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Peerless Anti-Aircraft Truck

(Mounting the 3 Inch Cannon)

Specifications

Country of Origin/Used by:	Great Britain
First Produced/Service Dates:	1915
Manufactured by:	Peerless Truck and Motor Company
Crew:	1+11
Armament:	(1) QF 13-Pounder (9 cwt) or 3-Inch (20 cwt) Cannon*
Engine:	4 Cylinder Gasoline
Miscellaneous Info:	At the beginning of World War One, the British had no mobile anti-aircraft guns, so they started mounting a number of their field pieces on available trucks or modified vehicle chassis.  The guns included the QF 13-Pounder (6 cwt & 9 cwt) and the QF 3-Inch (20 cwt) and the vehicles included the Daimler CC Truck, LGOC (Type B) Bus, Peerless TC4 4-ton Truck and Thornycroft J 3-ton Lorry.  Some of the vehicles were better suited to the stresses of the mounting and firing of cannon, of which the Peerless and Thornycroft were most capable.  Thusly, they were produced in much larger numbers than the others.  The Peerless TC4 4-ton Truck was modified with a strengthened chassis as well as attaching the cannon directly to the frame vs. mounting it to the rear cargo bed.  The Peerless truck mounted both the QF 13 Pounder (9 cwt)* and QF 3-Inch Cannon.  Although considered obsolete after World War One, a number of the Peerless Lorries were kept in storage.  In fact, right before the beginning of World War Two, they were brought back into very brief service, specifically stationed around London as a "morale booster" for the population.  They were replaced by more modern weapons right after the start of the war. * The QF 13-Pounder (9 cwt) cannon was created by using a 18-Pounder gun that was fitted with a 13-pounder barrel sleeve. The result was increased muzzle velocity/range due to the 13-pdr projectile being propelled by the increased explosives used in the 18-pdr shell.
Data Sheet Available:	None Available

Photos

Reference	Source/Provider
Peerless 3-Inch (20 cwt) AA Truck Photo	British War Office
Peerless 13-Pounder (9 cwt) AA Truck Photos	Imperial War Museum

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