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Raupenschlepper OST (RSO)
After the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, they began to experience the full effects of a Russian autumn and winter. The primitive roads soon became quagmires, and to maintain the mobility of the army Steyr proposed a small, fully tracked vehicle based on its 1500A light truck. They were  initial designed as a prime mover and artillery supply vehicle, and had a pressed steel cab and a wooden drop-side cargo flatbed. A simple suspension system was used instead of the complex interleaved wheel arrangement of most German halftracks which proved better at handling the conditions of the Russian
S P E C I F I C A T I O N :  (RS0/01) Weight: 3 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 6 ins, Width 6 ft 4 ins, Height 8 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x 85 hp Steyr petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 18 mph, Range 186 miles  Armament/Armour: None Crew: 2
winter, where mud or snow could build up between the wheel arrangement of a halftrack and freeze which would disable the vehicle. Named the Raupenschlepper Ost they entered service in 1942, and although designed as a prime mover they were soon used for general duties and a wide variety of other roles, including an ambulance and communication vehicles. To meet demand new versions appeared. The RSO/2 introduced a new flat sided cab that was cheaper and easier to produce, while the RSO itself became one of the workhorses on the eastern front, and in total over 28,000 were built.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 28,000+
Loyd Carrier
In 1939, Captain Vivian Loyd developed a simple cross-country vehicle which was primarily built from off the shelf parts from various manufacturers. The main components for the vehicle were the chassis, engine, gearbox and rear axle from the Ford 2 ton truck which were combined with the suspension and tracks from the Vickers light tank. The vehicle was open topped but was issued with a canvas tilt to give the crew protection in bad weather. The vehicle was trialled by the army and accepted for production, with an initial order for 200 vehicles being placed in early 1939. These first vehicles were fitted with
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 11 ins, Width 6 ft 9 ins, Height 4 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x 85 hp Ford V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range140 miles Armament: None Armour: 7 mm Crew: 1 + gun crew
armoured panels and could carry up to ten men, however, the majority of the 26,000 Loyd Carriers produced were of the five seat towing version which were fitted with ammunition stowage racks over the track guards. They were mainly used for towing the 6 pounder anti-tank gun or the 4.2 inch mortar, and when towing the 6 pounder they usually operated in pairs, one for the gun and its crew, and the other carrying the ammunition. Although heavily criticised for its performance, the Loyd carrier remained in service throughout World War Two, but was rapidly phased out of British service during the late 1940s.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 26,000
Demag SdKfz 10
Design work on the Demag SdKfz 10 series of half-tracks began in 1934, initially under the guise of a commercial product to circumvent the terms of the Versaille Treaty. Drive was only provided to the tracks, the front wheels being non-powered meant that steering could become difficult in soft terrain. The suspension was of the torsion bar type and gave the vehicle a ground clearance of 13 inches (33 cm), which  aided the vehicles good off-road performance, even over uneven terrain. They had a maximum speed of 47 mph per hour and an operational range of 190 miles over good surfaces. They were
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 3.37 tons Dimensions: Length 15 ft 6 ins, Width 6 ft 3 ins, Height 6 ft 6 ins Powerplant: 1 x Maybach 99 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 40 mph, Range 190 miles  Armament: None Armour: None Crew: 2 + 6 passengers
classified as a lightweight half-track and were given an official towing capacity of 1 ton, and were intended as an artillery tractor for light calibre artillery weapons like the 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun up to the lightweight 7.5 cm leIG infantry support gun. Full scale production began in 1938, with the SdKfz 10 being seen in many guises during its career. The SfKfz 10/4 mounted the 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun system on a flatbed, while the SdKfz 10/5 had the faster-firing 2 cm FlaK 38 gun instead. Both of these models featured fold-down panels that acted as a platform for the gun crew when in action.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Produced: 14,000+
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Medium Dragon Mk IV
In 1930 Vickers produced a medium gun tractor based on their ‘6 Ton Tank’ design that had successfully been sold abroad but failed to find an order from the British army. One machine was purchased for evaluation, but was rejected on the grounds of being underpowered. In 1934 Vickers uprated the design with a more powerful engine, and after a further assessment were rewarded with an order for twelve tractors from the British military. These were designated the Medium Dragon Mk IV and were all allotted to one of the heavy artillery regiments. In 1939 they were part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 8 tons Dimensions: Length 15 ft, Width 7 ft 11 ins, Height 6 ft 10 ins Powerplant: 1 x Armstrong-Siddeley 115 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 20 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: None Armour: Maximum thickness 13 mm Crew: 2 + gun crew
France, and during the fighting in 1940 they were either all destroyed or captured before the B.E.F. was evacuated from Dunkirk. Further vehicle were purchased by foreign powers, and included China who purchased twenty-three in 1935 and India who acquired eighteen in 1937, while Both Russia and Poland produced similar vehicles based on their version of the Vickers 6 ton tank. The chassis was also developed by Vickers into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system. This had an open superstructure that mounted a 40 mm pom-pom anti-aircraft gun, twenty-six being produced for Siam.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 65
Loyd Carrier
In 1939, Captain Vivian Loyd developed a simple cross-country vehicle which was primarily built from off the shelf parts from various manufacturers. The main components for the vehicle were the chassis, engine, gearbox and rear axle from the Ford 2 ton truck which were combined with the suspension and tracks from the Vickers light tank. The vehicle was open topped but was issued with a canvas tilt to give the crew protection in bad weather. The vehicle was trialled by the army and accepted for production, with an initial order for 200 vehicles being placed in early 1939. These first vehicles were fitted with
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 11 ins, Width 6 ft 9 ins, Height 4 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x 85 hp Ford V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range140 miles Armament: None Armour: 7 mm Crew: 1 + gun crew
armoured panels and could carry up to ten men, however, the majority of the 26,000 Loyd Carriers produced were of the five seat towing version which were fitted with ammunition stowage racks over the track guards. They were mainly used for towing the 6 pounder anti-tank gun or the 4.2 inch mortar, and when towing the 6 pounder they usually operated in pairs, one for the gun and its crew, and the other carrying the ammunition. Although heavily criticised for its performance, the Loyd carrier remained in service throughout World War Two, but was rapidly phased out of British service during the late 1940s.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 26,000
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Medium Dragon Mk II
After the tank's success in World War One, the British Army took an interest in developing a tracked towing vehicles for the artillery. In 1924, the Royal Ordnance Factory at Woolwich began to build such a vehicle using the track and suspension units of the Vickers medium tank. The vehicle could carry 11 men including the driver, and was intended to tow the 18 pounder field gun and limber, which was the standard field gun of the British Army at the time. Eighteen were built and named Medium Dragon, (it is believed the name is derived from their function, 'drag gun'), but they proved to be under-powered and
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.6 tons Dimensions: Length 15 ft, Width 7 ft 11 ins, Height 5 ft 6 ins  Powerplant: 1 x 90 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 20 mph, Range 125 miles Armament: None Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm  Crew: 2 + 8 passengers
too slow for their intended role and were soon relegated to the training role. A number of modifications were introduced on the Medium Dragon Mk II which included a more powerful a 90 engine, the layout of the interior and seating was improved, provisions for a bad weather coverall for the driver and passengers, while the ammunition boxes were relocated to the sides of the vehicle that opened outwards which allowed easier access for the gun crew. Only 28 Mk IIs were built, but these were supplemented by 12 Mk IIIs which were uprated  to permit them to tow the 60 pounder or 6 inch field howitzer.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 28
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FV103 ‘Spartan’
The FV103 Spartan was developed in the 1970s as the Armoured Personnel Carrier version of the CVR(T) family. Designed by Alvis, the Spartan entered service with the British Army in 1978, and is similar in appearance to the missile armed FV102 Striker. The Spartan can carry seven soldiers in a combination of 2/3 crew and 4/5 passengers, with its main function being the transportation of small specialised groups such as reconnaissance teams and fire controllers. In addition to its APC role, it has also been used as a resupply vehicle for the FV102 Striker, carrying extra Swingfire anti-tank missiles. An
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 9 tons Dimensions: Length 16 ft 9 ins, Width 8 ft 2 ins, Height 8 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x Jaguar 190 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 400 miles Armament: 1 x 7.62 mm machine Armour: Maximum thickness 12.5 mm  Crew: 2/3 + 4/5 passengers
anti-tank version of the FV103 was also produced that was named the FV120 Spartan MCT (Spartan with MILAN Compact Turret). This version was fitted with a turret armed with two MILAN missiles with a further eleven carried internally. Later production vehicles of the Spartan had a number of improvements, which included an uprated suspension and the replacement of the Jaguar petrol engine with a more efficient Perkins diesel engine. By 1995 over 960 had been built for both the home and export market, but from 2009 have been gradually withdrawn from service with British forces.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 960
FV104 ‘Samaritan’
The FV104 Samaritan is the armoured ambulance member of the CVR(T), which outwardly resembles the Sultan command vehicle, except it is unarmed. The Samaritan has a crew of two and is capable of taking up to six walking wounded or three stretcher cases, and with its speed, agility and relatively low profile is an ideal MEDEVAC system. Other members of the CVR(T) family included the FV105 Sultan, which is a British Army command vehicle. It has a higher roof than the Spartan APC which provides space inside for a large vertical map board and desk along one side, with a bench seat for three people. Ahead
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 8.7 tons Dimensions: Length 16 ft 9 ins, Width 8 ft 2 ins, Height 8 ft 8 ins Powerplant: 1 x Jaguar 190 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 400 miles Armament: None Armour: Maximum thickness 12.5 mm  Crew: 2 + up to 6 casualties
of this are positions for the radio operator and vehicle commander, whose seat can be raised to give him access to the pintle-mounted machine gun. The driver sits forward of this in a small compartment beside the engine space. The back of the vehicle is designed to be extended by an attached tent to form a briefing area. The final member of the family is the The FV106 Samson armoured recovery vehicle. The hull was adapted to contain a winch which is positioned to the rear of the vehicle. This winch could also be utilised in a lifting configuration and is capable of recovering a 12 ton load.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: Unknown
FV4333 'Stormer’
The Stormer has its origins in the late 1970s as a development of the Scorpion CVR(T) family, and was primarily designed for the export market. In the 1970s the manufacturing and marketing rights of the FV4333 was purchased by Alvis from the British Ministry of Defence. The vehicle was based on the Spartan APC, and to increase internal space the hull was lengthened which required an additional roadwheel each side for better weight distribution and drive performance. The basic shape of the CVR(T) family was largely retained with many of the proven components of the CVR(T) being used, although the
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 12.5 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 6 ins, Width 8 ft 10 ins, Height 7 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Perkins 250 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 50 mph, Range 400 miles  Armament: Normally 1 x 7.62 mm machine gun  Armour: Not available Crew: 3  •  Payload: 8 troops and their equipment
Jaguar petrol engine was replaced by a turbocharged Cummins or Perkins diesel engine. The vehicle usually had a crew of two and could carry a maximum of nine troops, while a wide range of weapons could be also be mounted on the roof depending on its selected role. Designated Stormer the first prototype appeared in 1978 with production beginning in 1981. The British Army received at least 150, while export sales included 25 for Malaysia, 40 for Indonesia and 4 to Oman. The Stormer has been adapted for a variety of roles, and marketed in many combinations of armament depending on its intended role.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 250+
Windsor Carrier
As World War Two progressed, the need for larger anti-tank weapons in infantry and anti-tank units became urgent, along with a carrier capable of hauling them and their ammunition. The Windsor Carrier was a Canadian design based on the British Universal Carrier, but lengthened by 28 inches to accommodate two twin bogie sets on each side that provided more stability. Compared to the Universal Carrier the Windsor was just over 1 ton heavier, and to compensate for the extra weight they had a more powerful engine. The Windsor still used the combination of track warping and brakes for steering, but
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 4.65 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 4 ins, Width 6 ft 9 ins, Height 2 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Ford 115 hp V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 150 miles  Armament: 1 x Bren light machine gun  Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 3
other changes included the provision for a canvas cover to protect the crew in bad weather and a revised internal layout. In total 5,000 vehicles were produced by Fords of Canada during 1944-45 and were mainly used as a tractor for the 6 pounder anti-tank gun with Canadian units in north-west Europe. A similar vehicle was also produced by Fords in the United States which were supplied to Canadian forces under the Lend Lease agreement. Known as the T16, they was not as long, and Instead of the track warping used brakes to slow individual tracks to steer the vehicle.
Country of Origin: Canada Number Built: 5,000
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Voroshilovets Prime Mover
Work on a new heavy prime mover for the Soviet army began in 1935. The vehicle was fully tracked, and  was developed as a more powerful alternative to the Komintern prime mover. The Voroshilovets used the suspension and running gear of the T24 tank that had entered service in small numbers during 1931, and were initially powered by a 400 hp diesel engine, this later being changed to a 375 hp V2V diesel engine, a detuned version of the engine used in the T34 tank. The Voroshilovets  was the largest of the Russian tracked artillery tractors with a towing capacity of 22 tons, and was used as the prime mover
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 15.5 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 5 ins, Width 7 ft 8 ins, Height 9 ft Powerplant: 1 x 375 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 167 miles Armour: None Crew: 2 + 16 man gun crew Payload: 3 tons   •   Towing Capacity: 22 tons
for heavy artillery such as the B4 203 mm tracked howitzer and the Br5 280 mm heavy mortar. They had a crew of two and seating for a 16 man gun crew or 3 tons of cargo in the rear  flatbed area which could be fitted with a storm cover in bad weather. They began to enter service in 1939, and by the time of the German invasion in 1941 about 230 had been built. In late 1941 the factory at Kharkov was evacuated and production transferred to the Stalingrad Tractor Factory. More than 1,100 had been built when production came to end in the autumn of 1942 after the factory was overrun by the Germans.
Country of Origin: USSR Number Built: 1,100+
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FV510 ‘Warrior’
The Warrior Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle was designed in the late 1970s as a replacement for the FV432 armoured personnel carrier that had been in service with the British Army since the early 1960s. A prototype was ready in 1980, followed by a further eleven which were successfully trialled, one being demonstrated in the Middle East which led to the development of a dedicated Desert Fighting Vehicle. The British Government placed an order for the 290 vehicles in 1984, 170 being fitted with a two man turret armed with a 30 mm RARDEN cannon, with the remainder being specialised variants. Production
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 25 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 8 ins, Width 9 ft 11 ins, Height 9 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x Perkins 550 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 46 mph, Range 410 miles  Armament: 1 x 30 mm cannon, 1 x 7.62 mm chain gun Armour: Not available Crew: 3 + 7 troops and their equipment
began in January 1986, with the first vehicles being handed over to the British Army in May 1987, and by mid 1988 were in service at Battalion level with the British Army of the Rhine. The crew of the Warrior comprises a driver, who is positioned in the front hull, and the gunner and commander who are both in the turret. An infantry section of up to seven fully equipped soldiers can be carried who in the rear hull compartment, access being provided by a door at the rear of the hull. In total 789 have been built for the British Army, many  being deployed in both Gulf Wars, Afghanistan and with United Nation forces.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 1,000+s
FV510 ‘Warrior’
The Warrior Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle was designed in the late 1970s as a replacement for the FV432 armoured personnel carrier that had been in service with the British Army since the early 1960s. A prototype was ready in 1980, followed by a further eleven which were successfully trialled, one being demonstrated in the Middle East which led to the development of a dedicated Desert Fighting Vehicle. The British Government placed an order for the 290 vehicles in 1984, 170 being fitted with a two man turret armed with a 30 mm RARDEN cannon, with the remainder being specialised variants. Production
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 25 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 8 ins, Width 9 ft 11 ins, Height 9 ft 2 ins Powerplant: 1 x Perkins 550 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 46 mph, Range 410 miles  Armament: 1 x 30 mm cannon, 1 x 7.62 mm chain gun Armour: Not available Crew: 3 + 7 troops and their equipment
began in January 1986, with the first vehicles being handed over to the British Army in May 1987, and by mid 1988 were in service at Battalion level with the British Army of the Rhine. The crew of the Warrior comprises a driver, who is positioned in the front hull, and the gunner and commander who are both in the turret. An infantry section of up to seven fully equipped soldiers can be carried who in the rear hull compartment, access being provided by a door at the rear of the hull. In total 789 have been built for the British Army, many  being deployed in both Gulf Wars, Afghanistan and with United Nation forces.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 1,000+
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Light Dragon Mk II
Another line of artillery tractors from Vickers were based on their series of light tanks. The Light Dragon Mk II was based on the chassis and suspension of the Light Tank Mk II which had entered service with the British Army in small numbers during the early 1930s. Seats were provided for a gun crew of six to the rear, with ammunition being stored in the central area of the vehicle. After trials the vehicle was accepted for service with the British army who would  use it for towing weapons such as the 18 pounder field gun and 4.5 inch howitzer. The Light Dragon Mk II began to enter service in 1931, and was followed
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 3.5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 2 ins, Width 6 ft 1 in, Height 5 ft 7 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 58 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 160 miles  Armament: None Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 2 + gun crew
by the Mk IIA, Mk IIB, Mk IIC and Mk IID, the Mk IIC introducing a revised Horstmann suspension system as developed for their light tanks. Also from the Mk IIC provisions were included for the fitting of a bad weather screen to protect the crew from the elements when required. The number of the Light Dragon of all Mks supplied to the British Army is unknown, but would have been low, for in 1936 a decision was made to revert to wheeled vehicles for artillery towing as they required less maintenance. In 1939 several gun batteries sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force were using the Light Dragon Mk II.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: Unknown
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Light Dragon Mk II
Another line of artillery tractors from Vickers were based on their series of light tanks. The Light Dragon Mk II was based on the chassis and suspension of the Light Tank Mk II which had entered service with the British Army in small numbers during the early 1930s. Seats were provided for a gun crew of six to the rear, with ammunition being stored in the central area of the vehicle. After trials the vehicle was accepted for service with the British army who would  use it for towing weapons such as the 18 pounder field gun and 4.5 inch howitzer. The Light Dragon Mk II began to enter service in 1931, and was followed
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 3.5 tons Dimensions: Length 13 ft 2 ins, Width 6 ft 1 in, Height 5 ft 7 ins Powerplant: 1 x Meadows 58 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 160 miles  Armament: None Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 2 + gun crew
by the Mk IIA, Mk IIB, Mk IIC and Mk IID, the Mk IIC introducing a revised Horstmann suspension system as developed for their light tanks. Also from the Mk IIC provisions were included for the fitting of a bad weather screen to protect the crew from the elements when required. The number of the Light Dragon of all Mks supplied to the British Army is unknown, but would have been low, for in 1936 a decision was made to revert to wheeled vehicles for artillery towing as they required less maintenance. In 1939 several gun batteries sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force were using the Light Dragon Mk II.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: Unknown
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Universal Carrier
In 1934, Vickers-Armstrongs produced a light tracked vehicle as a private venture that could be used to carry a machine gun or tow a light field or anti-tank gun. The design was based on the Carden Loyd tankette that had been developed in the 1920s, and the British War Office considered it as a replacement for the light Dragon artillery tractor and purchased 69. A small number were produced as the Medium Machine Gun Carrier being armed with a Vickers machine gun, and the Bren Gun Carrier armed with that gun. Along with these there were the Scout Carrier and Cavalry Carrier, but production of just a
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 3.75 tons Dimensions: Length 12 ft, Width 6 ft 9 ins, Height 2 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Ford 85 hp V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 150 miles  Armament: 1 x Bren light machine gun  Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 3
single model was more economical and the Universal carrier appeared in 1940. By 1945 production in the U.K. amounted to about 57,000 of all models, while further examples were built in Canada (29,000), Australia (5,000), New Zealand (1,300) and the United States (20,000) for their own armed forces. In service with the British Army, the Universal carrier was used by reconnaissance regiments, support companies and motor battalions of armoured division. After World War Two, they remained in service with the British army until 1960, while numerous countries purchased withdrawn vehicles.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 113.000
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FV432 ‘Trojan’
The development of the FV430 series of vehicles began in the 1950s, the FV432 Trojan being an armoured personnel carrier. The Trojan had a crew of two and could carry a squad of ten troops. Te role of the APC is to transport the soldiers over the battlefield, where on reaching their objective they would disembark and fight on foot. The troops travel in a rear cabin which is accessed by a rear door in the hull, seating being side benches that can be folded up when the vehicle is used as a cargo carrier. There are also hatches in the roof, but there are no provisions to allow the use of small arms from inside the
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 15.6 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 3 ins, Width 9 ft 2 ins, Height 7 ft 6 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 240 hp multi-fuel engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 360 miles  Armament: 1 x 30 mm cannon, 1 x  7.62 mm machine gun Armour: Proof against small arms fire Crew: 2 + 10 fully equipped troops (or 3.5 tons of cargo)
vehicle. For defence the vehicles were originally equipped with an unprotected 7.62 mm machine gun, this being superseded later when the gun was mounted in a small turret. Later a few Trojans were also fitted with a turret from the Fox armoured car armed with a 30 mm Rarden cannon to act as fire support units. The contract for the vehicle was given to GKN Sankey, who between 1963 and 1971 produced over 3,000 units. High export sales were hoped for, but in the end the vehicle lost out to the U.S. M113 which offered a comparable performance at a much lower price, and failed to find any foreign buyers.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 3,000+
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FV432 ‘Trojan’
The development of the FV430 series of vehicles began in the 1950s, the FV432 Trojan being an armoured personnel carrier. The Trojan had a crew of two and could carry a squad of ten troops. Te role of the APC is to transport the soldiers over the battlefield, where on reaching their objective they would disembark and fight on foot. The troops travel in a rear cabin which is accessed by a rear door in the hull, seating being side benches that can be folded up when the vehicle is used as a cargo carrier. There are also hatches in the roof, but there are no provisions to allow the use of small arms from inside the
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 15.6 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 3 ins, Width 9 ft 2 ins, Height 7 ft 6 ins Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce 240 hp multi-fuel engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 360 miles  Armament: 1 x 7.62 mm machine gun Armour: Proof against small arms fire Crew: 2 + 10 fully equipped troops (or 3.5 tons of cargo)
vehicle. For defence the vehicles were originally equipped with an unprotected 7.62 mm machine gun, this being superseded later when the gun was mounted in a small turret. Later a few Trojans were also fitted with a turret from the Fox armoured car armed with a 30 mm Rarden cannon to act as fire support units. The contract for the vehicle was given to GKN Sankey, who between 1963 and 1971 produced over 3,000 units. High export sales were hoped for, but in the end the vehicle lost out to the U.S. M113 which offered a comparable performance at a much lower price, and failed to find any foreign buyers.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 3,000+
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Universal Carrier
In 1934, Vickers-Armstrongs produced a light tracked vehicle as a private venture that could be used to carry a machine gun or tow a light field or anti-tank gun. The design was based on the Carden Loyd tankette that had been developed in the 1920s, and the British War Office considered it as a replacement for the light Dragon artillery tractor and purchased 69. A small number were produced as the Medium Machine Gun Carrier being armed with a Vickers machine gun, and the Bren Gun Carrier armed with that gun. Along with these there were the Scout Carrier and Cavalry Carrier, but production of just a
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 3.75 tons Dimensions: Length 12 ft, Width 6 ft 9 ins, Height 2 ft 5 ins Powerplant: 1 x Ford 85 hp V8 petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 30 mph, Range 150 miles  Armament: 1 x Bren light machine gun  Armour: Maximum thickness 10 mm Crew: 3
single model was more economical and the Universal carrier appeared in 1940. By 1945 production in the U.K. amounted to about 57,000 of all models, while further examples were built in Canada (29,000), Australia (5,000), New Zealand (1,300) and the United States (20,000) for their own armed forces. In service with the British Army, the Universal carrier was used by reconnaissance regiments, support companies and motor battalions of armoured division. After World War Two, they remained in service with the British army until 1960, while numerous countries purchased withdrawn vehicles.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 113.000
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Voroshilovets Prime Mover
Work on a new heavy prime mover for the Soviet army began in 1935. The vehicle was fully tracked, and  was developed as a more powerful alternative to the Komintern prime mover. The Voroshilovets used the suspension and running gear of the T24 tank that had entered service in small numbers during 1931, and were initially powered by a 400 hp diesel engine, this later being changed to a 375 hp V2V diesel engine, a detuned version of the engine used in the T34 tank. The Voroshilovets  was the largest of the Russian tracked artillery tractors with a towing capacity of 22 tons, and was used as the prime mover
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 15.5 tons Dimensions: Length 20 ft 5 ins, Width 7 ft 8 ins, Height 9 ft Powerplant: 1 x 375 hp diesel engine Performance: Maximum speed 22 mph, Range 167 miles Armour: None Crew: 2 + 16 man gun crew Payload: 3 tons   •   Towing Capacity: 22 tons
for heavy artillery such as the B4 203 mm tracked howitzer and the Br5 280 mm heavy mortar. They had a crew of two and seating for a 16 man gun crew or 3 tons of cargo in the rear  flatbed area which could be fitted with a storm cover in bad weather. They began to enter service in 1939, and by the time of the German invasion in 1941 about 230 had been built. In late 1941 the factory at Kharkov was evacuated and production transferred to the Stalingrad Tractor Factory. More than 1,100 had been built when production came to end in the autumn of 1942 after the factory was overrun by the Germans.
Country of Origin: USSR Number Built: 1,100+
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Demag SdKfz 10/5
Design work on the Demag SdKfz 10 series of half-tracks began in 1934, initially under the guise of a commercial product to circumvent the terms of the Versaille Treaty. Drive was only provided to the tracks, the front wheels being non-powered meant that steering could become difficult in soft terrain. The suspension was of the torsion bar type and gave the vehicle a ground clearance of 13 inches (33 cm), which  aided the vehicles good off-road performance, even over uneven terrain. They had a maximum speed of 47 mph per hour and an operational range of 190 miles over good surfaces. They were
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weight: 3.37 tons Dimensions: Length 15 ft 6 ins, Width 6 ft 3 ins, Height 6 ft 6 ins Powerplant: 1 x Maybach 99 hp petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 40 mph, Range 190 miles  Armament: 1 x 2 cm FlaK 38 anti-aircraft gun Armour: None Crew: 2 + 6 passengers
classified as a lightweight half-track and were given an official towing capacity of 1 ton, and were intended as an artillery tractor for light calibre artillery weapons like the 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun up to the lightweight 7.5 cm leIG infantry support gun. Full scale production began in 1938, with the SdKfz 10 being seen in many guises during its career. The SfKfz 10/4 mounted the 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun system on a flatbed, while the SdKfz 10/5 had the faster-firing 2 cm FlaK 38 gun instead. Both of these models featured fold-down panels that acted as a platform for the gun crew when in action.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Produced: 14,000+
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Raupenschlepper OST (RSO/2)
After the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, they began to experience the full effects of a Russian autumn and winter. The primitive roads soon became quagmires, and to maintain the mobility of the army Steyr proposed a small, fully tracked vehicle based on its 1500A light truck. They were  initial designed as a prime mover and artillery supply vehicle, and had a pressed steel cab and a wooden drop-side cargo flatbed. A simple suspension system was used instead of the complex interleaved wheel arrangement of most German halftracks which proved better at handling the conditions of the Russian
S P E C I F I C A T I O N :  (RS0/01) Weight: 3 tons Dimensions: Length 14 ft 6 ins, Width 6 ft 4 ins, Height 8 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x 85 hp Steyr petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 18 mph, Range 186 miles  Armament/Armour: None Crew: 2
winter, where mud or snow could build up between the wheel arrangement of a halftrack and freeze which would disable the vehicle. Named the Raupenschlepper Ost they entered service in 1942, and although designed as a prime mover they were soon used for general duties and a wide variety of other roles, including an ambulance and communication vehicles. To meet demand new versions appeared. The RSO/2 introduced a new flat sided cab that was cheaper and easier to produce, while the RSO itself became one of the workhorses on the eastern front, and in total over 28,000 were built.
Country of Origin: Germany Number Built: 28,000+
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Crusader Gun Tractor
Another use for withdrawn Crusader tanks was found in the form of a gun tractor to tow the heavy QF 17 pounder anti-tank gun which had recently entered service. Ruston & Hornsby were given the task of conversions who fitted a large armoured opened topped box superstructure onto the chassis where the gun crew of six were seated behind the driver when travelling, and the space at the rear being used to carry ammunition. The new vehicle was simply called the Crusader Gun Tractor, and became the main tracked artillery tractor in the British army. The vehicle was still capable of high speed but was officially
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 18.7 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 2 ins, Width 8 ft 1 in, Height 8 ft 4 ins Powerplant: 1 x 350 hp Liberty petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 27 mph, Range 100 miles  Armament: None Armour: 14 mm Crew: 1 + gun crew
limited to 27 mph, which still could be hard on the towed guns, especially over rough ground. The crusader Gun Tractor was used by the British Army in North West Europe from D-Day in June 1944 until the end of the war, several amso being used as a reconnaissance or command vehicles for artillery regiments. The Crusader proved to be a popular vehicle with those that used it, and many drivers tended to remove the 'governors' which limited the speed, so they could have an extra burst of speed in case of an emergency. It was claimed when this was done an empty Crusader could travel up to 55 mph.
Country of Origin: UK Number Produced: 400+
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M4 High Speed Tractor In the late 1930s the U.S. Army did not have any clear policy on mechanisation, but the success of the German Blitzkrieg in 1939-40 emphasised the need to motorise the army in order to achieve a rapid deployment, which meant towed artillery would need to move more rapidly to support the armoured fighting vehicles. To achieve this a series of ‘High Speed Tractors’ was planned that would tow the different artillery pieces in the U.S. Army Arsenal. The M4 High Speed Artillery Tractor was designed as a prime mover for large field artillery pieces and their crews, and was based on the chassis and S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 14.2 tons Dimensions: Length 17 ft 6 ins, Width 8 ft 1 ins, Height 8 ft 3 ins Powerplant: 1 x 210 hp Waukesha petrol engine Performance: Maximum speed 32 mph, Range 360 miles Armament: 1 x 0.5 inch M2 Browning machine gun Armour: None Crew: 1 + 11 gun crew drive train of the obsolescent M2 light tank but introduced a trailing idler wheel. They were mainly used to tow the the 155 mm Long Tom gun or the 90 mm or 3 inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft guns, the only difference being in the ammunition storage arrangements. 90 mm shells were stored in boxes which were pigeon holed in the sides of the vehicle, while 155 mm shells were accessed from the rear via a tailgate and hoist. Production was undertaken by Allis-Chalmers in 1942 with them beginning to enter service the following year, with 5,552 being built by June 1945 when production ceased. Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 5,552 A R T I L L E R Y T R A C T O R
Carden-Loyd Tankette
In the mid 1920s Carden-Loyd began to produce a small one man tankette based on  preliminary work carried out by Major Giffard LeQuesne Martel. Carden-Loyd then proposed a two- man version which would prove to be a more effective and popular idea. The design was accepted for service by the British Army who placed a small order for the vehicle in 1927. Shortly after this the firm was acquired by Vickers-Armstrong who saw a gap in the market for the tankette and the potential for development. The tankette went through a number of marks, and by the time production ended in 1935, about 450
S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Vehicle Weight: 1.5 tons Dimensions: Length 8 ft 1 ins, Width 5 ft 7 ins, Height 4 ft Powerplant: 1 x Ford 40 hp petrol engine    Performance: Maximum speed 25 mph, Range 90 miles  Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch or 0.5 inch Vickers machine gun Armour: Maximum thickness 9 mm Crew: 2
had been built. The most numerous was the mks VI with at least 325 being produced, and were used in the British Army as a machine gun carrier, and to a lesser extent as a mortar carrier, smoke projector and a light gun tractor for a 37 mm howitzer or 20 mm anti tank gun. In 1929, Poland and the Soviet Union both purchased a small number of tankettes with a licence, who used them to develop the TK and TKS tankette series (Poland), and the T27 tankette (Soviet Union). Italy, Japan and Czechoslovakia also purchased a small number or built licenced copies before developing their own vehicles.
Country of Origin: UK Number Built: 450
A R T I L L E R Y   T R A C T O R
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