Through the life of the Series II and IIA, Rover continued to supply vehicles to the War Office, the Royal Navy and the Air Ministry. Other armies were also starting to take notice and, in 1959, the Australian Army standardised on the Land Rover, as did the Swiss Army a year later; the Irish Defence Force continued to buy Land Rovers in small numbers, taking delivery of both Series II and IIA models in both long and short-wheelbase form. By 1963, the Land Rover was in service with the armed forces of 26 countries around the world.
It is still worth remembering that the Land Rover was not a military vehicle in the sense that
It had been designed by, or on behalf of, the British War Office... unlike other vehicles in British Army service, very few of the changes which took place to the design and specification were initiated by the military authorities.
Such changes as were made on behalf of the military, were relatively superficial, often amounting to little more than the use of longer spring hangers to enable the use of larger two-piece wheels and military tyres, and strengthened axles. Other changes included the addition of a military tow hitch on a reinforced rear cross member, the use of a military-pattern trailer socket, twin fuel tanks, lashing eyes, and double-height pusher bumpers at the front. Some vehicles were fitted with an oil cooler.
Opposite page:
Long and short-wheelbase Series lls showing open and closed configurations. The vehicle in the bottom picture is fitted for radio (FFR). (PW)
Above: Short wheelbase Series II and trailer being lifted by a Bristol Belvedere twin-rotor helicopter. (RAFM)
Above: Unusual van-bodied Series II of unknown origin and purpose.
It was photographed at FVRDE. (IWM)
The Army finally abandoned the use of split-rim wheels in 1968 with the adoption of a new design of well-base rims, which were also standardised for civilian models.
Although the British services were generally not interested in specifying diesel power, experiments were conducted during the early 1960s with multi-fuel engines which ultimately proved themselves to be unreliable and also lacking in power. Diesel-engined vehicles were supplied to the Irish Defence Force.
As with the Series I, purpose-designed military variants were generally not supplied by the factory and were either constructed in Army workshops or, as in the case of the Special Air Service (SAS) ‘Pink Panthers’, the work was contracted out by the military. However, there was one notable exception and that was in vehicles intended for the communications role.
A number of Mk 3 and Mk 5 Series I vehicles had already been used in this way, some even being retro-fitted with a 24V negative-earth electrical system. With the appearance of the Series IIA, vehicles were supplied for the first time from the factory in what was described as FFR (fitted for radio) condition. As manufactured, all Mk 8, 9, 10 and 11 FFR vehicles were fitted with a 24V negative-earth screened electrical system with either a 40Ah or 90Ah alternator. The electrical system was fully screened to prevent interference when the radio sets were in operation. There was provision made for attaching the standard antenna base on a rod mount on either side of the body rear and tailored apertures were provided in the hood to allow the aerial leads to be passed out to the antenna mount. The front wings were strengthened to receive the box-like aerial tuner unit (ATU).
Inside the vehicle, additional wiring and junction boxes were fitted to facilitate connection of the radios to the vehicle’s electrical system and to allow aerials to be connected to the radio sets. A sliding wooden table top was installed behind the front seats, spanning across the wheel-arch boxes.
Above: Long-wheelbase military Series 11 As ready for delivery by rail. (RA)
The table top was drilled to allow installation of two radio carriers, and Dexion slotted angle was fitted above the table to provide a secure route for cables and an attachment point for control equipment. A single radio operator’s seat was installed in the rear of the short-wheelbase vehicles, facing inwards, with two such seats provided in the long-wheelbase equivalent. The Mk 9 also included a short radio table, in either the left or right-hand rear corner, to allow the installation of a third radio set.
Two additional lOOAh batteries were required to power the radio, and these were installed in a carrier beneath the table. A power take-off system allowed the batteries to be float-charged whilst the vehicle’s engine was running. A pair of ammeters was installed to the left of the instrument panel to measure the charging current in the circuits of the radio and vehicle battery systems.
All of this meant that the vehicle was simply ready for the easy installation of radio equipment, not that it necessarily had such equipment installed.
World History
