BA-10 armoured car (Finnish)

Description

Developed in 1938 and produced until 1941, over 3300 BA-10 armoured cars saw action with the Red Army. Based on the GAZ-AAA six-wheeled truck chassis, which copied the American Ford Timken design, it featured a sloped armour layout that improved protection while saving weight. It featured a turret mounted 45 mm gun and two machine guns – one in the turret and one in the hull.

It saw service in various military operations and campaigns of the Soviet Union in 1939-1940, such as the Battle of Khalkhin Gol against Japan, the Winter War against Finland, and the invasion of Poland. The BA-10 proved to be a reliable and sophisticated fighting vehicle, even by international standards. However, there were also some drawbacks, such as poor off-road performance and vulnerability to anti-tank weapons. Auxiliary tracks fitted to the rear wheels when necessary improved traction on snow or soft ground. Stowage boxes and body mounted clips provided storage for the tracks when not in use.

The outbreak of World War II prevented the production of the BA-11, which would have been the successor to the BA-10, and so the BA-10 remained in service until 1945. Later in the war, light tanks such as the T-60 and T-70 took on the armoured scout role and the BA-10 rarely saw action after the winter of 1941-42. Capture BA-10s also saw use by Finland, Germany, and other Axis powers in Europe.

Overall, the BA-10 played an important role in the pre-war Soviet military. It remains an impressive armoured car for its time. It was also one of the first vehicles to use sloped armour, which became a common feature in later Soviet tank designs.

• Model: BA-10 armoured car
• Country/Army: Finnish
• Dimension (mm) (WxLxH): 37 x 87 x 39
• Material: UV Cured resin
• Original Designer: NightSky Miniatures
• Painted by: FroggyPaints
• Model supplied unassembled and unpainted. Additional finishing may be required during assembly. 
• Finished colour of the product may vary from images shown.
• Photos and dimensions are at 28mm unless noted otherwise.
• All dimensions are complete with weapons unless otherwise stated.
• Other scales and dimensions may be available upon request