Coventry armoured car

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 armoured cars.



Coventry Armoured Car Mk III in Indochina.



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 Mark 1 employed a three man turret with a 2-pdr gun and a 7.92 mm coaxial Besa machine gun. The Mark 2 version had a 75 mm gun, with the turret crew reduced to two men.



Coventry Armoured Car Mk III.



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.



Coventry Armoured Car Mk III with 75 mm Gun.



Coventry Armoured Car



Production history

Manufacturer Rootes Group

Number built 220



Coventry Armoured Car Mk I.



Specifications



Weight 10.35 t

Length 4.71 m

Width 2.64 m

Height 2.35 m

Crew Mk I: 4, Mk II: 3

Armour up to 14 mm

Primary

armament Mk I: 2 pounder QF

Mk II: 75 mm QF

Secondary

armament 1 BESA machine gun (coaxial)

Engine Hercules RXLD 6-cylinder petrol engine

175 hp (130 kW)

Power/weight 16.9 hp/tonne

Suspension Wheeled 4x4

Operational

range 400 km

Speed 68 km/h