[nuyt]

My friends, I hope I am not exaggerating, but here is another Marmon-Herrington mystery (I just cant stop):

Encycl. of armoured cars by Duncan Crow and Robert Icks, 1976
is a bit outdated here and there but contains a huge stack of info.

p 127: US section, Post-WW1 miscellaneous and improvised cars:

"Marmon-Herrington, 1938, T13-type scout car w/rear of hull cut off and replated, ring mounted .30 calibre mg rear of hull, .30 cal mg pedestal mounted on right outside, .50 calibre mg on high pedestal behind right front mudguard, radio-equipped,sold to the NEI"

What's that, a T13-type?

Lets look, same book, p125:

"T13, 1937, Marmon-Herrington 4x4 chassis, rounded hul rear, all-round tourelle rail for mg skate mount, horizontal radiator shutters, 38 soft plate vehicles built as National Guard training vehicles. (Measures.)"

Now what, did KNIL buy a number of pre-war MH improvised scout cars? When was that and how many?

Traditonally KNIL is said to have had a number of White Scout Cars, with similar armament (.50, .30s). Numbers are conflicting however. Some credible KNIL historians say 25, others say 30 Whites were received (they were negotiating for hundreds more and I have seen proof that at least 50 were ordered by mid 1941).

Officially KNIL listed by Jan 1942 a number of 40 Scout Cars (no reference to make or name). Also Martens and De Vries in their book on KNIL small arms mention both White AND MH Scout Cars as armed with Colt Browning w/c .50's.

In the actions on Java in March 1942 I can count in the best study on that (by NOrtier) at least 37-38 Scout Cars with different units.

So if this is true that besides White's KNIL owned some other Scout Car type, what did it look like? I have never so far seen any other type of scout car in KNIL service then the White...

Does anybody have a picture of a MH T13 (as in National Guard) or possibly of this particular NEI-delivered vehicle? I reckon if this is true (and it is really worthwhile I think to follow this lead) they might have been delivered pre-war and numbers would be maximum 10-15 cars (or else they were buying off the shelve left overs since they were desperate enough).

Thanks.

Here is a bonus:

While wading through the files of the Netherlands Purchasing Comm. in the Dutch National Archives in The Hague a couple of months ago, I stumbled on this story: The NPC was offered by MH, now delivery of its tanks were delayed, some other form of vehicle: the peculiar MH halftrack Armnoured Car: Here it is.
O, the NPC I think did not accept the offer...

Kindest regards,
Nuyt