AEC Militant Mk I | |
---|---|
Type | Medium/heavy artillery tractor, 10-ton cargo truck |
Place of origin | United Kingdom |
Production history | |
Designer | Associated Equipment Company |
Manufacturer | Associated Equipment Company |
Produced | 1952–1964 |
No. built | 3,200 |
Variants | O859 (6×4) O860 (6×6) |
Specifications | |
Mass | Unladen 10.1–10.3 long tons (10.3–10.5 t) |
Length | 24 ft 1 in (7.34 m) |
Width | 8 ft (2.4 m) |
Height | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
Engine | AEC A223 straight-six diesel 150 bhp (110 kW) |
Drive | 6×4 or part time 6×6 |
Transmission | 5F1Rx2 |
Suspension | Live axles on semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs inverted at the rear |
Maximum speed | 25 mph (40 km/h) |
References | A complete directory of military vehicles [1] |
AEC Militant Mk III | |
---|---|
Type | 10-ton cargo truck |
Specifications | |
Mass | Unladen 11.66 long tons (11.85 t) |
Length | 29 ft 9 in (9.07 m) |
Width | 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) |
Height | 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m) |
Engine | AEC AV760 straight-six diesel 226 bhp (169 kW) |
Drive | 6×6 |
Transmission | 6F1Rx2 |
Maximum speed | 33 mph (53 km/h) |
References | The illustrated encyclopedia of military vehicles [2] |
The AEC Militant (or "Milly") was a post-war development by AEC of the AEC Matador artillery tractor used during World War II. Externally the most noticeable development was the cab, which was considerably enlarged. Unlike the Matador only six-wheel versions were produced.[ citation needed ] Other changes included the fitting of a larger, 11.3-litre 6-cylinder, diesel engine and the use of a steel frame for the cab, rather than the ash wood frame of the Matador. The Militant Mark 1 was produced in 6×4 (6 wheels, 4 driven) and 6×6 form (6 wheels, 6 driven).
Although primarily intended as a replacement for the Matador artillery tractor, other variants included an articulated lorry tractor unit, a General Service or cargo lorry with a longer wheelbase and as a chassis for mounting various cranes, usually supplied by Coles.
The Militant served with the British Army and some other armies in most parts of the world. It was intended as an improved artillery tractor, but after the Second World War, the development of large artillery pieces was gradually dropped in favour of more effective rockets and missiles, making this role largely redundant during the Militant's service life. Crews had mixed views of the Militant. Because it had no power steering, it took considerable effort to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds and in difficult conditions. However, it was credited with a good cross-country performance and was often used to recover the six-wheel drive Alvis Stalwart amphibious lorries that bogged in difficult conditions. (The MkIII did have a power assist Steering Ram).
Most variants were fitted with a chassis-mounted winch that was driven through the gearbox. This winch, which was intended for manoeuvering of the towed field gun and for self-recovery of the vehicle, proved extremely strong and reliable. The Militant gained the nickname 'Knocker' from its military crews which may have been due to the rhythmic sound of the slow-revving engines.
The Knocker was the nickname of the MkI and the one MkI CALM was still in service with each RCT Transport Squadron until the AEC fleet was replaced by the Bedford 14 Tonne 6X6 in the early 90s. AEC MkIII Recovery Trucks were replaced by Foden GS Recovery 6X6.
Many Militants were sold off by the Army in the 1970s and were purchased as heavy recovery vehicles or for forestry use by civilian operators. They were not as popular for forestry operations as their predecessor the Matador because the extra length and an extra axle made them less manoeuvrable in confined spaces. However, some users simply shortened the chassis and removed one axle, effectively creating a more powerful version of the Matador.
AEC MK1 Militants were still in service as late as 1985; the MK3s were still in service as late as 1990.[ citation needed ]
The Casspir is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle that has been in use in South Africa since the 1980s. It is a four-wheeled, four-wheel drive vehicle, used for transport of troops. It can hold a crew of two, plus 12 additional soldiers and associated equipment. The Casspir was unique in design when launched, providing for passive mine defence. The main armoured steel body of the vehicle is raised high above the ground, so when a mine is detonated, the explosion is less likely to damage the crew compartment and kill the occupants. The cross-section of the hull is V-shaped, directing the force of the explosion outwards, further protecting the occupants.
The 101 Forward Control or Land Rover 101FC was a light utility vehicle produced by Land Rover for the British Army. It was not available to the public off the production line, but was as military surplus.
Associated Equipment Company (AEC) was a British vehicle manufacturer that built buses, motorcoaches and trucks from 1912 until 1979. The name Associated Equipment Company was hardly ever used; instead, it traded under the AEC and ACLO brands. During World War One, AEC was the most prolific British lorry manufacturer, after building London's buses before the war.
AEC armoured cars are a series of British heavy armoured cars built by the Associated Equipment Company (AEC) during the Second World War.
The Mighty Antar was a heavy-duty 6×4 tractor unit built by Thornycroft from the late 1940s onwards. For some decades it was the standard tank transporter of the British Army and was also used by other nations. It was powered by a shortened V8 land version of the V12 Meteor engine, derived from the Merlin and modified to run on diesel, known as the Rolls-Royce Meteorite.
Scammell Lorries Limited was a British manufacturer of trucks, particularly specialist and military off-road vehicles, between 1921 and 1988. From 1955 Scammell was part of Leyland Motors.
The AEC Matador was a heavy 4×4 truck and medium artillery tractor built by the Associated Equipment Company for British and Commonwealth forces during World War II. AEC had already built a 4×2 lorry, also known as the Matador in 1931.
Six-wheel drive is an all-wheel drive drivetrain configuration of three axles with at least two wheels on each axle capable of being driven simultaneously by the vehicle's engine. Unlike four-wheel drive drivetrains, the configuration is largely confined to heavy-duty off-road and military vehicles, such as all-terrain vehicles, armored vehicles, and prime movers.
An artillery tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, is a specialized heavy-duty form of tractor unit used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights and calibres. It may be wheeled, tracked, or half-tracked.
A tractor unit, also known as a truck unit, lorry unit, power unit, prime mover, ten-wheeler, semi-tractor, semi-truck, semi-lorry, tractor cab, truck cab, lorry cab, big rig tractor, big rig truck or big rig lorry or simply a tractor, truck, lorry, semi, big rig or rig, is a characteristically heavy-duty towing engine that provides motive power for hauling a towed or trailered load. These fall into two categories: heavy- and medium-duty military and commercial rear-wheel-drive semi-tractors used for hauling semi-trailers, and very heavy-duty typically off-road-capable, often 6×6, military and commercial tractor units, including ballast tractors.
An articulated hauler, articulated dump truck (ADT), or sometimes a dump hauler, is a very large heavy-duty type of dump truck used to transport loads over rough terrain, and occasionally on public roads. The vehicle usually has all-wheel drive and consists of two basic units: the front section, generally called the tractor, and the rear section that contains the dump body, called the hauler or trailer section. Steering is made by pivoting the front in relation to the back by hydraulic rams. This way, all wheels follow the same path, making it an excellent off-road vehicle.
The Scammell Pioneer was a British 6×4 tractor unit used in World War II as an artillery tractor, recovery vehicle and tank transporter.
A tank transporter is a combination of a heavy tractor unit or a ballast tractor and a mating full trailer, hydraulic modular trailer or semi-trailer, used for transporting tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. Some also function as tank recovery vehicles, the tractors of which may be armoured for protection in combat conditions.
Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) trucks were mutually coherent ranges of military trucks, made in large numbers, in several classes and numerous versions, by Canada's branches of the U.S. 'Big Three' auto-makers during World War II, compliant to British Army specifications, primarily intended for use in the armies of the British Commonwealth allies, but also serving in other units of the British Empire.
The Thornycroft Hathi was an early four wheel drive lorry built by Thornycroft in the 1920s. It was used by the British Army as an artillery tractor.
The Mack M123 (G792) was a 10-ton 6x6 semi-tractor introduced in 1955. The Mack M125 was a heavy cargo truck version of the M123. The M123 was used to tow tank transporter trailers while the M125 towed field artillery pieces.
A 6×4 or six-by-four is a vehicle with three axles, with a drivetrain delivering power to wheels at the ends of two of them. It is a form of four-wheel drive but not one of all-wheel drive.
The FWD R.6.T, later and more widely known as the AEC 850, was a British 6×6 military vehicle of the interwar period that was used in the early part of World War Two.