AEC Y Type

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AEC Y Type
AEC Y Type, 1917
Type3-ton lorry
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
Used byUnited Kingdom
United States
WarsFirst World War
Production history
DesignerAssociated Equipment Company
ManufacturerAssociated Equipment Company
Produced1915–1922
No. built≈10,000
VariantsY Type, YA, YB & YC
Specifications
Mass4.21 long tons (4.28 t)
Length23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
14 ft 3 in (4.34 m) wheelbase
Width6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Height10 ft 2 in (3.10 m)
EngineY Type:
Daimler inline 4-cylinder 5.7 L petrol
40 bhp (30 kW) at 1,300 rpm
YA, YB & YC:
Tylor 4-cylinder 7.7 L petrol
49 bhp (37 kW) at 1,300 rpm
Payload capacity3 long tons (3.0 t)
Drive4x2
Transmission4 Forward, 1 reverse gear
SuspensionSemi-elliptical multi-leaf springs
Maximum speed 12 mph (19 km/h)
ReferencesA complete directory of military vehicles[1]

The AEC Y Type was a British truck built by the Associated Equipment Company (AEC), it saw widespread service with the British Army during the First World War.

Design[edit]

The original Y Type was a 3-ton 4x2 truck powered by a Daimler four-cylinder inline 5,700 cc petrol engine that developed 40 brake horsepower (30 kW) at 1,300 rpm, it drove the rear wheels through a four-speed gearbox, the wheels having solid rubber tyres.[1][2] The Y Type had an open, canvas covered cab and a fixed side timber body, typical of military cargo vehicles of the period.[1]

The YA, introduced in 1917, replaced the Daimler engine with a Tylor four-cylinder inline 7,700 cc petrol engine that developed 49 brake horsepower (37 kW) at 1,300 rpm, the YB introduced a pressed steel frame whilst the YC used a David Brown Ltd. worm-gear final drive.[1][2]

History[edit]

The Y Type was introduced by AEC in March 1915, it was a lower geared development of AEC's earlier X Type, the latter in turn a development of the company's W Type with heavier duty hubs.[1] Whilst AEC was founded in 1912, a sales agreement meant that all of its products were marketed by and branded Daimler, in June 1916 the company's factory, at Walthamstow, was placed under direct government control and the lorries were branded AEC from that date, although the Y Type's distinctive Daimler radiator was retained.[1]

The Y Type was in high demand by British forces during the First World War, in 1917 AEC installed a moving assembly line to make the type, enabling the factory to produce 130 chassis per week.[1][2] In addition to British forces the type was also used by the United States Army in France.[1] By the Armistice in November 1918, AEC had built 8,821 Y Types, 5200 of which were fitted with the Tylor engine.[1]

The War Office purchased an additional 822 Y Types in 1919 and the type remained in production for civilian customers until 1922.[1] as a 5-ton lorry[3] A number of Y Types were sold to civilian operators after the war, a common conversion saw the military body removed and the chassis used as the basis of an omnibus.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Ware, Pat (2012). A Complete Directory of Military Vehicles. Wigston: Anness Publishing Ltd. p. 98.
  2. ^ a b c Davis, Peter J. (2013). The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Trucks. Wigston: Anness Publishing Ltd. p. 66.
  3. ^ Reid, Bill (2016), AEC Lorries
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