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United States' T17 Armored Car:

T17 armored car:	T17 armored car: US Ordnance Dept.	T17E1 armored car:	T17E1 armored car:
T17E1 armored car: Imperial War Museum	T17E2 armored car:	T17E2 armored car: US Ordnance Dept	T17E3 armored car: US Ordnance Dept.
Staghound Mk III:

Design

Lessons From Europe

After the victories by the Germans in Europe in the summer of 1940 it was seen that the Wehrmacht used wheeled armored cars for reconnaissance.⁵ In the United States the Army was in the process of acquiring the M3A1 scout car which offered little protection for the crew nor carried large armament.⁵

British Needs

In July 1941, after British experience in North Africa, the Ordnance Committee gave design specifications for medium and heavy armored cars.⁵ On October 15, 1942 a committee was formed of Armored Force, Cavalry, Tank Destroyer, and Ordnance personnel to consider the armored cars in design or production. The T17 was considered too large and production was reduced to 250.

The British insisted that the turret contain two of the crewman and that a radio be near the commander.⁵ There was an extension at the rear of the turret that was used for the installation of a radio.⁵

T17 Not Wanted by United States Army

On October 14, 1942, the Palmer Board was formed under the leadership of Brigadier General W. B. Palmer.⁵ The Palmer Board felt that there were too many armored car designs and in December 1942 recommended that all except for the M8 Greyhound armored car program be terminated.⁵

British Still Needed the T17

The British Army on the other hand still wanted one of the T17 armored car designs.⁵ In February 1943 the T17 and T17E1 were pitted against each other.⁵ The T17E1 was the winner as it had better reliability.⁵

T17E1 by Chevrolet

The T17E1 project was lead by Earl S. MacPherson who was a British born engineer.⁵ After World War II he designed the automotive MacPherson strut.⁵

The T17E1 had two General Motors truck engines (97 HP).⁵

T17 Engine

It was decided that the engine for the T17 models was to be the Hercules JXD engine (110 HP), which was the same as used in the M3A1 scout car and the 2 1/2 ton trucks.⁵

Turret

Had the turret from the M3 Medium.¹ The 37 mm M6 gun was in a M24A1 mount.⁵

Prototype

Ford developed a 6 wheel pilot model (T17) and Chevrolet a 4 wheel model (T17E1).⁵

The T17 prototype weighed 28,600 lb and had two Ford engines (90 HP).⁵ It was completed in March 1942.⁵

The T17E1 prototype weighed 27,200 lb.⁵ The prototype was completed in March 1942.⁵

The T17E2 prototype was completed in March 1943 and shipped to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests.⁵

Production

In January 1942 an order was placed for 2,260 T17s to be built by Ford.⁵ These were to be produced at the St. Paul plant.⁵ In June 1942 another contract was issued to increase production by 1,500.⁵ These contracts were cancelled but the United States Army decided that 250 could be built while the M8 production was coming online.⁵

In January 1942 an order was placed for 2,000 T17E1s to be built by Chevrolet.⁵ The British requested 300 T17E1s in December 1941.⁵ In April 1942 the order for the T17E1s was increased by 1,500.⁵

T17: 250¹
- Production: 1941¹
  - November 1942: 8⁵
  - December 1942: 24⁵
  - January 1943: 66⁵
  - March 1943: 124⁵
  - April 1943: 26⁵
  - May 1943: 2⁵
- Manufacturer: Ford⁴
T17E1⁵, Staghound Mk I⁵: 2,687, 2,844^1,5
- Production: October 1942 - December 1943¹
  - October 1942: 28⁵
  - November 1942: 54⁵
  - December 1942: 75⁵
  - January 1943: 100⁵
  - February 1943: 68⁵
  - March 1943: 312⁵
  - April 1943: 275⁵
  - May 1943: 256⁵
  - June 1943: 322⁵
  - July 1943: 279⁵
  - August 1943: 335⁵
  - September 1943: 228⁵
  - October 1943: 198⁵
  - November 1943: 147⁵
  - December 1943: 167⁵
T17E2⁵, Staghound AA⁵: 789, 1,000⁵
- Production: ? - April 1944
  - 1943: 500⁴
  - October 1943: 12⁵
  - November 1943: 71⁵
  - December 1943: 128⁵
  - January 1944: 220⁵
  - February 1944: 200⁵
  - March 1944: 225⁵
  - April 1944: 144⁵
T17E3⁵, Howitzer Staghound⁵: 30⁵
- Production:
  - December 1942: 2⁵
  - January 1943: 1⁵
  - March 1943: 9⁵
  - April 1943: 7⁵
  - May 1943: 11⁵
Staghound Mk III⁵: 32 converted⁵

Variants

T17 Armored Car⁵: Designed by Ford.⁵
T17E1 Armored Car⁵, Staghound Mk I⁵: Designed by Chevrolet.⁵ It was designed to be a long distance reconnaissance vehicle and convoy escort. First went into combat in Italy in 1943. Was issued to Canadian, New Zealand, Indian, and Belgian units.
T17E2 Armored Car⁵, Staghound AA⁵: Antiaircraft armored car.⁵ Had a Fraser-Nash powered turret installed.⁵
One source says that 1,000 and another states 789 were produced and shipped to Britain.
The .50 cal MGs fired an API round at a velocity of 2,930'/sec.⁴
T17E3 Armored Car⁵, Howitzer Staghound⁵: Had 75 mm howitzer placed in turret.⁵
Staghound Mk II⁵, Staghound 3"⁵: In Italy the New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment substituted 3" Mk howitzers for the 37 mm gun.⁵
Staghound Mk III⁵: Had Crusader tank turret with 75 mm gun mounted.⁵ Issued to heavy troops of armored car regiments.
Staghound Command⁵: Turret removed and extra radio gear and a table installed.⁵
Staghound Charger⁵: Turrets removed from Staghound AA and a plastic windshield installed.⁵ The regimental commander would then use the vehicle.⁵
Staghound Control⁵: Four assigned to each armored car regiment.⁵ Had a second No. 19 radio installed outside the turret.⁵
Staghound Rear-Link⁵: Used by Canadians.⁵ Main gun removed and a long range CR-299 radio and antennae installed.⁵ It would allow the armored car regiment to communicate with the corp or other headquarters in the rear.⁵

Usage

Mainland United States

The T17s that were completed were assigned to the United States Army's military police for patrol duties in the United States.⁵

Mediterranean Theater

The T17 Staghounds were to originally be used for reconnaissance in the North African dessert.⁵ But by the time they arrived at the front, it had moved to Italy.⁵ There the Staghounds became bogged down in the Italian mud.⁵

New Zealand 2nd Division

In August and September 1943 the Divisional Cavalry Regiment of the New Zealand 2nd Division were reequipped with the Staghound.⁵

The New Zealanders were known for their modifications of equipment and they were the first to swap out the 37 mm gun for a 3" Mk I howitzer.⁵

27th Lancers

The 27th Lancers was the first British unit to receive the Staghound.⁵

Northwest Europe

The T17s were used all over North West Europe.⁵ The Staghounds were primarily used at the headquarters for armored car regiments.⁵

Three of the Staghound Mk IIIs were sent to the Canadian XII Manitoba Dragoons and they found it was the best 75 mm armored car available.⁵

Post World War II

The Staghounds served with the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, and some Middle Eastern countries after World War II.⁵ They were even found in Lebanon and Nicaragua in the 1980s.⁵

	T17	T17E1, Staghound Mk I	T17E2, Staghound AA
Crew	5	5^1,2,5 Commander, gunner, loader, driver, hull gunner⁵	3⁴, 5
Physical Characteristics
Weight	32,000 lb	30,705 lb⁵ 13.48 tons¹, 13.9 tons³, 13.92 tons² 13,700 kg¹	26,558 lb, 28,000 lb⁴
Length w/gun	18' 2"	17' 10", 18'^1,2,5 5.486 m², 5.49 m^1,3	17' 7"⁴, 17' 10"
Length w/o gun
Height	7' 7"	7' 9"^1,2, 9' 4"⁵ 2.31 m³, 2.36 m^1,2	7' 8"⁴, 7' 11 3/8"
Width	8' 6"	8' 10"^1,2,5 2.69 m^1,2,3	8' 10"⁴
Width over tracks
Ground clearance		1' 3"⁵	13.25"⁴
Ground contact length
Ground pressure	17.7 psi	17.95 psi	15.4 psi, 18 psi⁴
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	37 mm M6	37 mm M6^3,5 37 mm ¹	2: .50 cal MG³ 2: .50 cal HB M2, MG⁴
Secondary
MG		2 or 3 7.62 (.30 cal) MG¹
MG - coaxial	.30 cal	.30 cal⁵ .30 cal M1919A4 MG³
MG - hull		.30 cal^3,5
MG - antiaircraft		.30 cal^3,5
Side arms			.45 cal Thompson submachinegun⁴
Quantity
Main	111	103⁵	2,610⁴, 5,250
Secondary
MG	4,750	5,250⁵
Side arms			450⁴
Armor Thickness (mm)		Front: 21³ Side: 19³
Hull Front, Upper	0.75"	0.625 - 0.975" 9, 22⁵	0.625 - 0.975", 0.875"@0°⁴
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper	0.75"	0.75" 19⁵	0.375"@0°⁴, 0.75"
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear	0.5"	0.625"	0.625"
Hull Top	0.625"	0.5"	0.5"
Hull Bottom	0.25"	0.5-0.25"	0.5-0.25"
Turret Front	1.25"	1.75" 25⁵ mantlet: 1"	1.25"@0°⁴
Turret Sides	1.25"	1.25" 32⁵	1.25"@0°⁴
Turret Rear	1.25"	1.25"	1.25"
Turret Top	0.75"	0.5"
Engine (Make / Model)	2 x Hercules JXD	2 x GMC 270^1,2,5	2 x GMC 270 2 x Chevrolet OHV⁴
Bore / stroke
Cooling			Water⁴
Cylinders		6^2,5	2x6⁴
Capacity
Net HP		97³, 97 each^2,5	176 total⁴
Power to weight ratio		12.6 HP/ton⁵
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	8 forward, 2 reverse	Hydramatic, 4 forward, 1 reverse⁵	Hydramatic with dual range transfer case⁴ 8 forward, 2 reverse⁴
Steering			Nut and recirculating ball, power assist, front wheels only⁴
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)		Gasoline²	Gasoline⁴
Octane
Quantity			90 gallons⁴
Quantity - internal		62 gallons⁵
Quantity - external		38 gallons⁵
Road consumption			3 mpg⁴
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	360°	360°	360°⁴ 43°/sec Fraser-Nash hydraulic powered⁴
Max speed	60 mph	55 mph^1,2,5 89 kph^1,2, 92 kph³	55 mph⁴
Cross country speed
Road radius	250 miles	450 miles^1,2 724 km^1,2	450 miles⁴
Cross country radius
Turning radius	30'	27.5'	27.5', 28'⁴
Elevation limits	-10° to +45°	-7° to +40°	-10° to +75°³ , -10° to +80°⁴
Fording depth	2' 8"	2' 8"² 0.8 m²	2' 8"⁴
Trench crossing		1' 6"⁵
Vertical obstacle	1' 6"	1' 9"^2,5 0.533 m²	1' 8"⁴, 1' 9"
Climbing ability			57° slope⁴
Suspension (Type)			Semi-elliptic springing⁴
Wheels each side	6	4	4
Return rollers each side
Wheels (Type)		4: 14 x 20 21 ply combat tires⁵
Length
Width
Diameter
Number of links
Pitch
Tire tread
Track centers/tread			89"⁴

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
Staghound Armored Car 1942 - 1962, Steven J. Zaloga, 2009