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For
many people, the name Rolls-Royce still conjures up the idea of
“armoured car”, at least as much as visions of the urbane life
associated with what is claimed to be “the Best Car in the
World”. The reason is easy to find because not only did
Rolls-Royce armoured cars serve on many fronts as far apart as
South-West Africa and Russia from 1914 onwards in the First World
War, but in a recognizably similar form were employed in the British
and other armies throughout the inter-war years all over the world,
and again in action during the earlier years of the Second World War.
Design
of the turreted pattern RollsRoyce armoured car was commenced
about October 1914, following discussions as to how to provide
better protection than that offered by the early open top armoured
vehicles. After
the design was finalized, production went ahead and the first
three Rolls-Royce armoured cars of the turreted pattern were
delivered on 3 December 1914. The complement for the first RNAS
squadron of the Armoured Car Division - twelve armoured cars - was
completed during December and the squadron was sent to the East
Coast of England both for trials and to guard against invasion. A
total of six squadrons of Rolls-Royce armoured cars was completed by
the end of January 1915 but Maxim machine-guns had to be obtained
from ships of the Fleet to fully equip them all.
Early experience in action in France
suggested the need for a plate on the gun barrel to protect the open
mounting and this was fitted, on many cars later. In Africa the cars
won praise for their mechanical reliability (although conditions in
some areas precluded the use of the higher gears for days on end.
Two
Rolls-Royce armoured cars were in Russia with Commander
Locker-Lampson's force (which remained a Royal Naval Air Service
detachment) until the Revolution in 1917 - one of these was claimed
to have done 53,000 miles over terrible roads or no roads at all
with only minor repairs.
Some
Rolls-Royce armoured cars of this 1914
pattern (together with cars of the very similar 1920
pattern) remained in service for many years after the War -
notably with the Royal Tank Corps in India and with the Royal Air
Force Armoured Car Companies in Iraq. Some of the R.A.F. cars (somewhat
modernized) were still in active use at Habbaniya as late as 1941.
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My model is built from the resin kit by Milicast. (For a review of this kit, click here!) The kit portrays the 1920 pattern, and it has been backdated, by replacing the louvered front flaps and giving the turret a square cupola. The wheels have also been replaced. Yes, I know that the spokes are wrong, and I will replace them when I get hold of another copy of the Modelkrak LAnchester kit, who has the correct spokes. It has been painted up as a armoured car on the Western Front in 1916. Click on the thumbnails to see more views of this model:
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