M20 Armored Utility Car 2nd Armored Div., C Co., 1st Platoon, France, August, 1944 (1:72)

The M20 was an Armored Utility Car that was also known as an M20 Scout Car. It was a converted M8 without the revolving turret so there would be room for passenger seats, radio equipment, a Commanders table and the ring mounting for a .50 caliber heavy machine gun. The crew was also provided a bazooka for defense to help compensate for the lack of heavy armor. This configuration meant there was an open top but it did provide a certain amount of protection for the crew from small arms fire or shrapnel. The M20 had a top speed of 90km/h and was quite agile which made it well suited for forward reconnaissance work. The vehicle was also used as an APC and cargo carrier.

The M20 started life in 1943 as the M10 Armored Utility Car but was changed to M20 so it wouldn�t be confused with the M10 TD. The M20 had a rather short production life from 1943 to 1944 but during this brief period Ford produced 3,680 units.

Initially established as the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion on July 15, 1940 at Fort Benning Georgia it wasn�t until a re-organization on January 8 1942 that the 2nd became the 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. The 82nd was referred to as the �eyes and ears� of the 2nd Armored Division that was known as �Hell On Wheels�. By August 1944 the 82nd Armored Recon was no stranger to combat. In 1942 they were part of the force that landed in North Africa, they were at Gela and Palermo in Sicily. On June 9th 1944 they were part of the force that landed at Normandy and were at St. Lo in July and in August helped drive the German 10 SS Panzer Division from Domfront just south of St.
Lo. They moved quickly across France and aided in the securing of crossings over the Seine River.
The 82nd received a Presidential Unit Citation for its efforts while driving deep into Germany. For 8 months after the fall of Nazi Germany the 82nd Reconnaissance Battalion performed occupational duties in Berlin and other areas. In February 1946 the unit arrived at Fort Hood Texas and on November 22 1946, the battalion was deactivated.

Specifications Ford M20 6X6 Armored Utility Car

Country of origin � USA

Crew � 2 + 4 passengers

Performance
Engine - Hercules JXD 6 cyl, gasoline / 86 hp
Speed � 56 mph
Range � 250 miles
Fording depth � 2ft 8in

Weight � 12,250 lbs

Dimensions
Length � 16 ft, 5 in
Width � 8 ft, 4 in
Height � 91 inches

Armament
1 X 0.50 caliber M2 machine gun
1 X Bazooka