Welcome to the Alvis Saladin FV601 and Alvis Saracen FV603 page

A quick history lesson on Government military design and testing departments.

The Department of Tank Design (DTD) was formed in 1940. It studied and revised ideas for armoured vehicles through World War Two. In 1946, DTD merged with Wheeled Vehicle Experimental Establishment (WVEE) to form the Fighting Vehicle Design Department (FVDD). In 1948 FVDD was renamed to Fighting Vehicle Design Establishment (FVDE). In 1952 FVDE merged with Fighting Vehicles Proving Establishment, to form Fighting Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (FVRDE). In 1970 FVRDE and the Military Experimental Engineering Establishment (MEXE) merged to become Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment (MVEE). 

The specification for the FV600 hull given to Alvis by FVDE stated:

• An all-steel hull, welded at all joints and sealed against the ingress of water.

• The main power unit to be the Rolls-Royce B80 straight-eight water-cooled petrol engine, driving through a five-speed semi-automatic transmission and a forward-and-reverse single range transfer box.

• Suspension to be all-independent by wishbone sprung either by torsion bar or coil springs.

• The vehicle should be capable of being steered from either the front or rear end, and be by recirculating ball. The steering wheel for the front of the vehicle should be approximately parallel to the glacis plate. and vertical at the rear.

• Require armour for immunity to near misses from medium artillery, including air bursts or from a 20lb mine.

• The primary armament to be a 2pdr Pipsqueak HV gun and coaxially mounted machine gun The vehicle would be required to carry a crew of four: a commander, a driver, a gunner and a loader.

• The maximum gross weight of the vehicle. including W/T set, twenty-seven rounds of ammunition, drinking water and lashing gear for airborne operations was to be 10 tons.

• The overall dimensions should not exceed: 7ft 4in (2.23m) height over cupola, 6ft 11 in (2.11m) over the top of the turret, 5ft (1.52m) to the top of the hull, 16ft 2in (4.93m) overall length. 17ft 9in (5.41m) length over the gun barrel, 8ft Sin (2.57m) overall width. 6ft 8in (2.03m) maximum track, 10ft (3.05m) wheelbase, Ift 4in (0.41m) minimum ground clearance. approach angle of 60 degrees front and 50 degrees rear, a maximum road speed of 50mph (80km/h), a maximum safe road speed of 35mph (56km/h) and a maximum speed in reverse of 20mph (32km/h).

• The vehicle should have standard WD pattern wheels with non-skid chains to be fitted as required.

• Brakes were specified as drums all round.

• Two jettisonable escape doors should be provided each side of the vehicle. The loader would have his own periscope and escape hatch separate from that of the commander.

• The gun should elevate to a maximum of 25 degrees and be depressed a maximum of 12 degrees, including to the rear of the vehicle.

• Armour thickness would be 8mm on the front visor, 10mm on the scuttle, 8mm on the glacis plate, 10mm on the skid plate and 12mm on the side plate.

This design specification was to lay out the specificattion of all future versions of the F. V. 600 range.

Along with it came the definition of its role, which was: 

• Ground reconnaissance with the infantry. 

• Pursuit and harassing of retreating armoured formation. 

• Effective engagement of infantry and unarmoured vehicles and weapons, comparable enemy vehicles at short range caught at a disadvantage. 

• Protection such as to give greatest possible immunity to attack by 1/zin (1.27cm) SAAP at a range of 300yd (275m) over a frontal arc of 45 degrees and complete protection to crew and internal components against: 

• Attack from 7.92mm SAAP from any direction. 

• The equivalent 25pdr shell splinters from a ground burst 30ft (9m) from the vehicle. 

• The detonation under any wheel of either a mine containing 20lb (9kg) explosive or a mine that will not overturn the vehicle. 

The specification required construction of a wooden mock-up, and then a prototype to designs produced by FVDE.

Crossley Motors produced the first Saladin prototypes, to Alvis and FVDE designs, as Alvis had been asked to rush an Armoued Personell Carrier through design and development, because of the Malayan Emergency in 1948.

Data

1. Saladin Mk 2 is a six wheeled drive armoured car which carries a crew of three: Commander/Loader, Driver and Gunner/ Operator. 

2. The armament consists of a 76 mm AC L5A1 gun end a .30 in. Browning Machine Gun mounted coaxially in the turret. An additional .30 in. Browning is provided for mounting outside the turret, te be used by the commander for close ground work and anti-aircraft. 

3. The hull, which is of welded construction made up from armoured plate, is sealed against the ingress of water and consists of a driver's compartment, fighting compartment and engine compartment. 

4. The driver's compartment occupies the front of the hull and contains the driver's seat and controls. Entry to the compartment is by a hatchway on the front of the hull, or from the fighting compartment with the turret in suitable positions. The hatch is hinged at the bottom, and when opened is held by a spring catch on the hull front glacis plate. A hinged flap is provided within the hatch. 

5. The driver is provided with three No.17 periscopes for use when the vehicle is closed down. 

6. The fighting compartment occupies the centre of the vehicle and is fitted with a turret of welded construction which is mounted on a ballrace on the top of the hull to give 360 degrees traverse. The turret accommodates the commander/loader on the right-hand side and the gunner/operator on the left-hand side. The turret turntable is suspended by struts from the turret and carries seats for the crew, fittings for stowage, and a rotary base Junction for feeding electrical circuits from the hull to the turret. Apertures in the turntable give access to various components for servicing. The wireless sets are mounted in a recess at the rear of the turret. 

7. The Turret traverse is effected by power assisted manual operation through a torque amplifier and traverse gearbox unit. A separate manual control is provided for the commander. 

8. Two emergency escape hatches are provided, one on each side of the fighting compartment. These hatches can be jettisoned when necessary by means of quick release catches. 

9. The batteries, CO2 cylinders, and the drinking water tank are mounted in the rear of the fighting compartment. 

10. The engine compartment is at the rear of the vehicle and is fitted with a B80 No.1, Mk 6D, 8 cylinder, liquid cooled gasoline engine developing 160 b.h.p. at a governed speed of 3750 r.p.m. Access to the engine compartment is by six hinged doors formed with louvres which allow the cooling air to enter the compartment. Air is drawn in by two fans which are belt driven from the rear of the engine, and expelled through a grille at the top rear of the compartment. 

11. Three inter-connected fuel tanks are mounted in the engine compartment, one on each side and cone on the left-hand front. The engine oil tank is located on the floor at the rear of the engine and a hinged oil cooler is mounted transversely above the engine.

12. The power from the engine is transmitted forward through a fluid coupling to a pre-selective, epicyclic gearbox. The gearbox drives a transfer box, which is connected on either side to the centre bevel boxes then by four propeller shafts to the front and rear bevel boxes. The bevel boxes drive the wheels through two tractajoints and epicyclic reduction gears in each hub.

13. Independent suspension is employed at each of the six road wheel stations3 This is effected through wishbone type links and torsion bars. Two double hydraulic shock absorbers are fitted at the front and rear wheel stations, each of the centre wheel stations. Two rubber bump and rebound dampers are in telescopic housings at each of the six wheel stations.

14. Self-servo disc type brakes are fitted on all wheels, the brakes being power operated by the hydraulic system of the vehicle and controlled through the driver's brake pedal. Mechanical operation through the handbrake lever is provided for use in emergency and for parking.

15. Divided disc road wheels are fitted with pneumatic tyres of the run-flat (R.F.) type.

16. Steering is power-assisted from the hydraulic system and is controlled by manual operation of the steering wheel. Steering is effected through the front and centre road wheels.

17. The vehicle is fitted with a negative earth 24V electrical system, employing two 12V batteries connected in series.

18. A fixed CO2 system is installed for combating fire in the engine compartment. 

Please visit the Stalwart Files and Manuals page, for general EMERs for Engine, etc.