AEC Armoured Car is a series of heavy armoured cars built by the Associated Equipment Company

AEC (Associated Equipment Company)

AEC was a United Kingdom based vehicle manufacturer which built buses, motorcoaches and lorries from 1912 until 1979. The acronym stood for the Associated Equipment Company, but this name was hardly ever used; instead it traded under the AEC and ACLO brands.While famously associated with London's...

 (AEC) during the Second World War.

History

AEC of Southall, Middlesex was a manufacturer of truck and bus chassis and its Matador

AEC Matador

The AEC Matador was an artillery tractor built by the Associated Equipment Company for British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War.AEC had already built a 4 x 2 lorry, also known as the Matador ....

 artillery tractor

Artillery tractor

Artillery tractor is a kind of tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, a vehicle used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights.-Traction:...

 was used for towing medium field and heavy anti-aircraft guns. The armoured car based on the Matador chassis was developed initially as a private venture and shown to officials in 1941 during Horse Guards Parade

Horse Guards Parade

Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London, at grid reference . It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the monarch's official birthday, and Beating Retreat.-History:...

 in London, where it made a favourable impression on Churchill

Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...

. 629 units were produced in 1942-1943.

AEC tried to build an armoured car with firepower and protection comparable to those of contemporary tanks. The first version carried a Valentine Mk II

Valentine tank

The Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during the Second World War. More than 8,000 of the type were produced in 11 different marks plus various purpose-built variants, accounting for approximately a quarter of wartime British tank production...

 turret with 2 pounder gun. Subsequent versions received more powerful armament - a 6 pounder or a 75 mm gun. The vehicle also carried two machine guns, smoke grenades discharger and No. 19 radio set

Wireless Set No. 19

The Wireless Set No. 19 was a Second World War mobile radio transceiver designed for the British Army to give armoured troops reliable communications.- Specifications :...

.

The Mk I was first used in combat in the North African Campaign

North African campaign

During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...

 late in 1942, where a few vehicles were reportedly fitted with a Crusader tank

Crusader tank

The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VI or A15 Crusader was one of the primary British cruiser tanks of the early part Second World War and perhaps the most important British tank of the North African Campaign...

 turret mounting a 6 pounder gun. The Mk II / Mk III took part in the fighting in Europe

European Theater of Operations

The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...

 with British and British Indian Army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

 units, often together with the Staghound

T17 Armored Car

The T17 and the T17E1 were American armored cars produced during the Second World War. They did not see service with frontline US forces but the latter was supplied via the United Kingdom to British and Commonwealth forces during the war and received the service name Staghound...

.

The vehicle remained in service after the end of the war until replaced by the Alvis Saladin

Alvis Saladin

The Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car built by Alvis, and fitted with a 76mm gun.Used extensively by the British Army, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car that had been in service since World War II.-History:...

. The Lebanese

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 Army used the car at least until 1976.

Variants

• Mk I - original version with turret from a Valentine tank. 129 units built.

• Mk II - heavier turret with a 6 pounder gun, redesigned front hull, 158 hp diesel engine.
• Mk III Close Support Armoured Car - Mk II with 6 pounder replaced by a 75 mm gun.
• AA - a version mounting Crusader AA turret with twin Oerlikon cannon capable of high elevation to engage enemy aircraft. Did not enter production due to Allied
  Allies
  In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
  
   air superiority in Northern Europe.

External links

• Britain's Associated Equipment Company (AEC) Armored Cars at wwiivehicles.com
• Tank2.ru
• Battlefront.co.nz