Guy Armoured Car

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Guy Mk I

Guy Armoured Car
General characteristics
Crew 3
Length 4.12 m
Width 2.06 m
Height 2.29 m
Weight 5.2 t
Armour and armament
Armour up to 15 mm
Main armament .5 inch Vickers machine gun
Secondary armament .303 inch Vickers machine gun
Mobility
Power plant Meadows 4ELA 4-cyl gasoline
55 hp (41 kW)
Suspension 4 x 4 wheel
Road speed 64 km/h
Power/weight 10.6 hp/tonne
Range 340 km

The Guy Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced in limited numbers during World War II. The car saw limited action during the Battle of France.

Contents

[edit] Production history and description

In 1938 Guy Motors built five Guy Quad armoured car prototypes based on the Quad-Ant artillery tractor chassis. The vehicle successfully completed field trials and in 1939-1940 101 Guy Armoured Cars (initially designated Guy Wheeled Light Tank) were produced.

The vehicle had a welded hull (making it the first British armoured car with an all-welded construction) with a sloped glacis plate. Above the centre of the hull was mounted a turret with two Vickers or Besa machine guns. The engine was located at the rear. The vehicle carried a No. 19 radio.

The body of the Guy vehicle formed the basis of the later Humber Armoured Car, which employed a new chassis.

[edit] Deployment history

Six cars were sent to France with the BEF. Four were used by the mobile guard of the British Royal Family (a troop from 12th Lancers) and two by cabinet ministers. The rest served with different British, Belgian, Danish and Dutch units stationed in Britain. By 1943 they were replaced by more modern vehicles.

[edit] Variants

  • Mk I - original version. 50 units built.
  • Mk IA - was armed with Besa 15 mm and 7.92 mm machine guns instead of the Vickers. 51 units built.
Guy Mk IA during anti-invasion exercises in Southern Command, 7 May 1941. Note the longer barrel of the 15 mm Besa MG.
Enlarge
Guy Mk IA during anti-invasion exercises in Southern Command, 7 May 1941. Note the longer barrel of the 15 mm Besa MG.

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  • George Forty - World War Two Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Self-Propelled Artillery, Osprey Publishing 1996, ISBN 1-85532-582-9.
  • I. Moschanskiy - Armored vehicles of the Great Britain 1939-1945 part 2, Modelist-Konstruktor, Bronekollektsiya 1999-02 (И. Мощанский - Бронетанковая техника Великобритании 1939-1945 часть 2, Моделист-Конструктор, Бронеколлекция 1999-02).
British and Commonwealth armoured cars of World War II
Scout Cars
Daimler Dingo | Dingo Scout Car (Australia) | Humber Scout Car
Lynx Scout Car (Canada) | S1 Scout Car (Australia)
Light Reconnaissance Cars
Humber LRC | Morris LRC | Otter LRC (Canada)
Armoured Cars
AEC Armoured Car | Coventry Armoured Car | Daimler Armoured Car
Fox Armoured Car (Canada) | Guy Armoured Car | Humber Armoured Car
Lanchester Armoured Car | Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car (South Africa)
Morris CS9 | Rhino Heavy Armoured Car (Australia) | Rolls-Royce Armoured Car
Rover Light Armoured Car (Australia) | Standard Beaverette
Armoured Trucks
Bedford OXA | C15TA Armoured Truck (Canada)
Wheeled Carriers
Armoured Carrier Wheeled Indian Pattern (India)
Armoured Command Vehicles
AEC ACV | Guy Lizard ACV
Tanks and other large armoured vehicles
Unarmoured vehicles
British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II