The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car (known officially by the British as Car, Light Reconnaissance, Canadian GM (R.A.C.)[1] was a light armoured car produced in Canada during the Second World War for British and Commonwealth forces.
History
The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car (LRC) was developed by General Motors Canada to meet the demand for this type of armoured car. The design followed the layout of the British Humber Mark III LRC.
Design
The Otter was based on the Chevrolet C15 Canadian Military Pattern truck chassis and used many standard GM components. It took a crew of three - driver and commander seated in the vehicle front, while the gunner occupied the turret position at the rear. A Wireless Set No. 19 was mounted in the rear with A and B set aerials extending from the rear of the fighting compartment on mounting arms.
Although it used a more powerful engine than the Humber, it was larger and heavier (by a ton); overall performance was less than that of the Humber but still acceptable.
Production
Between 1942 and 1945, 1761 units were produced in Oshawa, Ontario, though fewer than 1,000 were delivered overseas.[2]
Otter MK1 at Katakolo beach, Greece. This image was taken at the place where Otters landed at on 24 September 1944. The vehicle itself is part of the Hellenic Historical Vehicles Preservation Club collection in Greece. (www.sdio.gr)
^"Lesakeng". South African Armour Museum. 2012-12-06. Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
^Zaloga, Steven (July 1995). "Strangers In a Strange Land: Early Syrian Armor 1948-56". Museum Ordnance, Volume 5, Number 4. Darlington, Maryland: Darlington Productions, Inc. pp. 4–5.
^Drivers Instructions and Workshop Manual for Car, Light Reconnaissance, Canadian, G.M. Mark 1 and G.M. Mark 2 (R.A.C.)
^Drivers Instructions and Workshop Manual for Car, Light Reconnaissance, Canadian, G.M. Mark 1 and G.M. Mark 2 (R.A.C.)