Improvised AFVs

[Hman]

Hi

Does anyone one know the 'base' vehicle of this? I am assuming a British Carrier of some sort?

It is a improvised 'tank' used during the Biafrian Civil War.

[Silver Fox]

It looks like a Universal Carrier, also known as a Bren Gun Carrier.

[Aircav]

Hi
Its not a Bren carrier, it has one extra wheel either side, I think is some variation of the Windsor carrier.

[jcf]

Looks like a modified US Ford T16.

[apophenia]

The gap between the roadwheel sets suggests the longer Windsor carrier as Aircav said. Although it could easily be argued that the Windsor was "a modified US Ford T16" 

[raafif]

One of those beasts (2 photos just after capture) was shown in the old Museum Ordnance magazine in an article "Armoured Combat of the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970" by David Spencer.  The bogey-wheels & idler were standard spoked Bren types & the vehicle sat horizontal not tail-down.

Story was that these were obtained from WW2 scrapyards in France, superstructure from 1/4" plate added & armed with 30.cals.  They were called "Red Devils" by the Biafrans.  Nigeria fielded Ferrets, Saladins & Saracens from Britain & French AML a/cars.

The Devils were slow, pretty blind & hard to manoeuvre -- they also tended to attract a lot of enemy fire so the following Biafran infantry gave them a wide berth.  One Red Devil was destroyed by Molotov cocktails & 3 by recoilless rifle fire.  After the Biafrans lost this initial Armour, captured Nigerian a/cars were used.

Luv those improv-armoured things -- have quite a few pics incl. a large dozer with two MG turrets and a Road-Grader APC (minus blade) in Chad.

[Hman]

One of those beasts (2 photos just after capture) was shown in the old Museum Ordnance magazine in an article "Armoured Combat of the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970" by David Spencer.  The bogey-wheels & idler were standard spoked Bren types & the vehicle sat horizontal not tail-down.

Story was that these were obtained from WW2 scrapyards in France, superstructure from 1/4" plate added & armed with 30.cals.  They were called "Red Devils" by the Biafrans.  Nigeria fielded Ferrets, Saladins & Saracens from Britain & French AML a/cars.

The Devils were slow, pretty blind & hard to manoeuvre -- they also tended to attract a lot of enemy fire so the following Biafran infantry gave them a wide berth.  One Red Devil was destroyed by Molotov cocktails & 3 by recoilless rifle fire.  After the Biafrans lost this initial Armour, captured Nigerian a/cars were used.

Luv those improv-armoured things -- have quite a few pics incl. a large dozer with two MG turrets and a Road-Grader APC (minus blade) in Chad.

Raafif, thanks, for the info.  Any chance of posting your pictures?

[raafif]

Hman, unfortunately I live in a 3rd world country with clapped out comms so I can't use photobucket etc.

Can email pics to you if you PM me your address.

Here's the armoured car from Chad, a modified road-grader, note that in these african wars, they don't waste time on cosmetics like paint.  Also the mixed guns on upper & lower decks -- just like a Spanish Galleon !!

[raafif]

photo added to my post above

[raafif]

Apparently 24 warehouse forklifts were used in 1970s Chile where guerrilla leaders directed them to be fitted with open topped armoured superstructures to assist workers defend their factories. Pictures of one of the machines were published in Tank TV magazine December 1998 -- anyone have this ??

Also some armoured, tracked tractors were used in Cuba -- apart from one with a flamethrower, apparently un-armed ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35514111@N06/3422937051/in/set-72157616407417873/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35514111@N06/3422936357/in/set-72157616407417873/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30255985@N03/3665238069/in/set-72157620500379163/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30255985@N03/3665238059/in/set-72157620500379163/

There were quite a few Israeli improvised "sandwich" armoured trucks & a few Settlement farm-dozers were armoured for protection from Palistinian snipers in the 60's.

Serb/Croat trucks too -- and several of these armed backhoes are preserved ...
http://henk.fox3000.com/jereb.htm

Of course, none of this is "what-if" -- can you come up with a What-if vehicle mod from the future or past

[dy031101]

Didn't Pakistan have a production AFV design that is indeed derived from a tractor?

(On a second thought though, it might be a derivative instead of an improvisation.)

[GTX]

If you want improvised AFVs, try looking up those used in the Yugoslav Civil wars of the '90s - there's books (such as below) dedicated to the topic:



Regards,

Greg

[raafif]

tried to get that book on the Yugo vehicles but sold out fast.

Some ideas ....
fight against the Revolution & you will come to a sticky end !!



the War-Mammoth -- with internal armour sheets protecting vital parts and some defensive firepower, this vehicle was impressed into service to attack the refurbished Maginot Line in WW3.  Lacking heavy guns, the "2nd Revolution of Liberation" used it to dig around the elevating gun-cupolas & get to their un-armoured lower sections for infiltration by sappers & infantry.



It was suggested elesewhere on this forum that the Space Shuttle transporter would make a good basis for an AFV -- apart from naval 15" gun-turrets, what can you mount on top of it ??

[dy031101]

The Strawberry Jam-maker is so funny in more ways than one...... (ROTFLMAO)

Excellent imagination! 

[Mossie]

The Home Guard were a good source for improvised vehicles.  Some where standard conversions of civilian vehicles, but where these weren't forthcoming, hurried local conversions were often made.  Cars, vans, lorries, tractors, stick a bit of steel plate on & an MG & you're good to go!  Of course, some where better than others.  In Dad's Army, were they simply cut holes out of the side of Jones' Butcher van wasn't too far from the truth!