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BA-3 & BA-6 Heavy Armored Car

 

BA-6 Armored Car


Specifications

Country of Origin/Used by: BA-3: Russia
BA-6: Russia, Germany and Turkey (with very small numbers serving with Afghanistan, China & Mongolia)
First Produced/Service Dates: BA-3: 1934-1935 (160 Vehicles)
BA-6: 1935-1939 (386 Vehicles)
Manufactured by: Izhorskiy Zavod (Some BA-6 hulls may have been built by Vyska Zavod)
Crew: 4
Armament: Main: (1) 45mm M-1932 Cannon; Co-Axial: (1) 7.62mm DT Machine Gun; Hull: (1) 7.62mm DT MG
Engine: 4 Cylinder Petrol (GAZ-AA 40 hp)
Miscellaneous Info: The BA-3 and BA-6 armored cars have been combined into one vehicle index due to their similarity; specifically their almost identical outward appearance.

The BA-3 succeeded the BA-I armored car in production and was thought to have been built on the GAZ-AAA truck chassis.  However, some Russian sources state the BA-3 was actually built on the Ford-Timken Truck Chassis, like its predecessor.  After being in production for only a short period, the BA-3 was soon followed by the BA-6 armored car; which was definitely built on the GAZ-AAA chassis.  The BA-6 was essentially an improved version of the BA-3, incorporating the following major changes: additional hull armor, strengthened suspension, and upgraded transmission.  Even with these substantial improvements, the BA-6 weighed LESS than the BA-3 and was thusly more capable.

The BA-6M, an improved version of the BA-6, was then produced in 1936 but it seems only one was built.  Although the BA-6M was almost a footnote in history, its design directly led to the development of the more capable BA-10A Heavy Armored Car in 1938.  Even though the BA-6 was replaced by the BA-10A in the late 1930's, it was still in service well into the middle of World War Two (1943-1944) and was used by both Soviet and German forces. In fact, the Germans captured so many BA-6, BA-10A & BA-10M's that they created an official designation for them: the Panzerspahwagen BA-203(r).

As the BA-3 and BA-6 vehicles are almost identical in appearance, there are only a few ways of differentiating between the two types; and the cues are sometimes hard to discern.  One visual difference between the two types is that the BA-6 is fitted with a front "scuttle" under the radiator which improves airfrow into the engine for cooling purposes.  The BA-3 does not have the scuttle.  A second visual difference between the two types is that in most cases the BA-3s were fitted with a door on right side of the hull rear and the BA-6's were not.  However, you must note that some very early production BA-6 vehicles were also fitted with the rear door.

The only official sub-variant of either the BA-3 or BA-6 armored car was the BA-6 ZhD Rail Scout Car. The ZhD was equipped with normal road wheels as well as flanged rail wheels.  These two wheel sets could be exchanged when needed so the vehicle could switch between running on the roads and the rails.  Finally, although not an official variant of either the BA-3 or BA-6, the Spanish based their Chevrolet M1937 armored car on the general design of the Soviet vehicles. 
Data Sheet Available:   None Available

Photos

Reference Source/Provider
   BA-3 Heavy Armored Car Photo Public Domain
BA-6 Heavy Armored Car Photos Erik Ahlstrom - Sweden

References Available

Online

Reference Source/Provider
BA-3 Armored Car Line Drawings The Blue-Prints.Com
BA-3 & BA-6 Armored Car Information and Photos Tanks Encyclopedia
BA-3 & BA-6 Armored Car Photos Beutepanzer.ru Website
BA-6 Armored Car Information and Photos Engines of the Red Army in World War Two
BA-6 Armored Car Line Drawings The Blue-Prints.Com

Printed

Reference Author
A Photo History of Armoured Cars in Two World Wars George Forty
Captured Armored Cars and Other Vehicles In Wehrmacht Service in World War 2 Werner Regenberg
Encyclopedia of Armoured Cars Duncan Crow & Robert J. Icks
Russian Armored Cars: 1930-2000 (Darlington Productions) James Kinnear
Russian Armored Fighting Vehicles: World War II AFV Plans (Stackpole Books) George Bradford
Russian Armoured Cars: To 1945 (AFV Weapons Profile #60) John Milsom

Hobby Modeling

Kits and Accessories

Model Kit Manufacturer Scale Other Information
BA-3 Armored Car Model Kit (35125) Eastern Express 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic; Older Kit.  Same as Zvezda kit?
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (35127) Eastern Express 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic; Older Kit.
BA-6K "Command" Armored Car Model Kit (35128) Eastern Express 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic; Older Kit.  We don't know what the "Command" Designation means.
BA-3 Armored Car Model Kit (83838) HobbyBoss 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic; Newly Tooled Kit.
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (83839) HobbyBoss 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic; Newly Tooled Kit.
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (RT014) KMR 1/35 Resin. Out of Production?
BA-3/BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (BR10) Millicast 1/72 Resin
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (R18) Ostmodels 1/76 Resin.
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (7672) Pegasus 1/72 Injection Molded Plastic.
BA-3 Armored Car Model Kit (320) UniModel (UM) 1/72 Injection Molded Plastic.
BA-3 "Railroad Version" Armored Car Model Kit (364) UniModel (UM) 1/72 Injection Molded Plastic.
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (502) UniModel (UM) 1/48 Injection Molded Plastic.
BA-6 Armored Car Model Kit (318) UniModel (UM) 1/72 Injection Molded Plastic.
BA-3 Armored Car Model Kit (3546) Zvezda 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic; Older Kit.  Same as Eastern Express kit?
       
Accessory/Detail Set Manufacturer Scale Other Information
GAZ-AAA, BA-3, BA-6, BA-9 & BA-10A Armored Car Wheel Set (7203) Armory 1/72 Resin.
BA-6 Armored Car Detail Set (35374) Eduard 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass; For Eastern Express Kit.
GAZ-AAA, BA-6 & BA-10A Armored Car Wheel Set (35045) Hauler 1/35 Resin.
BA-6 Armored Car Wheel Set (35138) Hussar Productions 1/35 Resin.
GAZ-AA & GAZ-AAA Wheel Set (35031) Hussar Productions 1/35 Resin. Can be used on the BA-3, BA-6 and BA-10A/10M Armored Cars
7.62mm DT Machine Gun (3) Barrels (LM10041) Lionmarc 1/35 Turned Brass.
45mm M1932 Gun Barrel  (LM10040) Lionmarc 1/35 Turned Aluminum.
7.62mm DT Machine Gun (2) Barrels (MM3560) Magic Models 1/35 Turned Brass.
45mm M1932 Gun Barrel  (MM3551) Magic Models 1/35 Turned Aluminum.
GAZ-AAA, BA-6 & BA-10A Armored Car Wheel Set (MC23501) Masterclub 1/35 Resin.
GAZ-AAA Wheel Set (35112) Miniart 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic.  Can be used on the BA-3, BA-6 and BA-10A/10M Armored Cars
45mm 20K Gun Barrel (1932 Prod.) (MP3501) Modelpoint 1/35 Turned Aluminum.
BA-3 Armored Car Detail Set (P35049) PART 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass; For Eastern Express Kit.
BA-6 Armored Car Detail Set (P35047) PART 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass; For Eastern Express Kit.
BA-3/BA-6 Armored Car Tracks (35048) PART 1/35 Photo-Etched Brass.
45mm 20-K M1932 Gun Barrel (35b72) RB Model 1/35 Turned Aluminum.
BA-6 Armored Car Wheel Set (STZ023) Tank Workshop 1/35 Resin.

Model Photos

Reference Source/Provider