The Oxford Tracked Carrier ("Carrier, Tracked, CT20") was an early post-World War II British armoured personnel carrier (APC) and artillery tractor.
Design
The Oxford was substantially larger - weighing in at - than the 3-ton Universal Carrier and the Loyd Carriers it was designed to replace. The driver was given better frontal protection and episcope vision. A double bottom improved protection from mines and side armour plates protected the upper track run. Above the tracks along former the outer side of the vehicle were dropside panniers for storage. The engine was at the rear with a Hydramatic transmission, the final drive being in the front of the vehicle. The steering was Cletrac design.Hogg & Weeks (1980) p 199 Suspension was improved Horstmann with hydraulic shock absorbers.
Service It saw service in the Korean War, both as a tractor for the 17 pdr anti-tank gun and as an APC.Hogg, Ian V., and John S. Weeks. (1980). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. p199Suttie, William. (2015). The Tank Factory British Military Vehicle Development and the Chobham Establishment. New York: The History Press.Chamberlain & Ellis (1973) pp50-54Mackenzie, S. P. (2013). The Imjin and Kapyong battles, Korea, 1951. Bloomington: Indiana University Press
Further development Further developments of the Oxford carrier, or alternatives were investigated as its replacement
CT21-35R - 35 cwt payload carrier, 85 bhp Ford V-8 engine at rear. Designed by Vivian Loyd Ltd. CT21-35F - as the 35R but engine at front CT23 - 50 cwt payload carrier, twin Ford engines CT24 Designed by Rolls-Royce, with leaf spring suspension. CT25 - as the Oxford but Rolls-Royce engine with Merritt-Brown gearbox and transmission. CT26 - by Vickers-Armstrong design of load carrier, based on A17 light tank chassis..
An improved version of the carrier known as the Cambridge Carrier (FV401) was produced but never got beyond prototype stage.
Survivors An Oxford Carrier is held in the collection of The Tank Museum. The carrier in question was used to trial hydraulic steering and the system is still fitted to it.
A surviving Oxford Carrier is on display next to other wrecked US, British and other UN combat vehicles in North Korea's Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in its capital of Pyongyang.
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