Main Menu
Britain's Armored Car, Rolls-Royce (1914 Admiralty Turreted Pattern)4:
Origins in World War I
In 1914 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) sent to France and Belgium a squadron of vehicles and aircraft.4 British officers noticed how the Belgians were using armored cars to raid the Germans and decided to convert some of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost touring cars.4
These were modified in Dunkirk by adding armor plate to the sides.4 A machine gun was setup behind the driver.4
The Admiralty decided, based on their success, to design an armored car based on the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost chassis.4 These designs were finished in France in 1914.4
Design
The chassis had it's suspension springs strengthened.4 Armor and a turret were added.4 The turret had a Vickers or Maxim machine gun added.4
The radiator had an armored door, and the turret roof armor could be removed.4 Behind the turret was a storage area where stores and a machine gun were located.4
The maximum armor thickness was 9 mm/0.35".4
Service Life
It remained in service until 1942.4
Usage in World War I
The first RNAS squadrons were first used in France in March 1915.4 The first usage was to patrol the coastal areas along the Belgian and French coasts.4
Once the trench warfare stage started the squadrons were used in anti-invasion patrols along the east coast of England.4
The cars were turned over to the British army, but they showed little interest in them.4
They were used in the North West Frontier of India, Gallipoli, German South West Africa, and in Uganda.4
Usage in World War II
Some were used in India.4
Armored Car, Rolls-Royce (1920 Pattern)4:
Western Desert
Used for patrolling against Italians in Western Desert during early part of war.
| Rolls-Royce 1914 Pattern Armored Car | Rolls-Royce 1920 and 1924 Pattern Armored Car | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 or 44 | 41 |
| Physical Characteristics | ||
| Weight | 3.5 tons4 | 7,840 lb 3.7 tons3, 3.79 tons1 3,860 kg1 |
| Length w/gun | 16' 6"4 5.03 m4 |
17'1 4.92 m3, 5.18 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | ||
| Height | 8' 4.5"4 2.55 m4 |
7' 6 "1 2.33 m1, 2.54 m3 |
| Width | 6' 3"4 1.91 m4 |
6' 3"1 1.90 m1, 1.93 m3 |
| Ground clearance | ||
| Ground contact length | ||
| Ground pressure | ||
| Turret ring diameter | ||
| Armament | ||
| Main | Vickers or Maxim MG4 | Boys ATR 7.7 mm (.303") Vickers MG1 |
| Secondary | ||
| MG | Boys LMG | |
| Side arms | ||
| Quantity | ||
| Main | ||
| Secondary | ||
| MG | ||
| Side arms | ||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 94 | 93 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 10 | |
| Hull Front, Lower | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | ||
| Hull Rear | ||
| Hull Top | ||
| Hull Bottom | ||
| Turret Front | ||
| Turret Sides | ||
| Turret Rear | ||
| Turret Top | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | Rolls-Royce4 | Rolls-Royce1 |
| Cylinders | ||
| Net HP | 40/504 | 503 |
| Transmission | ||
| Fuel type | Petrol4 | |
| Octane | ||
| Capacity | ||
| Performance | ||
| Traverse | ||
| Max Speed | 60 mph4 95 kph4 |
60 mph1 75 kph3, 95 kph1 |
| Cross Country | ||
| Road radius | 150 miles4 240 km4 |
150 miles1, 240 km1 |
| Turning Radius | ||
| Elevation Limits | ||
| Fording depth | ||
| Trench crossing | ||
| Vertical Obstacle | ||
| Suspension (Type) | ||
| Wheels each side | ||
| Return rollers each side | ||
| Track length | ||
| Tires | ||
| Track width | ||
| Track centers/tread | ||
| Production |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- Tanks - Over 250 of the World's Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles, Chris Chant, 2004
