Coventry armoured car

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Coventry Armoured Car
General characteristics
Crew	Mk I: 4, Mk II: 3
Length	4.71 m
Width	2.64 m
Height	2.35 m
Weight	10.35 t
Armour and armament
Armour	up to 14 mm
Main armament	Mk I: 2 pounder QF Mk II: 75 mm QF
Secondary armament	1 Besa MG (coaxial)
Mobility
Power plant	Hercules RXLD 6-cyl. petrol 175 hp (130 kW)
Suspension	Wheel 4x4
Road speed	68 km/h
Power/weight	16.9 hp/tonne
Range	400 km

External images
Photo during the French Indochina War[1] Photo of the armoured car[2]

The Coventry armoured car was a British four wheel drive (4X4) armoured fighting vehicle developed at the end of World War II as a potential replacement for the lighter Humber and Daimler series of armoured cars.

The Coventry was an advanced design and featured a similar layout to the more compact Daimler, but with a more conventional suspension and drive system. It included duplicate driving controls to allow rapid disengagement in combat. There were two production versions. The Mk 1 employed a three man turret with a 2pdr gun and a 7.92 mm coaxial Besa machine gun. The Mk 2 version had a 75 mm gun, with the turret crew reduced to two men.

Deliveries of the Coventry Mk 1, from the Humber assembly line, began in June 1944 and 63 vehicles had been produced by the end of the year. Output concluded with a further 220 vehicles in 1945. The Coventry was deployed by the British Army, but they arrived too late for wartime service. Some of these units were sold to France and later saw action against the Viet Minh in French Indochina.

[edit] References and external links

• Leland Ness (2002) Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles: The Complete Guide, Harper Collins, London and New York, ISBN 0-00-711228-9
• (French) Photo gallery at chars-francais.net