T18 Boarhound
Encyclopedia
The T18 Boarhound was an American
heavy armoured car produced in small numbers for the British Army
during the Second World War.
) to be built for supply to the British. The prototype was developed in 1942 by the Yellow Coach Company. It was large 8x8 (eight wheels, all driven; called an "eight-by-eight") vehicle with four front wheels used for steering. Thick armor brought the weight to 26 tons, about the weight of contemporary medium tank
s. Initial armament consisted of a 37 mm gun M6 in a turret with a coaxial .30 inch machine gun and another .30 inch MG in the bow mount. By then it was clear that the anti-tank performance of the 37 mm gun was insufficient and the production version, the T18E2, which was named Boarhound by the British received the 57 mm gun M1, the US-manufactured variant of the British QF 6 pounder
.
The United States Army
had never shown interest in the vehicle. The British Army
placed an order for 2,500 units, but high production costs and poor cross-country performance led to cancellation of the order after only 30 were delivered. The T18 was never used in combat.
The only surviving vehicle is displayed in the Bovington Tank Museum
, UK.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavy armoured car produced in small numbers for 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...
during the Second World War.
History
In July 1941 the US Army Ordnance Corps issued specifications for a heavy armored car (along with another specification for a medium armored car, which resulted in the T17 Armored CarT17 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...
) to be built for supply to the British. The prototype was developed in 1942 by the Yellow Coach Company. It was large 8x8 (eight wheels, all driven; called an "eight-by-eight") vehicle with four front wheels used for steering. Thick armor brought the weight to 26 tons, about the weight of contemporary medium tank
Medium tank
Medium tank was a classification of tanks; the medium being intermediate in size and weight and armament between heavy tanks and light tanks.The medium tank concept has been eclipsed by the main battle tank.-History:...
s. Initial armament consisted of a 37 mm gun M6 in a turret with a coaxial .30 inch machine gun and another .30 inch MG in the bow mount. By then it was clear that the anti-tank performance of the 37 mm gun was insufficient and the production version, the T18E2, which was named Boarhound by the British received the 57 mm gun M1, the US-manufactured variant of the British QF 6 pounder
Ordnance QF 6 pounder
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6 pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, their primary anti-tank gun during the middle of World War II, as well as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles...
.
The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
had never shown interest in the vehicle. 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...
placed an order for 2,500 units, but high production costs and poor cross-country performance led to cancellation of the order after only 30 were delivered. The T18 was never used in combat.
The only surviving vehicle is displayed in the Bovington Tank Museum
Bovington Tank Museum
The Tank Museum is a collection of armoured fighting vehicles in the United Kingdom that traces the history of the tank. With almost 300 vehicles on exhibition from 26 countries it is the second-largest collection of tanks and armoured fighting vehicles in the world.The Musée des Blindés in France...
, UK.
Variants
- T18 - original version with 37 mm gun.
- T18E1 - six-wheeled version. Development was canceled.
- T18E2 - version with 57 mm gun.