| 词条 | Universal Carrier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 释义 |
|is_vehicle=yes |is_UK=yes |type=Armoured personnel carrier/weapon carrier |origin= United Kingdom |name=Universal Carrier | image= Universal carrier (mortar carrier) 9-08-2008 14-53-48 (2).JPG | image_size = 300 |caption=Universal Carrier as mortar carrier with Bren mounted at front |wars=World War II Indonesian National Revolution Indochina War 1948 Arab–Israeli War Korean War Suez Crisis Biafran War |number=113,000 |spec_label=Universal Carrier, Mk 1 |length=12 ft (3.65 m)[1] |width={{convert|6|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}[1] |height=5 ft 2 inch (1.57 m) |weight={{plainlist|
|suspension=Horstmann |speed=30 mph (48 km/h)[4] |vehicle_range=150 miles (250 km)[4] |primary_armament= Bren light machine gun or Boys anti-tank rifle |secondary_armament= one Vickers machine gun/M2 Browning machine gun, or 2-inch mortar/3-inch mortar, or Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank carried |armour=7–10 mm |engine=3.9-liter (239 cu. in.) Ford V8 petrol[4] |engine_power={{convert|85| hp|abbr=on}} at 3,500 rpm[4] |pw_ratio= |fuel_capacity={{convert|20|impgal|L|abbr=on}}[1] |crew=3 |users=United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, France. }} The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier from the light machine gun armament,{{sfn|Fletcher|2005|p= 5}} is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrongs and other companies. The first carriers – the Bren Carrier and the Scout Carrier with specific roles – entered service before the war, but a single improved design that could replace these, the Universal, was introduced in 1940. The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or as machine gun platforms. With some 113,000 built by 1960 in the United Kingdom and abroad, it is the most produced armoured fighting vehicle in history.{{citation needed|date=April 2014}} Design and developmentThe origins of the Universal Carrier family can be traced back generally to the Carden Loyd tankettes family, which was developed in the 1920s, and specifically the Mk VI tankette.{{sfn|Fletcher|2005|p=3}} In 1934, Vickers-Armstrongs produced, as a commercial venture, a light tracked vehicle that could be used either to carry a machine gun or to tow a light field gun. The VA.D50 had an armoured box at the front for driver and a gunner and bench seating at the back for the gun crew. The War Office considered it as a possible replacement for their "Dragon" artillery tractors and took 69 as the "Light Dragon Mark III". One was built as the "Carrier, Machine-Gun Experimental (Armoured)", carrying a machine gun and its crew. The decision was made to drop the machine gun and its team and the next design had a crew of three – driver and gunner in the front, third crew-member on the left in the rear and the right rear open for stowage. A small number of this design as "Carrier, Machine-Gun No 1 Mark 1" were built and entered service in 1936. Some were converted into pilot models for the Machine gun Carrier, Cavalry Carrier and Scout Carrier – the others were used for training. The carrier put the driver and commander at the front sitting side by side; the driver to the right. The Ford Flathead V8 engine that powered it was placed in the centre of the vehicle with the final drive at the rear. The suspension and running gear were based on that used on the Vickers light tank series using Horstmann springs.[2] Directional control was through a vertical steering wheel which pivoted about a horizontal axis. Small turns moved the front road wheel assembly, warping the track so the vehicle drifted to that side. Further movement of the wheel braked the appropriate track to give a turn. The hull in front of the commander's position jutted forward to give room for the Bren gun (or other armament) to fire through a simple slit. To either side of the engine was an area in which passengers could ride or stores could be carried. Initially, there were several types of Carrier that varied slightly in design according to their purpose: "Medium Machine Gun Carrier" (the Vickers machine gun), "Bren Gun Carrier", "Scout Carrier" and "Cavalry Carrier". However, production of a single model came to be preferred and the Universal design appeared in 1940; this was the most widely produced of the Carriers. It differed from the previous models in that the rear section of the body had a rectangular shape, with more space for the crew. ProductionProduction of Carriers began in 1934 and ended in 1960.[3] Before the Universal design was introduced, the vehicles were produced by Aveling and Porter, Bedford Vehicles, the British branch of the Ford Motor Company, Morris Motors Limited, the Sentinel Waggon Works, and the Thornycroft company. With the introduction of the Universal, production in the UK was undertaken by Aveling-Barford, Ford, Sentinel, Thornycroft, and Wolseley Motors. By 1945 production amounted to approximately 57,000 of all models, including some 2,400 early ones. The Universal Carriers, in different variants, were also produced in allied countries. Ford Motor Company of Canada manufactured about 29,000 vehicles known as the Ford C01UC Universal Carrier. Smaller numbers of them were also produced in Australia (about 5,000), where hulls were made in several places in Victoria and by South Australian Railways workshops in Adelaide, South Australia. About 1,300 were also produced in New Zealand. The United States of America manufactured Universal Carriers for allied use with GAE and GAEA V-8 Ford engines.{{sfn|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=119-120}} About 20,000 were produced. Operational history{{Expand section|date=March 2010}}The Universal Carrier was ubiquitous in all the theatres during the Second World War with British and Commonwealth armies,[4] from the war in the East to the occupation of Iceland.{{sfn|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=113}} Although the theory and policy was that the carrier was a "fire power transport" and the crew would dismount to fight, practice differed. It could carry machine guns, mortars, infantrymen, supplies. artillery and observation equipment.[4] United KingdomThe seven mechanized divisional cavalry regiments in the BEF during 1939–1940 were equipped with Scout Carriers – 44 carriers and 28 light tanks in each regiment. There were 10 Bren Carriers in each infantry battalion in the same period.{{sfn|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p={{page needed|date=August 2018}}}} The reconnaissance corps regiments – which replaced the cavalry regiments in supporting Infantry divisions after 1940 – were each equipped with 63 carriers, along with 28 Humber Scout Cars. Universal Carriers were issued to the support companies in infantry rifle battalions for carrying support weapons (initially 10,[5] 21 by 1941,[6] and up to 33 per battalion by 1943[7]). A British armoured division of 1940–41 had 109 carriers; each motor battalion had 44.{{sfn|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=119}} A British Carrier platoon originally had ten Universal Carriers with three carrier sections of three Universal Carriers each plus another Universal Carrier in the platoon HQ. Each Universal Carrier had a non-commissioned officer (NCO), a rifleman and a driver-mechanic. One Universal Carrier in each section was commanded by a sergeant, the other two by corporals. All the Universal Carriers were armed with a Bren light machine gun and one carrier in each carrier section also had a Boys anti-tank rifle. By 1941, the carrier platoon had increased in strength to contain four carrier sections; one carrier in each carrier section also carried a 2-inch mortar. By 1943, each Universal Carrier had a crew of four, an NCO, driver-mechanic and two riflemen. The Boys anti-tank rifle was also replaced by the PIAT anti-tank weapon. The Universal Carrier's weapons could be fired from in or outside of the carrier. A carrier platoon had a higher number of light support weapons than a rifle company.
To allow the Universal to function as an artillery tractor in emergencies, a towing attachment that could allow it to haul the Ordnance QF 6 pounder anti-tank gun was added from 1943. Normally the Loyd Carrier – which was also used as a general utility carrier – acted as the tractor for the 6-pdr.[1] AustraliaUniversal and the earlier Bren carriers were used by Australian Army units in the Western Desert campaign.{{sfn|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=118}} GermanyCaptured Universal Carriers were used in a number of roles by German forces. A total of around sixty Bren No.2 Carriers and Belgian army Vickers Utility Tractors were converted into demolition vehicles. Carrying a large explosive charge, these would be driven up to enemy positions under remote control and detonated, destroying both themselves and the target. Twenty-nine of both kinds were deployed in 1942 during the Siege of Sevastopol. They achieved some success in destroying Soviet trenches and bunkers, but a significant number were destroyed by artillery. Others were disabled by land mines before reaching their target or were lost because of mechanical breakdowns. A difficulty for the Germans using these foreign-built vehicles was the lack of spare parts.[8] VariantsThe widespread production of the Carrier allowed for several variants to be developed, manufactured and/or used by different countries. Argentine variants
British variants
Australian variants
Canadian variants
United States variants
German variants
Italian variants
OperatorsMany variants of the British Universal Carrier have been fielded and used by the armed forces of the following countries, amongst many others: Pre-war/Second World War period
Post-war period
GallerySee also
Notes1. ^1 2 3 4 {{harvnb|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=124}} 2. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.wwiivehicles.com/unitedkingdom/carriers.asp |title=Britain's Bren Gun Carrier |publisher=WWIIvehicles.com |date=1940-05-10 |accessdate=2010-03-11}} 3. ^1 2 3 4 {{harvnb|McNab|2003| p=142}} 4. ^1 {{harvnb|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=105}} 5. ^An Infantry (Rifle) Battalion, ref II/1931/12B/3, notified in Army Council Instructions 6 April 1938 6. ^An Infantry Battalion (Higher Establishment), ref II/1931/12F/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 4 June 1941. 7. ^An Infantry Battalion, ref II/233/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 19 May 1943, effective date 30 April 1943. 8. ^{{cite book|author1=H. R. Everett|author2=Michael Toscano|title=Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=odjgCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA474|date=13 November 2015|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=978-0-262-33176-0|page=474}} 9. ^Fletcher, p47 10. ^1 {{harvnb|Cecil|1992|page={{page needed|date=August 2018}}}} 11. ^1 {{harvnb|Chamberlain|Crow|1970|p=120}} 12. ^WW II German Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons: [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027135407/http://geocities.com/Augusta/8172/panzerfaust3.htm Page 3: Panzerschreck] 13. ^{{cite book|last=Pier Paolo Battistelli|first=Piero Crociani|title=Italian Soldier in North Africa 1941–1943 (Warrior)|pages=62|publisher=Osprey}} 14. ^{{cite web|title=La bataille de Bir Hakeim|url=http://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/fr/la-bataille-de-bir-hakeim|website=cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr|language=fr|publisher=Ministère de la défense|access-date=28 August 2018}} 15. ^{{cite magazine|language=fr|title=Le Blindorama : L'Irlande, 1919 - 1938|magazine=Batailles & Blindés|issue=39|date=October 2010|publisher=Caraktère|issn=1765-0828|first=Xavier|last=Tracol|pages=4-5}} 16. ^{{cite book|last=Battistelli|first= Pier Paolo|title=Italian Soldier in North Africa, 1941-43|location= London|publisher= Osprey|year= 2013|ISBN=978-1-7809-6855-1|ref=harv|page=62}} 17. ^{{cite magazine|language=fr|title=Le Blindorama : Les Pays-Bas, 1939 - 1945|magazine=Batailles & Blindés|issue=43|date=June 2011|publisher=Caraktère|issn=1765-0828|first=Yann|last=Mahé|pages=4-7}} 18. ^Russia (British Empire War Assistance) HC Deb 16 April 1946 vol 421 cc2513-9 19. ^{{cite magazine|language=fr|title=Le Blindorama: La Yougoslavie, 1930 - 1945|magazine=Batailles & Blindés|issue=53|date=February 2013|publisher=Caraktère|issn=1765-0828|first=Alexandre|last=Thers|pages=4-7}} 20. ^{{cite book|title=Armor of the Afghanistan War|first1=Steven |last1=Zaloga|first2= Wojciech |last2=Luczak|first3= Barry |last3=Beldam|publisher=Concord Publications|series = Armor 2009|year=1992|isbn=978-9623619097|page=3}} 21. ^{{cite magazine|first1=Xavier|last1=Tracol|title=Blindorama : L'Argentine 1926-1945|magazine=Batailles et Blindés|language=fr|date=October 2011|publisher=Caraktère|issn=1765-0828|issue=45|pages=4–7}} 22. ^{{cite book|last=Jowett|first=Philip|title=Modern African Wars (5): The Nigerian-Biafran War 1967-70|year=2016|publisher=Osprey Publishing Press|location=Oxford|isbn=978-1472816092|page=24|ref={{harvid|Jowett|2016}}}} 23. ^B L M E O – IMG 11-0 à 11-111 (in French) 24. ^1 2 3 4 {{harvnb|Fletcher|2005|p=42}} References{{refbegin}}
Further reading
External links{{commons|Universal Carrier}}
6 : Tracked armoured personnel carriers|World War II armoured fighting vehicles of the United Kingdom|World War II armoured fighting vehicles of Australia|World War II armoured fighting vehicles of Canada|Artillery tractors|World War II military equipment of Greece |
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