T-16 UNIVERSAL CARRIER

Figure 1

The T-16 universal carrier was an upgraded version of the British designed Bren Carrier of WWII. Approximately 13,000 T-16's were manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Massachusetts and sent to the British Army from 1943-1945. The British designation was T-16 Mark 1. The T-16 was used as a machine gun platform and as a tow vehicle for field artillery. The Canadians and Russians also received T-16s under the Lend-Lease act of 1941. Earlier versions of the universal carrier were captured and used by the German Army (Figure 5)

Technical Data

Length: 12 feet 11 inches
Width: 6 feet 11-1/2 inch
Height: 5 feet 1 inch
Ground clearance: 10-1/2 inch
Weight: 9,500 lbs
Ground contact: 71 inches
Ground pressure: 7.4 lb/sq in
Armor: 6 to 7 mm
Engine: Ford 239 V8 model GAU370, 100 hp
Max. Speed: 33 mph

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

The Germans used captured Bren Carriers as shown in Figure 5 (Gepanzerter Machinengewehr Trager Bren 731(e))

Figure 5

Trager Bren reenacted with T-16, Figures 6 and 7

Figure 6

Figure 7

Copyright 1995 Charles C. Roberts, Jr.

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