Humber Armoured Car

Humber Armoured Car
Humber Mk IV Armoured Car
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
Used by	United Kingdom and British India in Second World War, other nations post war.
Wars	Second World War Portuguese-Indian War Sino-Indian War
Production history
Manufacturer	Rootes Group (Karrier)
No. built	5,400
Specifications
Weight	5 t
Length	15 ft 1.5 in (4.610 m)
Width	7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Height	7 ft 10 in (2.39 m)
Crew	Mk I, II, IV: 3 Mk III: 4
Armour	15 mm
Main 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
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	200 mi (320 km)
Speed	50 mph (80 km/h)

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

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 KT4 was already in production for the Indian Army, and Guy were having problems with the production levels required. The Karrier name was dropped to avoid confusion.

The first order for 500 was placed in 1940. The first Humbers were more or less identical to the Guy down to the faults in the armour, but this was later rectified. Production started in 1941.

The Mark III improved upon the Mark II by providing a three-man turret. Mark III production ended in 1942 after 1,650 had been built. With a possible replacement, the 2-pounder armed Coventry armoured car, on its way, the Mark IV was designed. This put the US 37 mm gun in the turret but at the cost of one crewman. The Coventry was not ordered as a replacement and so production of Mark IV continued, for a total of 2,000, despite its flaws.

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. A British Indian Army armoured car regiment, partly equipped with Humbers, served in the reconquest of Burma. After the Second World War, the Humber was employed by Egypt in 1948–49 as well as by Burma, Ceylon, Cyprus, Denmark, India, Mexico, the Netherlands and Portugal.