An question rosen from curiosity about the use of the Bantam 40 BRC in British/Commonwealth service.
As supplied in the Miniart guise is it obvius that it was sent to the Western Desert. But did it see service in other theaters than the North African?
Haven’t found extremly much information about the vehicle at the net myself so I hope some at this forum has some more information to share. Most of the information says not much more than it was sent as Lend-Lease equipment to the british and the russians.
Thanks in advance!
As an add on to the question above, about US use of the Bantam.
Did it see any other service than training in the USA in the US forces early in the WW2. Went it with the first units posted to the UK or to the Pacific?
There were only about 2000 Bantam BRC-40s built and most were sent to Britan and Russia as Lend-Lease vehicles. A few did see service w/ US forces in the initial N. Africa landings (Op Torch), but not many. By the time of the Pacific landings and Europe, US forces were equipped with Ford GPWs and Willys MBs. Bantam was too small of a company to be able to produce enough vehicles needed for the war. It was also some political wrangling that led to Ford and Willys being awarded the production contracts.
Thanks for your answer!
The question about US use of the Bantam in action was the figures included in the MiniArt Bantam with US markings. By the way, would it be appropriate to mark it with US stars if it should depict an Operation Torch vehicle?
But do you have any idea if the British use included use in UK or other places excluding North Africa? Persia or other Midle East location? This is just an act of curiosity from my side.
The US figures are better suited for a Willys MB later in the war. They are more '44 onward figures, not N. Africa. I believe the star would be correct on a N. Africa BMC-40 as well. Not sure if it would be yellow or white though, with haze blue serial numbers (like early Willys and Fords)???
This Willys from Op Torch seems to have a white star.
“Jeep rolling off LCA (Landing Craft, Assault) at Fedala, Morocco harbor during Operation TORCH, 8 November 1942.”
Here is a Bantam BRC on a ship in route to N. Africa for Op Torch. I can’t make out the markings though.
Pics of them used by the US in N. Africa are pretty scarce.
Here is another option. BRC-40s in the Phillipines.
Unfortunately, no markings are visible.
I think it would be safe to assume the Brits used them in the UK before shipping them overseas, or possibly after they started receiving Willys MBs.
The pic there the BRC-40 is onboard ship with destination Op Torch seems to be an British regarding the camouflage pattern on the vehicle to the left. Also the A/C seems to be of some kind of British orgin, but I can’t really set the type on them. Just that they look British in their outlook.
Did the Brits get them delivered in US OD or did they get their painted in one of their own colors? They had an whole lot of shades from brown to green depending of then in the WW2 period it was. But I am unsure about the Lend-Lease equipment, if it was delivered in that or in US OD.
About the figs so is the feeling I got also that they seems to be issued with eqipment more familiar with the NW Europe.
I think you are right on the Op Torch one being mislabeled. It does look like it is surrounded by Brit vehicles.
I think Lend/Lease vehicles were delivered standard US OD Green.
And yes, the US jeep crew is in European uniforms and gear.