The King Armoured Car- Did the First American Armoured Car See Action During The First World War?

King Armoured Car

The United States Marine Corps had placed an order for the King Armoured Car in 1915 for testing. After testing, it was supposed to be used by the 1st Armoured Car Squadron. 

The 1st Armored Car Squadron

The 1st Armoured Car Squadron was the first formal armoured unit of the United States and consisted of eight cars.

It was a specialised unit of the United States Marine Corps which was supposed to utilize armoured cars in combat. The vehicle was formed under the supervision of Marine Captain Andrew B. Drum, in Philadelphia in 1916. It came under the Headquarters of the then new 1st Marine Regiment.

Franklin Roosevelt, the then Assistant Secretary of the Navy, was so inspired by the British Army's use of the Rolls-Royce Armoured Car, that he purchased two vehicles from the Armoured Motor Car Company of Detroit. These vehicles were tested, and once they had passed the tests, six more King Armored Cars were acquired and assigned to the squadron. Unfortunately, the unit never saw combat and was disbanded at Quantico in May 1921.

More About King Armoured Car

A machine gun was mounted on an armoured turret to protect the gunner from small arms fire. The machine gun used by earlier models was the M1895 Colt–Browning and the later models used Lewis Machine Gun. The design of the vehicle made it easier to be transported.

First World War

The 1st Armored Car Squadron of the United States did not see action during World War I. During The Great War, USMC Commandant George Barnett made an offer of a Marine division to General Pershing. But his offer was turned down by the General.

It is believed that the 1st Armoured Car Squadron would have taken an active part in combat during the First World War had General Pershing accepted General Barnett's offer.

The 1st Armored Car Squadron was disbanded in 1921 after the war had come to an end. Until 1927, five of the vehicles were used in Haiti and Santo Domingo. All the cars were finally disposed of in 1934.

The King Armoured Car has a special place in US history as it was the first armoured car that was used in operations by the US military forces mainly the US Marine. With the outbreak of the war in 1914. All the countries of the world had started raising demand for various kinds of weapons to win the war.

Armoured car mounted with a machine gun was a very new concept during that time. An existing chassis was mated with a heavy armoured superstructure to create a platform for a mobile weapon. Though the concept developed looked easy on paper, it was difficult to develop on ground.

These vehicles were heavy on the top and were unable to cross even the most basic uneven terrain, though they were equipped with robust engines. But the armoured cars were valued for the protection that they provided to their crew. They protected the crew from small firearms and artillery spray during combat. This protection could never be provided by the horses. These vehicles could provide a forward operating fire support vehicle and could ferry troops and supply to the battlefield during war. Britain, France, Germany and Russia, all became large supporters of armoured cars during the war. These countries were quick to modify the existing automobile into armoured vehicles. 

These vehicles were tested, and once they had passed the tests, six more King Armored Cars were acquired and assigned to the squadron. Unfortunately, the unit never saw combat and was disbanded at Quantico in May 1921.

In the beginning of 1915, two prototypes of King Armoured Cars were evaluated on streets outside Philadelphia and that made them the first armoured fighting vehicles of the US armed forces. Initial evaluation of the vehicle proved that the vehicle underperformed even on good roads and the heavy weight of the vehicle worked against the manual transmission and resulted in a sluggish responding vehicle. 

Design of the Vehicle

The King armoured car had a conventional design with six balloon type rubber tired-spoked wheels in a 4 x 2 drive and a front mounted engine. The vehicle could accommodate a crew of two to three members. Beyond the primary weapon, the crew relied on personal weapons such as pistol sidearms.

The superstructure provided protection from small arms fire as well as artillery spray. There were armoured vision ports along the front and side of the structure. The King Armoured Cars were designed in a manner that they could be transported easily. They could be dismantled prior to being transported and reassembled on reaching the location.

King armoured cars were delivered towards the close of World War I but they did not see any combat action due to General Pershing’s resistance to such a USMC division.

Models of the King Armoured Vehicle

The King Armoured car was officially produced in two models, ‘The Model 1915’ of 1915 and ‘Model E of 1917’ and several revisions took place between the two major designs. Additionally, some proposed changes were additionally abandoned. 

The 1915 model was equipped with a 0.30 calibre Benet- Mercier machine gun in the turret. It had the King Motor Cars V8 liquid-cooled gasoline fueled engine that generated 70 hp output. The vehicle gave a top speed of 45 miles per hour.  

The model E was equipped with a 0.30 calibre Lewis Machine Gun. It had the King Motor Cars V8 liquid cooled gasoline fueled engine that generated 79 hp output. With the increase in power, the top road speed increased to 65 miles per hour on plain and flat surfaces. The model E had new wheels with new tires and a sloping rear hull face and could thus be differentiated from the former model.

Survivors of The King Armoured Car

The only survivor of the King Armoured Cars can be seen today at the National Museum of Marine Corps in Virginia, southwest of Washington D.C where it is on display. The vehicle has a dent in its side front armour which is evidence of a 0.45 calibre pistol round testing of the steel. The example also displays a unique-four-colour camouflage scheme. The colour scheme was based on the photographs that were taken on the vehicle while it was undergoing military evaluation in 1916.

Through this article we have shared information about the King Armoured Car, the first American armoured vehicle which was manufactured by the Armoured Motor Company (AMC). Our article series ‘Evolution of Military Vehicles’ is our endeavour to bring out unique and interesting stories from the military automotive world. To find out more about our latest stories, keep checking our website. In case of any query, feel free to contact us.