AEC Armoured Car Mk.I

Valentine on wheels

Historical overview:

AEC of Southall were a bus and truck company, and its Matador artillery tractor was used as the basis of their new, private-venture armoured car. It was designed to be as well armed, and armoured as current Cruiser tanks in use by the army, and the frontal plates being well sloped helped to that end, though the same could not be said elsewhere on the tank.

It was quite roomy by armoured car standards, and initially being equipped with a Valentine Mk.II’s turret and OQF 2-Pounder gun gave it adequate firepower and armour for an armoured car in 1942.

It could also mount a Bren gun, or one or two Vickers K machine guns on the roof for anti-air capabilities or additional firepower against infantry, alongside the coaxially mounted BESA. A total of around 120-130 Mk.I AEC Armoured cars would be produced between 1941 and 1942.

Source(s):

Wikipedia - AEC Armoured Car
The World Wars.Net - AEC Armoured Car