The United States Army's first armored car has twenty port-holes
for machine-guns and a well in the center for a three-inch rapid-fire field piece.
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I have literally transcribed, with an OCR program, the text that
accompanies this illustration (illustration that I have recomposed and
colored), of the article appeared in 1916 in "Popular Science Monthly No.
89", entitled "Our First Armored Car". The full article
transcribes it below:
Popular Science Monthly No. 89 (1916-2) p. 588-589.
Our First Armored Car
The first armored car to be constructed under the direction of the
Board of Engineers of the United States Army has been inspected at the Sandy
Hook proving grounds.
The car was designed and built within twenty-seven days. It will
no doubt be sent to the Mexican border, to be used in actual operation.
The service for which the car is intended is primarily to guard
railroads and depots adjacent to railroads.
It is not ordinarily to be employed in aggressive movements.
In effect, it is a movable blockhouse which may be used at any
point along the line. It may serve as a retreat for troops post danger points,
or for the transportation of explosives or material of a perishable nature
which might be damaged by fire from the ends.
The car consists of a heavy steel-plate structure erected upon a
standar flatcar frame. The plate is of sufficient thickness to withstand fire
from small arms. The interior is divided into three compartments.
Through port-holes in the end compartments, machine-guns and
rifles may be fired by soldiers within the car.
The center compartment, which is lower than the full height of the
car, is used for the storage of ammunition. Enough ammunition may be stored to
supply the small arms and the three-inch rapid-fire field gun mounted on top of
the car.
This gun has a special recoil mounting. It takes a crew of three
trained men to operate it. The gun-well may also be used as a fighting top for
troops armed with machine-guns or rifles.
The car will accommodate a platoon of infantry seated on camp
stools or on benches. When used for patrol purposes there would not be more
than twelve men in the car, to operate the rapid-fire gun and machine-guns.
A dry-hopper lavatory and a water tank having a capacity of three
hundred gallons, from which the water is brought to the interior of the car by
a hand-pump, has been installed for the convenience of the soldiers.
The car weighs approximately ninety-seven thousand pounds, which
is less than the weight of the armored railroad cars now in use abroad.
There are twenty port-holes for machine-guns or small arms, eight
being located on each side of the car and two in each end. These openings are
covered with sliding doors of heavy steel when they are not in use.
In addition there are also six peep-holes, two in each side of the
car, and one in each end.
Access to the car is obtained through four door openings, one on
each side and one on each end. A ladder in the middle compartment enables the
gunners to reach the gun-well at the top of the car.
The armored railroad car first came into use in South Africa.
There it met with conspicuous success, opening the eyes of European nations to
its service-ability in war.
During the recent periods of internal strife in Mexico, Villa's
troops converted a freight car into a movable fort on wheels.
It took part in a number of pitched battles and did excellent
service in guarding the railroad's right-of-way and in transporting ammunition
stores.
Port-holes were cut in the sides and ends of the car and through
these rifles and machine-guns were fired. The active part played by this car in
a desultory war convinced our army officials of its military value.
On the other hand, armored railroad cars were long ago introduced
in Europe as the direct result of the splendid showing made by the first car in
South Africa.
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