NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Universal Carrier

The Universal Carrier, usually known as a Bren Gun Carrier (even when it was not carrying a Bren), was a small, tracked British-designed military vehicle, used widely by Allied forces during World War II. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or as machine gun platforms. With some 113,000 built in Great Britain and abroad, it was the most numerous armoured fighting vehicle in history. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1296x972, 172 KB) Description: Universal carrier (Bren carrier) in Batey ha-Osef museum, Tel Aviv, Israel. ... East German BRDMs on parade during celebrations of the 40th anniversary of East Germany in 1989 Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ... .303 cartridge The . ... The Bren (from Brno (the Czechoslovakian town of design) and Enfield, the location of the British Royal Small Arms Factory), usually called the Bren Gun, was a series of squad automatic weapon/light machine guns adopted by Britain in the 1930s and used in various roles into the 1980s. ... Boyes Anti-tank Rifle Type Anti tank rifle Nationality United Kingdom Era World War II History Date of design 1937 Production period 1937 - ? Service duration 1937 - 194? Operators United Kingdom, Empire/Commonwealth, War service World War II Specifications Type Bolt action rifle Calibre . ... 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... Vickers Mark VI light tank, with suspension components visible. ... Bren is also a commune of the Drôme département in France. ... U.S. M60 Patton tank. ... A representation of the changes in territory controlled by Allies and Axis powers over the course of the war. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ...

Development

The Universal Carrier was a successor to the Carden-Loyd Mk.IV tankette developed during the late 1920s. It originated from a light tractor "VA D50", designed by John Carden and Vivian Loyd of Vickers in 1935. The VA D50 appeared to be a successful design and development was ordered by the British Army. The first production was by Vickers in 1936. There were several different types of Carrier that varied slightly in design according to their function, designated: Medium Machine Gun Carrier, Bren Gun Carrier, Scout Carrier and Cavalry Carrier. It was obvious that production of a single model would be preferred and the Universal appeared in 1940. The Universal would be the most widely produced of the Carriers. It differed from the previous models in having a rectangular body shape in rear section, with more place for crew. General characteristics Length 2. ... Polish TK-3. ... Sir John Valentine Carden (born in London 6 February 1892, died on 10 December 1935) was the British tank and vehicle designer. ... Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 2004. ...

As with the earlier Carriers, the Universal had the driver and commander at the front sitting side-by-side, the driver to the right with a vertical steering wheel. The hull in front of the commander's position jutted forward to give room for the Bren gun (or other armament) to fire through a simple slit. The engine was in the centre of the vehicle and the final drive at the rear. To either side of the engine were two areas in which passengers could ride or stores be carried.

Universal Carriers were commonly used as platforms for infantry support weapons such as the Vickers machine gun or the Bren or Boys anti-tank rifle or to carry weapons such as the 3-inch mortar along with its crew. The Universal was also used to tow anti-tank guns such as the 2 pounder. When the 6 pounder anti-tank gun came into use the Universal was also used for that role but the subsequent QF 17 pounder was too much for such a vehicle. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (696x661, 82 KB) Comment: this is Universal Carrier. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (696x661, 82 KB) Comment: this is Universal Carrier. ... The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled . ... Boyes Anti-tank Rifle Type Anti tank rifle Nationality United Kingdom Era World War II History Date of design 1937 Production period 1937 - ? Service duration 1937 - 194? Operators United Kingdom, Empire/Commonwealth, War service World War II Specifications Type Bolt action rifle Calibre . ... Soldier Firing the M224 60mm Mortar. ... The QF 2-pounder gun was a British anti-tank gun. ... The Ordnance QF 17-pounder (or just 17-pdr) was a 76. ...

Universal Carriers were only lightly armoured on their fronts and sides, sufficient to protect to some degree from small arms, shrapnel and explosive blasts but were open at the top leaving the occupants completely unprotected from about shoulder height upwards. It has been suggested that Fragmentation (weaponry) be merged into this article or section. ...

The Canadian designed and built Windsor Carrier was a related vehicle. Similar body and mechanicals but some 30 inches longer and with an extra road wheel. Five thousand were built and sent to Europe.

Production

In the UK, several companies contributed to the manufacture of the Universal among them Ford UK. By 1945, there were produced approximately 57,000 of all variants, including some 2400 earlier ones.

Ford of Canada made some 29,000 Universal Carriers. They were also manufactured in Australia (some 5000), New Zealand (some 1300) and by Ford in the USA (some 20,000, not counting T16). Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the worlds third largest automaker after General Motors and Toyota, based on worldwide vehicle sales. ...

Variants

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 852 KB) Wasp Flammenwerferpanzer. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 852 KB) Wasp Flammenwerferpanzer. ... The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 2_pdr_Aust_ATG_carrier(AWM_134672). ... Image File history File linksMetadata 2_pdr_Aust_ATG_carrier(AWM_134672). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Aust_3_inch_mortar_carrier(AWM_134428). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Aust_3_inch_mortar_carrier(AWM_134428). ... Image File history File links IWM-SE-5866-tank-Surabaya-19451127. ... Image File history File links IWM-SE-5866-tank-Surabaya-19451127. ... Riverboat of the U.S. Brownwater Navy shooting ignited napalm from its mounted flamethrower during the Vietnam war. ... The QF 2-pounder gun was a British anti-tank gun. ... The United Kingdoms Ordnance ML 3 inch mortar was the standard mortar used by the British army from the late Twenties to the late Sixties. ... Flag of the National Revolutionary Army The National Revolutionary Army (NRA, Traditional Chinese: åœ‹æ°‘é©å‘½è»; Simplified Chinese: å›½æ°‘é©å‘½å†›; Hanyu Pinyin: , sometimes shortened to åœ‹è» or Nationalist Army) was the national army of the Republic of China in the early 20th Century. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Lend-Lease This article is about the World War II program. ... Pak may refer to: 2. ... Panzerschreck team The Panzerschreck (German: tank terrorizer; lit. ...

References

External links

Categories: World War II British armoured fighting vehicles | World War II Canadian armoured fighting vehicles Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Vickers 6-Ton Tank or Vickers Mark E was a British light tank designed as a private project at Vickers. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Light tank MkII to Mark V were a series of similar British small tanks produced in the years between World War One and World War Two. ... The Tank, Light, Mk VI was a British light tank built by Vickers and used by the British Army during World War II. // The Vickers design was ready for production when the United Kingdom began its large rearmament program. ... The Mk VII Tetrarch light tank was a British design of tank produced during the Second World War initially for reconnaisance purposes but used by airborne forces. ... The cruiser tank (also called cavalry tank or fast tank) was a British tank design concept of the inter-war period. ... General characteristics Length 5. ... General characteristics Length 5. ... General characteristics Length 6 m Width 2. ... General characteristics Length 6 m Width 2. ... The Tank, Cruiser, Mk V, Covenanter (A13 Mk III) was a British Cruiser tank of the Second World War named for the Covenanters, a Scottish religious faction in the British Isles at the time of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. ... One of the primary cruiser tanks of the United Kingdom during World War II, the Cruiser Tank VI Crusader was perhaps the most important British tank of the North African Campaign. ... General characteristics Length 6. ... A27M Cruiser Tank VIII Cromwell was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II. It was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed, and reasonable armor. ... The A27M Cruiser Tank VIII Cromwell, named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, was one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in World War II. It was the first tank in the British arsenal to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed, and... The Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30) was an attempt to mount the 17 Pounder gun on the Cromwell tank chassis to give a tank with more anti-tank firepower to add to the Cruiser tank units. ... The Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34) was a British tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. // Combat experience against the Germans in the Western Desert Campaign demonstrated to the British the inferiority of their tanks. ... The Sherman Firefly (M4A4 VC Firefly) was a British variation of the M4 Sherman tank, fitted with the more powerful 17 pounder main gun. ... The Ram was a Cruiser tank designed and built by Canada in the Second World War, based on the U.S. M3 Medium tank. ... The Sentinel tank was designed in Australia in World War II in response to a possible Japanese invasion. ... The infantry tank was a concept developed by the British in the years leading up to World War II. They were generally more heavily armoured compared to the lighter cruiser tanks, which would allow them to operate in close concert with infantry to help them break through heavily defended areas... General characteristics Length 4. ... The Tank, Infantry, Mk II, Matilda II (A12) (sometimes referred to as Senior Matilda) was a British tank of World War II. In a somewhat unorthodox move, it shared the same name as the Tank, Infantry, Mk I (A11). ... The most numerous British manufactured tank of World War II, the Infantry Tank III Valentine was known mainly for its inexpensive cost and high reliability. ... The Infantry Tank IV Churchill was a heavy British infantry tank of the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... A U.S. M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer Self-propelled artillery (also called mobile artillery or locomotive artillery) vehicles are a way of giving mobility to artillery. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Bishop was a British self-propelled artillery vehicle based on the Valentine II chassis. ... General characteristics Length 20 ft 1 in/ 6. ... The AEC Mk I Gun Carrier, known as Deacon, was a British armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War. ... The SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer was a British anti-tank vehicle (tank destroyer) used during World War II based on the Valentine chassis. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... General characteristics Length 4. ... Kangaroo personnel carrier A Kangaroo was a World War II British or Commonwealth armoured personnel carrier, created by conversion of a tank chassis. ... A Terrapin can be seen on the left during the Battle of the Scheldt in the Netherlands, 1944. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as Dingo, was a British light fast 4WD reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War. ... The Dingo Scout Car was a light armoured car built in Australia during Second World War. ... Humber Scout Car was a British light armoured car used in the World War II. // History Although at the outbreak of the World War II the British Army already had the excellent Daimler Dingo, the need for scout cars could not be met by Daimler alone, so other companies were... The Daimler Scout Car, known in service as Dingo, was a British light fast 4WD reconnaissance vehicle also used in the liaison role during the Second World War. ... Scout Car S1 (American), was an armoured car produced in Australia for the US Army during the Second World War. ... Humber Light Reconnaissance Car, also known as Ironside, was a British armoured car produced during the World War II. History Produced by Rootes groop, the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car was an armored car based on the Humber Super Snipe luxury car chassis with some minor changes such as War Department... Morris Light Reconnaissance Car was a British armoured car produced during the World War II. History Morris LRC was an armoured car built by Morris Motor Company. ... The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car was an armoured car produced by Canada during the Second World War. ... General characteristics Length: 5. ... The Coventry armoured car was a British four wheel drive (4X4) armoured fighting vehicle developed at the end of World War II as a potential replacement for the lighter Humber and Daimler series of armoured cars. ... General characteristics Length 4 m Width 2. ... The Fox Armoured Car was a wheeled armoured fighting vehicle produced by Canada in the Second World War. ... The Guy Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced in limited numbers during World War II. The car saw limited action during the Battle of France. ... General characteristics Length: 4. ... Lanchester Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced in limited numbers in late 1920s and early 1930s. ... South African Reconnaissance Car, better known under its British designation Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car, was an armored vehicle produced in South Africa for the British Army during the World War II. // History In 1938 South African government initiated development of an armored car. ... Morris CS9, was a British armoured car used by the British Army in the World War II. History The vehicle was based on Morris 4x2 15-cwt truck chassis. ... Car, Armoured, Heavy (Aust), also known as Rhino, was an armoured car designed in Australia during the Second World War. ... The Rolls-Royce armoured car was an armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II. It was a simple vehicle built on a Rolls Royce car chassis. ... The Light Armoured Car (Aust), also known as Rover, was an armoured car produced in Australia during the Second World War. ... Standard Car 4x2, or Car Armoured Light Standard, better known as the Beaverette, was a British armoured car produced during the World War II. History 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... 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. History At the outbreak of the World War II the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the... Bedford OXA was a British improvised armoured vehicle built during the World War II by mounting armoured body on a Bedford OXD 1. ... The C15TA Armoured Truck was an armoured vehicle produced by Canada during the Second World War. ... AEC Armoured Command Vehicle was a series of command vehicles built by the British Associated Equipment Company during the Second World War. ... The Guy Lizard Armoured Command Vehicle was a British command vehicle built during World War II. 21 units were built, some were used in 1940 by the British Expeditionary Force in France. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... General characteristics Length 26 ft 4, m Width 9 ft 6, m Height ft 9, m Weight t Suspension Chrste Speed 32 mph, 52 km/h road 15 mph, 24 km/h off-road Range 120 m, 260 km Primary armament QF17 pdr Secondary armament 0. ... General characteristics Length 7. ... The Centurion was the primary British Main Battle Tank of the immediate post-war era, and considered by many to be one of the best British tank designs of all time. ... The Excelsior was an experimental tank based on the Cromwell (A27) developed in the Second World War when there were concerns as to performance of the Churchill tank. ... General characteristics Length 10. ... The TOG 2 was a prototype British heavy tank design produced in the early part of the Second World War in case the battlefields of Northern France turned into the mass of trenches and craters that had happened during the First World War. ... The A39 Tortoise heavy assault tank was a British heavy tank design developed in World War II but never put into production. ... The A38 Valiant was a British tank design of the Second World War, based upon the Valentine tank but only reached the prototype stage. ... The Light Tank Mark VIII was developed by Vickers for airborne forces of the British Army during World War Two. ... The Alecto was an experimental self propelled gun developed by the British in World War 2 but terminated with the end of the war in Europe. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... General characteristics Role Medium Artillery Tractor Crew 1 armour none Capacity 10-ton - Length 20 ft 10 in m Width 7 ft 10 in m Height 9 ft 7 in m Weight 7. ... General characteristics Role Gun tractor Crew 1 + 5 passengers armour none Capacity - Length 4. ... General characteristics Role Military ambulance Crew 1 armour none Capacity 4 stretchers or 10 walking wounded - Length 18 ft (5. ... General characteristics Role tank recovery and transport Crew 1 + armour none Capacity one 30 ton weight or less tank - Length with trailer 10. ... This article lists British AFV production during World War II. // Infantry Tank Mk I Matilda (A11) Total production 1937-40: 140. ... This article lists British AFV production during World War II. // Infantry Tank Mk I Matilda (A11) Total production 1937-40: 140. ...

Contents

Production

Variants

References

External links