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Putilov-Garford Armored Car

Latvian Vehicle

Statistics

Country of Origin/Used by:	Russia and others including Germany, Latvia & Poland
First Produced/Service Dates:	1915
Manufactured by:	Chassis/Engine: Garford Motor Truck Company (US); Manufacturer: Putilov Armament Works
Crew:	8-9
Armament:	Main (Rear) Turret: (1) 76.2mm Cannon (Model 1909 Mountain Gun) & (1) 7.62mm Maxim Machine Gun; Left & Right Turrets: (1) 7.62mm Maxim MG Each.
Engine:	4 Cylinder Gasoline
Miscellaneous Info:	The first batch of approximately 30 vehicles went into action during 1915.  Although underpowered and slow, the vehicle was effective enough that the Russian Naval Department ordered 18 additional vehicles in 1916.  These "Series 2" vehicles were different than the initial "Series 1" armored cars.  Differences included the Naval vehicles having an extended chassis, a slightly more powerful engine and thicker armor.  The thicker armor increased the weight of the Series 2 vehicles to 11 tons (from 8.6) and thusly resulted in even worse mobility than the Series 1 cars experienced.  Although these armored cars were built exclusively for Russian Forces, a number were captured and used by the Baltic States (specifically Latvia), the Germans (post-war Freikorps included) and Polish forces. A number of Putilov's were fitted with special flanged wheels so they could be operated on railroad tracks; some reportedly being used until as late as 1936.
Data Sheet Available:	None Available

Photos

Reference	Source/Provider
Putilov-Garford Armored Car Photo (German Freikorps)	Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Putilov-Garford Armored Car Photo (Latvian)	Imperial War Museum
Putilov-Garford Armored Car Photo (Latvian)	Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Putilov-Garford Armored Car Photo (Polish)	Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Putilov-Garford Armored Car Photo (Russian Navy)	Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

References Available

Online

Printed

Reference	Author
AFV Plans: 1914-1938 Armored Fighting Vehicles (Stackpole Books)	George Bradford
A Photo History of Armoured Cars In Two World Wars	George Forty
Early Armoured Cars (Shire Album #209)	E. Bartholomew
Encyclopedia of Armoured Cars	Duncan Crow & Robert J. Icks
"Garford Ascendant” (May 2024 Issue of Classic Military Vehicle Magazine)	Tim Gosling
Panzer-Kraftwagen: Armoured Cars of the German Army and Freikorps (Tankograd Publishing) Review by Editor Patrick Keenan at the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society (AMPS) Website	Rainer Strasheim
"Putilov-Garford"  (Armored Car Journal #8)	David R. Haugh
Russian Armoured Cars To 1945 (AFV Profile #60)	John F. Milsom

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