Universal Anti-Aircraft?

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

Not a section I'm normally in but I am looking at a picture on a wall here in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School that shows a (purportedly) 8th Princess Louise's Hussars UC in Italy circa 1943.

This vehicle is showing a hull number of T2060, has a built up rear section, a plate extending forward from to top of the Driver's glacis, and a small turret with x4 MG's (Looks like Lewis Guns) on top of the box with a hatch.

I don't have the image downloaded off my phone but should be able to show it to the membership tonite.

I have performed a cursory search online and see nothing similar except a high-side UC (Deep wading kit?) but without the top enclosed or turret.

Thoughts?

regards
Darrell

[Alex van de Wetering]

Darrell,

4 MG's on a carrier like chassis, sounds a lot like the AA version of the Vickers light tank (?)



source: http://www.alternativefinland.com

[George Moore]

It is a conversion of the light tank MkV, MkVI.
There were two Mks, similar but differed slightly in the height and dimensions of the turret.
The MkII had a similat turret as that fitted to the Humber AA, which was a MkI Humber A/C with 4 BESA MG's.

After Dunkirk there was major re-think on AA vehicles......these were used primarily in the Western Desert.

A MkI Humber A/C fitted with the AA turret was photographed in Denmark 1945. It's a pretty poor photo. The census shows 6 of these were on the strength of one Arm Div in 1945.....sorry I dont have my references at this time.

George.

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Alex and George

Ahhh! The light goes on.

Amazing how similar the suspensions looks.............to the un-trained eye!!

Any who....here's the pic. Would this have been an 8 PLNBH Vehicle, d'ya think?

regards
Darrell

[servicepub (RIP)]

A Vivian Loyd carrier

[George Moore]

Now that is an interesting photo......I have not seen this anywhere before...it is an even earlier light tank than the MkV or VI........The Horstman suspension used on carriers and light tanks can create some confusion.

Bovington has the stowage diagrams for the Vickers Light tank AA version, and there is a handbook for the Humber MkI AA.

George.