39M Csaba

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Armoured Scout Car, 39M Csaba
Type Armored car
Place of origin Flag of Hungary Kingdom of Hungary
Service history
In service 1939 -
Used by Hungarian Army
Wars Second World War
Production history
Designer Nicholas Straussler
Designed 1930s
Manufacturer Weiss Manfred, Csepel
Produced 1939 - 1944
Specifications
Weight 5.95 tonnes
Length 14 ft 8 in (4.52 m)
Width 6 ft 10 in (2.1 m)
Height 7 ft 4 in (2.27 m)
Crew 3
Armour 9 mm
Primary
armament		 20mm cannon
Secondary
armament		 8mm MG
Engine Ford, 8 cylinder
90hp
Operational
range		 93 mi (150 km)
Speed 40 mph (65 km/h)

The 39 M Csaba was an armoured scout car produced for the Royal Hungarian Army during World War II.

Hungarian ex-patriot Nicholas Straussler designed several armoured cars for Britain while living there between the two world wars. Straussler came to an agreement with the Weiss Manfred factory of Csepel, Budapest to produce vehicles from his designs for use in his home country - the most prominent was the Csaba (named after the son of Atilla the Hun) which was designed based on his experience of the Alvis AC2 armoured car.

After successful trials in 1939, the Hungarian Army placed an order for 61, and a further order for an additional 40 vehicles was placed in 1940. Of these, twenty were used as actual fighting vehicles, with the remainder serving as armoured command cars and reconnaissance vehicles.

The Csaba had a 20mm cannon and an 8mm machine gun fixed on a centrally mounted turret, with 9mm armoured plating. It also had two driving positions - one at the front as normal, and an additional one at the rear.

[edit] References


Hungarian armored fighting vehicles of World War II
Tanks
Toldi | Turan
Assault guns
Zrinyi
Armored cars
Csaba
Self propelled anti-aircraft
Nimrod
Hungarian armored fighting vehicle production during World War II