Chevrolet CMP CT15AA Armored Ambulance - case report

      Gents !!!! 

       In this new year, I plan to empty out my closet ... And since this is the proposal, it's time for a new project: Chevrolet CMP C15TA Armored Ambulance (#35106), from Mirror Models. I think it will be interesting to follow this project as it will be a comparison between the old kits CMP Peerless (who just built) with this new release. It will be my first build with this brand...

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA armored ambulance

History

      The C15TA Armoured Truck was produced in Canada by General Motors following the doctrine of use the American White M3 Scout Car. The success of the White M3 Scout Car, being used it its role of an armoured lorry, clearly showed the need for such a thing. When in 1943 the Americans decided to phase the M3 out of production, the British War Department decided a replacement was needed. They came up with a prototype design: a CMP field artillery tractor, with a fully enclosed armoured body, which was known as the 'Cupola'.

M3 Scout Car White

      The Canadians carried out some drastic re-design and came up with the C15TA, a 15-cwt 4x4 armoured truck based on the Otter LRC. It employed the same GM six cylinder 270 cid engine, but was fitted with a two ratio gearbox. The British placed contracts for 3,000 late in 1943, the remainder going to the Canadian Army. The C15TA was manufactured by General Motors of Canada, with hulls supplied by the  Hamilton Bridge Company.. During 1943/1944 GM Canada built 3,961 C15TAs at their Oshawa (Ontario, Canada) plant at a price of $4.500 each. These open-topped vehicles were equipped as trucks, eight-seater personnel carriers or ambulances. Extremely popular wherever it served, the C15TA lasted for years after the war, but never succeeded in ousting the White, which at one stage looked like going on for ever.

C15TA armoured trucks loading an element of Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI)
in Scheldt Estuary Battle. Holland, October, 1944.

      The C15TA was used by the British and Canadian units in the Northwest Europe campaign as armoured personnel carrier and ambulance (CT15AA).

Chevrolet C15TA armored personal carrier

     After the end of the hostilities, many vehicles were left in Europe and were subsequently employed by armies of the liberated European countries, including Belgium, Denmark (as M6 Mosegris), the Netherlands (which received at least 396 units), Norway. In addition about 150 were sold by Canada to Spain. Trucks left by the British forces in Vietnam were taken over by the French, which used them in Indochina and later transferred to South Vietnam.

Canadian 15-cwt GM C15TA Aromored Truck as convoy escort, Vietnan

      Many C15TAs were employed by the police forces of the Federation of Malaya. In 1955 Portugal received a number of vehicles, known as "Granadeiros", that were later used in the African wars. Some vehicles remained in service until the 1960s.

      The Ambulance version is somewhat rare to find with its documentation and photos challenging findings in the literature.

Specs:

CT15AA Armoured Ambulance
Type	Armoured ambulance
Place of origin	Canada
Production history
Manufacturer	General Motors Canada
Specifications
Weight	4.5 t
Length	4.75 m
Width	2.34 m
Height	2.35 m
Crew	2+1
Passengers	6
Armour	6-14 mm
Engine Transmission	GMC 6 cyl. gasoline 104 hp @ 3000RPM 4-1 (fwd-rev)
Power/weight	22.2 hp/tonne
Suspension Tyres	4 x 4 wheel, leaf spring 10.5x16
Speed Fuel capacity Range Fording deep	70 km/h 189 L 714 Km 610mm

The kit:

      As I said before, this is my first contact with a kit of this brand. The box is small and the box art is a little disappointing (the sepia tones add no references ... a waste of opportunity).

Mirror Models box art...eeewwww!!!

     The kit is multimedia: injected parts, PE parts and resin (fine casting). The injection is very, very good, with no burrs or defects. The "logic" of parts is a little different from other Industries and many parts of it you should run, with metal wire, plasticards, etc. ... The worst part is the booklet: based on photos, omits many, many steps ... A real nightmare. But, let's go:

The kit in my workbench. The box art is depressing...
Notice in the background, right, my M4A3E8 (75) waiting (yet. ..)
the tracks that do not arrived in the mail ...

The chassis frame, transmissions and axles for driveshafts.
This photo sums up the multimedia feature of the kit.

With wheels. I always install the wheels at this stage
to ensure perfect alignment of the chassis.

Notice the engine, very detailled...

With the body...The girl is growing...

The front grille is heavy...The parts fits perfectly...

A very busy guy...The canvas is in dry-run...

 The Ambulance returns to the workbench...

Building the interior. My model will be closed, but some details are important...

doors...

The engine hood, fenders...

Rear mirrors...

Rear view

White primer in the interior

Again, the canvas in dry-run...

      Next step, painting details in the interior and exterior...

Well, after the char St. Chamond, let's return to this Canadian girl...

Painting the interior...My girl will be built closed...
She's a very coy girl (... and I, very lazy guy...)

Wheatering...

And the top is glued in position. Putty...

Spare wheel rack...

rear tarp (made with very thin plasticard....)

      Now, colors and markings. In a Missing-Lynx topic, Andrew Tomlinson mentioned the possibility of the existence of two these girls. How I hate paint kits based on markings of Museums (usually wrong),I made ​​this markings diagram (below) based on existence of another girl than the Canadian Museum. Tom Kaszas post an incredible pic (new for me...) with articulated ladder in the vehicle's rear.

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA - rear view
Discussion Only - Font: Missing-Lynx

      And Chris Grove questioned the Z prefix in the census number painted on  the ambulance of Canadian Museum. The correct ( and i agree...)  would be the prefix CA. Well, I must build this ladder...but I'll stay with the single cross on the back ... I think more beautiful!

Chevrolet  CMP CT15AA Ambulance
1st Canadian Army - Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
8 Field Surgical Units - CA5822761 - "NELL"

Colors...Green and khaki

ups and downs in the color tones...

Future to prevent silvering...

      And the best part: the decals. Colors of 1st Canadian Army

Deacals made by Panzerserra Corporation ltd.

Nell was born ....

      Well, while the decals dry, I'll get to the ladder in scratch ...The blueprint of the ladder:

The ladder

      And the real ladder. in scratch...

Plastruct and PE scraps...the ladder is ready...- down position

Ladder -  raised position

Side view: The first step is moveable, the 2nd is rigid and the 3rd is the platform
Like the original (see below)

Painting...

 Well, tanks. The Canadian girl was ready. The Mirror Models kit is very good. But not for newbies...The booklet is a nightmare, but nothing that can not be bypassed with a lot of research and care. My ambulance belonged to 1st Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, in duty with 8 Field Surgical Unit, in Germany, 1945.

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA Armored Ambulance - 1st Canadian Army
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps - 8 Field Surgical Unit- Germany, 1945.

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA Armored Ambulance - rear view

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA Armored Ambulance - right side

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA Armored Ambulance - left side

Chevrolet CMP CT15AA Armored Ambulance with Kojak, for size comparison.

Austin Tilly with Chevrolet CMP CT15AA

Sherman with Chevrolet CMP CT15AA

      Thanks for follow, Tankers !!!