All photos source wikipedia, smolbattle, livejournal,Dzen

History:

The story of the Mgebrov-White armored car began in November 1914, when Colonel Chemerzin, retired colonel of the engineering troops, proposed to the Ministry of Defense the creation of armored car intelligence units. It should be remembered that this period also saw the creation and the engagement of the first company of armored car at the front. It is therefore a time of creative and industrial bubbling because the needs were important. Interested in the proposal, the War Department allocated four cars which were quickly armored according to Colonel Cheremzin’s plans. It should be noted that the construction of these armored cars was carried out on private funds allocated by a Russian businessman, Mr Merkulyev. These vehicles were inspired by the Renault and Peugeot self propelled-guns and armored cars of the time: open on top with an armament that was placed behind a simple shield. However, this was not considered to be acceptable because the mission of these armored cars was recognition and not direct confrontion with the enemy. Unfortunately, the fighting experience required more armor. In January 1915, General Broussilov wanted the transfer of these cars to the 8th Army and asked a special commission to study these vehicles, protection was considered insufficient. Therefore, in spring 1915, three of these cars (Benz, Pierce-Arrow And White TBC) were conveyed to the Izhora factory in Kolpino to transform them into complete armored vehicles. Captain Mgebrov took charge of this transformation. One of the features of his projects was to optimize the positioning angle of the various armored plates in order to artificially increase the protection, which he had already applied to the Mgebrov-Renault. Another of its characteristics was the construction of an armed fixed casemate with rotative roof instead of turrets. The three vehicles have therefore received these casemates. However, while the Benz and Pierce Arrow cars were originally passenger cars, the White was based on a 1.5-ton 4X2 truck chassis. This made possible to add a rear turret armed with a gun of 37 mm hotchkiss.

It should be noted that the renovation work was financed again on civil funds allocated by the same businessman. That’s why the armored vehicle on White’s chassis received the personal nickname « Ivan Merkuliev ». The vehicles were ready in the autumn of 1915, and as early as 17 September the 29th detachment of machine-guns was formed on the basis of the former armored car intelligence unit with the three vehicles

and was soon sent to Tiflis, at the disposal of the Caucasian army, in the fighting against the Turks. In the summer of 1916 the vehicles of the detachment were sent back to the Izhora factory for repair, and thereafter the Mgebrov-White returned to the front with the Pierce Arrow. The Benz vehicle was planned to be converted into a railcar. In the spring of 1917, the 29th platoon was transferred to the territory of Ukraine, where it participated in the summer battles on the Southwestern Front as part of the 7th armored car division.

After the October Revolution, the Mgebrov-White was incorporated into the Red Army and used on the front. There is, in particular, evidence of its presence in the defense of the Kakhovka (Southwestern Front) bridgehead in 1920. It is not known what it later became.

There are very few known photos of this vehicle.