Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Ground Power Series HG3811 M8 Greyhound Armored Car ROC (Taiwan) Police Force

True 1/72 scale.

Professionally painted.

Great attention to detail.

All markings are Tampoed (pad applied).

Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic.

Highly collectable.

The American M8 was equipped with a 37mm gun and 6X6 wheel drive and was the main recon vehicle used by the US military during WWII. The only positive thing the crews had to say about the vehicle was it was reliable and fast on roads. It performed poorly off road, was very lightly armored with only sheet metal for a floor. It had an open top with no periscopes and exposed the crew to weather and enemy fire. Over 8,500 were manufactured in 1942 - 1943.

Beginning in the 1940s and throughout the next three decades the U.S. sold hundreds of M8 and M20s to smaller countries because they were well suited for the duties smaller militaries would need plus the price was very affordable. After the M8 was deemed unsatisfactory for military purposes the Taiwan military supplied some of these vehicles to various Police Departments who used them for crowd and riot control. Into the 1980s and 90s the Taiwan Provincial Police had a detachment stationed in Taipei and at the airport.

Specifications for the Ford M8 light armored car Crew - 4 Performance Engine - Hercules JXD 6-cylinder gasoline 110 hp (82Kw) Speed - 56mph (90km/h) Range - 349.8 miles (563km) Turn radius - 28ft (8.5m) Maximum grade - 60% Suspension - 6X6 wheel with leaf springs Dimensions Length - 16.4ft (5m) Width - 8.33ft (2.54m) Height - 7.38ft (2.25m)

Armor - maximum 0.75in (19mm)

Armament Primary - 37mm M6 gun Secondary - 1 X 0.30 caliber M1919A4 machine gun 1 X 0.50 caliber M2 machine gun