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Description
Alternate History - First Generation Australian Cars

This entry shows the first three Australian-made armoured cars and the vehicles they were designed from. These vehicles, predominantly the No. 2 "Kangaroo" shaped the backbone of Australian armoured car design in the 1930s and allowed the United Australian Union to have a fighting chance in the early World War (1939-1946). The armoured cars that these then evolved into served for decades after. The vehicles shown here are the Büssing A5P, Rolls-Royce Mark I 1914 Pattern, and the Mashinengeweher-Kraftwagen Kfz 13 as well as their derived Australian Armoured Car No. 1, Australian Armoured Car No. 2 "Kangaroo", and Australian Armoured Car No. 3.

The Büssing A5P was originally an unsuccessful design of the armoured car in Germany in 1916, however, the need to boost the armoured capabilities of the German Army following the defeat of France as well as asserting its strength in its newly won colonial empire, factories began pumping these giant armoured cars out. 500 were produced between 1918 to 1923 and were used in colonial forces. With these already redundant vehicles being replaced in German colonial armies by newer vehicles many were sent to Australia during the Australian Civil War (1922-1928). 300 of these made their way to Nationalist forces as well as several being captured by Republicans. These cars supplied the forces with a heavier alternative to other cars and gun wagons in employment while not being as impractical as tanks of the era. Following the civil war, they stayed in service into 1935 when many were replaced and scrapped. Between 1930 to 1935 50 were locally produced as the Australian Armoured Car No. 1. Some Australian Armoured Car No. 1s served until 1941 but were very limited in number and used as airfield defence or colonial service.

The Rolls-Royce Mark I 1914 Pattern is a British armoured car that was used from 1915 by Allied forces during the Great War (1914-1919). This became one of the most successful designs with 200 being produced by 1920 and served in many countries across the world. In 1924 Australia received 60 as a part of their German-Australian Lend-Lease Phase 1. Compared to other armoured vehicles used in the Australian Civil War (1922-1928), the Mark I 1914 was able to keep up with the Australian skirmishes and drawn out low-density warfare. It became a favourite and by 1936 Australian made versions were being produced called the Australian Armoured Car No. 2 "Kangaroo". Over 300 of these were made and continued to see service into 1948 and were extremely well received. This line, later called the Kangaroo, continued to evolve for many years later.

In the 1930s the German army required a new light armoured car that could be deployed successfully with infantry. Based on the civilian car, the Adler Standard 6, the Maschinengeweher-Kraftwagon Kfz 13 became heavily employed in Germany until 1944 when they were phased out of service. In 1935 Germany supplied 60 of these to the United Australian State in 1935 as a part of the German-Australia Lend-Lease Phase 4. These were eventually complimented by a series of Australian produced versions called the Australian Armoured Car No. 2. 300 were produced between 1936 to 1940. In Australia, they were highly popular as they provided the fast light armoured capability that the Australians loved. They stayed in service in Australia until 1942, but the impact of its design influenced Australian designs thereafter.

The armoured cars here represent a few liveries seen through the armoured car’s Australian history. From the left:
- In service with Eureka c.1927 in
- In service with the West Australian Army in c.1941 in reserve.
- In service with the Republic of Australia in c.1927 in the Third Battle of Melbourne.
- In service with the Austral State Army in c.1943 in the India Campaign.
- In service with the Queensland State Army c.1931.
- In service with the new Caledonia State Army c.1941 in reserve.

Details:
Name: Büssing A5P
Type: Medium Armoured Car
Origin: German Empire
Service: 1916-1935
Used By: German Empire, United Australian State
Weight: 10.3t
Length: 9.5m
Width: 2.1m
Height: 3.5m
Crew: 10
Armour: 6-9mm
Armament: 3x MG08
Engine: 1x 6-cylinder Büssing 'Otto' Petrol, 90hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 240km
Speed: 34km/h
Production: 6 produced in 1916, 500 produced between 1918 to 1923

Details:
Name: Australian Armoured Car No. 1
Type: Medium Armoured Car
Origin: United Australian State
Service: 1930-1941
Used By: United Australian State
Weight: 10.3t
Length: 9.5m
Width: 2.1m
Height: 3.5m
Crew: 10
Armour: 6-9mm
Armament: 3x McCrudden Mark III
Engine: 1x 452 Cadillac V16 Petrol, 165hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 300km
Speed: 40km/h
Production: 50 produced between 1930 to 1935

Details:
Name: Rolls-Royce Mark I 1914 Pattern
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: British Empire
Service: 1915-1942
Used By: British Empire, United Australian State
Weight: 4.7t
Length: 4.93m
Width: 1.93m
Height: 2.54m
Crew: 3 (Commander, Driver, Machine Gunner)
Armour: 12mm
Armament: 1x Vickers Gun
Engine: 1x 6-cylinder Petrol, 80hp
Suspension: 4x2
Range: 240km
Speed: 72km/h
Production: 200 produced between 1915 to 1920

Details:
Name: Australian Armoured Car No. 2 "Kangaroo"
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: United Australian State
Service: 1936-1948
Used By: United Australian State
Weight: 5.2t
Length: 4.93m
Width: 1.93m
Height: 2.54m
Crew: 3 (Commander, Driver, Machine Gunner)
Armour: 12mm
Armament: 1x 2cm FLAK M1935
Engine: 1x Monobloc Cadillac V8, 110hp
Suspension: 4x2
Range: 400km
Speed: 80km/h
Production: 300 produced between 1936 to 1940

Details:
Name: Mashinengeweher-Kraftwagen Kfz 13
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: German Empire
Service: 1930-1946
Used By: British Empire, United Australian State
Weight: 2.1t
Length: 4.2m
Width: 1.7
Height:
Crew: 2
Armour: 8mm
Armament: 1x MG34
Engine: 1x 6-Cylinder Adler "Standard 6" Petrol, 51hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 380km
Speed: 70km/h
Production: Unknown produced between 1933 to 1935

Details:
Name: Australian Armoured Car No. 3
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: United Australian State
Service: 1936-1942
Used By: United Australian State
Weight: 2.1t
Length: 4.2m
Width: 1.7
Height:
Crew: 2
Armour: 8mm
Armament: 1x McCrudden Mark III
Engine: 1x 452 Cadillac V16 Petrol, 165hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 500km
Speed: 70km/h
Production: 300 produced between 1936 to 1940

Credits:
Michael Smith
Comradesoldat
TuliusHostilius
Clive

Description
Alternate History - First Generation Australian Cars

This entry shows the first three Australian-made armoured cars and the vehicles they were designed from. These vehicles, predominantly the No. 2 "Kangaroo" shaped the backbone of Australian armoured car design in the 1930s and allowed the United Australian Union to have a fighting chance in the early World War (1939-1946). The armoured cars that these then evolved into served for decades after. The vehicles shown here are the Büssing A5P, Rolls-Royce Mark I 1914 Pattern, and the Mashinengeweher-Kraftwagen Kfz 13 as well as their derived Australian Armoured Car No. 1, Australian Armoured Car No. 2 "Kangaroo", and Australian Armoured Car No. 3.

The Büssing A5P was originally an unsuccessful design of the armoured car in Germany in 1916, however, the need to boost the armoured capabilities of the German Army following the defeat of France as well as asserting its strength in its newly won colonial empire, factories began pumping these giant armoured cars out. 500 were produced between 1918 to 1923 and were used in colonial forces. With these already redundant vehicles being replaced in German colonial armies by newer vehicles many were sent to Australia during the Australian Civil War (1922-1928). 300 of these made their way to Nationalist forces as well as several being captured by Republicans. These cars supplied the forces with a heavier alternative to other cars and gun wagons in employment while not being as impractical as tanks of the era. Following the civil war, they stayed in service into 1935 when many were replaced and scrapped. Between 1930 to 1935 50 were locally produced as the Australian Armoured Car No. 1. Some Australian Armoured Car No. 1s served until 1941 but were very limited in number and used as airfield defence or colonial service.

The Rolls-Royce Mark I 1914 Pattern is a British armoured car that was used from 1915 by Allied forces during the Great War (1914-1919). This became one of the most successful designs with 200 being produced by 1920 and served in many countries across the world. In 1924 Australia received 60 as a part of their German-Australian Lend-Lease Phase 1. Compared to other armoured vehicles used in the Australian Civil War (1922-1928), the Mark I 1914 was able to keep up with the Australian skirmishes and drawn out low-density warfare. It became a favourite and by 1936 Australian made versions were being produced called the Australian Armoured Car No. 2 "Kangaroo". Over 300 of these were made and continued to see service into 1948 and were extremely well received. This line, later called the Kangaroo, continued to evolve for many years later.

In the 1930s the German army required a new light armoured car that could be deployed successfully with infantry. Based on the civilian car, the Adler Standard 6, the Maschinengeweher-Kraftwagon Kfz 13 became heavily employed in Germany until 1944 when they were phased out of service. In 1935 Germany supplied 60 of these to the United Australian State in 1935 as a part of the German-Australia Lend-Lease Phase 4. These were eventually complimented by a series of Australian produced versions called the Australian Armoured Car No. 2. 300 were produced between 1936 to 1940. In Australia, they were highly popular as they provided the fast light armoured capability that the Australians loved. They stayed in service in Australia until 1942, but the impact of its design influenced Australian designs thereafter.

The armoured cars here represent a few liveries seen through the armoured car’s Australian history. From the left:
- In service with Eureka c.1927 in
- In service with the West Australian Army in c.1941 in reserve.
- In service with the Republic of Australia in c.1927 in the Third Battle of Melbourne.
- In service with the Austral State Army in c.1943 in the India Campaign.
- In service with the Queensland State Army c.1931.
- In service with the new Caledonia State Army c.1941 in reserve.

Details:
Name: Büssing A5P
Type: Medium Armoured Car
Origin: German Empire
Service: 1916-1935
Used By: German Empire, United Australian State
Weight: 10.3t
Length: 9.5m
Width: 2.1m
Height: 3.5m
Crew: 10
Armour: 6-9mm
Armament: 3x MG08
Engine: 1x 6-cylinder Büssing 'Otto' Petrol, 90hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 240km
Speed: 34km/h
Production: 6 produced in 1916, 500 produced between 1918 to 1923

Details:
Name: Australian Armoured Car No. 1
Type: Medium Armoured Car
Origin: United Australian State
Service: 1930-1941
Used By: United Australian State
Weight: 10.3t
Length: 9.5m
Width: 2.1m
Height: 3.5m
Crew: 10
Armour: 6-9mm
Armament: 3x McCrudden Mark III
Engine: 1x 452 Cadillac V16 Petrol, 165hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 300km
Speed: 40km/h
Production: 50 produced between 1930 to 1935

Details:
Name: Rolls-Royce Mark I 1914 Pattern
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: British Empire
Service: 1915-1942
Used By: British Empire, United Australian State
Weight: 4.7t
Length: 4.93m
Width: 1.93m
Height: 2.54m
Crew: 3 (Commander, Driver, Machine Gunner)
Armour: 12mm
Armament: 1x Vickers Gun
Engine: 1x 6-cylinder Petrol, 80hp
Suspension: 4x2
Range: 240km
Speed: 72km/h
Production: 200 produced between 1915 to 1920

Details:
Name: Australian Armoured Car No. 2 "Kangaroo"
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: United Australian State
Service: 1936-1948
Used By: United Australian State
Weight: 5.2t
Length: 4.93m
Width: 1.93m
Height: 2.54m
Crew: 3 (Commander, Driver, Machine Gunner)
Armour: 12mm
Armament: 1x 2cm FLAK M1935
Engine: 1x Monobloc Cadillac V8, 110hp
Suspension: 4x2
Range: 400km
Speed: 80km/h
Production: 300 produced between 1936 to 1940

Details:
Name: Mashinengeweher-Kraftwagen Kfz 13
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: German Empire
Service: 1930-1946
Used By: British Empire, United Australian State
Weight: 2.1t
Length: 4.2m
Width: 1.7
Height:
Crew: 2
Armour: 8mm
Armament: 1x MG34
Engine: 1x 6-Cylinder Adler "Standard 6" Petrol, 51hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 380km
Speed: 70km/h
Production: Unknown produced between 1933 to 1935

Details:
Name: Australian Armoured Car No. 3
Type: Light Armoured Car
Origin: United Australian State
Service: 1936-1942
Used By: United Australian State
Weight: 2.1t
Length: 4.2m
Width: 1.7
Height:
Crew: 2
Armour: 8mm
Armament: 1x McCrudden Mark III
Engine: 1x 452 Cadillac V16 Petrol, 165hp
Suspension: Wheel
Range: 500km
Speed: 70km/h
Production: 300 produced between 1936 to 1940

Credits:
Michael Smith
Comradesoldat
TuliusHostilius
Clive