thanks

[@petros311]

Staghounds along other armored cars like the Marmon Herrington, used also by the Greek army vs the communist guerillas in the 1946-49 greek civil war.

[@russwoodward8251]

Thank you.

[@captainswoop8722]

That is bloody enormous!

[@ssgtmole8610]

The position The Chieftan gives is you leave your AA to your air force fighters. I imagine David Fletcher has a similar, if not more nuanced, opinion. The Soviets and Bundeswehr at least came up with a vehicle that could keep up with their tanks. The Sergeant York used an M48 hull which would not have kept up with the Abrams. M247 48 km/h (road) vs M1A1, road: 45 mph (72 km/h) (governed); Off-road: 30 mph (48 km/h)

[@buttoningbenjamin5687]

Great little vehicle to drive around in BFV!

[@pauld6967]

Now that you have covered this one, perhaps you can do the T18 Boarhound. I am, of course, presuming that you have an example in your museum.

[@frostedbutts4340]

They have the only one in the world, which means it would be a great video

[@pauld6967]

@@frostedbutts4340 It would be indeed.

[@WaltTFB]

2:20 It's hydromatic? I bet it went like greased lightning...

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

AA vehicles made good infantry support systems. In Korea the called some of them "half inch artillery".

[@4633-c1t]

RCD in petawawa Ontario Canada have one of these for events, that is drivable as well. It drove pass me last month while parking for Christmas light show thing it was taking part in.

[@jaapaap123]

Don't forget about the metric ton!

[@sthenzel]

So it´s basically a wheeled equivalent to the M5 or M22 Locust light tanks (the turret looks a lot like that of the latter). Maybe not with the same offroad capability, but most likely cheaper to produce, easier to maintain and faster. In 1942 the 37mm gun was already too weak for most armour and too small for a reasonable HE round, so the MKIII was the much more reasonable variant. As other already pointed out, the T17E2 (Staghound AA) maybe wasn´t that great as an AA, but enemy infantry will not like it being used in a ground role, even if they sit in a halftrack. And as a supply train supporter it could work in the intended role. A strafing run requires a relatively stright and predictable flight path, a nice double stream of .50 tracers can easily deter a pilot trying such.

[@michaelmanning5379]

Given that it's a recce vehicle, it could expect to face off against German recce vehicles, most of which had the 20mm autocannon. and rather thin armour, 30mm maximum. It serves well in that role. It is not supposed to fight tanks. My friend's dad commanded an armoured car in Holland. HQ got word of a Tiger in the area and sent them out to investigate. They came across the impression of a tank track in the mud. It was half the width of their armoured car. Presence of a Tiger confirmed, they got the heck out of there.

[@sthenzel]

What´s the supposed target for a 37mm? Up until late ´41 that could very well be light tanks, like Panzer IIs or early IIIs. In 1942, when the Staghound got built and issued, those targets got scarcer. But you´re right, an armoured car was not supposed to fight tanks, although its capabilities where not far from the Stuart or the Locust. The Staghound may be considered an armoured car, but given the similar armour and armament to those two "real" allied tanks, I´d rather see it as a wheeled light tank.

[@michaelmanning5379]

@@sthenzel Staghounds equipped the "Heavy" troop of a Commonwealth Armoured Recce regiment. As such they would be expected to tangle with Sdkfz 234's, 250's and whatever 222's were still kicking about. As such, it was fit for purpose. The American 37mm also had a handy "flechette" (sp?) round that was good against infantry in the open. It was just the thing to keep retreating Germans retreating.

[@kevinbaker6168]

The US opted for the White Scout Car and the Half Track to serve the same purposes. I suppose it had to do with the weight was thought to be too heavy for it's uses. Better to build a tank than armoured car.

[@AN_PVS-2]

Such a cool looking vehicle, almost looks modern.

[@ShadowDragon8685]

That's because of the sloped construction. Nowadays we do it for aerodynamics, for performance and fuel efficiency; back then they did it for projectile deflection.

[@andreashoiby4333]

That is one VERY british gentleman. He's a boss.

[@AtheistOrphan]

I want to adopt David Fletcher as my grandfather. I bet he’d be spectacularly grumpy at times, particularly around hyperactive kids!

[@discount8508]

it looked more useful than a lot of others

[@davehood2667]

Seems to be a bit of misunderstanding about the American attitude about this one. The T17 was a competitor for the T22, which is what we adopted as the M8 Greyhound. The T17 was eventually dropped simply because it was thought to be second best.

[@douglasruss2889]

Always enjoy !

[@JohnDoe-jn4ex]

I hope you have a wonderful day.

[@iainmcmillan616]

Thank you interesting thanks

[@maxttk97]

Ohhhh so this was the inspiration of the armoured car in rise of nations.

[@kyle857]

Beautiful AC.

[@MrBraddatz]

Also to note the Rhodesian Security forces operated 20 examples, however their only action was a symbolic salvo by the only two operable vehicles, in which only one turret was able to fire and ended up breaking its breach. Rather a pity as this vehicle has all the characteriscs of the ideal counter insurgency vehicle, minus the gun which was designed for armour penertration rather than infantry engagement.

[@black__bread]

A hapy new year and thank you for another great video. And ahhh, this is a Staghound, hence the other American armoured car being called the Greyhound