Section 35 - THE MOTOR TRANSPORT PLATOON

The Motor Transport within a Mechanised Infantry Battalion

(A nostalgic reminder of  vehicles in Service - BAOR 1968 to 1988)

 GKN Technical Defence Industries - Redditch

Originally, researched, planned & produced the FV400 family of vehicles

FV432

Armoured Fighting Vehicle 

Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC)

(Mk 1 - Petrol Version)

FV432

Armoured Fighting Vehicle 

Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) 

(Mk 2 - Diesel Version)

FV 700 Series - Daimler FERRET (CAR)

FV701 to FV712 - Scout & Recce Vehicle

Marks 1 to 5 - "A" Class Vehicle

A total of 4,409 Ferrets, including 16 sub-models under various Mark numbers, were manufactured between 1952 and 1962, when production ceased. - 20 national armies were still operating the Ferret in 1996.

"From 30 Browning to 30mm Rarden in 5 moves !" - (Not including Swingfire - RA)

WHEELED VEHICLES (B Class)

Soft skinned

AUSTIN "CHAMP"

FV 1801 Truck 1/4 Ton - CT (Combat) - 4 X 4 (UK) - Rolls Royce B40 Engine

1951 to 1967 - 13,750 Military Champs were produced

 . ( 21,000 Civilian versions "Austin Gypsy" were also made, plus a Firefighting version called the "Firefly")

The amphibian capability was strongly reduced, as this vehicle could only wade to a given depth, and could not swim. - Sadly, its cheaper, simpler & faster rival (LR), was already on the horizon & after only 16 years service,

the Champ was withdrawn, regarded as too expensive & too complicated. - The "Landy" quickly took it`s place !

LAND ROVER 90 "DEFENDER"

(Oldest Version)

LAND ROVER 88 - LIGHTWEIGHT

(Air-Droppable)

LAND ROVER 110 "DEFENDER" (LWB)

Long Wheelbase

LAND ROVER AMBULANCES

5 different versions - (5 different body builds on the same chassis)

FV13112  BEDFORD RL/RS -  4 X 4 - GS - 4 Ton Truck.

(RL = Long Wheelbase  -  RS = Short Wheelbase)

Troop transport & many other additional variants of utility & load, including,

Fire Engine, Radio Truck, REME Workshop, Crane Recovery, Water Bowser, Petrol Bowser, Command HQ, Cartographics Truck, Shower & Bath Truck, Air Portable Version (Removable Cab), Container Truck (CB 300), Tipper, etc, - 75,000 vehs. were built from 1962 to 1969

FV620-626 - ALVIS STALWART "STOLLY"

High Mobility - Amphibious Load Carrier - In Service: 1966 - 1988

(Truck, High Mobility Load Carrier (HMLC), 5 Ton, 6 x 6, Alvis Stalwart)

FV1609 to 1611 Truck, Armoured, 4 X 4 - Humber - "The Pig"

Armoured Personnel Carrier 

Derived from the 1 Ton Humber Truck (See photo 1) "The mother of all "Pigs" !" 

Originally with canvas roof ! (see photo 2) - Later with many modifications.

As the Troubles in Northern Ireland escalated during the 1970s, some 487 Army Pigs were further modified with additional internal and external armour during the period Sept 1972 to July 1973.  These were referred to as Mark II vehicles.The last of the Mark II Pigs were modified in numerous ways to better their crowd/Riot control capability

They were removed from service in the early 1990s. Their last campaign was during the Kosovo Uprisings.