Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern Mk IIA
General characteristics
Crew	3-4
Length	4.72 m
Width	2.26 m
Height	1.98 m
Weight	5.3 t
Armour and armament
Armour	14 mm
Main armament	Boys anti-tank rifle and / or 7.7 mm Bren machine gun
Secondary armament
Mobility
Power plant	Ford gasoline. 95 hp (71 kW)
Suspension	4 x 4 wheel
Road speed	80 km/h
Power/weight	17.9 hp/tonne
Range	360 km

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 the World War II. Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ... Later model Boys rifle The Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys commonly known as the Boys or often and incorrectly Boyes Anti-tank Rifle was a British anti-tank rifle. ... The Bren, usually called the Bren Gun was a series of machine guns adopted by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles into the 1980s. ... Gasoline engine (also referred to as petrol engine or Otto engine) invented at the end of the 19th century by German engineer Nikolaus Otto is a type of internal combustion engine which is often used for automobiles, aircraft, small mobile vehicles such as lawnmowers or motorcycles, and outboard motors for... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ... Combatants Allies: • Soviet Union, • UK & Commonwealth, • USA, • France/Free France, • China, • Poland, • ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Japan, • Italy, • ...and others Commanders Strength Casualties Full list Full list World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a large scale military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ...

History

At the outbreak of the World War II the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the Commonwealth for armored fighting vehicles. It led many Commonwealth countries to develop their own AFVs. As production of heavy armored vehicles, such as tanks, required advanced industry which those countrise lacked, most of the developed AFVs were armored cars, often based on imported chassis. The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, equipped with protection against hostile attacks and often mounted weapons. ...

In India a series of armored vehicles was developed, known as Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern or ACV-IP. The first version (Mk I) was based on the British Guy Universal Wheeled Carrier, all subsequent versions - on Ford / GMC truck chassis imported from Canada. Armored hulls were constructed mainly by the Indian Railways. The vehicle was in production from 1940 until 1944. The Ford Motor Company (often referred to as Ford; sometimes nicknamed FoMoCo), NYSE: F is a multinational corporation that manufactures automobiles. ... General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is a United States-based automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ... Indian Railways (IRY) is the state-owned railway company of India. ...

The ACV-IP was used by Indian units in the Far East, Middle East, North African Campaign and Italian Campaign, mostly as reconnaissance or liaison car. The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa. ... During World War II the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. ...

Variants

• Mk I - was based on Guy Universal Wheeled Carrier.
• Mk II - was based on Ford / GMC truck chassis.
• Mk IIA - had larger tyres.
• Mk IIB.
• Mk IIC - used heavier components, had flat glacis.
• Mk III - similar to Mk IIB, but with partly covered hull and small open-topped turret for Bren MG.
• Mk IV - similar to Mk IIB, but with open hull.

References and external links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

ACV-IP

• George Forty - World War Two Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Self-Propelled Artillery, Osprey Automotive.
• Flames of War
• Mailer.fsu.edu