Captured Soviet BA-10 Armored Car by Nazis — Eastern Front, 1941

July 24, 2025 - Reading time: 7 minutes

Captured Soviet BA-10 armored car by Nazi forces on the Eastern Front, 1941. A medium Soviet armored vehicle with a 45mm cannon and 7.62mm machine guns.

This image shows a captured Soviet BA-10 armored car, a medium vehicle used by the Red Army during World War II, now in the possession of Nazi forces on the Eastern Front in 1941. The BA-10, produced starting in 1938, was equipped with a 45mm 20K cannon and two 7.62mm DT machine guns, making it a formidable opponent in early World War II battles. Despite its relatively light armor, with 10-15mm of protection on the hull and 6mm on the roof, the BA-10 was highly maneuverable and could reach a maximum speed of 53 km/h.

Initially, the BA-10 was heavily used by the Soviet forces during the summer of 1941, with its tasks including reconnaissance, communication, and infantry support. However, its vulnerability, particularly in the Blitzkrieg era, led to significant losses, as Soviet armored vehicles were often outmatched by German tanks. Despite the losses, there were notable successes, such as a well-organized ambush on June 22, 1941, where a BA-10 platoon under Lieutenant Surovtsev destroyed six German light tanks and a significant number of motorcycles.

Though many of the BA-10s were lost in the initial months of the war, these armored vehicles remained in service until 1944, continuing to support Soviet forces in certain specialized units. The BA-10's contribution to the Soviet war effort cannot be overlooked, as it provided crucial firepower in the early stages of the Great Patriotic War.

Technical photo data:
📝 Source of information: Unknown
📍 Location: USSR
📅 Date of photo: 1941
📷 Photographer: Unknown

• Soviet armored vehicles

• BA-10 armored car

• 45mm cannon WWII

• Nazi forces in Soviet Union

• Eastern Front vehicles

• Soviet light tanks

• Blitzkrieg on Eastern Front

• Soviet military equipment WWII

• Wehrmacht armored units

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• Soviet war effort

• Captured Soviet vehicles