AAC-37 Model is here

History :

When the Spanish Civil war broke out in july 1936, European nations declared themselves neutral (Great Britain, France), or chose their side : Nationalists for Italy and Germany, Republicans for the USSR.

By 1937, one year later, the German and Italian navies had control of, or were blockading, all Spanish ports, meaning that the USSR could not supply more tanks and armored cars to the Republicans. Knowing this, the Republican government turned to local industry to produced AFVs.
There was, apparently, a specification for a heavy armored car, and a number of prototypes were made, generally based on the BA-6 design, already delivered by Russians. One of them was the AAC-1937 (Auto-Ametralladora-canon Chevrolet modelo 1937).

The design of the armored vehicle was completed in March 1937. The first samples of the new armored car, which received the designation AAC-1937, were ready in April 1937. It was based on a Chevrolet S series (later T series) lorry chassis from General Motors Peninsula (Barcelona), armor plates came from Sagunto and the vehicle was assembled at the Hispano-Suiza Factory in Barcelona. The armored hull was 4 mm thick (roof) to 9 mm thick (front), mostly 8 mm , the armor plates were fixed with rivets to the frame made of corners and welded, in several places the welds were covered with armor plates. The tower is welded, of complex multiform shape; the armament consisted of two machine guns (DT, Maxim, FM 24/29 or other depending on availability). To increase the firepower, it was decided to arm some of the vehicles with a 37 mm PS-1 russian gun (evolution of the Puteaux gun with longer barrel) while keeping the second machine gun in the turret. In some cases, russian turrets from T-26, BT or BA-6 with 45 mm gun were used.
However, the Chevy S series only had two axles which was a problem for heavy armored cars, as the vehicle would not be stable enough. To fix the problem and according ot different sources, a Ford Timken third axle or a commercial chassis kit « LHD » of the Detroit company « THORNTON TANDEM COMPANY » were provided, and the vehicle was modified to have three axles.

The AAC-1937 usually had a crew of four operators: driver, commander, gunner and driver helper, who used the hull machine gun.

With a total run of between 60 and 90 units, the AAC-37 was one of the best armored vehicle produced during the conflict. with different kinds of weaponry and high quality construction. The production rate was four tanks a month until March 1938, when the nationalist forces split the Republican territory in two, isolating Catalonia from their vital steel supply for the production of tanks.

Combat use :

In Spain :

AAS-1937 began to be used in battles almost immediately after the start of its production. So, already in May 1937, they participated in the suppression of the anarchist uprising in Barcelona. Subsequently, in the summer of 1938, all armored vehicles of this type were part of the 1st (Catalonia) and 2nd (Central-South zone) armored divisions of the Republican army and were widely used during hostilities in the Levant, in the Center and South facades. During the war, at least 30 of these vehicles were captured by the nationalist forces, changing its weapons for MG 13 machine guns. After the defeat of the Republic, the remaining armored cars went to Franco’s Spanish Army and changed their machine guns to MG-13. At the end of WWII, AAC-37 were modernized, received more powerful engines (Chevrolet 1500cc) an remained in service until 1957-58 in cavalry units.

In France :

    After the defeat of the Catalan Front in February 1939, the surviving AAC-37 of the Spanish Republicans (at least 19 units), retreated to French territory, where they were interned, parked in one place and temporarily mothballed. On june 12, 1940, they became part of the 8th Cuirassier Regiment of the French Army. On June 18-19, 1940, two platoons of armored vehicles (including 7 AAS-1937) covered the last remaining bridge over the Loire, passing the retreating French troops and refugees through it. On June 20, when the Germans arrived at the bridge, it was mined and blown up, while armored cars fought with Wehrmacht soldiers trying to cross the river in inflatable boats. From June 21 to June 26, armored cars covered the retreat of the rearguard of the 3rd Division, moving into the still uncaptured southern France.
   

In Germany :

After the fall of France, the few remaining vehicles were captured by German troops. Those vehicles were modified with the installation of new German weapons, changing the 37 mm gun for a MG 34 or MG 42, changing their role to use them as Propaganda Kompanie vehicles, or as a Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon using 2 MG 34 or MG 42 with an AA mount.. These armored cars were used in operation Barbarossa until the offensive on Moscow. They were used at least in the 267^th ID and in the Propaganda Kompanie 612 Eichhornchen. AAC-1937 were involved in rear communications, performed security duties, participated in anti-partisan actions; it is known about the participation of AAC-1937 in the battles near Moscow in the winter of 1941-42, some specimens had personal names (Tiger, Jaguar, Leopard, Panther).