Humber Armoured Car

Infobox Weapon
name=Humber Armoured Car


caption=Humber Mk IV Armoured Car
is_vehicle=yes
is_UK=yes
origin=UK
length=4.6 m
width=2.2 m
height=2.4 m
weight=7 t
suspension=Wheel 4x4, rigid front and rear axles, rear wheel drive with selectable four wheel drive
speed=72 km/h
vehicle_range=400 km
primary_armament=Mk I-III: 15 mm Besa machine gun
Mk IV: US made M5 or M6 37 mm gun
secondary_armament=7.92 mm Besa machine gun
armour=15 mm
engine=Rootes 6 cyl gasoline
engine_power=90 hp (67 kW)
pw_ratio=12.9 hp/tonne
crew=Mk I, II, IV: 3
Mk III: 4

The Humber Armoured Car was one of the most widely produced British armoured cars of World War II. It replaced the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car and remained in service until the end of the war.

History

Made by the Rootes group, the Humber was essentially a combination of the Karrier KT 4 artillery tractor chassis and the armoured body of the Guy Armoured Car. The first order for 500 was placed in 1940. Production started in 1941 and a total of about 3,652 units were produced by the time production stopped in 1945. Over half of them were the 37 mm gun-armed Mk IV.

The vehicle was used in the North African Campaign from late 1941 by the 11th Hussars and other units. It was also widely used in the European Theater of Operations by reconnaissance regiments of British and Canadian infantry divisions. A few vehicles were used for patrol duty along the Iran supply route. The Humber armoured car was also used in Burma.

A captured vehicle (a MkIV) was used by the "Aufklärungs Abt" of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen at Arnhem [http://forum.axishistory.com accessed 25 Nov 2006 ] .

After the Second World War, the Humber was employed by Egypt in 1948-49 as well as by Burma, Ceylon, Cyprus, Denmark, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal.

Several static and operational cars are distributed through North America and Europe. There is a Mk I on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

However, to the great regret of many modern day collectors and enthusiasts, most of the British Army's remaining Humbers ended up on firing ranges to be used for target practice in the years following their removal from service.

Variants

*Mark I - Original version, based on the Guy Armoured Car body. Armed with one 15 mm and one 7.92 mm calibre Besa machine guns. Three man crew: driver, gunner, commander. About 300 units built.
*Mark I AA / Quad AA - The Mark I fitted with a different turret mounting four 7.92 mm BESA machine guns able to elevate to near vertical and an AA sight. The vehicle was intended to provide anti-aircraft support for armoured car units, but the Allied air superiority meant they were needed less and less as the war progressed.
*Mark II - Changes to the turret, better armour around driver and radiator. 440 units built.
*Mark II OP - Observation post vehicle, armed with two 7.92 mm BESA MGs.
*Mark III - Larger three-man turret with provisions for a wireless operator freeing up the wireless operation tasks of the commander.
*Mark IV - Equipped with the US M5 or M6 37 mm high velocity gun in place of the 15 mm BESA. The larger gun required the removal of the third crewman in the turret (the wireless operator). Turret hatches were rearranged with the new gun and crew layout. About 2,000 units built.

ee also

*Fox Armoured Car - a Canadian vehicle based on the Humber Mk III.

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.wwiivehicles.com/unitedkingdom/armoured_car/armored_cars.html WWII vehicles]
* [http://www.armyvehicles.dk/humberiv.htm Armyvehicles.dk]
* Photo galleries at Tanxheaven.com (Mk IV): [http://tanxheaven.com/ljs/humbermk4armouredcarljs/humbermk4armouredcarljs.htm] , [http://tanxheaven.com/huw/humbermk4huw/humbermk4huw.htm] .
* [http://www.cavaleriemuseum.nl Dutch Cavalry Museum] has the Humber Armoured Car and the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car in its exposition.