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Crossley Armored Car

1931 WORLD WAR 2

History of the Crossley Armored Vehicle

The Crossley armoured car was the first 6x6 wheeled armoured car to enter service with the British Army (1927). This type of three-axle layout provided better off-road capability than the WWI-inspired 4x4 wheel shape that prevailed for much of the interwar period.

The Crossley series ran from 1931 to 1940, when it was relegated to training service in the early days of World War II (1939-1940).

The Crossley exists as part of a new generation of British armoured vehicles and is based on a patented six-wheel truck chassis designed and developed by the Royal Army Service Corps. For the new armored vehicle, the chassis retained its 6x6 wheel arrangement and an armored superstructure was added. The turret of the Mark II light tank houses the primary armament of a 1 x .303 Vickers machine gun. The secondary machine gun was mounted on a limited transverse muzzle in the front of the superstructure. The driver was seated on the front right, the sub-gunner on his left.

The turret is mounted above the canopy and can be rotated 360 degrees (manually). The standard operator for the pilot vehicle was initially three, but was later increased to four in the production format.

Side hinged doors provide the necessary entry and exit, and any personal weapons carried by the crew can also function in the firefight.

Overall, the Crossley retains the traditional car layout, with the engine being drawn into the front compartment through a front grille system. Road wheels are large, all-rim, rubber tires, have a steerable front axle and two pairs of fixed axles that sit under the mass of the rear of the car. Fenders have been added to all wheel setups to keep mud churning out.

The armored superstructure was made of riveted sheets, covering all major components. The crew's view is through a small sight slit, while the driver's position incorporates a flip-up sun visor that can be opened for a wider view. Armor protection reaches a thickness of 7 mm.

Manchester's Crossley Motors built the vehicle's chassis (hence the name), which was then sent to the Royal Armouries in Woolwich for armour installation. Power comes from a 26-horsepower Crossley liquid-cooled 4-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a manual transmission system with four forward speeds and one reverse. The chassis is suspended from all six wheels by a leaf spring arrangement.

Road speeds reach 40-45 mph and road range is up to 200 miles.

The Crossley/Royal Armouries joint venture initially produced two pilot vehicles from the "D2E2" development. Five production-quality forms followed (like the "Armored Car, Crossley Mk I"), which from 1928 equipped the 11th Hussars and 12th Lancers - who in turn gave up their horses, which It was mechanization after the official introduction of the famous British cavalry regiment from 1931, these cars were used in Egypt, where they performed quite poorly, mainly due to the working environment - hot and dry conditions for the engine and associated oil lubricated components Seriously damaged, considering the 26 hp engine also proved difficult considering the vehicle's operating weight (9,000 empty, 10,800 fully loaded) and its solidly armored superstructure underpowered - a common mistake for nearly all early armored vehicles.

These models had cooling dampers on the radiators for some relief, and tracks on the mounted rear wheels to improve traction on loose terrain, but were bulkier overall and the Army decided not to use them in theaters for long -- The cars have not been used for a long time and are mostly under cover.

Due to the limited value these cars held in Egypt, the stock was brought back home and then put into use as training platforms before WWII. In September 1939, Britain entered the war for the invasion of Poland. These cars were rarely used after 1940.

A complete example of the Crossley Armoured Car Mk I exists in Egyptian form at the Bovington Tank Museum in South West England. In this example, the radiator fins and rear chain marks are clearly visible.