Humber armoured car

Humber Mk IV Armoured Car (with dummy gun) at Yad Mordechai battlefield site.

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

Humber armoured cars of the Inns of Court Regiment, 9th Armoured Division, on parade at Guisborough in Yorkshire, 19th of August 1941.

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.

A Humber Mk II armoured car of the 12th Royal Lancers on patrol south of El Alamein, July 1942.

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 theatre 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 Humber Mk II armoured car of the 12th Royal Lancers on patrol in the Western Desert, 10 August 1942.

A captured vehicle (a MkIV) was used by the Aufklärungs Abt of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen at Arnhem.

A Humber Mk II armoured car of 4th Light Armoured Brigade (formerly 4th Armoured Brigade) on patrol in the Western Desert, 10 August 1942.

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.

Humber Armoured Car Mk III.

Humber was used by the Hyderabad State Forces against the Indian Army during Operation Polo.

Humber Mk IV mocked up to look like a German armoured car for the filming of the film "Heroes of Telemark"

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

Mk I. Note the similarity to the Guy Mk IA Armoured Car.

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.

Mk II. Note the redesigned glacis armour.

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.

Mk IV. Note the turret overhang.

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.

Humber Mk IV Armoured Car.

Humber Armoured Car

Place of origin United Kingdom
Production history
Manufacturer Rootes Group
Number built 3,652


Specifications

Weight 7 t
Length 4.6 m
Width 2.2 m
Height 2.4 m
Crew Mk I, II, IV: 3
Mk III: 4
Armour 15 mm
Primaryarmament Mk I-III: 15 mm Besa machine gun
Mk IV: US made M5 or M6 37 mm gun
Secondaryarmament 7.92 mm Besa machine gun
Engine Rootes 6 cyl petrol engine 90 hp (67 kW)
Power/weight 12.9 hp/tonne
Suspension Wheel 4x4, rigid front and rear axles, rear wheel drive with selectable four wheel drive
Operational range 400 km
Speed 72 km/h