South Africa's Marmon-Herrington armored cars

Photos

Marmon-Herrington Mk II, with the British King's Dragoon Guards at Tobruk in 1941:

Marmon-Herrington Mk II:

Marmon-Herrington Mk IV:

Design

In 1938 the South African government ordered two types of armored cars to be developed by the South African automobile industry.² Development was slow and when the war started in 1939 the designs were ordered into production.²

Assembly

The Marmon-Herrington armored cars were made from Ford truck chassis, made in Canada; a Marmon-Herrington transmission, made in the United States; and armament from the United Kingdom.^2,4 These were assembled in railway workshops and vehicle assembly plants in South Africa.²

An armored hull was placed onto the truck chassis.²

Construction

The first vehicles had riveted construction but this was changed to welded.⁴

Armament

The Marmon Herrington Mk II started out with a 7.7 mm Vickers machine gun in the turret and a light machine gun in the hull.² After combat experience the turret machine gun was replaced by a 13.97 mm Boys anti-tank rifle.²

Armor

South Africa produced the armor for the Marmon-Herringtons.⁴

Prototype

Production

• Marmon-Herrington Mk I: 100, 135
• Marmon-Herrington Mk II: ~900³
  • Middle East (ME): 338⁴
  • Mobile Filed Force (MFF): 549⁴
• Marmon-Herrington Mk III: 2,600¹
  • Production: 1941-
• Marmon-Herrington Mk IV: 2,000, 2,100¹
  • Production: 1943 -
• Marmon-Herrington Mk VI:

Variants

• South African Reconnaissance Vehicle Mk I: 4 x 2 drive and long wheelbase.² After use against Italian forces in East Africa these were only used for training.²
• Marmon-Herrington Mk I: The fully built versions entered service with South Africa in 1940. None of these were issued to British forces. Two wheel drive.⁴
• South African Reconnaissance Vehicle Mk II; Armored Car, Marmon-Herrington Mk II: This had 4 wheel drive with a longer wheelbase.^2,4 There were twin doors in the rear that made for easy access.⁴ Early models were riveted with the rest welded. These were used against the Italians in East Africa. Some had field modifications of taking the turrets off and more powerful guns mounted behind gun shields.⁴ Guns that were used were Italian 20 mm and 47 mm Breda, German 37 mm and 28/20 mm taper bore, and French 25 mm.²
  Other variants were artillery OP, ambulance, command car, fitters vehicle, and RAF contact car with AA Lewis gun in turret and radio antennae.
  • Middle East (ME): Had Boys ATR.⁴ Two Bren machine guns, one coaxial in the turret and one anti aircraft.⁴
  • Mobile Field Force (MFF): There were two Vickers machine guns, one in the turret and the other in a ball mount on the near side.⁴
• Marmon-Herrington Mk III: It had a shorter wheelbase, single rear door, no radiator grill and no headlight covers.² Some of the models were field modified as the Mk II was.
• Marmon-Herrington Mk IIIA: Turret removed and 2 .303 Vickers AA fitted on a ring mount protected by a steel skirt.
• Marmon-Herrington Mk IV: Completely redesigned using Ford and Marmon-Herrington components on a 4x4 chassis. The suspension, engine, and transmission were bolted onto the hull. Some had run flat tires installed.
• Marmon-Herrington Mk IVF: Had rear engine facing forward with gearbox and radiator mounted at the rear. Used Canadian Ford transmission.²
• Marmon-Herrington MK VI: 8 Wheels.

Usage

North Africa

The Marmon-Herrington Mk IIs were used in the Western Desert from 1941.² In fact they were the main armored car available for combat reconnaissance units.²

Specifications

	Marmon-Herrington Mk I	Marmon-Herrington Mk II3	Marmon-Herrington Mk III	Marmon-Herrington Mk IV	Marmon-Herrington MK VI
Crew	4	42,3,4	31	31	31
Physical Characteristics
Weight		13,440 lb 6 tons2,3,4 6,096 kg4	11,760 lb, 13,440 lb1 6,096 kg1	14,336 lb, 14,787 lb1 6,707 kg1 6.4 tons2	24,658 lb1 11,185 kg1
Length w/gun		17'3,4 5.18 m3,4	17' 5"1 5.308 m1	15', 18' 1"1 5.511 m1	18' 8"1 5.69 m1
Length w/o gun
Height		8' 9"3,4 2.67 m3,4	8' 2"1 2.489 m1	7', 7' 6"1 2.286 m1	8' 1"1 2.45 m1
Width		6' 6"3,4 2 m3,4	7' 6"1 2.286 m1	6', 7'1 2.133 m1	8' 8"1 2.64 m1
Ground clearance
Ground contact length
Ground pressure
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	.303" Vickers	1: 13.97 mm Boys anti-tank rifle2 1: 14 mm (0.55") Boys anti-tank rifle3,4	2: 7.6 mm (.303 cal) MG1 .303" Vickers, Boys anti-tank rifle	2 pdr (40 mm)1,2 QFSA	57 mm (6 pdr)1
Secondary
MG	.303" Vickers	.303" Vickers2 2: 0.303" Bren MG4 2: 7.7 mm Bren MG4	.303" Vickers	7.62 MG1 7.62 mm Browning MG2	12.7 mm MG1
MG - coaxial		1: 7.7 mm Bren MG3			1: 7.62 mm MG1
MG - anti-aircraft		1: 7.7 mm Bren MG3
Side arms
Quantity
Main
Secondary
MG
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)		0.47"4 122,4	121	201	401
Hull Front, Upper	12	12
Hull Front, Lower
Hull Sides, Upper
Hull Sides, Lower
Hull Rear
Hull Top
Hull Bottom	6
Turret Front
Turret Sides
Turret Rear
Turret Top
Engine (Make / Model)		Ford2,3,4	Ford1	Ford1	2: Ford1
Cylinders		V-82,3,4	V-81	V-81	V-81
Net HP		853,4	851	951	951
Transmission
Fuel type		Gasoline2,3	Gasoline1	Gasoline1	Gasoline1
Octane
Capacity
Performance
Traverse
Speed - Road		50 mph3,4 80 kph3,4, 80.5 kph2	50 mph1 80 kph1	50 mph1 80.47 kph1	40.38 mph1 65 kph1
Speed - Cross Country
Range - Road		200 miles2,3,4 322 km2,3,4	200 miles1 322 km1	200 miles1 322 km1	249 miles1 400 km1
Turning Radius
Elevation Limits
Fording depth
Trench crossing
Vertical Obstacle
Tires	4	4	4	4
Track width
Track centers/tread