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AEC Mark 3 Armored Car


Statistics

Country of Origin/Used by: Great Britain
First Produced/Service Dates: 1944?
Manufactured by: Associated Equipment Company, Ltd.
Crew: 5
Armament: Main: 75mm Cannon; Co-Axial: Besa 7.92mm Machine Gun; Anti-Aircraft Defense: 7.62mm BREN MG (on PLM Mount)
Engine: 6 Cylinder Diesel  (158hp)
Miscellaneous Info: The Associated Equipment Company developed the AEC armored car series as a private venture using their 0853 "Matador" 4x4 10-ton Medium Artillery Tractor chassis as well as many of its automotive components.  The AEC series was the only World War Two era British built armored car type fitted with a diesel engine. However, the armored car design changed the placement of the engine to the rear of the vehicle instead. 

Like the AEC Mark 2 Armored Car, the Mark 3 was an improved/updated version of the earlier AEC Mark 1 Armored Car.  The changes incorporated into BOTH the Mark 2 and Mark 3 vehicles were the fitting of a more powerful engine, a redesigned hull offering better protection and a newly designed three-man turret.  However, the Marks 2 and 3 differed in armament mounted; the Mark 3 armed with a more powerful 75mm Cannon. 

Although there were no official variants of the AEC Mark 3, there were two closely related prototype vehicles built.  The first vehicle was the Basilisk Flamethrower Armored Car.  The Basilisk was built using a similar hull to the one later used on Mark 2 and Mark 3 armored cars. The Basilisk's hull design was subsequently modified and then used with the improved later AEC armored car types.  The second prototype vehicle was the AEC Anti-Aircraft Armored Car.  The AEC AA vehicle used the same hull as did the Mark 2 and Mark 3 armored cars, but was fitted with a similar turret to the Crusader Mark 2 AA Tank.  The AEC AA armored car also mounted two 20mm Oerlikon Cannon. 
Data Sheet: AEC Mk 3 Armored Car Data Sheet  by Dave Haugh

Photos

Reference Source/Provider
    AEC Mark 2 Armored Car Photos (Evaluating the Possibility of Fitting larger 75mm Cannon?) Dave Haugh
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Photos Dave Haugh - Content Editor
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Photos Imperial War Museum

References Available

Online

Reference Source/Provider
AEC Armored Car Information and Photos Military Factory.Com
AEC Armored Car Information and Photos Tanks Encyclopedia.Com
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Information and Photos The AEC Society
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Information and Photos Danish Army Vehicles
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Line Drawings #1 The Blue-Prints.Com
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Line Drawings #2 The Blue-Prints.Com
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Line Drawings #3 The Blue-Prints.Com
"British Armored Car Production Figures - 1945" By Peter Brown
"British Armored Cars in the Middle East, Late 1942" By Peter Brown Armored Car - The Wheeled Fighting Vehicle Journal (Issue #33)

Printed

Reference Author
A Photo History of Armoured Cars In Two World Wars George Forty
Armoured Cars - AFV Weapons Profile #21 B.T. White
British Armoured Cars: 1914-1945 B.T. White
Encyclopedia of Armoured Cars Duncan Crow & Robert J. Icks

Hobby Modeling

Kits and Accessories

Model Kit Manufacturer Scale Other Information
AEC Mark 2/3 Model Kit (K056) Accurate Armour 1/35 Resin
AEC Mark 3 Model Kit (AF35273)   AFV Club 1/35   Injection Molded Plastic; Coming Soon as of March 2015.
AEC Mark 2/3 Model Kit (7227) Extra Tech Accessories 1/72  
AEC (Mark 3) Armored Car Model Kit (HD60) Hobby Den 1/72 Resin.
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Model Kit (UK018) Millicast 1/76 Resin.  Out of Production?
AEC Mark 3 Model Kit (35159) Miniart 1/35 Injection Molded Plastic.
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Model Kit TP Models 1/72 Resin.
       
Aftermarket Set Manufacturer Scale Other Information
British 14.00-20 Wheel Set (SKP 262) SKP Model 1/35 Resin; For Use with AEC Heavy Armored Cars & Dorchester ACV.

Model Photos

Reference Source/Provider
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car Armored Car (1/35 Accurate Armour) Model Photos) Steve Allen - Monticello, Iowa USA
AEC Mark 3 Armored Car (1/35 Miniart) Model Photos Dave Williams  - UK