Deacon (artillery)
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Self-propelled artillery |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1942–1943 |
| Used by |
|
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | AEC/Park Royal Vehicles |
| No. built | 175 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 12 long tons (12 t; 13 short tons) |
| Length | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Width | 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) |
| Height | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Crew | 5 |
| Armour | 6–20 mm (0.24–0.79 in) |
Main armament | QF 6 pounder (57 mm) 24 rounds |
Secondary armament | none |
| Engine | AEC A173 7.7L 6-cyl diesel 95 hp (71 kW) |
| Power/weight | 7.8 hp/tonne |
| Drive | wheeled, 4×2, 4×4 |
| Transmission | 4 + reverse gears, with two-speed transfer box |
| Suspension | leaf spring |
| Ground clearance | 13 in (330 mm) |
Operational range | 174 mi (280 km) |
| Maximum speed | 19 mph (31 km/h) |
The AEC Mk I Gun Carrier, known as Deacon, was a British armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War. It was an attempt to make the Ordnance QF 6 pounder anti-tank gun into a self-propelled artillery piece. It was employed only during the North African Campaign from 1942 to 1943.