page_title: Universal Carrier
section_title: British variants
hierarchical_section_title: Universal Carrier / Variants / British variants
caption_attribution_description: Description: Flamethrower-equipped variant of the British Universal Carrier in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. 2005. Source: Photo by me, User:Bukvoed
context_page_description: The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier and sometimes simply the Bren Carrier from the light machine gun armament, is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrongs and other companies.
  The first carriers – the Bren Carrier and the Scout Carrier with specific roles – entered service before the war, but a single improved design that could replace these, the Universal, was introduced in 1940.
  The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. Universal Carriers were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or as machine gun platforms. With some 113,000 built by 1960 in the United Kingdom and abroad, it is the most produced armoured fighting vehicle in history.
context_section_description: Pre-Universal:
  Carrier, Machine-Gun No. 2 – 1937
  Carrier, Bren No.2
  Carrier, Scout Mk 1
  Carrier, Cavalry Mk 1 – 50 built by Nuffield, discontinued with reorganization of cavalry light tank regiments of Mobile Division
  Carrier, Armoured Observation Post
  Carrier, Armoured, 2-pounder
  Carrier, Armored 6-pounder
  Mk. I (the original model)
  Mk. II (updated stowage and layout, battery moved behind the divisional plate, towing hitch)
  Mk.III (welded hull, modified engine covers)
  Wasp: A flamethrower-equipped variant, using the "Flame-thrower, Transportable, No 2". The Mark I had a fixed flamethrower on the front of the vehicle fed from two fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 gallons. 1000 produced. The Mk II had the projector in the co-driver's position. The Mk IIC (C for Canadian) had a single 75 gallon fuel tank on the rear of the vehicle outside the armour protection, allowing a third crew member to be carried.
  Praying Mantis: An attempt to produce a low-silhouette vehicle that could still fire over obstacles. A one-man design based on Carden Loyd suspension was not adopted, but the inventor was encouraged to design a two-man version. This version appeared in 1943 and was based upon the Universal Carrier. The hull was replaced with an enclosed metal-box structure with enough room for a driver and a gunner lying prone. This box, pivoting from the rear, could be elevated. At the top end was a machine-gun turret (with two Bren guns). The intention was to drive the Mantis up to a wall or hedgerow, elevate the gun, and fire over the obstacle from a position of safety. It was rejected after trials in 1944. A Mantis survives in The Tank Museum.
caption: Flamethrower-equipped universal carrier at the Israeli Armored Corps museum in Latrun
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