Daimler Armoured Car
Name: Armoured Car
Make: Daimler
Year: 1943
During the Second World War, many of Coventry’s car makers turned to the manufacture of aircraft, vehicles and armaments for the war effort. Daimler and Humber were prominent in the manufacture of scout and armoured cars.
This vehicle is a Mark 1 Daimler Armoured Car. It has a modified version of the 4 litre Daimler car engine, which uses a gallon of petrol every 4 miles. Each wheel has independent suspension and permanent four wheel drive is used through a pre-selector gear box and fluid flywheel. The vehicle is equipped with two steering wheels. One is used by the driver for conventional driving, the second is mounted in the turret and was used by a crew member to steer the vehicle when in reverse, although the driver remained in charge of all the other controls. To rotate the turret a crew member would turn a handle mounted inside the vehicle.
When ready for action this vehicle would have been equipped with a two pounder gun and a Bren machine gun mounted on the turret. When in combat the turret hatch would be closed and a crew member would use a periscope to view the action. The armour plating means the vehicle weighs up to 7 tonnes.
This vehicle was used by the 7th Armoured Division of the Hussars Regiment and saw action in Northern Europe after the D-Day landings.
This vehicle was purchased by the Museum in 1977 with the aid of a grant from the Science Museum, London.