Daimler Dingo
| Daimler Scout Car | |
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Type | Armoured car |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940–1968 |
| Used by | British Commonwealth and associated foreign units in Second World War, other nations post war. |
| Wars |
Second World War Malayan Emergency Portuguese Colonial War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | BSA |
| Designed | 1938/39 |
| Manufacturer | Daimler |
| No. built | 6,626 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2.8 long tons (3 tonnes) |
| Length | 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) |
| Width | 5 ft 7.5 in (1.715 m) |
| Height | 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m) |
| Crew | 2 |
|
|
|
| Armour | 30 mm front 12 mm sides |
|
Main
armament |
.303 in Bren gun or a .55 in Boys Anti-tank Rifle |
| Engine | 2.5 litre 6-cyl Daimler petrol 55 hp (41 kW) |
| Power/weight | 18.3 hp/tonne |
| Transmission | pre-selector gearbox, five gears forward and 5 gears reverse |
| Suspension | independent, coil spring, Wheeled 4x4 |
|
Operational
range |
200 mi (320 km) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as the Daimler "Dingo" (after the Australian wild dog), was a British light fast four-wheel drive reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War.
In 1938 the British War Office issued a specification for a scouting vehicle. Three British motor manufacturers: Alvis, BSA Cycles and Morris were invited to supply prototypes. Alvis had been in partnership with Nicholas Straussler and provided armoured cars to the Royal Air Force, Morris had participated in trials and production of armoured cars, and BSA Cycles – whose parent Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) was involved in armaments – had a small front wheel drive vehicle in production.
Testing began in August 1938. All were of similar size and layout – rear engine and all four wheels driven. The Morris design was eliminated first – suffering from poor speed even after modification by its builders. The Alvis prototype – known as "Dingo" – could manage 50 mph over a cross country course but had a high centre of gravity.
The BSA prototype was completed in September and handed over for testing. By December it had covered 10,000 miles on- and off-road with few mechanical problems. Policy from the War Office changed to a requirement for better armour with the effect that an armoured roof was needed. As a consequence the BSA vehicle needed a more powerful engine and strengthened suspension. It was chosen over the Alvis and the first order (172 vehicles) for the "Car, Scout, Mark I" was placed in May 1939. The actual production was passed to Daimler, which was a vehicle manufacturer in the BSA group of companies.
The potential of the design was recognised, and it served as the basis for the development of a larger armoured car – a "Light Tank (Wheeled)" which would later become the Daimler Armoured Car.
The first pilot vehicle was built by the end of 1939, later to be officially designated 'Daimler Scout Car' but already known by the name of the Alvis design - the 'Dingo'.
Arguably one of the finest armoured fighting vehicles built in Britain during the war, the Dingo was a compact two-man armoured car, well protected for its size with 30 mm of armour at the front and powered by a 2.5 litre 55 hp straight six petrol engine was located at the rear of the vehicle.
...
Wikipedia