World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe AEC heavy armored cars began as a private venture of the Associated Equipment Company of Southall, England, United Kingdom that caught the eyes of Winston Churchill during the 1941 Horse Guards Parade in the British capital city of London. A contract was given shortly after, and production began in 1942. Vehicles of the original variant, Mk I, were equipped the same turrets as the Valentine tanks, featuring 2-pounder guns; 129 Mk I vehicles were built, many of them saw action in North Africa in the latter stages of the Desert War. Vehicles of later variant designs carried heavier armament, with Mk II vehicles armed with 6-pounder guns and Mk III vehicles armed with 75-millimeter guns. Mk II and Mk III armored cars saw action on continental Europe even after production had ceased in 1943, by which time a total of 629 examples were built.

ww2dbaseThere was a notion to build an anti-aircraft variant of this armored car, armed with twin Oerlikon 20-millimeter gun mounts, but this idea never materialized.

ww2dbaseThe British Army retired the AEC armored cars after WW2. A number of them were transferred to friendly forces after the war, including Lebanon and India.

SPECIFICATIONS

Mk I

Machinery	AEC 195 diesel engine
Suspension	Wheel 4x4
Armament	1x40mm QF 2pdr gun, 1x7.92mm Besa machine gun, 1x7.7mm Bren machine gun
Armor	16-65mm
Crew	3
Length	5.18 m
Width	2.74 m
Height	2.54 m
Weight	11.0 t
Speed	65 km/h
Range	400 km

Mk II

Machinery	AEC 197 diesel engine rated at 158hp
Suspension	Wheel 4x4
Armament	1x57mm QF 6pdr gun, 1x7.92mm Besa machine gun, 1x7.7mm Bren machine gun
Armor	16-65mm
Crew	4
Length	5.18 m
Width	2.74 m
Height	2.54 m
Weight	12.0 t
Speed	65 km/h
Range	400 km

Mk III

Machinery	One AEC 197 diesel engine rated at 158hp
Suspension	Wheel 4x4
Armament	1x75mm gun, 1x7.92mm Besa machine gun, 1x7.7mm Bren machine gun
Armor	16-65mm
Crew	4
Length	5.18 m
Width	2.74 m
Height	2.54 m
Weight	12.0 t
Speed	65 km/h
Range	400 km

Photographs