Standard Beaverette
Encyclopedia
Standard Car 4x2, or Car Armoured Light Standard, better known as the Beaverette, was a British
armoured car produced during World War II
.
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 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 gun
s. Some vehicles also carried Boys anti-tank rifles
. Some had No. 11
or No. 19 radio set
. The production was stopped in 1942. About 2,800 units were delivered.
The Beaverette was used by the British Army
and Royal Air Force
for home defence service and training. The vehicle is said to suffer from excessive weight and to be hard to handle.
Of the surviving vehicles, one Mk III is on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
armoured car produced during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The first version of the vehicle was built in 1940 by Standard Motor CompanyStandard Motor Company
The Standard Motor Company was founded in Coventry, England in 1903 by Reginald Walter Maudslay . The Standard name was last used in Britain in 1963, and in India in 1987.-1903–1914:...
at the instigation of Lord Beaverbrook
Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook
William Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, Bt, PC, was a Canadian-British business tycoon, politician, and writer.-Early career in Canada:...
, then Minister of Aircraft Production
Minister of Aircraft Production
The Minister of Aircraft Production was the British government position in charge of the Ministry of Aircraft Production, one of the specialised supply ministries set up by the British Government during World War II...
(hence the name Beaverette). It was based on commercial car chassis, on which a simple riveted armoured
Vehicle armour
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, missiles, or shells, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include tanks, aircraft, and ships....
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 Bren light machine gun which could be fired through a slot in the glacis
Glacis
A glacis in military engineering is an artificial slope of earth used in late European fortresses so constructed as to keep any potential assailant under the fire of the defenders until the last possible moment...
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 gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s. Some vehicles also carried Boys anti-tank rifles
Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55 in, Boys
The Rifle, Anti-Tank, .55in, Boys commonly known as the "Boys Anti-tank Rifle" , was a British anti-tank rifle in use during World War II....
. Some had No. 11
Army No. 11 Wireless Set
The No. 11 Wireless Set was a wireless radio transceiver used by the British Army during World War II.-History:The No. 11 Set was designed in 1938 to replace the 1933 No. 1 Wireless Set. Originally intended for tanks, it was used for ground communications of the British Army for the early part of...
or 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 production was stopped in 1942. About 2,800 units were delivered.
The Beaverette was used by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
for home defence service and training. The vehicle is said to suffer from excessive weight and to be hard to handle.
Of the surviving vehicles, one Mk III is on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near the village of Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artillery and minor naval vessels in seven...
.
Variants
- Mk I - original version.
- Mk II - had all-around armour and the radiator grill was moved from a vertical position to a horizontal one.
- Mk III Beaverbug - had shortened chassis, redesigned hull without curved front wingsFender (vehicle)Fender is the US English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well . Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be...
, with top armour and a machine gun turret. - Mk IV - glacis armour was redesigned to improve visibility.
- A similar vehicle, known as Beaverette (NZ), was produced in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Railways workshops, Hutt Valley. The car used a Ford 3/4 or 1-ton truck chassisCanadian Military Pattern truckThe Canadian Military Pattern truck was a class of military truck made in large numbers in Canada during World War II to British Army specifications for use in the armies of the British Commonwealth allies. CMP trucks were also sent to the Soviet Union following the Nazi invasion of Russia, as...
and plate salvaged from the ships Port Bowen and Mokoia for armour. They had a crew of 4 and 208 units were built.