Miniart 1/35 Austin Armored Car WWI (Indian / British) # 39021

During the First World War, the Austin Armoured Car was a British armoured car.

The vehicle is primarily known for its use by the Imperial Russian Army during World War I, as well as by various armies during the Russian Civil War.

A few dozens of vehicles were made in Russia between 1918–20, in addition to the British-built Austins.

These are known as Austin-Putilov or Austin-Kégresse if they are equipped with a Kégresse halftrack chassis.

The Russian Empire's army began forming armoured automobile units in August 1914, shortly after the First World War began.

Because the country's automotive industry has limited production capacity, it was decided to order a number of automobiles from outside the country.

A committee was despatched to the United Kingdom, but they were unable to find an armoured car with overhead protection and two machine gun turrets that matched their specifications.

The Austin Motor Company created a new armoured automobile to suit these needs.

The Austin 1st series vehicle was built on a passenger car chassis with rear-axle propulsion.

The wheels were wooden, spoked, and had pneumatic tyres, with an extra set of wheels with full rubber tyres carried for combat.

Behind the driver's cab, two Maxim machine guns were installed in separate turrets on both sides of the hull.

Armour plates 3.5–4 mm thick were fitted to a body frame to safeguard the vehicle.

The four-person crew — the commander, driver, and two gunners – could enter and exit the vehicle through a door on the left side of the cab or through the large two-leaf back door.

48 armoured automobiles were ordered on September 29, 1914.

A single automobile cost £1,150.

The front and turret armour were modified with 7 mm plates after arriving in Russia.

The vehicles were entirely re-armored at Izhorski Works in Izhorsk after the first combat experience indicated that the protection was still too poor.

The enhanced armour made the Austins much heavier, limiting agility and causing chassis damage on occasion.

The car was, nevertheless, deemed more successful than alternative designs by Armstrong Whitworth, Renault, and Sheffield-Simplex, among others.

On March 6, 1915, the Russians placed an order for 60 modified Austin 2nd class cars.

This time, a 1.5-ton truck chassis with a more powerful engine was used.

The hull was shorter and had better armour, while the driver's cab top was redesigned to enhance the angle of fire of the machine guns.

The elimination of the rear access door was less welcomed.

After arriving in Russia, the army decided it required a rear driving post, therefore all vehicles were modified with a rebuilt rear hull portion that housed a second driving post and an additional hatch.

The addition of side shields to the machine guns was another modification.

On August 25, 1916, sixty Austin 3rd series cars were ordered.

The vehicles were identical to the 2nd series in appearance, but they had a redesigned rear hull with driving post, MG shields, bulletproof glass in the front vision slits, and no large side windows.

In 1917, a new version with a stronger chassis and double rear wheels, known as the Austin model 1918, was ordered, but none were delivered due to events in Russia.

Unassembled highly detailed plastic model kit from the WWI Military Miniatures series.

Contains:

• Model of armored car with full interior
• Clear plastic parts, 4 marking options and PE

Features:

• Driver compartment and interior of turrets accurately represented
• Highly detailed engine compartment
• All hatches can be assembled in open or closed position.

*Please note that this item requires construction, paints and glue are not included with the kit and must be purchased seperately.