Peerless Armoured Car
Encyclopedia
During the First World War, sixteen American
Peerless
trucks were modified by the British
to serve as armoured cars. These were relatively primitive designs with open backs armed with a Pom-pom gun
and a machine gun, and were delivered to the British army in 1915. They were used also by the Tsarist Russian Army as self-propelled anti-aircraft guns.
After the war, a new design was needed to replace armoured cars that had been worn out. As a result, the Peerless Armoured Car design was developed in 1919. It was based on the chassis of the Peerless three ton lorry, with an armoured body built by the Austin Motor Company
.
The Peerless lorry was a relatively slow and heavy vehicle but was reckoned to be tough with solid rubber tires and rear wheel chain drive. The armour for the vehicle produced by the Austin company was based on an earlier design created for the Russian Army
, which had been used in very limited numbers at the end of the war in France. The original Austin design, however, was shorter than the Peerless and the resulting combination was awkward and difficult to steer in confined spaces. In order to reduce the problem, a duplicate set of driving controls were installed at the rear of the vehicle.
The most common variant was a twin turret design fitted with two machine guns. However, a number of other variants were developed including a vehicle armed with a 3-inch gun and an anti-aircraft variant armed with a 13 pound AA gun.
Poor off-road performance hampered the vehicle but it still saw considerable service, notably in Ireland
. A few were still in service with the British at the start of the Second World War. 7 were in service with the Irish National Army
during the Irish Civil War
and used by the Irish Defence Forces
up until 1932. The type was not popular in Irish service. One was taken to Cork City on board the SS Avronia as part of the sea-borne landing force but took a long time to unload. The car was reliable, but slow, heavy, unstable, and unsuitable for poor roads - effectively meaning that its deployment by the Irish military was almost exclusively restricted to urban areas. See Rolls Royce Armoured Car. In 1935, 4 Irish Peerless armoured hulls were mounted on modified Leyland Terrier 6x4 chassis. A year later their twin turrets were replaced by a single Landsverk L60
tank turret. This new vehicle was known as the Leyland Armoured Car
and remained in Irish service until the early 1980s. The 14 old Irish Peerless turrets and its Hotchkiss machine guns were fitted to 14 Irish built vehicles in 1940 called the Ford Mk V Armoured Car
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Peerless
Peerless
Peerless was a United States automobile produced by the Peerless Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio from 1900 to 1931. The company was known for building high-quality, precision luxury automobiles. Peerless' factory was located at 9400 Quincy Avenue in Cleveland...
trucks were modified by the British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
to serve as armoured cars. These were relatively primitive designs with open backs armed with a Pom-pom gun
QF 2 pounder naval gun
The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1.575 inch British autocannon, used famously as an anti-aircraft gun by the Royal Navy. The name came from the sound that the original models make when firing...
and a machine gun, and were delivered to the British army in 1915. They were used also by the Tsarist Russian Army as self-propelled anti-aircraft guns.
After the war, a new design was needed to replace armoured cars that had been worn out. As a result, the Peerless Armoured Car design was developed in 1919. It was based on the chassis of the Peerless three ton lorry, with an armoured body built by the Austin Motor Company
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
.
The Peerless lorry was a relatively slow and heavy vehicle but was reckoned to be tough with solid rubber tires and rear wheel chain drive. The armour for the vehicle produced by the Austin company was based on an earlier design created for the Russian Army
Austin Armoured Car
Austin Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced during the First World War. The vehicle is best known for its employment by the Russian Army in the First World War and by different forces in the Russian Civil War....
, which had been used in very limited numbers at the end of the war in France. The original Austin design, however, was shorter than the Peerless and the resulting combination was awkward and difficult to steer in confined spaces. In order to reduce the problem, a duplicate set of driving controls were installed at the rear of the vehicle.
The most common variant was a twin turret design fitted with two machine guns. However, a number of other variants were developed including a vehicle armed with a 3-inch gun and an anti-aircraft variant armed with a 13 pound AA gun.
Poor off-road performance hampered the vehicle but it still saw considerable service, notably in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. A few were still in service with the British at the start of the Second World War. 7 were in service with the Irish National Army
Irish National Army
The Irish National Army or National Army was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence...
during the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
and used by the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
up until 1932. The type was not popular in Irish service. One was taken to Cork City on board the SS Avronia as part of the sea-borne landing force but took a long time to unload. The car was reliable, but slow, heavy, unstable, and unsuitable for poor roads - effectively meaning that its deployment by the Irish military was almost exclusively restricted to urban areas. See Rolls Royce Armoured Car. In 1935, 4 Irish Peerless armoured hulls were mounted on modified Leyland Terrier 6x4 chassis. A year later their twin turrets were replaced by a single Landsverk L60
Strv L-60
Stridsvagn L-60 was a Swedish tank developed in 1934. It was developed by AB Landsverk as a light tank which included several design features later adopted by Germany and Russia in their tank designs....
tank turret. This new vehicle was known as the Leyland Armoured Car
Leyland Armoured Car
Leyland Armoured Car refers to four armoured cars built between 1934 and 1940 and which were used by the Irish army.-History:The first Leyland Armoured Car was built in 1934, and three more were built by 1940...
and remained in Irish service until the early 1980s. The 14 old Irish Peerless turrets and its Hotchkiss machine guns were fitted to 14 Irish built vehicles in 1940 called the Ford Mk V Armoured Car
Ford Mk V Armoured Car
The 14 Ford Mk V armoured cars were built by Thompson & Son of Carlow. The Ford Mk V was cheaper and had better performance than the GSR Ford Mk IV armoured cars.14 old Peerless armoured car turrets and their Hotchkiss machine guns were fitted. All 14 Ford Mk Vs were sold in 1954....
.