World War II Database

Contributor: Alan Chanter

ww2dbaseIn 1938 the British War Office ran a long competitive trial to select a suitable armoured car, and at the end a contract was given to Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, England, United Kingdom to produce what was then officially called a "light tank (wheeled)". It was, in fact, a four-wheeled armoured car which Guy Motors based on the components of their successful Quad Ant artillery tractor chassis. The Guy Armoured Car had four-wheel drive, though without independent suspension. The simple hull and turret, designed at Woolwich Arsenal, had armour of 15 millimeters and the two-man turret above the centre of the hull contained a No. 19 radio set and two Vickers machine-guns of 0.303-inch and 0.50-inch calibre. The last fifty-one Guy Armoured Cars to be built under the contract had the armament changed to the new 7.92-millimeter and 15-millimeter Besa machine-guns. The Meadows petrol engine was located at the rear, at the time an arrangement unusual in British armoured cars, and from the somewhat underpowered engine the transmission was taken via a transfer box to differentials on the front and rear axles.

ww2dbaseAlthough the pilot models used riveted construction, Guy Motors devised a method of welding which speeded up production and was instrumental in introducing welding techniques into British armoured vehicle construction. After building 101 armoured cars, the company became more involved in mass-production of other vehicles and had no more space to make more, but they continued to produce armoured hulls and turrets which were furnished, with the designs and production techniques, to Karrier Motors Ltd., of Luton, England for building into the Humber Armoured Car, which was essentially similar to the Guy design.

ww2dbaseNo. 3 Air Mission, a special General Headquarters liaison unit with the British Expeditionary Force included what was known as a Phantom Squadron comprised of six Guy Armoured Cars - the only ones to be sent to France in 1940. A troop of Guy Armoured Cars were also employed, between July 1940 and March 1941, to provide protection for the detachment operating the Humber Ironside Special Saloons that transported Royalty and Cabinet Ministers. Other Guy Armoured Cars were employed on Home Defence (and later for training purposes) in the United Kingdom.

SPECIFICATIONS

Mk I

Machinery	One Meadows 4ELA 4cyl petrol engine rated at 53 bhp at 2,200rpm
Armament	1x0.50in Vickers machine gun, 1x0.303in Vickers machine gun
Armor	15mm
Crew	3
Length	4.11 m
Width	2.05 m
Height	2.28 m
Weight	5.3 t
Speed	65 km/h
Range	340 km

Mk IA

Machinery	One Meadows 4ELA 4cyl petrol engine rated at 53 bhp at 2,200rpm
Armament	1x15mm Besa machine gun, 1x7.92mm coaxial Besa machine gun
Armor	15mm
Crew	3
Length	4.11 m
Width	2.05 m
Height	2.28 m
Weight	5.3 t
Speed	65 km/h
Range	340 km

Photographs