King Armored Car - Triangle VA
N 38° 32.666 W 077° 20.579
18S E 295809 N 4268826
An armored car first commissioned by the U.S. Marine Corps in 1916 is on display in the National Museum of the Marine Corps next to Quantico MCB in Virginia.
Waymark Code: WMC7BD
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 08/03/2011
Views: 7
In 1916, the U.S. Marine Corps procured their first armored car. Built by the Armored Motor Car Company, the King Armored Car was built on a King luxury chassis and had a 8-cylinder motor, ¼-inch armor plating, a revolving turret and a Benet-Mercie machine gun. By 1918, eight more cars were ordered and the 1st Armored Car Squadron was established. The cars saw no action in WWI. It seems they were mainly put on parade and used for recruiting purposes.
Further testing showed they suffered from poor performance and design. The 1st Armored Car Squadron lacked enough specialized personnel to operate and maintain the vehicles, and it was decided to disband the squadron in 1921. Five of the cars went to Haiti, but proved to be so useless, it was recommended they be sent back to the U.S. In short, the armored car proved to be a lemon. Eventually, the Marine Corps decided to abandon the concept and the armored cars were destroyed in 1934.
The only surviving example is a restored King Armored Car on display in the Global Expeditionary Force gallery of the National Museum of the Marine Corps
in Triangle, VA.
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