.50 cal on British Half-tracks

[Ryan]

In my research on the Canadian army it seems that most motor battalion halftracks removed the .50 cals (same with Sherman Tanks) and that they were given to the bren carrier sections. The Commonwealth forces didn't use halftracks like assault vehicles in the same way that the Germans used their Sd. Kfz. 251's. It was thought that the carrier sections were more likely to make direct contact with the enemy and were thus beefed up with the 50's for this reason. That being said, I've seen the odd Sherman retaining it's .50, therefore its a logical assumption that the odd halftrack did the same. It makes sense that one or two vehicles might retain the guns for unforeseen emergency situations.

[Alanmccoubrey]

Part of the difference between the British and Canadians is that while the Canadians were issued the .50cal along with their HT's many of the British HTs in their Motor Bns were in fact converted M16 and so the troops never actually saw the guns.

[Adler]

Had no idea of that Alan, learn something new.
Certainly true that Brit tank crews prefered the .30 to .50 cal it appears.
L

[Alanmccoubrey]

Leon, if you ever happen to look at the Airfix HT you'll see that they have even moulded the hinges for the fold down sections of the side/rear.

[Alanmccoubrey]

It looks like at least some of the Grenadier Guards' HT had .50 cals in Market Garden(03.08). The film also shows Germans in a Dutch Fire Engine, even if they are prisoners(01.30).

[sandsmodels]

i had thought i saw guards h/t with .50's on them on a different film

[Alanmccoubrey]

I acme across this on ebay, I think that this is a pair of MG34's but am quite ready to be corrected if anyone thinks differently.

[Ryan]

My understanding is that British/Commonwealth forces didn't use halftracks as assault vehicles, like the Germans. Troops dismounted away from direct fire and moved to contact by foot. Carriers, however, were used for scouting or bringing ammo to the line, all kinds of things. The 50's you see on the carriers came from the halftracks, mounted because they were more likely to be in direct contact. Some halftracks retained their MG's due to the small threat of air attack or any other kind of surprise emergency. There was no set in stone policy that I am aware of, but I'd only mount 1 HT with an MG, say, in a platoon. If at all. British and Canadian vehicles in D+ did not seem to stick to any kind of standard, really. Equipment and stowage was modified in the field to the crew's specification, replacements brought in were marked up differently, if at all. That's one of the things that makes them fun to model, each vehicle can really have its own personality. Still, I'd go light on the MG/Halftrack combo.

[Alanmccoubrey]

The Germans didn't use them as assault vehicles either, just armoured taxis in the attack and not at all in defence.

The original question was about which sort of mg the British would use and not how they'd use it, purely a modelling point not a wargaming one.

[mausmann]

The Germans didn't use them as assault vehicles either, just armoured taxis in the attack and not at all in defence.

The original question was about which sort of mg the British would use and not how they'd use it, purely a modelling point not a wargaming one.

So it would be fair to say that not many were armed at all, if they were it could be a .50, Bren or even a twin MG 34....

[Trockledockle]

I may be remembering this incorrectly but I think that I read somewhere that the 30 cal Brownings fitted to carriers and half tracks were local modifications and the guns were recovered from crashed fighters. The RAF Browning was actually a 0.303 so ammunition supply would have been easier.