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Fox Mark 1 Armored Car

Specifications

Country of Origin/Used by:	Canada (Also Great Britain, India, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Portugal)
First Produced/Service Dates:	1942
Manufactured by:	Chassis/Engine: General Motors (Canada); Hull: Hamilton Bridge Company
Crew:	4
Armament:	Main: .50 cal Heavy Machine Gun; Co-Axial: .30 machine gun;  Anti-Aircraft Defense (if fitted): (1) .303 BREN MG
Engine:	6 Cylinder (104 h.p.)
Miscellaneous Info:	The Fox Armored Car was developed as a result of British success with armored car production and use during the early part of World War Two.  After assessing the contemporary British vehicles, the Canadians decided to build a VERY similar vehicle to the Humber Mark 3 Armored Car. Instead of fully copying the Humber, the Fox used a modified General Motors 4-wheel drive Canadian Field Artillery "Quad" Tractor chassis and fitted with a hull similar to the Humber Mark 2 and 3 vehicles; many of the slight differences being due to using the GM chassis.  The most visible feature that differentiates the Fox from the Humber is related to the mounting of the more readily available American .30 and .50 cal armament on the Canadian armored car; compared to the 15mm and 7.92mm BESA guns fitted to the Humbers.  Besides seeing service with British, Canadian, Indian and Polish forces during World War Two, the Fox was kept on Canadian vehicle rolls well into the 1950's.  In fact, during the post-war era the Fox also equipped Dutch, Italian and Portuguese forces; the Portuguese using them in Africa during the 1970's! Two other variants of this vehicle were built and used in action. The first was the British Fox Mark 1 Observation Post (OP).  The Fox OP variant was equipped with extra radio equipment to be used by Artillery Officers to keep in contact with Field Artillery units. The second was the Canadian Fox Armored Communications Vehicle (ACV).  The ACV was also equipped with extra radios, but was issued to the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Finally, the Fox was used as the basis for other prototype or experimental vehicles as well.   The most notable being the Australian "Rhino" Armored Car, the Canadian Fox Self-Propelled 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun and the Canadian/British Command, Armoured Personnel, Light Aid Detachment, Ambulance and Demolition Vehicle (CAPLAD). In addition, the British seriously considered up-arming the Fox to the level of their Humber Mark 4 armored car, but production never occured.  Some references refer to this vehicle as the "Fox Mark 2 armored car".
Data Sheet Available:	None Available

Photos

Reference	Source/Provider
Fox Mark 1 Armored Car Photos	Clive Elliott - Salisbury, UK
Fox Mark 1 Armored Car Photos (Taken at The National  Museum of Military Vehicles - Dubois, WY USA)	Mark Holloway- Bridger, Montana USA
Fox Mark 1 Armored Car Photos (From 2008 War & Peace Show - Beltring, UK	Dennis Trowbridge - Bristol, UK

References Available

Online

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
"Echoes of War: GM Fox Armoured Car" (January 2015 Issue of Classic Military Vehicle Magazine)	Ian Cushway
Encyclopedia of Armoured Cars	Duncan Crow & Robert J. Icks
Fox Armoured Car In Canadian Service, The (Service Publications)	Roger Lucy
"Wartime Fox" (October 2023 Issue of Classic Military Vehicle Magazine)	Neil Huband

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