Armoured Carrier Wheeled Indian Pattern

Infobox Weapon
name=Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern Mk IIA


caption=
type=armoured car
is_vehicle=yes
is_UK=yes
number=4,655
length=4.72 m
width=2.26 m
height=1.98 m
weight=
suspension=4 x 4 wheel, leaf spring
speed=80 km/h
vehicle_range=360 km
primary_armament=Boys anti-tank rifle and / or 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Bren machine gun
secondary_armament=
armour=14 mm
engine=Ford V-8 petrol engine.
engine_power=95 hp (71 kW)
pw_ratio=
crew=3-4Externalimage
align=right
width=252px

http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Tomforce/assets/images/Armoured_Carrier.jpgAn ACV-IP Mk II in Australian use in Malaya/Singapore.] [http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Tomforce/]

Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern (ACV-IP), known also as Indian Pattern Carrier or under other similar names, was an armoured car produced in India during World War II.

History

At the outbreak of the World War II the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the Commonwealth for armoured fighting vehicles. It led many Commonwealth countries to develop their own AFVs. As production of heavy armoured vehicles, such as tanks, required advanced industry which those countries lacked, most of the developed AFVs were armoured cars, often based on imported chassis.

In India a series of armoured vehicles was developed, known as Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern or ACV-IP. These vehicles utilized Ford / GMC CMP truck chassis imported from Canada. Armoured hulls were constructed mainly by the Indian Railways. The armament typically consisted of Bren light machine gun, in some variants mounted in a small turret, and Boys anti-tank rifle. The Radio No. 19 was carried. The vehicle was in production from 1940 until 1944, a total of 4,655 units were built.

The ACV-IP was used by Indian units in the Far East, Middle East, North African Campaign and Italian Campaign, typically in divisional reconnaissance regiments, as reconnaissance vehicle, personnel carrier, AA weapons carrier or Forward Observation Officer's vehicle.

Variants

* Mk I — initial version, based on Ford model 1940 truck chassis with motor in front, fitted with a Marmon-Herrington all wheel drive kit.
* Mk II — Ford CO11QRF chassis (all wheel drive, motor in the rear, right hand drive).
* Mk IIA — modified armoured hull.
* Mk IIB — thicker armour.
* Mk IIC — Ford C191QRF chassis, armoured roof and small turret for Bren MG.
* Mk III — similar to Mk IIC, with slightly modified hull. 276 units built.
* Mk IV — Ford C291QR chassis, open hull.

References

*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).

External links

* [http://www.flamesofwar.com/Article.asp?ArticleID=740 ACV-IP at Flames of War]
* [http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/India/India.html Indian Armor at TANKS!]
* [http://www.wargaming.net/tanks/india_models/acv-ip_2.htm ACV-IP at Wargaming.net]