(Including pre-war vehicles and prototypes)
Pre-word:
With the recent April WW1 game mode, I feel it is time to discuss and create an overview of vehicles that could be added if we ever get a dedicated WW1 mode. I’ve been compiling this list and information over a few years now, and this update finally gave me the kick in the butt to format what I have collected so far to the War Thunder forums. Much information is sparse of this period and I have had to rely on second or even third party sources on certain subjects. Feel free to add more information and sources in the comments or write me a direct message and I’ll add it in. The history of each vehicle will be very short or temporarily blank to save on space, but is something I’m thinking of adding later. If you feel up for it, you could write up the history for any vehicle here and I’ll add it in and credit you personally. :)
Two last caveats: This list will have certain parts divided up in several posts for better comprehension, with ammunition for the guns at the end since many guns use the same ammo and I want to avoid copy+pasting too much. Secondly, for easy reading, vehicles will be posted only with their name+gun and picture in the open, and then with a spoiler below them for the information and data that you will have to click to open if you want to read more about them.
Anyway, let’s start.
Quick list of vehicles and AT-capability rating, ammo dependent (work in progress)
Lancia 1Z with Vickers 3-pdr (47 mm)
Information
Car: Lancia 1Z 30 cwt (1.5t) chassis
Engine: Lancia Tipo 61 4,490 ccм or 1Z Lancia 4-cylinder inline petrol. 35 hp (40 hp up to 30 minutes could be done).
Top Speed: 60 km/h.
Transmission: 4-speed, unknown type.
Drive: 4x2.
Armor: None
Crew: 6
Armament: QF 3-pounder Vickers 5 cwt Mk.II, HA-mount (High Velocity Quick Firing High Angle) (47mm)
Elevation: -5°/+50°(+)
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 20 - 25 RPM
Average Muzzle Velocity: 750 - 785 m/s
Ammunition Dimensions: 47×360mmR. Initially used Hotchkiss 3-pdr shells seated in the new brass. No info on later ammo found so far.
Sources:
Vehicle
Lancia 1ZM - Tank Encyclopedia - The 1ZM armored car was based on the same civilian truck that was used by the British to mount their 3-pdr gun to. Therefore it can be used as a reference to some extent for some parts.
Lancia 1Z - Wikipedia - General info and links to the later armored car. Note that it has the incorrect data for the engine, or at least only provides it for a later version.
https://dzen.ru/media/id/5d36b0ffd4f07a00af1a9d3d/motornye-orudiia-moriakov-qf-3pounder-vickers-1915-esli-postavit-v-kuzov-to-budet-luchshe-60eee83275d86e585e22ed83 - Good article about the vehicle in russian.
Armament
QF 3-pounder Vickers - Wikipedia - Obligatory wiki link.
QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss - Wikipedia - Hotchkiss ammunition, was loaded in Vickers brass early on.
-File:QF3pdrMkVLydditeShellDiagram.jpg - Wikimedia Commons Mk. 5 HE stats
Britain Vickers 3-pdr (1.4 kg) [1.85"/50 (47 mm)] QF Marks I and II - NavWeaps - Some basic information, but a bit slim.
Glossary of British ordnance terms - Wikipedia - Explanation of the term “Steel Shell”.
https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE5295028&file=FL19042040&mode=browse - Manual for the steel shell in use in the Nordenfelt gun ( QF 3-pounder Nordenfelt - Wikipedia ), which was reseated into the brass of the Vickers. Firing table has data on a shell of 3.3 lbs, which is the only time the projectile weight is mentioned, but since only the steel and iron projectiles are covered in the manual I assume the weight is for those. Still, it’s fishy that it’s the same weight as the HE rounds.
47 mm скорострелно оръдие Хочкис – Уикипедия - Bulgarian wiki claiming steel and cast iron projectiles weighed 1.5 kg. So it seems there’s some weight to the 1.5kg claim.
ASMRB / 3 pdr QF Hotchkiss Gun - This source claims lyddite was loaded instead of black powder in shells from 1890 onwards. Also that the cast iron round could pen almost 1” of steel.
https://dzen.ru/a/YPAFkhZTtCYU_gpE?referrer_clid=1400& - This article states that eight of these vehicle were based at the estate of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich at Kenwood House where all vehicles of the Royal Naval Anti-Aircraft Mobile Brigade were, including the French De Dion 75mm gun cars aquired early on at the same time. It also claims the guns were Mk.II models.
Daimler 3-ton w/ 3-inch 20 cwt (76.2 mm)
Information
Car: Daimler 3-ton lorry. Likely the 1915 Y-type as it’s the most popular, or the earlier famous B- or CB-type (40 HP).
Engine: 4-cylinder, 110mm×150mm, 5,702cc, water-cooled. 30 HP @1,000 rpm?. (40 HP according to this, this, and this source)
Top Speed: ??
Transmission: 4-speed & reverse
Drive: ?? (rear-wheel drive is pretty much the universal standard so it’s likely that)
Armor: None
Weight: 6-7 tons, according to a single Russian article.
Armament: QF 3-inch 20 cwt (76.2mm), Mk.I or Mk.I*.
Mount: Mounting 3in AA Mk 4
Elevation: −10°/+90°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 16-18 RPM (with 7.26 kg shells)
Average Muzzle Velocity: 760-762 m/s (5.7 kg shell), or 610-640 m/s (7.26 kg shell)
Statcard from Ian Hogg’s “Allied Artillery of World War One” for ‘Ordnance, QF, 3in 20-cwt Mk 1 on Mounting, 3in AA, Mk IV’.
Calibre: 3in
Weight of gun: 2,250lb
Length of gun: 140in
Length of bore: 45 calibres
Rifling grooves: 20
Rifling twist: RH, 1/30
Breach: Block, percussion
Total weight: 13,318lb
Recoil: 11in
Elevation: +10° to +90°
Traverse: 360°
Shell weight: 16lb
Muzzle velocity: 2,500ft/sec
Max ceiling: 37,200
Sources:
Vehicle
1915 DAIMLER 30HP Y-TYPE 3-TON FLAT BED LORRY | Christie's - Some history and data on an auction site.
File:Daimler Flatbed Lorry PW104 WattsLydneyGlos.jpg - Wikimedia Commons - Claims it may have been a CB22.
Armament
QF 3-inch 20 cwt - Wikipedia - General info on the gun.
- File:QF3inchShrapnel&TracerMkIShellDiagram.jpg - Wikipedia - Mark I Shrapnel shell. Also states that the Mark 2 omitted provisions for night tracer and thus could carry 83 shrapnel balls.
3 inch 20 cwt Gun - The Royal Artillery 1939-45 - Gun and mount variants. - File:QF3inchShrapnelCartridgeMkI.jpg - Wikipedia - Diagram of Shrapnel cartridge.
Britain 12-pdr [3"/45 (76.2 cm)] 20cwt QF HA Marks I, II, III and IV - NavWeaps - Has a slightly higher value for muzzle velocities.
https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE5358452&file=FL18684890&mode=browse - Manual for motor gun crew for the gun and roles. Dated 1923, but data is still valid in general for earlier use.
https://wiki.warthunder.com/76_mm/45_QF_3in_20cwt_(76_mm) - Data on shells already in the game.
WarWheels.Net-Peerless Anti-Aircraft Truck Index - This source claims Daimler CC models were used. Hard to confirm.
Thorneycroft J-Type w/ 13-pdr 6 cwt Mark III AA (76.2 mm) (Mark 2 mounting)
Information
Below: Alternative version of Elswick Ordnance Company’s 13-pdr Mk 4, with a 1-caliber shorter barrel and muzzle velocity, and screw-breech.
Thorneycroft J-Type w/ 13pdr 9 cwt Mark 3 AA (Mk 4 High-Angle Mounting (HA-mount), with missing fuse-setting dial wheel)
Car: Thorneycroft J-Type lorry, 1911.
Engine: Thornycroft I-4, 6,256 cc petrol. 45 bhp
Top Speed: 19.3 km/h (23 km/h according to another source)
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse
Drive: 4x2
Armor: None
Mass: 4,520 kg (3,250 kg without the gun)
Crew: 5. 1 driver, and 4 crew for the armament.
Armament: 13-pdr 6 cwt AA (A.K.A. Ordnance QF 13 pounder Mk 3 (incorporating a “cartridge retaining catch”))
Mount: Mark 1 Mounting (dual spring cases/buffers), or Mark 2 Mounting (single spring case/buffer)
Elevation: −0°/+70° (Both Mk1 and Mk2 mountings)
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: ??
Average Muzzle Velocity: 490 m/s (549 m/s using 7,439g projectile according to this source)
-Alternative Armament: 13-pdr 6 cwt Mk 4 AA
Mount: Mark 1 Motor Lorry Mounting
Elevation: −0°/+85°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: ??
Average Muzzle Velocity: 1,600 ft/s (488 m/s)
Ammunition Dimensions: 76.2x313mmR
Sources:
Vehicle
Thornycroft J Type - Wikipedia - Main source for the lorry.
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/spg_thornycroft_j.htm - More info and stats.
Armament
QF 13-pounder 6 cwt AA gun - Wikipedia - Main gun.
-QF 13-pounder gun - Wikipedia - Main gun in field version, more data. Also Some data on HE shell listed.
-File:QF13pdrMkIIShrapnelRoundDiagram.jpg - Wikipedia - Shrapnel round data.
Allied Artillery of World War One by Ian Hogg, page 154-56 - Source on mounts and Elsewick Ordnance’s 13-pdr.
QF 13-pounder Mk IV AA gun - Wikipedia - wiki article on the Mk 4.
&
Thorneycroft J-Type w/ 13-pdr 9 cwt Mark III AA (76.2 mm) (New gun that uses 13-pdr projectile in 18-pdr case)
Above: Model of the real vehicle
Information
Car: Thorneycroft J-Type lorry, 1911.
Engine: Thornycroft I-4, 6,256 cc petrol. 45 bhp
Top Speed: 19.3 km/h (23 km/h according to another source)
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse
Drive: 4x2
Armor: None
Mass: 4,520 kg (3,250 kg without the gun)
Crew: 5. 1 driver, and 4 crew for the armament.
Armament: 13-pdr 9 cwt AA
Mount: Mark 4 mounting (most common). Mark 3 (13-pdr 6-cwt Mk2 mount reconfigured, unsuccessful).
Elevation: −0°/+80°
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 8 rpm
Average Muzzle Velocity: 655 - 670 m/s
Ammunition: Same projectiles as the 13-pdr 6 cwt Mark III AA, but seated in a larger and necked down 18-pdr (84x295mmR) brass case to give it a higher muzzle velocity.
Statcard from Ian Hogg’s “Allied Artillery of World War One” for the ‘Ordnance QF, 13pdr 9cwt Mk I on Mounting, Motor Lorry Mk III or Mk IV’
Calibre: 3in
Weight of gun: 1,008lb
Length of gun: 96.96in
Length of bore: 30.9 calibres
Rifling grooves: 18
Rifling twist: RH, 1/30
Breech: Screw, percussion
Total Weight: 16,800lb
Recoil: 35in
Elevation: 0° to +80°
Traverse: 360°
Shell weight: 13lb
Muzzle velocity: 2,150ft/sec
Max ceiling: 19,000ft
—
Note: The most common mountings for the 13-Pounder 9 cwt, was the Mark 4 mounting.
Sources:
QF 13-pounder 9 cwt - Wikipedia - Main gun.
Weapons - Artillery - 13 lb field gun | planetFigure | Miniatures - Pictures of ammo cart
WarWheels.Net- Thornycroft 13 Pounder Anti-Aircraft Truck Index General info on the main one but also on others (gun+car).
http://www.landships.info/landships/artillery_articles/13pdr_AA.html - Gives a lower number of the muzzle velocity as 655 m/s.
Forum discussions
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/80960-13-pdr-anti-aircraft-gun/
Daimler Mk.3 Lorry w/ 13-pdr 6 cwt Mark III AA (Mark 1 mounting)
Information
Car: Daimler Mark 3 Lorry
Engine: Daimler petrol (similar in performance to the Thorneycroft J-Type Lorry, á ~45 HP. Otherwise, most Daimler engines at that time were rated at 40 HP, like the one for the Omnibus which was also used for Daimler trucks).
Top Speed: ~20 km/h
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse? (Conjecture based on the Daimler 3-ton)
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: None
Mass: ~4,000 kg (not known if this is with or without gun)
Armament: 13-pdr 6 cwt Mark III AA (Already listed for another vehicle, Thorneycroft J-Type).
Mounting: Mark 1 mounting (as seen by the two spring cases/buffers above the barrel).
Crew: 5. Driver, commander, loader, and two gunners.
Sources:
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/spg_daimler_13pdr.htm - General info on vehicle and gun setup.
QF 13-pounder 6 cwt AA gun - Wikipedia - Info on gun and picture of it mounted on the Mk.III lorry.
Daimler Company - Wikipedia - some info on use of 40 HP Daimler engines.
WarWheels.Net- Thornycroft 13 Pounder Anti-Aircraft Truck Index - This source claims Daimler CC models were used. Hard to confirm.
Peerless TC-4 w/ 13-pounder 6 cwt Mark IV
Information
Car: Peerless TC-4 (4-Ton Truck)
Engine: Peerless 4-cylinder. 40 HP.
Transmission: 4-speed, likely with one reverse gear.
Top Speed: 25.7 km/h
Drive: 4x2
Armor: None
Mass: 6,500 - 7,000 kg (with gun included)
Crew: 5
Armament data already listed for another vehicle: Thorneycroft J-Type w/ 13-pounder 6 cwt.
Sources:
Peerless armoured car - Wikipedia - The armored car was built on the same chassis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuc4XARvw-Y - Tank Chats #26 Peerless Armored Car. Additional info.
Bonhams Cars : 1915 Peerless TC4 4-Ton Open Back Lorry Chassis no. 621 Engine no. 419 - Some history from an auction site on the Peerless base version.
http://what-when-how.com/cars/peerless-five-ton-trucktc-5-car/ - Data on the 5-ton variant, which uses a 4+1 gearbox.
WarWheels.Net-Peerless Anti-Aircraft Truck Index - General info, if a bit short.
File:13 pounder 9 cwt AA gun near Boyelles May 1917 IWM Q 5314.jpg - Wikimedia Commons - 13pdr truck
&
Peerless TC-4 w/ 13-pounder 9 cwt (1915)
Above: Camouflaged Peerless with 13-pdr 9 cwt in a 3-inch gun mounting. This fitting was referred to as the ‘Type-A’.
Information
Car: Peerless TC-4 (4-Ton Truck)
Engine: Peerless 4-cylinder. 40 HP.
Transmission: 4-speed, likely with one reverse gear.
Top Speed: 25.7 km/h
Drive: 4x2
Armor: None
Mass: 6,500 - 7,000 kg (with gun included)
Crew: 5
Armament: already listed for another vehicle: Thorneycroft J-Type w/ 13-pounder 9 cwt.
Mount: Same as the 3-inch 20 cwt listed for another vehicle: Daimler 3-ton w/ 3-inch 20 cwt (76.2 mm)
Sources:
Peerless armoured car - Wikipedia - The armored car was built on the same chassis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuc4XARvw-Y - Tank Chats #26 Peerless Armored Car. Additional info.
Bonhams Cars : 1915 Peerless TC4 4-Ton Open Back Lorry Chassis no. 621 Engine no. 419 - Some history from an auction site on the Peerless base version.
http://what-when-how.com/cars/peerless-five-ton-trucktc-5-car/ - Data on the 5-ton variant, which uses a 4+1 gearbox.
WarWheels.Net-Peerless Anti-Aircraft Truck Index - General info, if a bit short.
File:13 pounder 9 cwt AA gun near Boyelles May 1917 IWM Q 5314.jpg - Wikimedia Commons - 13pdr truck
Peerless TC-4 w/ 3-inch 20 cwt (1915)
Information
Car: Peerless TC-4 (4-Ton Truck)
Engine: Peerless 4-cylinder. 40 HP.
Transmission: 4-speed, likely with one reverse gear.
Top Speed: 25.7 km/h
Drive: 4x2
Armor: None
Mass: 6,500 - 7,000 kg (13-pdr version. The 3-inch 20 cwt variant was likely slightly heavier)
Armament: 3-inch 20 cwt. Already listed on a previous vehicle: Daimler 3-ton w/ 3-inch 20 cwt (76.2 mm)
Sources:
Peerless armoured car - Wikipedia - The armored car was built on the same chassis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuc4XARvw-Y - Tank Chats #26 Peerless Armored Car. Additional info.
Bonhams Cars : 1915 Peerless TC4 4-Ton Open Back Lorry Chassis no. 621 Engine no. 419 - Some history from an auction site on the Peerless base version.
http://what-when-how.com/cars/peerless-five-ton-trucktc-5-car/ - Data on the 5-ton variant, which uses a 4+1 gearbox.
WarWheels.Net-Peerless Anti-Aircraft Truck Index - General info, if a bit short.
File:13 pounder 9 cwt AA gun near Boyelles May 1917 IWM Q 5314.jpg - Wikimedia Commons - 13pdr truck
Specific for the 3-inch 20 cwt version
File:13 pounder 9 cwt AA gun near Boyelles May 1917 IWM Q 5314.jpg - Wikimedia Commons - 13pdr truck
-https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3inch20cwtAAgunPeerlessLorryWWI.jpg - QF 3-inch on the truck.
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/spg_peerless_3inch_20cwt.htm - General history and data (Crew = 5).
Packard unknown model (3-ton?) w/ 13-Pdr 6 cwt
pic source: https://armoredcars-ww-one.blogspot.com/2016/06/british-packard-lorry-with-13pdr-6-cwt.html
Information (awaiting more info)
Car: Packard 3-ton(?)
Engine:
Transmission:
Top Speed:
Drive:
Armor: none
Armament: 13-pdr 6 cwt Mark III AA (Already listed for another vehicle, Thorneycroft J-Type).
Sources:
Awaiting further info and editing.
Rolls-Royce w/ 1-Pdr Pom-Pom ‘Fire Support’
Information
Car: Rolls Royce Armoured Car (turret removed)
Engine: 6-cylinder petrol. 80 HP.
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse.
Top Speed: 72.4 km/h
Drive: 4x2
Armor: 12mm (David Fletcher claims 8mm). Turret replaced with the gun mount with gun shield of unknown thickness.
Armament: 1-Pounder (37mm) Pom-Pom.
Elevation: −5°/+80° (WT forum post claims -10/+25)
Traverse: 360°. Uses a 360° traverse mount, but the gunner might be confined to stand in the rear bed.
Rate of fire: ~300 rpm
Average Muzzle Velocity: 550 m/s
Feed System: 50 round belts.
Ammunition Dimensions 37x94mmR
Sources:
Vehicle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Armoured_Car - Wiki article for easy reading.
https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/484115-rolls-royce-armored-car-w-qf-1-pdr-pom-pom/ - WT suggestion.
https://warwheels.net/Model_RollsRoyce1914with1pounderAllen.html - 1:35 model of the vehicle with the Pom-Pom.
Armament
https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE5557039&file=FL18720344&mode=browse - Manual from 1902 for the gun and ammo.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:QF1pounderCartridgeDiagram.jpg - stats for Mk.II common and tracer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_1-pounder_pom-pom#British_ammunition Obligatory wiki for easy reading.
De Dion-Bouton w/ Soixante-Quinze mle 1913 (French 75 mm AA)
Four of these were loaned from France after an air raid on Britain
Information
Car: Dion H.T. truck.
Engine: V8. 35 HP @1,350 - 1,500 rpm. (56-60 brake tax-horsepower (CV))
Top speed: 30 km/h
Tank: 150 liters, gasoline. Tank fixed to the front apron.
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 rear. Differential with cardan cross shaft.
Drive: 4x2, RWD.
Armor: Semi-covering armor for left-side gun crew. Estimated 5-7mm (small arms proof).
Mass: 5,600 kg
Total Length: 4.80 m
Total Width: 1.9 m
Wheel Width: 140mm (front), 230mm (rear)
Turn Radius: 13 m
Armament: 75mm Mle 1897/Mle 1913 (mle 1913 is on a new mount for AA purposes). Same weapon as on the St.Chamond in War Thunder’s WW1 mode, AKA the “French '75”.
Muzzle Velocity: 550 m/s (575 m/s according to wikipedia)
Rate of Fire: 1 shot every 4 seconds (15 RPM)
Elevation: −0°/+70°
Traverse: 240°-360°, engine compartment is in the way for the recoiling mechanism for elevated shots from the rear.
Ammunition Load: Usually carried by a dedicated car. Boxes carries 45 rounds in a 9x5 pattern of tubes.
Crew (with ammo car):
Commander; a rangefinder brigadier; a sight adjuster; a drift adjuster; a man for elevation; a gunner/shooter; a loader ; an ammo carrier; an unblocker; and two outfitter-drivers.
Simplified, there were three guys on the mount, a driver, and a passenger seat next to the driver (possibly for the commander). For a total of five crew members for the gun car (it looks like another man can sit on the mount, but this is not certain). For travel it was usually reduced to four men, but for game-play you can make it five men since there should be seats for all.
The gun also have access to a 1m coincidence rangefinder.
At the signing of the armistice, 160 pieces were in service. Britain borrowed four vehicles for AA defence at home.
It is possible that other ammunition types were used, both during and after the war. The French 75 was a versatile gun with quite a selection of ammunition, and would even have a few more shells developed for it after WW1. This could make balancing easier, by just removing or adding ammunition types.
In British Royal Navy service, the French cars often seem to be lacking armor in the photos that I’ve seen, and looks more like commercial vehicles with their glass windshields still on which you don’t see on the semi-armoured French ones.
The british also produced their own mount and paired them with French 75mm guns guns bought separately. This was the Coventry Ordnance Works (COW) ‘Center Trunnion Mount’. The original French mount was called the ‘Breech Trunnion Mount’. Their names gives an indication as to how they were installed in the mount. The British ‘Center Trunnion’ version was a necessity due to the guns that were bought only consisted of the gun and the cradle, while the ones used by the French AA-cars had a specially designed cradle that included balancing springs to be able to hold the gun so far back. These CT-mount guns were fitted to DeDion, Lancia and Daimler lorries (Two sources, Ian Hogg and David Fletcher, both mention the DeDion and Daimler lorries being used, but not which kind of Daimler). So far the only two photos that shows off the COW CT-mount looks like they are installed on DeDion cars. A Daimler or Lancia photo might be out there, but I haven’t found any yet. [Fletcher’s page 62-64, Hogg’s page 167-170].
Above: Coventry Ordnance Works (COW) centre-trunnion mount for the French 75mm. Only a few were produced for British AA duties. Name: DeDion 75mm COW Mount (?)
Sources:
Main two sources for info here:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160911211842/http://basart.artillerie.asso.fr/article.php3?id_article=1120
- https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9614878h/f118
Other Sources:
Vehicle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dion-Bouton - Main info on engine performance.
https://historicvehicles.com.au/historic-car-brands/de-dion-bouton/ - Source of horsepower, and that a 3.5L version was made.
https://www.armyvehicles.dk/dedionbouton.htm - Different liter models source.
https://cdn.ecommercedns.uk/files/2/229812/9/6313569/document-20190624-0029.jpg - Stat card on a civil long variant, 74 bhp.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dion-Bouton_Type_EF - More stats on a variant. 1,500 rpm and 83 km/h.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TPfIUbAuJc - Video of just the engine running.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1909_De_Dion-Bouton_35_HP_V-8_engine.jpg - View of engine from above.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:De_Dion_Bouton_1913.jpg - Photo of one variant used by the French. This might be a 1915 lorry version, seen here at the bottom of the page: https://www.svvs.org/philippines1.shtml .
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/De-Dion-Bouton-V8-Modelle - German wiki with info on the V8 models. Best source to go on.
LGOC/AEC B-Type ‘Samson’ w/ Vickers 3-Pdr
The original gun car, with the Vickers 3-pdr on a B-type bus chassis.
(not to be confused by the armored variant that only had MG armaments)
Information
Car: LGOC/AEC B-Type Bus (stripped down to a flatbeg config)
Engine: 4-cylinder side valve petrol. 25 HP. Later superseded by a larger 30 HP, and even a 45 HP engine
Transmission: 4-speed silent chain gearbox, likely with one reverse gear.
Top Speed: 19 - 56 km/h (Bus config)
Drive: 4x2
Armor: Gun shield, unknown thickness. Wood sides on the bed lined with sheet steel on the inside, of unknown thickness.
Weight: ~3,000 (One source guesses it to around 7 tons, with no explanation, however)
Crew: 5
Armament: QF 3-pounder Vickers 5 cwt LA-mount (-5°/+30°), likely Mark I mount. (Gun covered on Lancia 1Z)
Above: Image from the rear that displays the gun shield better.
Image source: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/wwi-n-samson-pd-gun-army-truck-167789954
Sources:
https://motor-car.net/aec/item/16391-aec-lgoc-b-type - Basic stats on the B-Type.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGOC_B-type - Obligatory wiki article on it. Includes claims of max speed.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKLSoLnrWgHz8baW7kL92RMMxAzJ9g7nV - Playlist of the bus version, including engine running.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ltmuseum/albums/72157634796129667/page6 - Some photos of the restoration of the same bus in the above youtube playlist.
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/ac_b_type.htm - Some info on the armored lorry variant.
https://dzen.ru/a/XpbFtnwqqkjVLUHE?referrer_clid=1400& - This source claims the armament is a Hotchkiss 3-pdr, which could be correct, but several other sources cites it as a Vickers 3-pdr. The Hotchkiss’ 3-pdr shells have been covered as they’re the same as used in the Vickers 3-pdr. The Hotchkiss has a muzzle velocity of 1,873 ft/s (571 m/s) and an elevation of -35/+25 on a pedestal mount (Source: Ian Hogg’s British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918).
https://archive.armorama.com/forums/282287/ - Some light discussion about the vehicle.
Books
- The London B-type motor omnibus, by G J Robbins and J B Atkinson. I don’t have this myself but it should contain more detailed technical info.
- War Cars - British Armoured Cars in the First World War, by David Fletcher. Has a picture of the gun car and a brief history.
Mercedes-Daimler ‘Samson’ w/ Vickers 3-Pdr
Information
Car: “Mercedes-Daimler” according to fletcher’s book on British WW1 armoured cars. The closest I can find (and I’m pretty certain of this) is the Daimler Type-DM series of lorrys (M standing for Marienfelde), typically 1908 or 1910 model date on photos. History about it can be found in the first source, and it will be the the vehicle which the stats are cited of.
Pre-Subsidy Engines: 4-cylinder. DM 2a 22hp; DM 2b 28hp; DM 4a 28hp; DM 6 35hp.
Post-Subsidy Engines: 4-cyl, DM 2-½a 22hp; DM 2-½b 35hp; DM 3a & 3b 30hp; DM 4 35hp; DM 5 35 or 40hp; DM 6b 45hp.
Transmission: Mercedes-type differential, 4 forward, 1 reverse. Cardan or pinion drive, vehicle dependent.
Top Speed: 16-18 km/h
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: Gun shield, unknown thickness. Armor partially around driver’s cab, 6.35mm.
Quantity: 30
Dimensions: 7300x2100x1800 mm
Armament: QF 3-pounder Vickers 5 cwt LA-mount (-5°/+30°), likely Mark I mount. (Gun covered on Lancia 1Z)
Sources:
http://www.legends-of-trucking.de/model/10/daimler-lastwagen-marienfelde-2 - The best contender for the lorry.
-http://www.legends-of-trucking.de/model/16/daimler-marienfelde-lastwagen - Later wartime subsidy types including the 3b.
https://armoredcars-ww-one.blogspot.com/2011/12/rnas-3-pdr-47-mm-gun-carrier-lorry.html -likely a photo of it.
https://www.bilnorge.no/bilmerkenes-historie-mercedes-benz/mercedes-benz-tungbiler/923131 - A firetruck model in the slideshow designated as a “1910 daimler chassis”
-https://mercedes-benz-publicarchive.com/marsClassic/en/instance/ko/1-March-1910.xhtml?oid=4909722#prevId=56266 - same photo as above, also stated as 1910, but also model of Type DM 3b, with a “4-Zylinder-Motor La 10254 […] 35 HP, pinion drive”.
https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/87077 - Manual for a different Mercedes-Daimler vehicle. Engine could be the same, and it says it has an effect of 40 horsepower at 1,000 rpm. It could, if no other source found, be used as a loose reference to at least get a ball-park rpm-value.
https://dzen.ru/a/XpsmJkKSiDERoRw4?referrer_clid=1400& - This source claims it’s a Marienfelde 3b, and that it uses a hotchkiss gun. Fletcher’s book only mentions that it’s a 3-pdr, but no make or model. Funnily enough the article even sources a photo that says the vehicle uses the Vickers, and adds that context under the photo in text, so it’s odd that the article still insist on the Hotchkiss.
Seabrook 5-ton armoured lorry w/ Vickers 3-pdr
Information
Car: Seabrook 5-ton lorry. (Seabrook actually only imported and resold vehicles. Actual lorry from SMTC, Detroit, USA)
Engine: 4-cylinder Continental. 32-32.4 HP (40 HP @1,000 rpm).
Transmission: Brown Lipe, Selective, 4 forward and 1 reverse. (Same type but with 3 forward + 1 reverse, also existed)
Top Speed: 32 km/h
Drive: 4x2
Armor: 8mm plate all around. Gun shield of unknown thickness.
Weight: 10,160.5 kg
Crew: 4-7-9 (4 men comes from Fletcher’s book on gun cars, 9 from a Russian site, 7 from pictures and conjecture.)
Dimensions: 7300x2100x1800 mm
The sides of the bed can be lower partially or fully to allow shots from a level or depressed elevation from the sides.
Armament: QF 3-pounder Vickers 5 cwt LA-mount (-5°/+30°), likely Mark I mount but both Mark I and Mark II are supposed to have been used according to one russian site. (Gun covered on Lancia 1Z). Most, but not all, guns were equipped with a gun shield.
Up to four water-cooled Vickers MG could be carried, with mounts in each corner of the bed for one each. But usually only one was carried, often in one of the two forward corner mounts.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabrook_armoured_lorry
https://dzen.ru/a/Xplb8FOzzyRcK3bR
http://www.landships.info/landships/car_articles.html?load=car_articles/Seabrook.html - 32.2 hp engine, every bit helps, I guess.
https://warwheels.net/SeabrookArmoredTruckINDEX.html - More info and crew of 7.
https://mycompanies.fandom.com/wiki/Standard_Motor_Truck_Company_(MI) - Contains sales posters, including the 5-tonner. Dated to 1918 so might not be accurate for the version imported and rebuilt to an armored lorry in 1915.
https://www.autopaper.com/1913-1914-1915-standard-motor-trucks-a-complete-line-sales-folder.php - This early sales folder shows some different stats for the 5-tonner (e.g. 55 HP @1,300 rpm). The 3-½ tonner’s stats seems to match better what other sources state.
Pierce-Arrow w/ Vickers 3-pdr
These were sent to Russia together with British expeditionary forces.
Information
Car: Pierce-Arrow 5-ton
Engine: 4-cylinder. 30 HP
Transmission:
Top Speed: 40 km/h.
Drive: 4x2
Armor: ~9mm (15.9mm to wikipedia). Two later models (turreted) only had 5mm.
Registration number OA-2349 ‘Ulster’ was a Pierce-Arrow truck with a Seabrook armored body and gun.
The turret was removed from at least one of the trucks and replaced with a simple gun shield, and plates on the truck sides.
Weight: About 9 long tons for turreted 3-pdr with 9mm armor.
Crew: 4-5. Three or four men for the gun, and one driver.
Production: x3 with 9mm armor (‘Ulster’ included), later there were maybe x2 more with 5mm armor. x3-5 total.
Above: The turretless ‘Ulster’ gun car, seen here loaded onto a train
Armament: QF 3-pounder Vickers 5 cwt, unknown mount, inside an armored turret, ~300° traverse. (Gun covered on Lancia 1Z)
Sources:
https://dzen.ru/a/YH6HM-65RmZP4YvN
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/ac_pierce-arrow.htm - General info in Russian. Unknown reliability.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce-Arrow_armoured_AA_lorry - General read of the AA variant.
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce-Arrow_armoured_lorry - Some info on the 3-pdr variant. Questionable data.
Pierce-Arrow AA w/ 2-pdr AA
These were sent to Russia together with British expeditionary forces.
Information (Awaiting editing and addition of information for armament)
Car: Pierce-Arrow 5-ton
Engine: 4-cylinder. 30 HP
Transmission:
Top Speed: 40 km/h.
Drive: 4x2
Armor: 5mm (early version) or 7.5-8mm (late version).
Weight: 6 long tons for Pom-Pom variants with 5mm armor.
Crew: 4-5. Three or four men for the gun, and one driver. AA variant can have a machine gunner (+1) next to the driver.
Production: x32 with 5mm armor, later x16 with 8mm armor. x48 total.
Armament: QF 2-pounder 40mm “Pom-Pom” Mark II autocannon. 360° traverse (did not use an armored turret). One forward .303 Vickers. [AWAITING MORE INFO AND EDITING]
Sources:
https://dzen.ru/a/YH6HM-65RmZP4YvN
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/ac_pierce-arrow.htm - General info in Russian. Unknown reliability.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce-Arrow_armoured_AA_lorry - General read of the AA variant.
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce-Arrow_armoured_lorry - Some info on the 3-pdr variant. Questionable data.
Peerless Armored Lorry w/ 2-pdr AA
American truck, armored in Britain and shipped for use by the Russian Empire.
Information
Car: Peerless TC-5 (5-tonner). TC-3 according to a Russian site.
Engine: Peerless 4-cylinder in-line liquid cooled. 32.4 HP (NAAC rating).
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse. Selective sliding to a double chain drive.
Top Speed: 45 km/h, 8 km/h reverse (25.7 km/h? based on the similar TC-4)
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: It used the same armored body as the Pierce-Arrow due to the similar dimensions - 5mm or 7.8mm (0.28”).
Crew: 4-5 (Same as Pierce-Arrow AA).
Weight: ~4,800 kg
Production: x16, for use by the Imperial Russian Army.
Armament: QF 2-pounder 40mm “Pom-Pom” Mark II autocannon. 360° traverse. One forward .303 Vickers. (The top image shows a marketing photo with two machine guns. Could be a possibility?)
One image shows what could be a TC-5 with a “3-inch 20 cwt” gun. The gun is mislabeled as a 13-pdr, so it could be wrong about the truck as well, which could be a TC-4 which I covered earlier with that exact armament.
The wikipedia page claims the trucks used 2-pdr Pom-Poms, yet David Fletcher’s book claims they are 1-pdr Pom-Poms. They could have been a mix of both or one of the sources are wrong. Either way, this section assumes the more recent info on wikipedia is the correct one. Otherwise, info on the 1-pdr Pom-Pom has already been covered in case of a future correction.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce-Arrow_armoured_AA_lorry#Peerless_armoured_AA_lorry - Little info, but crucial.
http://what-when-how.com/cars/peerless-five-ton-trucktc-5-car/ - Odd selection of specs of the truck.
-https://www.plandegraissage.org/gb/truck/21914-peerless-10000-pound-truck-tc5-fiche-info-1917.html - alt link.
http://aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/greatbritain/ac_peerles_aa.htm - Info and weight stat.
https://forums.aaca.org/topic/265946-peerless-trucks/?do=findComment&comment=2147840 - Alleged TC-5 with a 3-inch gun.
I believe more detailed info could be found in the book “British Military Trucks of World War One, by Tim Gosling (Tankograd Publishing)” but I have been unable to find a copy so far.
SMT Lothian w/ Hotchkiss 3/6-Pounder?
Information
Car: Lothian 3-ton lorry (made by Scottish Motor Traction)
Engine: Water-cooled Tylor subsidy model, 50 hp @1,300 rpm. Another source states simply a 35 hp engine.
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse. Chain drive gearbox with propeller shaft to rear axle.
Top Speed: ??
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: None
Crew: ~5
Weight: ?? (the ‘3-ton’ refers to the weight it can carry, not the vehicle’s own mass)
Armament
No information given. But gleaming from the picture it looks to be either a Vickers 3-pdr, or Hotchkiss 3-pdr or 6-pdr. There is a very small possibility that it could be a Nordenfelt 6-pdr, but these usually didn’t have a shoulder brace, but since they were being phased out there’s a possibility that a phased out gun in storage could have been re-purposed due to an availability of them. With that said, since the Vickers 3-pdr has been covered earlier, and the Nordenfeldt 6-pdr is unlikely, I will only cover the 3-pounder and 6-pounder Hotchkiss guns here.
Alternative 1
Armament: QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss (L/40)
Elevation: Unknown mount used, est. -5°/+25° based on the Mark I & Mark I* available for the 3-pdr.
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 30 RPM
Average Muzzle Velocity: 571 - 574 m/s
Ammunition boxes in naval use was made of teak or mahogany wood with a tinned copper lining (No. 2, Mk. I (Lyddite Shells); or No. 1, Mk. IX (Steel Shells)), or zinc lining (Mark VIII (for Steel Shells)), and carried 16 rounds in each (likely in a stacked 4x4 formation). Boxes for Lyddite Shells are painted in “lead colour” and boxes for Steel Shells (and gun powder+practice) are painted yellow, no paint on the inside.
Alternative 2
Armament: QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss (A.K.A. QF 6 pounder 8 cwt)
Elevation: Unknown conic mount used, est. -5°/+38° based on the “Non-Recoil” mount for the Hotchkiss 6-pdr.
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 20 - 25 RPM
Average Muzzle Velocity: 538 - 554 m/s
Ammunition Dimensions: 47x376mmR
Ammunition boxes in naval use was made of teak or mahogany wood with a tinned copper (Mk. VII) or zinc lining (Mk. VI), and carried 11 rounds in each (likely in a stacked 4-3-4 formation). The boxes are rectangular with square ends, one of which is the lid. Boxes are painted in “stone colour”, no paint on the inside.
Sources:
Vehicle:
https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/21st-october-1915/11/the-scottish-motor-traction-co-ltd-and-its-lothian - Article about the Scottish Motor Traction (SMT) company and their Lothian model.
https://motoringheritage.co.uk/product/lothian-chassis-a-35-h-p-chassis/ - Same type used in gun truck photo in Fletcher’s book. The site’s photo titles it as having 35 hp, while they should have been using the Tylor engine with 50 hp. Clarification is needed which engine was used in the photo’s lorry type. The link below includes this photo and states that it is a prototype and the production versions had the engine and driver next to each other, which the gun truck does not have and matches better with the prototype. https://www.lilypublications.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/digitalbooks/Bus%20Flip%20Book/files/basic-html/page16.html - Digital flipbook with some short info and pics. - https://www.keymilitary.com/article/government-subsidy pay-2-view article which may have more info on the question.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Y_Type - Engine stats. The AEC Y-Type used either the Tylor subsidy or Daimler engine.
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Office_Subsidy_Scheme - Some info on the subsidy scheme for those interested.
Armament, Hotchkiss 3-Pounder:
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_3pounder_H_mk1.php - Mount elevation data.
https://rnzaoc.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/treatise-on-ammunition-1915.pdf - More info on shells in 1915. p.401.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_3-pounder_Hotchkiss - Obligatory wiki link.
Armament, Hotchkiss 6-Pounder:
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNBR_6pounder_m1.php - Mount elevation data.
https://www.fortsiloso.com/singaporeguns/hotchkiss/hotchkiss.htm - Weight data for parts of the gun.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:QF6pdrCartridgesMkXIIIMkXIV.jpg - Steel shell data (APLE)
-https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HotchkissMkIVBasePercussionFuze.jpg - Fuze used on steel shell.
https://rnzaoc.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/treatise-on-ammunition-1915.pdf - More info on shells in 1915.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:QF_6_pounder_Hotchkiss#/media/File:QF6pdrHotchkissDiagram.jpg - This image shows that there should be a shrapnel shell and case shot shell available, but I can’t find anything on their existence. The Common and Steel shells seems to have been lumped together by 1915 as both designs can be found in the 1915 “Treatise on Ammunition” titled as Steel Shells.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_6-pounder_Hotchkiss - Obligatory wiki link.
Maudsley 1909/1910 w/ Driggs-Schroeder 37mm Autocannon (McClean Mk III)
Information
History
In 1909, Driggs-Schroeder sent a new autocannon they had been working on, or namely one of their inventors by the name of McClean, to the Maudsley Motor Company of Coventry, and together with a specially modified car chassis they were used to create a demonstration vehicle with the gun in the rear.
The vehicle can have a driver, and seemingly a co-driver, in the front. With one or two crew members manning the gun, which is pointed rearwards and can likely only be traversed lightly since there is only room for the gunner(s) behind the gun while sitting back-to-back with the driver. The gun seems to be able to pivot freely to an extent in its cradle/mount, with a horizontal traverse wheel that can be turned to traverse the gun’s cradle further for larger adjustments. There is a seat for the gunner which is connected to the gun mount and sits above the vehicle’s sides. This could mean that the gunner can traverse in nearly 360 degrees if that is the case.
Only one gun was sent to Britain and likely only one vehicle was made and married to the gun, and it seems the vehicle mostly faded into obscurity.
The gun however, saw some limited success in World War 1, with an order of a bit over 200 guns to Russia where they were called “Maklen” guns. This has generated some more research and information about the gun and how it was used, which I’ve used to fill in bank spots with an estimate to round of the data to generate a hopefully decent estimate of the performance of the armed vehicle.
Specifications
Car: Maudslay, 1909 or 1910 model car. Likely a long chassis “Sweet Seventeen” Tourer, and perhaps modified.
Engine: Inline 4-cyl overhead-camshaft engine, 17 hp, 3.3L, ?? rpm. It could also be one of the 25/30 and 35/45 hp models.
Transmission: 4+1.
Top Speed: ?? (40-48.3/80.5 km/h)
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: None
Crew: 2, maybe up to 4.
Weight: ??
Armament: Driggs-Schroeder 37mm Autocannon (McClean Mk III)
Elevation: Unknown mount used, est. -5°/+38° based on the “Non-Recoil” mount for the Hotchkiss 6-pdr.
Traverse: 360°. 9° of free traverse in the later russian mount.
Elevation: -5°/+15° in russian mount, mount on car seems to allow greater depression & elevation values.
Rate of fire: 50-100 rpm
Feed System: 5- or 10-round clips dropped into the top feed chute, gravity fed.
Average Muzzle Velocity: 730 m/s (smokeless powder, 1919); 640-650 m/s (black powder).
Ammunition: In the later Russian contract, each gun was attached with 100 rounds each. Could be the same here?
Dimensions: 37x137mmR (37x136mmR). The US Navy used the same 37mm projectiles for the 37x94, 37x120 and 37x136 rounds, choosing to increase muzzle velocity with bigger cases and ppropellant loads combined with longer barrels. Any projectile for the 37x94 and 37x120 could be considered to have been used in the McClean, in lieu of more information.
Sources:
Armament
https://en.topwar.ru/106407-avtomaticheskaya-pushka-sn-makklina-amerikanskoe-orudie-dlya-rossiyskoy-armii.html - main source.
https://ia800704.us.archive.org/35/items/driggsschroeders00amer/driggsschroeders00amer.pdf - Another 37mm gun of the same company in L/50 calibers is described as having a muzzle velocity of 574.2 m/s. Page 36, 1-pounder Mark II. Also ammo, sorta.
http://old.municion.org/ - Go to ‘Fuego Central / CF’ → scroll to ‘37x137 R’. Some data and info about 37x94mmR projectile use.
-https://municion.org/producto/37-x-137-r-us-navy-1-pdr/ - Updated site of above link.
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_1pounder_m1.php - some data on Common Mk.II and HE shells.
https://www.valka.cz/McClean-37-mm-rychlopalny-kanon-t110234 - General info.
https://www.capsuleauctions.com/auction/lots/big_guns__autos_archive_plans_patents_photos_112072 - Other info about the gun and being sent to Russia.
Books
Autocannon, A History of Automatic Cannon and Ammunition, Anthony G Williams. ISBN: 9781785009204.
Vehicle:
https://www.prewarcar.com/cars/maudslay - Brief history of the engines.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/11095/lot/172/ - Some history about one car but contains some good general history.
http://classiccars.brightwells.com/viewdetails.php?id=11362 - Contains some stats.
https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com/lost_marques_maudslay.htm - History of the company Maudslay.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-1990/42/forgotten-makesno88-the-maudslay/ - Sourced history.
Austin 2-3 Ton Lorry w/ QF 1-Pdr Pom-Pom
Information
Car: Austin 2- or 3-Ton model, Complete gun-vehicle assembled in 1914.
Engine: 3140cc/3601cc (conflicting sources) 4-cyl, 20 hp (23.6 bhp) @ 1,000 RPM. Or 5883cc 4-cyl, 30 hp. T-head engines.
Transmission: 3 forward, 1 reverse (conjecture based on the Austin Armoured Car)
Top Speed: 56 km/h (conjecture based on the Austin Armoured Car)
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: None
Crew: 4
Weight: 4.350 kg
Armament: QF 1-Pounder ‘Pom-Pom’, covered earlier.
Sources:
https://dzen.ru/a/YIAJJjMKTxTVi0C4
http://www.austinmemories.com/styled-52/styled-54/index.html - Info on the engine of the pre-war version. 3140cc.
https://trucksplanet.com/models/austin-20hp/ - Volume of the 20 hp (23.6 hp) and 30 hp engines. 3601cc & 5883cc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxsoTspr0cA - Video of a commercial variant being driven a little bit.
Lanchester Armoured Car w/ 37mm Hotchkiss Naval Gun
(This is a bit of a British-Russian mix, but I’m putting it here for now.)
Information
Car: Lanchester Armoured Car [MISSING INFO: unknown model/type]
Engine: unknown type, 38 HP. 6-cylinder Lanchester petrol, 60 hp (Wikipedia).
Transmission: Pre-selective epicyclic gearbox, unknown number of gears. Diagram. This source indicates a 3-speed gearbox (1913).
Top Speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
Drive: 4x2
Armor: 7.9 mm (0.31 in.)
Crew: 4
Weight: 4.8 tons
Year: 1916
Quantity: 19 (armed with 37mm gun)
Dimensions: 4410x1850x2380 mm
Armament
There were two different Hotchkiss 1-pdr guns used to arm the cars. The first 10 cars were armed with an aircraft variant intended to arm Ilya Muromets bomber planes. The results were unsatisfactory on the planes so likely they were mothballed and thus available for arming the cars. The other nine cars were armed with the naval version of the same gun.
Neither of them seem to have differed very much from each other besides the way they were originally mounted.
Armament: Hotchkiss 37mm Russian Naval model (1.45/20K-I). Source on this gun here.
Dimensions: 37x94mmR? (not entirely sure. the guns would have used ammo from Russian stocks)
Barrel Lenght: 842 mm
Bore Length: 747 mm (L20.2)
Muzzle Velocity: 625 - 675 m/s (Two sources, here and here, claim that the muzzle velocity was 442 m/s. The two sources also seem to be copies of eachother, or one is a copy from the other, so take from that what you will)
Projectile Weight: 0.5 kg
Rate of fire: 10 rpm (this was from a test in an Ilya Muromets flying in the air, firing on the ground would be faster)
By 1889 the Imperial Russian Navy had 276 pieces of this model installed on various ships.
Ammo carried: 200 rounds.
Text from one of the sourced articles (G-translated) that provide some info on filler used in projectiles:
“The 37-mm Hotchkiss gun was a massive anti-mine weapon on ships of the Russian fleet.
Baranovsky’s landing guns have been an integral part of ships’ armament since 1879. And although by 1896 the idea of the low effectiveness of these guns had already matured in the minds of the admirals, there was no other such light cannon. A gun, with the help of which it was possible to support with fire the first assault of the landing force on an unequipped shore (only in 1898 Baranovsky tested a new 76-mm mountain gun). Therefore, the “improvement” of the gun was carried out by improving the ammunition. In 1898, picrinite high-explosive shells were used, and in 1900, high-explosive and shrapnel shells began to be filled with phlegmatized TNT.”
The guns were actually not semi-automatic (in the artillery sense, with spitting out the empty case by force of recoil), meaning the breach had to be opened and closed manually after each shot and reload. The gun used a vertical wedge valve, with a monoblock barrel construction and screwed-on trunnion ring. The weight of just the gun was only 33 kg, and the ones used in the Lanchesters had further removed their shoulder braces, probably saving them a bit extra in weight as well. To help with recoil the gun had a hydraulic buffer, making the small gun very light to shoot with.
Some info on the ammunition, but no stats or official designations in use by RIA that I know of but it is a good start: http://www.victorianshipmodels.com/antitorpedoboatguns/Hotchkiss/hotchkissammunit.html
3D model of the Naval gun: https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-37-mm-hotchkiss-1245070
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanchester_armoured_car - Stats
https://dzen.ru/a/Xxp4iggsPWS-geug - History and some stats
Simms Motor War War Car w/ 1-Pdr ‘Pom-Pom’
Information
Engine: Cannstatt-Daimler petrol, 16 hp.
Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse.
Top speed: 9 mph (14.5 km/h)
Crew: 4
Armament: 37 mm 1-pdr Maxim QF, mounted on the rear (+two .303 Maxim Mk.IV, mounted in the front)
Armor: 6 mm
Weight: 5 tons
Dimensions: 28 ft long, 8 ft wide, 10 ft high.
Year of production: 1902
Number built: 1
Albion A10 3-ton w/ 2-pdr ‘Pom-Pom’
Information
Vehicle:
Engine: 4-cylinder 3,200 cc engine, 32 bhp, using chain drive.
Transmission: 4-Speed (likely with one reverse as is standard9
Top Speed: 25.7 km/h (16 mph)
Drive: 4x2 RWD
Armor: None
Crew: Unknown (Driver, Gunner, +assistant gunner and commander?)
Weight: ??
Dimensions: Length 18 feet; width 8 feet; height 12 feet (without gun).
Approx. 6,000 Albion A10 lorries were supplied to the War Office during WW1. At least one was photographed in Mesopotania at an unknown date carrying a 2-pdr AA gun (which is the matter of this article).
Armament: 2-Pounder ‘Pom-Pom’. Armament covered earlier on the “Pierce-Arrow AA w/ 2-pdr”.
Sources:
https://trucksplanet.com/models/albion-a10-a12-a16/ - Some stats on engine.
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co24172/albion-a10-three-ton-lorry-1919-commercial-road-vehicles-lorry - a very short history of the vehicle (with 6,000 production number).
https://trucksplanet.com/models/albion-a10-military/ - Another source claiming 6,000 produced, also with some pics.
https://classiccars.brightwells.com/viewdetails.php?id=6937 - A lorry on an auction site, with some history.
https://selmec.org.uk/models/2618-albion-a10-army-truck - This site claims a few things differently, like a 6-litre engine.
http://lpsphoto.top/en/tech/rahimi-koc-muzesi-albion-a10 - Got a good picture of the engine.
https://www.grubbyfingersshop.com/walkaround_galleries/ALBION%20A10%203%20Ton%20Motor%20Lorry%20Walkaround%2050696%20Bandiana%202014/ALBION%20A10%203%20Ton%20Motor%20Lorry%20Walkaround%2050696%20Bandiana%202014.html - Great album of many close-up shots.
https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/44453-albion-a10-gearbox/ - A look inside of the gearbox.
Photo from David Fletcher’s book “War Cars” page 70, bottom pic.
