WesWorld

GTÉ MICA (Mechanized Infantry Carrier, Armoured)
The MICA was developed between 1940 and 1944, drawing on the experience the Irish Army gained in Afghanistan with the improvised ACW-IP infantry carrier. These 'armoured trucks' were non-standardized and cramped, but nevertheless played vital roles in peacekeeping campaigns. As a result of the lessons learned, the Irish Grúpa Thionscal Éireann undertook design of a more refined infantry carrier based on a Ford 6x6 all-terrain truck chassis. A fourth unpowered axel was added to lower ground pressure. The troop cabin came equipped with semi-armoured folding hatches, allowing the troops the benefit of vertical protection while permitting the possibility of mounted soldiers opening the hatches in order to fire their weapons. The double rear doors were significantly wider than those of the ACW-IP, and the floor was lower in order to prevent troop injuries while disembarking.

The first prototype emerged in early 1942, and the Irish Army extensively tested the design over the course of two years, providing GTÉ with detailed feedback in order to make a number of improvements. In 1944, the Irish Army ordered the vehicle into production, and GTÉ embarked on marketing the design to a number of smaller European armies.

Specifications
Weight: 10.0 t
Length: 6.25 m
Width: 2.45 m
Height: 2.2 m
Crew: 2 crewmen (driver, gunner/commander); 9 troops embarked
Armour: 8mm - 15mm
Armament
-- 1 x 12.7mmm MG
-- 1 x 0.303" MG
Engine: GTÉ 575 V-6 diesel engine (5750 cc, 165hp)
Suspension: 6 x 8 wheels
Operational range
-- 300 km (loaded)
-- 500 km (unloaded)
Speed
-- Max Road Speed: 82 km/h
-- Max Continuous Speed: 60 km/h
Manufacturer: Grúpa Thionscal Éireann

Not a bad design overall, but I am concerned a little about the height. At 1.9 meters it seems insufficient for the troops being carried while buttoned up. I suppose it could be compensated for by lowering the ground clearance below what one would expect, but that has its own issues. I really thing that another 300mm or so in overall height would make it a far better vehicle from the user's viewpoint.

Sounds reasonable. Fixed.

Quoted from "Brockpaine"

Sounds reasonable. Fixed.

I could see a height of 1.9 meters for an open-topped vehicle - the German SdKfz 251 comes in around 1.8 meters, with the American M-3 a bit more than that. But the BTR-152 (albeit a larger vehicle) is well over 2 meters with head cover, and most other early wheeled APCs as well. Unless the infantry carried are midgets, I think that they will appreciate the head room.

I've got a couple of doubts about the design, unless there is a typo somewhere. 6.25m seems far too small for an eight-wheeler. There is no APC that small, the smallest wheeled APC is 11.83m Iron Eagle (4x4). Even the Bren carrier is 12m long! I think perhaps you meant 16.25m? However, the smallest 8-wheeler I can find is the BTR-60 at 24.83m (10.14 tons) or the Sd Kfz 231 (8 rad) armoured car at 19.17m (8.3 tons). The 6x6 BTR-152 was 22.42m, but the later 9-troop 6x6 Panhard VCR was 16m. The smallest 6x6 was the Sd Kfz 247 (6 crew 4.42 tons) based on a truck chassis. So the length and the weight need amending because the MICA seems around 2 tons too heavy for what it is, unless its much larger than 6/16m.

What would it look like? I've got the mental image of an 8-wheeled BTR-152.

@hood: Where do you have the data from? How is the BTR-152 22.42m long???

Quoted from "Hood"

I've got a couple of doubts about the design, unless there is a typo somewhere. 6.25m seems far too small for an eight-wheeler. There is no APC that small, the smallest wheeled APC is 11.83m Iron Eagle (4x4). Even the Bren carrier is 12m long! I think perhaps you meant 16.25m? However, the smallest 8-wheeler I can find is the BTR-60 at 24.83m (10.14 tons) or the Sd Kfz 231 (8 rad) armoured car at 19.17m (8.3 tons). The 6x6 BTR-152 was 22.42m, but the later 9-troop 6x6 Panhard VCR was 16m. The smallest 6x6 was the Sd Kfz 247 (6 crew 4.42 tons) based on a truck chassis. So the length and the weight need amending because the MICA seems around 2 tons too heavy for what it is, unless its much larger than 6/16m.

What would it look like? I've got the mental image of an 8-wheeled BTR-152.

No error. I think you've mistaken length in feet for length in meters. Wikipedia says the Bren carrier is 3.65 meters long - 12 feet, not 12 meters - and you cite twelve feet of length in your British encyclopedia. If it was twelve meters long, it'd be 39 feet... that's pretty long. And Wikipedia says the Panhard VCR is 4.88m.

I suppose it could look like an eight-wheeled BTR-152, yes.

Feet....yeah, sorry, that makes sense.

My bad. That's what comes of relying on a data table with the length column undefined whether its imperial or metric. I supposed metric, since most authors work that way these days, but no its imperial. So I reverse my case.

Quoted from "Brockpaine"

I suppose it could look like an eight-wheeled BTR-152, yes.

Or perhaps the chassis layout of the Laffly ST-20, where the un-powered wheels are undersized and only come into play if the vehicle starts to bottom out.

Quoted

Unless the infantry carried are midgets, I think that they will appreciate the head room.

I thought MICA stood for "Midget Infantry Carrier, Armoured".

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Quoted from "Brockpaine"

I suppose it could look like an eight-wheeled BTR-152, yes.

Or perhaps the chassis layout of the Laffly ST-20, where the un-powered wheels are undersized and only come into play if the vehicle starts to bottom out.

That wasn't my intention. I'm envisioning all wheels at approximately the same size and spacing, with the A, C, and D axles being powered, and the B axle unpowered.

I think I might have started on a layout drawing of the MICA a year or so ago. I'll look and see if I retained it.