Standard Beaverette

Standard Car 4x2
Beaverettes of 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment on manoeuvres in Northern Ireland, 1941
Type	Armoured car
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Production history
Manufacturer	Standard Motor Company
Specifications
Weight	Mk I: 2 tonnes (2.2 short tons; 2.0 long tons) Mk III: 2.6 tonnes (2.9 short tons; 2.6 long tons)
Length	Mk I: 4.11 m (13 ft 6 in) Mk III: 3.10 m (10 ft 2 in)
Width	Mk I: 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) Mk III: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Height	Mk I: 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in) Mk III: 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)
Crew	3
Armour	Mk III: up to 9 mm (0.35 in) Mk IV: up to 12 mm (0.47 in)
Main armament	0.303 (7.7 mm) Bren MG or twin Vickers machine gun
Engine	Standard 4-cylinder petrol engine 46 hp (34 kW)
Power/weight	17-23 hp/tonne
Suspension	4x2 wheel, leaf spring
Operational range	Mk III: 300 km (190 mi)
Speed	Mk III: 38 km/h (24 mph)

Standard Car 4x2, or Car Armoured Light Standard, better known as the Beaverette, was a British armoured car produced during the Second World War.

The first version of the vehicle was built in 1940 by Standard Motor Company at the instigation of Lord Beaverbrook, then Minister of Aircraft Production (hence the name Beaverette). It was based on commercial car chassis, on which a simple riveted armoured hull was mounted. The 11mm of steel was backed by 3 inch thick oak planks. The hull was open at the top and at the rear. The armament consisted of a Bren light machine gun which could be fired through a slot in the glacis armour. Subsequent versions received all-around protection and a machine gun turret - an enclosed one with Bren MG or an open-topped one with twin Vickers machine guns. Some vehicles also carried Boys anti-tank rifles. Some also had a No. 11 or No. 19 radio set. Production was stopped in 1942. About 2,800 units were delivered.

Describing the vehicle in 1941, a correspondent for The Light Car magazine reported "touching the 60-mark [60 mph (97 km/h)]" while following one along a road. Restricted vision meant the Beaverette driver had to rely on an observer to relay information about other road traffic and also to consider situations well in advance, for example when making a turn, the driver had to base his steering on "observations made something like ten yards [30.00 ft (9.14 m)] back."

The Beaverette was used by the British Army and RAF Regiment for home defence service and training. The vehicle is said to have suffered from excessive weight and to have been hard to handle.