Humber Mk I - Walk Around

Humber Mk I
Country	UK
Type	Armored car

Photo gallery of a Humber Mk I, The Humber Armoured Car was one of the most widely produced British armoured cars of the Second World War. It supplemented the Humber Light Reconnaissance Car and remained in service until the end of the war.

Source: Humber Mk I sur Wikipedia

Humber Mk I – Walk Around
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Humber Mk I 01

Humber Mk I 04

Humber Mk I 02

Humber Mk I 03

Humber Mk I 05

Humber Mk I 06

Humber Mk I 09

Humber Mk I 07

Humber Mk I 08

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Origins and Design

Need: After the losses at Dunkirk and the urgent need for armored reconnaissance vehicles, the Rootes Group (primarily Karrier Motors) was tasked with producing an armored car.
Inspiration: The design was heavily derived from the earlier, less-produced Guy Armoured Car. The Humber combined the Guy’s armored hull with a modified 4×4 chassis based on the Karrier KT4 artillery tractor.
Name: It was named after another company in the Rootes Group, Humber Limited, to avoid confusion with the tracked Universal Carriers, which were often referred to as “Karriers.”

Key Specifications (Mk I)

Characteristic	Value
Role	Armoured Reconnaissance
Mass	~6.3 tonnes
Armour (Maximum)	Up to 15 mm (0.59 in)
Engine	Rootes 6-cylinder petrol engine (90 hp)
Max Speed (Road)	~80 km/h (50 mph)
Crew	3 (Commander, Gunner, Driver)

Armament and Crew

The Mk I was armed to defend against infantry and light vehicles, not for tank-on-tank combat:

Main Armament: A 15 mm Besa heavy machine gun, capable of engaging light armored targets.
Coaxial Armament: A 7.92 mm Besa machine gun, mounted coaxially in the turret.
Crew Role: The three-man crew allowed for a clear separation of tasks: the driver handled the vehicle, the gunner operated the weapons, and the commander focused on navigation, radio communication, and direction.

Service History and Legacy

Wartime Use: The Humber Mk I and its subsequent variants (Mk II, III, and the 37mm-gun armed Mk IV) served extensively throughout World War II. It was a key vehicle for British and Commonwealth reconnaissance units.
Theaters: It saw heavy combat starting in the North African Campaign and later served across the European theater, including in Normandy, providing a fast, mobile screen for advancing armored divisions.
Post-War: The Humber proved reliable and remained in service with several nations, including India and Portugal, long after WWII, with some seeing action in conflicts like the Portuguese-Indian War in Goa in 1961.