BRITISH ARMOURED CAR AUSTIN Mk. IV - 1918

Description

The last batch of Austins (1918 Pattern) was exclusively used by the 17th (Armoured Car) Battalion of the British Tank Corps, with doubled rear wheels and hotchkiss machine guns. This unit was seen in action in France from march 1918 to the German surrender. These vehicles distinguished themselves at the Battle of Amiens, capturing a German headquarters 10 miles into enemy territory and creating havoc with reserve and support units. This was also the first unit to cross the Rhine. Other vehicles were sent into the far east and Caspian Sea region. After this, some were deployed in Ireland. Their bodies were reused on Peerless lorry chassis and kept in service until 1939. Other users includes the Imperial Japanese Army (a few), the Polish Army (20, captured), the Finnish Army (3, captured), Estonia (2), Latvia (1), Romania (1), the Mongolian People’s Army (3), the Germans freikorps in 1919 (4, Kokampf armoured unit), the Austrian Army (1) and Bulgaria (1, captured in 1916). (Scale : 1/72e)