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Armored car (military)

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A military armored ( also spelled armoured ) car is a wheeled armoured fighting vehicle , historically employed for reconnaissance , internal security , armed escort, and other subordinate battlefield tasks. With the gradual decline of mounted cavalry , armored cars were developed for carrying out duties formerly assigned to light cavalry . Following the invention of the tank , the armoured car remained popular due to its faster speed, comparatively simple maintenance and low production cost. It also found favor with several colonial armies as a cheaper weapon for use in underdeveloped regions. During World War II , most armoured cars were engineered for reconnaissance and passive observation, while others were devoted to communications tasks. Some equipped with heavier armament could even substitute for tracked combat vehicles in favorable conditions—such as pursuit or flanking maneuvers during the North African campaign .

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60-722: Since World War II the traditional functions of the armored car have been occasionally combined with that of the armoured personnel carrier , resulting in such multipurpose designs as the BTR-40 or the Cadillac Gage Commando . Postwar advances in recoil control technology have also made it possible for a few armoured cars, including the B1 Centauro , the Panhard AML , the AMX-10 RC and EE-9 Cascavel , to carry

120-947: A Fordson truck in Egypt . By the start of the new war, the German army possessed some highly effective reconnaissance vehicles, such as the Schwerer Panzerspähwagen . The Soviet BA-64 was influenced by a captured Leichter Panzerspähwagen before it was first tested in January 1942. In the second half of the war, the American M8 Greyhound and the British Daimler Armoured Cars featured turrets mounting light guns (40 mm or less). As with other wartime armored cars, their reconnaissance roles emphasized greater speed and stealth than

180-566: A German-built Daimler motor in 1899. and a single prototype was ordered in April 1899 The prototype was finished in 1902, too late to be used during the Boer War . The vehicle had Vickers armor, 6 mm (0.24 in) thick, and was powered by a four-cylinder 3.3 L (200 cu in) 16 hp (12 kW) Cannstatt Daimler engine, giving it a maximum speed of around 9 mph (14 km/h). The armament, consisting of two Maxim guns ,

240-529: A Mannesmann-MULAG  [ de ] armored car to break through the Germans' lines and force the Germans to retreat. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Middle East was equipped with Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars and Morris tenders. Some of these vehicles were among the last of a consignment of ex- Royal Navy armored cars that had been serving in the Middle East since 1915. In September 1940

300-452: A Mk 19 grenade launcher) are in fully enclosed turrets (turrets typically have optics which make them more accurate). More recently, APCs have been equipped with remote weapon systems . The baseline Stryker carries an M2 on a Protector remote weapons system. APCs may be used as armoured ambulances , to conduct evacuations of wounded personnel. These vehicles are equipped with stretchers and medical supplies. According to article 19 of

360-602: A few cars with heavier guns. As air power became a factor, armored cars offered a mobile platform for antiaircraft guns. The first effective use of an armored vehicle in combat was achieved by the Belgian Army in August–September 1914. They had placed Cockerill armour plating and a Hotchkiss machine gun on Minerva touring cars, creating the Minerva Armored Car . Their successes in the early days of

420-464: A four-cylinder 35 hp (26 kW) 4.4 L (270 cu in) engine giving it average cross country performance. Both the driver and co-driver had adjustable seats enabling them to raise them to see out of the roof of the drive compartment as needed. The Spanish Schneider-Brillié was the first armored vehicle to be used in combat, being first used in the Kert Campaign . The vehicle

480-576: A large cannon capable of threatening many tanks. During the Middle Ages, war wagons covered with steel plate, and crewed by men armed with primitive hand cannon , flails and muskets , were used by the Hussite rebels in Bohemia. These were deployed in formations where the horses and oxen were at the centre, and the surrounding wagons were chained together as protection from enemy cavalry. With

540-761: A less threatening vehicle such as an armored car is more likely to be attacked. Many modern forces now have their dedicated armored car designs, to exploit the advantages noted above. Examples would be the M1117 armored security vehicle of the USA or Alvis Saladin of the post-World War II era in the United Kingdom. Alternatively, civilian vehicles may be modified into improvised armored cars in ad hoc fashion. Many militias and irregular forces adapt civilian vehicles into AFVs (armored fighting vehicles) and troop carriers, and in some regional conflicts these "technicals" are

600-702: A northern strip on the Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar , and a southern part of the protectorate around Cape Juby , bordering the Spanish Sahara . After more than 19 months, the armored Schneider-Brillié "Artillery No. 15", was sent to the front on 17 January 1912. Three days later, the vehicle arrived in Nador , where it was placed under the command of the artillery commander, Rafael de Carranza Garrido, and transferred days later to Zeluán . It

660-517: A rule, is armed with an integral or organic weapon of less than 20 millimetres calibre." Compared to infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are also used to carry infantry into battle, APCs have less armament and are not designed to provide direct fire support in battle. Infantry units that travel in APCs are known as mechanized infantry . Some militaries also make a distinction between infantry units that use APCs and infantry units that use IFVs, with

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720-842: A section of the No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment Company was detached to General Wavell's ground forces during the first offensive against the Italians in Egypt. During the actions in the October of that year the company was employed on convoy escort tasks, airfield defense, fighting reconnaissance patrols and screening operations. During the 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War , some of the units located in the British Mandate of Palestine were sent to Iraq and drove Fordson armored cars. "Fordson" armored cars were Rolls-Royce armored cars which received new chassis from

780-679: A solution to the First Moroccan Crisis of 1905 between France and Germany, which arose as Germany responded to France's effort to establish a protectorate over the independent state of Morocco . The Spanish protectorate in Morocco was established on 27 November 1912 by a treaty between France and Spain that converted the Spanish sphere of influence in Morocco into a formal protectorate . The Spanish protectorate consisted of

840-500: A tracked vehicle could provide, so their limited armor, armament and off-road capabilities were seen as acceptable compromises. A military armored car is a type of armored fighting vehicle having wheels (from four to ten large, off-road wheels) instead of tracks , and usually light armor . Armored cars are typically less expensive and on roads have better speed and range than tracked military vehicles. They do however have less mobility as they have less off-road capabilities because of

900-626: A truck of French origin, the Spanish army transformed it into an armored car and was used in operations during the Kert campaign , armed with Maxim machine guns that were installed in Spain and rifles. The Spanish Automobile Military Transport was established in 1879 when the Spanish Army decided to acquire steam locomotives for the transport and handling of coastal artillery pieces. Two Aveling & Porter mod. 1871 locomotives were purchased for

960-533: A whole were produced in large numbers. Czechoslovakia and Poland together developed the universal amphibious OT-64 SKOT . The BMP series is termed as infantry fighting vehicles , but it has a designed role of carrying troops to the battlefield. The BMP-1 , 2 , and 3 all possess the ability to transport troops. By convention, armoured personnel carriers are not intended to take part in direct-fire battle, but are armed for self-defence and armoured to provide protection from shrapnel and small arms fire. An APC

1020-516: Is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I , APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. According to the definition in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe , an APC is "an armoured combat vehicle which is designed and equipped to transport a combat infantry squad and which, as

1080-420: Is either wheeled or tracked , or occasionally a combination of the two, as in a half-track . Wheeled vehicles are typically faster on road and less expensive, however have higher ground pressure which decreases mobility offroad and makes them more likely to become stuck in soft terrains such as mud, snow or sand. Tracked vehicles typically have lower ground pressure and more maneuverability off-road. Due to

1140-453: Is said to be more compatible with tight urban spaces designed for wheeled vehicles. However, they do have a larger turning radius compared to tracked vehicles which can turn on the spot and their tires are vulnerable and are less capable in climbing and crushing obstacles. Further, when there is true combat they are easily outgunned and lightly armored. The threatening appearance of a tank is often enough to keep an opponent from attacking, whereas

1200-737: Is the heavily armoured Israeli Achzarit , converted from captured T-55s tanks, the concept culminating in the Namer . Meanwhile, the Warsaw Pact developed their own versions of the APC. The Soviet Union termed theirs the Bronetransporter ( Russian : бронетранспортер ), better known as the BTR series. It comprised the BTR-40 , BTR-152 , BTR-60 , BTR-70 , BTR-80 , and the BTR-90 , which as

1260-508: The Cold War , more specialized APCs were developed. The United States introduced a series of them, including successors to the wartime Landing Vehicle Tracked . The most numerous was the M113 armored personnel carrier , of which more than 80,000 were produced. Western nations have since retired most M113s, replacing them with newer APCs, many of these wheeled. A cold war example of a "Kangaroo"

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1320-669: The Geneva Conventions , "mobile medical units of the Medical Service may in no circumstances be attacked, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict". Although article 22 allows them to carry defensive weaponry, they are typically unarmed. Under Article 39, the emblem of the medical service "shall be displayed ... on all equipment employed in the Medical Service." As such, armoured ambulances are marked with International Committee of

1380-455: The KPV , PKT and NSV machine guns are common options. In "open top" mounts the gunner sticks out of the vehicle and operates a gun on a pintle or ring mount. Ring mounts allow the gun to traverse 360 degrees, a pintle mount has a limited field of fire. It can be preferable to an enclosed gunner because it allows a greater field of view and communication using shouts and hand signals. However,

1440-630: The Royal Naval Armoured Car Division reaching a strength of 20 squadrons before disbanded in 1915. and the armoured cars passing to the army as part of the Machine Gun Corps. Only NO.1 Squadron was retained; it was sent to Russia. As the Western Front turned to trench warfare unsuitable to wheeled vehicles, the armoured cars were moved to other areas. The 2nd Duke of Westminster took No. 2 Squadron of

1500-538: The American M3 and German Sd.Kfz. 251 played a role similar to post-war APCs. British Commonwealth forces relied on the full-tracked Universal Carrier . Over the course of the war, APCs evolved from simple armoured cars with transport capacity to purpose-built vehicles. Obsolete armoured vehicles were also repurposed as APCs, such as the various " Kangaroos " converted from M7 Priest self-propelled guns and from Churchill , M3 Stuart and Ram tanks . During

1560-531: The British Ferret are armed with just a machine gun. Heavier vehicles are armed with autocannon or a large caliber gun. The heaviest armored cars, such as the German, World War II era Sd.Kfz. 234 or the modern, US M1128 mobile gun system , mount the same guns that arm medium tanks. Armored cars are popular for peacekeeping or internal security duties. Their appearance is less confrontational and threatening than tanks, and their size and maneuverability

1620-487: The French VAB . Armoured personnel carriers are designed primarily for transport and are lightly armed. They may be unarmed, or armed with some combination of light , general-purpose , heavy machine guns, or automatic grenade launchers . In Western nations, APCs are frequently armed with the .50 calibre M2 Browning machine gun , 7.62mm FN MAG , or 40mm Mk 19 grenade launcher . In former Eastern bloc nations,

1680-524: The French engineer Eugène Brillié . The truck was built by the workshops of Schneider & Cie on the chassis of the Parisian double-decker bus Schneider-Brillié P2. The Spanish Army wanted protection from small arms fire and the ability to transport soldiers or payloads inside the hull. In November 1909, King Alfonso XIII authorized the acquisition of what would become the first armored vehicle of

1740-549: The Israeli IDF Namer has as much armour as Merkava main battle tank . Armour is usually composed of steel or aluminium . They will also use ballistic glass . Many APCs are equipped with CBRN protection, which is intended to provide protection from weapons of mass destruction like poison gas and radioactive/nuclear weapons. Generally APCs will be lighter and less armoured than tanks or IFVs, often being open topped and featuring doors and windows, as seen in

1800-1274: The RNAS to France in March 1915 in time to make a noted contribution to the Second Battle of Ypres , and thereafter the cars with their master were sent to the Middle East to play a part in the British campaign in Palestine and elsewhere The Duke led a motorised convoy including nine armoured cars across the Western Desert in North Africa to rescue the survivors of the sinking of the SS Tara which had been kidnapped and taken to Bir Hakiem. In Africa, Rolls Royce armoured cars were active in German South West Africa and Lanchester Armoured Cars in British East Africa against German forces to

1860-510: The Red Cross ( ICRC ) recognized symbols . The infantry fighting vehicle is a derivative of the APC. Various classes of infantry fighting vehicles may be deployed alongside tanks and APCs, in armoured and mechanized forces. The fundamental difference between an APC and IFV is the role they are designed for. The CFE treaty stipulates an infantry fighting vehicle is an APC with a cannon in excess of 20 mm, and with this additional firepower

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1920-707: The Royal Ordnance Factory in Trubia and the Royal Artillery in Seville. These locomotives were the first motorised vehicles of the Spanish Army. In the first decade of the 20th century, the Spanish Army began to develop procedures for the acquisition and maintenance of motor vehicles. The Spanish Army decided after the 1909 Second Melillan campaign to acquire unarmoured trucks "Schneider-Brillié" model 1909 based on unarmored trucks designed by

1980-581: The Spanish army: a Schneider-Brillié armored vehicle, model 1909. Still without an official name, the vehicle arrived in Spain on June 30, 1910, and five days later it was delivered to the Artillery Automotive School (Escuela de Automovilismo de Artilleria) located in Carabanchel . There it was given the name "Artillery n°15", and the inscription "ARTILLERIA" was written on the sides of the vehicle. During its first year in service,

2040-500: The armored vehicle contained the driver's seat and controls. The middle section of the vehicle was used as a troop transport compartment and could accommodate two machine gun crews and 10 soldiers with ammunition. For this reason, the hull of the vehicle was unusually high and had a pronounced box-like shape. The armament consisted of two 7 mm Maxim machine guns, mounted on the sides of the fighting compartment. The crews were able to fire personal weapons such as rifles and pistols due to

2100-680: The end of the Kert campaign , the armor of the vehicle was removed and the vehicle was converted into a normal transport truck. A second Schneider-Brillié "Artillery No. 19", similar to the previous one, was acquired in September 1911. It was assigned the Second Motorized Brigade at Melilla and sent to Tétouan , and later repatriated to the Artillery School in Madrid in 1915. Based on the experience acquired with

2160-566: The gunner is poorly protected and at risk of injury in the event of vehicle rollover. During the Vietnam War , M113 gunners often suffered heavy casualties. Enclosed vehicles are equipped with turrets that allow the crew to operate the weapons system while protected by the vehicle's armour. The Soviet BTR-60 has an enclosed turret mounted with a KPV heavy machine gun with a PKT coaxial machine gun. The U.S. Assault Amphibious Vehicle, Personnel ( AAVP7 's) machine guns (an M2, .50 caliber MG and

2220-496: The gunner. One of the first operational armored cars with four wheel (4x4) drive and partly enclosed rotating turret, was the Austro-Daimler Panzerwagen built by Austro-Daimler in 1904. It was armored with 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) thick curved plates over the body (drive space and engine) and had a 4 mm (0.16 in) thick dome-shaped rotating turret that housed one or two machine-guns. It had

2280-575: The higher ground pressure. They also have less obstacle climbing capabilities than tracked vehicles. Wheels are more vulnerable to enemy fire than tracks, they have a higher signature and in most cases less armor than comparable tracked vehicles. As a result, they are not intended for heavy fighting; their normal use is for reconnaissance , command, control, and communications, or for use against lightly armed insurgents or rioters. Only some are intended to enter close combat, often accompanying convoys to protect soft-skinned vehicles. Light armored cars, such as

2340-473: The infantry following—who were needed to consolidate the territory acquired—still faced small arms and artillery fire. Without infantry support, the tanks were isolated and more easily destroyed. In response, the British experimented with carrying machine-gun crews in the Mark V* tank , but it was found that the conditions inside the tanks rendered the men unfit for combat. During World War II, half-tracks like

2400-552: The integrity of the hull and folding down a trim vane in front. Water traverse speed varies greatly between vehicles and is much less than ground speed. The maximum swim speed of the M113 is 3.6 mph (5.8 km/h), about 10% its road speed, and the AAVP-7 can swim at 8.2 mph (13.2 km/h). Armoured personnel carriers are typically designed to protect against small arms and artillery fire. Some designs have more protection;

2460-424: The invention of the steam engine , Victorian inventors designed prototype self-propelled armored vehicles for use in sieges, although none were deployed in combat. H. G. Wells ' short story " The Land Ironclads " provides a fictionalized account of their use. The Motor Scout was designed and built by British inventor F.R. Simms in 1898. It was the first armed petrol engine-powered vehicle ever built. The vehicle

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2520-576: The latter being known as armoured infantry. One of the first armored vehicles to be used in combat was the Spanish Schneider-Brillié , which saw action in Morocco. It was built from the chassis of a Schneider P2-4000 bus and could carry 12 passengers. The genesis of the armoured personnel carrier was on the Western Front of World War I. In the later stage of the war, Allied tanks could break through enemy trenches , but

2580-443: The limited service life of their treads , and the wear they cause on roads, tracked vehicles are typically transported over long distances by rail or trucks . Many APCs are amphibious , meaning they are able to traverse bodies of water. To move in water they will often have propellers or water jets , be propelled by their tracks, or driving on the river bed. Preparing the APC to operate amphibiously usually comprises checking

2640-769: The only combat vehicles present. On occasion, even the soldiers of national militaries are forced to adapt their civilian-type vehicles for combat use, often using improvised armor and scrounged weapons. In the 1930s, a new sub-class of armored car emerged in the United States, known as the scout car . This was a compact light armored car which was either unarmed or armed only with machine guns for self-defense. Scout cars were designed as purpose-built reconnaissance vehicles for passive observation and intelligence gathering. Armored cars which carried large caliber, turreted weapons systems were not considered scout cars. The concept gained popularity worldwide during World War II and

2700-545: The presence of embrasures on the sides. The rear fuselage was designed to accommodate payloads of up to 1500 kg. The armored vehicle was equipped with a four-cylinder gasoline engine with an output of 40 hp at 1000 rpm. The transmission was manual with a 3-speed manual override, giving three forward speeds and one reverse. The base vehicle was a Schneider 4x2 commercial Ps-4000 truck chassis. The front wheels were single-steered front tires. The rear wheels were dual-drive. The tubeless tires were made by Continental. Since

2760-472: The roof or sides of the vehicle. Many feature a remote weapon system . Usually four-wheel drive, these IMVs are distinct from 8-, 6-, and 4-wheeled APCs (such as the VAB ), being closer in appearance to civilian armoured money and gold transporters . Schneider-Brilli%C3%A9 model 1909 The Spanish armored vehicle Schneider-Brillié model 1909 was the first armored vehicle to ever enter battle. Based on

2820-657: The south. Armored cars also saw action on the Eastern Front. From 18 February - 26 March 1915, the German army under General Max von Gallwitz attempted to break through the Russian lines in and around the town of Przasnysz , Poland, (about 110 km / 68 miles north of Warsaw) during the Battle of Przasnysz (Polish: Bitwa przasnyska ). Near the end of the battle, the Russians used four Russo-Balt armored cars and

2880-428: The term is understood today, as they provided little protection for their crews from enemy fire. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first military armored vehicles were manufactured by adding armor and weapons to existing vehicles. The first armored car was the Simms' Motor War Car , designed by F.R. Simms and built by Vickers, Sons & Maxim of Barrow on a special Coventry -built Daimler chassis with

2940-402: The uparmoured M1114 HMMWV is a clear example of this. The addition of armour provides protection to passengers. M1114s have been largely replaced by purpose-built Mine Resistant Ambush Protected ( MRAP ) vehicles. IMVs generally feature a v-shaped underbelly designed to deflect mine blasts outwards, with additional crew protection features such as four-point seat belts, and seats suspended from

3000-535: The vehicle is more involved in combat, providing fire support to dismounted infantry. "Infantry mobility vehicle" (IMV) is a new name for the old concept of an armoured car, with an emphasis on mine resistance. They are primarily used to protect passengers in unconventional warfare . The South African Casspir was first built in the late 1970s. In the 21st century, they gained favour in the post-Cold-War geopolitical climate. Identical to earlier High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) in design and function,

3060-435: The vehicle was used to train mechanics and drivers, and the army tested the vehicle making trips from Carabanchel to Segovia, several times and by different routes, through the ports of León and Navacerrada . Bolted and riveted to a wooden frame, the vehicle's hull consisted of 5-mm rolled armor plates. The Schneider company claimed that the armor could withstand a rifle-caliber bullet at a range of 100 meters. The front of

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3120-415: The vehicles provided by a local shipbuilder. In London Murray Sueter ordered "fighting cars" based on Rolls-Royce, Talbot and Wolseley chassis. By the time Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars arrived in December 1914, the mobile period on the Western Front was already over. More tactically important was the development of formed units of armored cars, such as the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade , which

3180-540: The war convinced the Belgian GHQ to create a Corps of Armoured Cars , who would be sent to fight on the Eastern front once the western front immobilized after the Battle of the Yser . The British Royal Naval Air Service dispatched aircraft to Dunkirk to defend the UK from Zeppelins. The officers' cars followed them and these began to be used to rescue downed reconnaissance pilots in the battle areas. They mounted machine guns on them and as these excursions became increasingly dangerous, they improvised boiler plate armoring on

3240-572: The wheels were spoked, Schneider made armored rims for them. The armored vehicle had a fuel capacity of 100 liters. Its autonomy was 100 km at its optimum average technical speed. The maximum speed on well-paved roads was 18 km/h. The weight of the Schneider-Brillie 1909 armored vehicle, fully equipped with crew and armament, was 5500 kg. The vehicle was able to transport about 10 gunners, two riflemen, one driver, and one commander. The Algeciras Conference took place in Algeciras , Spain, and lasted from 16 January to 7 April 1906 to find

3300-402: Was a De Dion-Bouton quadricycle with a mounted Maxim machine gun on the front bar. An iron shield in front of the car protected the driver. Another early armed car was invented by Royal Page Davidson at Northwestern Military and Naval Academy in 1898 with the Davidson-Duryea gun carriage and the later Davidson Automobile Battery armored car . However, these were not "armored cars" as

3360-424: Was assigned missions such as supplying military posts, safe transportation of personnel, surveillance, protection of sensitive points, evacuation of the wounded. The Schneider-Brillié became the first armored vehicle to ever enter battle. The second armored vehicle to be used in combat was the Italian Automitragliatrice Corazzata Fiat Arsenale mod. 1912 during the Italo-Turkish War in September 1912 in Libya. At

3420-433: Was carried in two turrets with 360° traverse. It had a crew of four. Simms' Motor War Car was presented at the Crystal Palace , London , in April 1902. Another early armored car of the period was the French Charron, Girardot et Voigt 1902 , presented at the Salon de l'Automobile et du cycle in Brussels , on 8 March 1902. The vehicle was equipped with a Hotchkiss machine gun , and with 7 mm (0.28 in) armour for

3480-592: Was equipped with two machineguns and built from a bus chassis. An armored car known as the ''Death Special'' was built at the CFI plant in Pueblo and used by the Badlwin-Felts detective agency during the Colorado Coalfield War . A great variety of armored cars appeared on both sides during World War I and these were used in various ways. Generally, armored cars were used by more or less independent car commanders. However, sometimes they were used in larger units up to squadron size. The cars were primarily armed with light machine guns, but larger units usually employed

3540-407: Was especially favored in nations where reconnaissance theory emphasized passive observation over combat. Examples of armored cars also classified as scout cars include the Soviet BRDM series , the British Ferret , the Brazilian EE-3 Jararaca , the Hungarian D-442 FÚG , and the American Cadillac Gage Commando Scout . Armoured personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier ( APC )

3600-539: Was the first fully mechanized unit in the history. The brigade was established on September 2, 1914, in Ottawa , as Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1 by Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel . The brigade was originally equipped with eight Armoured Autocars mounting two machine guns. By 1918 Brutinel's force consisted of two motor machine gun brigades (each of five gun batteries containing eight weapons apiece). The brigade, and its armored cars, provided yeoman service in many battles, notably at Amiens. The RNAS section became

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