Landships II

Ok folks, I got my photo reproductions from Bovington, and with a lot of help from David Fletcher, we now know a lot more about these vehicles.
-----------

The first production type of the Carden-Loyd was called the Mark V, and the main production type the mark VI, but apart from the books by Chamberlain and Ellis, the earlier types are not referred to by mark in any contemporary documents. The case for them not being referred to by mark is backed up by the small identification plates affixed to the sides of the turret on the one-man prototypes, as well as on the later two-man production machines. The production machines clearly have stamped "Carden-Loyd Mark V", VI, etc. The name plate on the one-man machines says only "Carden-Loyd", the companies street address, and nothing more.

The best information on these machines is found in the record books of the Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment (MWEE) which are kept in the Public Record Office in london. Since every item that went to the MWEE was given a number, the Bovington Tank Museum decided to identify each of the Carden-Loyd one-man tanks by its number.

The first numbered Carden-Loyd is the MWEE 50, the one-man turretless vehicle, which is said to have been rebuilt from Carden's original prone-driven machine, of which no photos are known to exist. MWEE 50 reappeared years later, rebuilt as a two-man machine gun carrier like the Mark VI except that it had the original Ford axle.

Next came the one-man machines with fully rotating turrets, MWEE 59, and MWEE 60, also noted as No.2, and No.3 respectively, as they were the second and third numbered Carden-Loyds. The first vehicle, Cardens prone-driven vehicle was never issued a MWEE number as it was never sent to the MWEE.

The intention with these two vehicles seems to have been to use the vehicles to test various suspension and track systems, and the tracks and suspension used on the vehicles varied considerably over their lifetimes. Initially, the No.2 vehicle (MWEE 59) had lots of little coil springs and rollers, while No.3 (MWEE 60) had four large rubber rollers and no springs at all.

If the careers of MWEE 59 and 60 are followed through the MWEE record books, it becomes apparent that both vehicles were constantly changing or exchanging suspension systems, or parts of suspension systems. In one case one vehicle had a different suspension on each side. This may have been to test the suspension systems against each other on the same vehicle, or to keep one vehicle running by using the parts of the other. Because of this, one has to be very careful about identifying these vehicles in photographs. The vehicle seen may be a combination of both. Indeed, pictures show the Carden-Loyds with the noted suspension of MWEE 59 and 60, as well as an entirely different suspension consisting of three rubber rollers on a unique frame.

The next Carden-Loyd built was MWEE 61, the so called wheel-cum-track system. Chamberlain and Ellis appear to have thought there were two of these vehicles, but according to the MWEE records there was only one.


--------------

Furthermore, I have always asked myself several questions about these vehicles. For one, was there a cover over the engine compartment behind the driver? In several images there clearly is not. However, this can now be laid to rest. There was a cover fitted to the vehicles at some point, appearing as two sheets of material with a total width of about 1 inch, held to the vehicle by two strips of metal on each side, the attachment points of which can be easily seen in the higher quality images where the cover itself is not in place. This cover was probably not armor, and probably simply meant to keep dirt and rain out, so it might even be wood rather than metal.

Secondly, we now have proof that the turret was indeed capable of full traverse. This may have been to make driving the vehicle in a non-combat situation easier, but may also have given the driver a way to retreat safely in the theoretical situation of these vehicles being in combat. The driver could spin the turret around as he drove forward away from the enemy, therefore providing cover from enemy fire even while retreating, something that would be very dangerous otherwise by virtue of the open backed turret, although this is just speculation - it may have been impossible to fully traverse the turret with the driver and/or gun in place.

Thirdly, we now know what those attachment points at the front of the MWEE 60 were for. They were for mounting some sort of large tank on the front. This may have been a can of water, but I presume it was an auxiliary fuel tank, in part because of the two small holes with sliding covers one can see in the front of MWEE 60, and more clearly on MWEE 61 where one cover is open. These openings may have been for the fuel lines to connect the front tank to the main, although that is just conjecture on my part. Presumably, if engaged in a theoretical fight, this tank would be jettisoned in much the same way a fighter aircraft drops its external fuel tanks before engaging in a dogfight. Otherwise, it would seem absurd to mount a fuel tank (if it is a fuel tank) on the front of a combat vehicle.

One thing we may never know is the interior layout. One can deduce a lot, simply by knowing the vehicle used a large amount of Ford parts, as well as similar engineering to the later production Carden-Loyds. So, we could probably figure out the foot-pedal control scheme the vehicle used simply by figuring out how one could make it out of Ford Model-T parts, and the seat for the driver was probably a very bare-bones assembly similar to the later vehicles.

Pictures. Extremely large for easy viewing. Note the photograph dammage on some, some have been crumpled, folded, or damaged in other ways, before making it to Bovington. Naturally, this damage is still featured in the reproductions. I also took the liberty of pasting the "do not reproduce" stickers (scanned from the backside of the photos) into the images. The stickers do not cover up anything but blank white, don't worry.

MWEE 60
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d7618eaf0b.jpg

MWEE 61
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d892897596.jpg
Note the plate, which I have scanned at a ludicrous resolution to get this image:
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d895791510.jpg
Would you agree it says "122 P i C C a D i L L Y" ? Some letters seem to be capitalised and others not, for no reason. I wonder why. There seems to be some sort of text at the bottom of the plate, but it could be nothing. I almost detect the first "word" to be 'Locust', but that could just be my eyes playing tricks on me.

MWEE 61 at trials.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d898e01b72.jpg

Perhaps MWEE 60, with the Independent tank, plus the original Carden-Loyd two-man, and a Morris-Martel in the background.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d8b0ce6ea3.jpg
And a closeup of the Carden-Loyd just for the fun of it.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d8b520b64c.jpg

Man in CL with turret traversed and auxiliary fuel tank fitted to front plate. Note the unique 3 bogie suspension (it isn't just the 4 bogie suspension with one missing). This could be any one of the CLs. You also get the best view of the rear engine cover in this shot, as it is one of the few shots looking down on the vehicle.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d8bb640dea.jpg

Man at the controls of the same 3 bogie CL, with a Morris-Martel in the background.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d8be732141.jpg

The one-man-tank gang, apparently, around the same 3 bogie CL. Note the auxiliary tank is not fitted.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d8c5818a94.jpg

Looks like MWEE 61 in the foreground, with possibly MWEE 59 in the background, at trials.
http://s1.simpload.com/0717469d8c937a5b9.jpg

---Vil

-- Edited by Vilkata at 04:51, 2007-07-18