Tiger331 Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Just been to a local air day which also featured an AFV display. During a lull in flying due to the weather I took a good look around a restored Universal Carrier........havent previously studied this vehicle although I did build the old Airfix kit many moons ago......anyway I came away with the conclusion that it was a totally pointless and useless vehicle !. Its all engine and tracks with four seats (including the drivers) and virtually no stowage space......so what use was it on the battlefield ?. Practically no armour or protection, no roof, a few brackets for personal weapons and thats about it. Discuss ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I'd look at it this way.. Second class driving is better than first class walking... Any ex forces guys will tell you that :-) It carries a Bren gun or two, tow an anti tank gun, carry a radio and I dare say more than four troops at a push. I'd say its a very useful wagon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I think I read some where, for the time Britian was the only nation to have a fully tracked recce vehicle, and the universal carrier was it. It's use on the battle field was to recce forward of the infantry, not nessaseraly by recce formation troops but normal infantry types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 The original Bren gun carriers were never designed to be fought from - instead they were seen as a way of getting weapons teams around the battlefield in the face of moderate opposition. In the event, and despite their many and obvious failings, they became extremely successful 'maids of all work', even when superseded by more suitable vehicles. Overloaded carriers, carrying all and sundry and towing the kitchen sink were a feature of all campaigns involving British forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger331 Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 I'd look at it this way.. Second class driving is better than first class walking... Any ex forces guys will tell you that :-) It carries a Bren gun or two, tow an anti tank gun, carry a radio and I dare say more than four troops at a push. I'd say its a very useful wagon. Been in HM Forces for 30+ years……..I'd still take my chances walking than traveling in one of these I will admit to forgetting that it could tow an anti tank gun so that may be useful but I still stand by the concerns I have regarding the utility of the vehicle….It really is quite big for something that only takes three troops and a driver and provides virtually no (protected) stowage space for ammunition etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dads203 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Been in HM Forces for 30+ years……..I'd still take my chances walking than traveling in one of these I will admit to forgetting that it could tow an anti tank gun so that may be useful but I still stand by the concerns I have regarding the utility of the vehicle….It really is quite big for something that only takes three troops and a driver and provides virtually no (protected) stowage space for ammunition etc. You were not Army then ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Was used as a morter carrier, MMG carrier, Artillery OP and many many more uses. Was even used as a self propelled gun by the Germans, plus there 3.7 AT gun and later the panzerfurst carrier by 21st PZ Div in Europe. The Australians used them inplace of tanks, not very successful I agree, but did help in capturing bunkers in pacific. I think the morter and MMG carrier was the most successful. They were underpowered for the 6Pdr AT gun, but till better one's came along were put into service. I do think they had a purpose and fulfilled it very well, the Indians/Canadians and Australians all built them, plus the British. They were also good against small arms fire. Foxy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigh827 Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 They were one of those ideas that looked better on paper than in real life. In America after WW2 we had the M-151 Ford Mutt. It was to replace the Jeep, but didn't even come close. Flipped in turns at low speed, any thing bigger than a M-60 machine gun except the TOW was to much for the frame, a sad little thing. When the last of them were being phased out in the middle 1980's they put out a roll bar for them. They flipped that much, and it only took 20 some thing years to come up with the roll bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Its all engine and tracks with four seats (including the drivers) and virtually no stowage space......so what use was it on the battlefield ?. Practically no armour or protection, no roof, a few brackets for personal weapons and thats about it. Discuss ! I suspect if you had to move a 3" Mortar or a Vickers Gun a couple of miles, you'd suddenly see a wonderful new side to it! The 6pdr was usually towed by the Lloyd Carrier, not the Universal/Bren Carrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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