Vehicles such as the compact Dingo held a certain battlefield value particularly if utilized in the fast reconnaissance role, generally attempting to avoid direct enemy target especially against heavier armored, and well-armed, vehicles of the enemy. If equipped with a light machine gun, the Dingo crew could defend themselves against enemy infantry or assail unsuspecting, unprotected foes if the opportunity presented itself. If equipped with an anti-tank rifle, the crew had a chance of tangling directly with a light armored vehicle or fortified machine gun/mortar position - causing general mayhem so long as an escape route had been preplanned. Some field modifications also saw Dingos equipped with 2 x 0.303 Vickers K-series machine guns, guns originally intended for aircraft mounting, which presented reliable, voluminous firepower at the expense of weight gain per gun and ammunition stocks required.
Dingos were first fielded in anger during the German invasion of France in 1940 and took part in the failed Allied defense of the country during the Battle of France (May 10th - June 22, 1940). Initial Dingo operators became the 1st Armoured Division and the 4th Northumberland Fusiliers where they were put to good use, relying on speed to penetrate enemy lines and collect important information on enemy strength and ongoing movements. The Dingo operated in this fashion throughout all of World War 2 where its strengths and qualities were not as quickly overlooked by infantry as they could be by casual readers. Its value was thoroughly proven by the fact that production on the little machine did not cease until the end of the war in 1945, having entered manufacture at the start of the war back in 1939 and total vehicles built reaching 6,626.
The diminutive Dingo's general configuration went on to influence the similar-looking, though dimensionally larger, Daimler Armored Car of 1939 which also saw service in World War 2. The Italians, always fond of light battlefield systems, adopted the Autoblinda Lince in 1943 as a copy of the successful British Dingo, and operated these into 1945 across the 129 examples produced. Some of this stock also fell to retreating German forces attempting to hold northern Italy against Allied gains (following the formal Italian surrender in September 1943).
The Dingo continued in British Army service into the Cold War years (used in the Malayan Emergency), its replacement not found until the Daimler "Ferret" model of 1952 was adopted. The last Dingos may have served into the 1970s in both unofficial and official roles. Operators of the Dingo (beyond the Britain) included Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa (see operators section for full listing). Portugal utilized the Dingo in its Colonial Wars spanning from 1961 into 1974.
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