Humber Scout Car

Infobox Weapon
name=Humber Scout Car


caption=
type=armoured car
is_vehicle=yes
is_UK=yes
manufacturer=Humber
length=3.83 m
width=1.87 m
height=2.13 m
weight=3.4 t
suspension=4 x 4 wheeled
speed=100 km/h
vehicle_range=320 km
primary_armament=0.303 in (7.7 mm) Bren machine gun
secondary_armament=
armour=up to 14 mm
engine=6-cyl. petrol
engine_power=87 hp (65 kW)
pw_ratio=25.6 hp/tonne
crew=2-3

Humber Scout Car was a British light armoured car used in the Second World War.

History

Although at the outbreak of the World War II the British Army already had the excellent Daimler Dingo, the need for scout cars could not be met by Daimler alone, so other companies were required to produce similar vehicles. One of these companies was Rootes group, which in 1942 built a vehicle similar to the Dingo in layout, but slightly larger and heavier.

The vehicle carried a crew of two, with an emergency seat for a third member. It was equipped with a No. 19 radio set. The armament consisted of one Bren light machine gun with a 100-round drum. This was mounted on a Parrish-Lakeman mounting above the roof, and could be operated from inside the vehicle.

Production of the vehicles continued until 1945. At least 4,298 were ordered and at least 4,102 delivered, 1,698 of them Mk I. They were used by British armoured units (e.g. the 11th Armoured Division) for scouting and liaison and were generally considered less capable and reliable than the Dingo. A number of vehicles were given to the Polish II Corps and the 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade. After the war, the vehicle was used by some European armies. Belgian police continued to use the car until 1958.

Operators

Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom.

Variants

* Mk I.
* Mk II - improved transmission.

References and external links

*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).
* [http://www.armyvehicles.dk/humberi.htm Armyvehicles.dk]
* [http://www.warwheels.net/humberscoutcarINDEX.html Warwheels.net]
* [http://tanxheaven.com/ljs/humbermk1scoutcarljs/humbermk1scoutcarljs.htm Photo gallery at Tanxheaven.com]