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Northwestern Military Academy Armored Car

Specifications

Northwestern Military Academy Armored Car

Category

Transportation

Classification

CHENHALL - Distribution & Transportation Objects - Land Transportation T&E - Motor Vehicles - Truck - Truck, Delivery - Car, Armored

Object Origin
Designer:

Royal Page Davidson

Builder:

Peoria Rubber and Motor Car Manufacturing Company

Date Built:

1898

Place of Production:

Peoria, Illinois, United States of America

Physical Characteristics

Object Description: Two-seat open vehicle (no doors or windows) with steering wheel at center extending from foot well. Gun with small protection plate is mounted over the front end. Overall painted dark green with yellow/gold text on the back end and yellow/gold and red painted badge on the front end.

Marks: "NORTHWESTERN/ MILITARY ACADEMY/ AUTOMOBILE BATTERY/ HIGHLAND PARK ILL."

Measurements: Object:
    Height: 70 in, Length: 9 ft 9 in, Width: 63 in

Credit

Gift of the Northwestern Military and Naval Academy, 49.104

Display Status

Not On View

Northwestern Military Academy Armored Car

About: Northwestern Military Academy Armored Car

About: Northwestern Military Academy Armored Car

This 1,000-pound, 4-wheel vehicle was designed at the Northwestern Military Academy campus in Highland Park, Illinois in 1898 (the school is no longer in operation). It was designed by Royal Page Davidson, son of Harlan Page Davidson, the founder of the Academy. Davidson and his cadets mounted a colt automatic rapid fire 7 mm caliber gun on the front frame, which had a firing range of 2,000 yards. The metal shield in front would protect the driver, and both the fuel tank and engine were armored. The carriage could accommodate four cadets with blankets, equipment, and rations for ten days.


This armored car is one of the earliest experimental designs combining armor and mobility for military purposes. It predates armored vehicles such as tanks by several decades. While somewhat basic by modern standards, this early design helped lay the groundwork for the development of more advanced military vehicles, especially the tanks that would play a pivotal role in future battles.

Additional information

Copyright information

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