Armadillo armoured fighting vehicle
Encyclopedia
The Armadillo was an extemporised armoured fighting vehicle
produced in Britain during the invasion crisis
of 1940-1941. Based on a number of standard lorry chassis, it comprised a wooden fighting compartment protected by a layer of gravel and a driver's cab protected by mild steel plates. Armadillos were used by the Royal Air Force
(RAF) to protect aerodromes and by the Home Guard
.
. One particular problem was the defence of airfields against airborne troops.
An ideal solution to the problem of protecting the open space of an airfield would be to make use of armoured fighting vehicles such as tanks and armoured cars. However, the British Army lacked heavy equipment, having been forced to abandon much of it during the Dunkirk evacuation. An alternative would be an improvised armoured fighting vehicle that did not compete for resources with conventional armaments. The form of vehicle that the Royal Air Force
(RAF) needed was outlined:
The RAF started looking for a suitable vehicle at the end of May 1940 and by 4 June they settled on the design destined to be known as the Armadillo. This vehicle was a flat-bed truck, on the back of which was mounted a box-like fighting compartment. The box exterior was made of 7/8 in thick wooden boards measuring about 4 in 8 in (1.42 m) by 5 in 2 in (1.57 m) and standing 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) high; inside this was another, similar wooden box about 6 inches (152.4 mm) smaller all round; the gap between the boxes was filled with gravel. This provided protection from rifle and machine gun bullets. The fighting compartment had an embrasure on each side, these were about 8 inches (203.2 mm) high by 18 inches (457.2 mm) wide and fitted with sliding steel shutters. The fighting compartment had an open top with a beam across it to support a Lewis Gun
on a sliding mount. The drivers and the engine were protected by steel plates. Most Armadillos were armed with two Lewis Guns and three rifles.
A later Mk III Armadillo was always based on a three ton chassis, it had a slightly smaller fighting compartment now occupying only the front half of the truck’s flat bed. On the rear half of the flat bed, a 37mm Coventry Ordnance Works gun
was mounted. The COW gun was a 37 mm clip loaded cannon designed at the end of the First World War for arming aircraft and used between the wars on flying boats. It fired a 1½ pound (680 g) High Explosive shell at modest velocity, but could be expected to be highly effective in its new role against landing aircraft, airborne troops or light vehicles. Fifty-five Mk III Armadillos were made. The crew comprised two drivers and three gunners.
In April 1942, a small number of Mk IIIs had their shingle protection replaced with plastic armour
.
It was thought that commanders might be tempted to think of the Armadillo as a mobile pillbox rather than any sort of tank or armoured car. To counter such a view, instructions emphasised its use as a mobile unit, not a static fort and it was to be reserved for the defence of the airfield and not given other tasks such as transporting ammunition or being driven off to find parachutists.
The Armadillo was withdrawn in mid 1942, by which time 877 vehicles had been produced. The surviving vehicles were refurbished for other uses (some passing to the Home Guard), and Humber Light Reconnaissance Car
s took over their role.
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
produced in Britain during the invasion crisis
British anti-invasion preparations of World War II
British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in...
of 1940-1941. Based on a number of standard lorry chassis, it comprised a wooden fighting compartment protected by a layer of gravel and a driver's cab protected by mild steel plates. Armadillos were used by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) to protect aerodromes and by the Home Guard
British Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
.
Design
With the Fall of France in July 1940, the Germans threatened to invade Britain. The British Government made frantic efforts to prepare to meet the threatened invasionBritish anti-invasion preparations of World War II
British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in...
. One particular problem was the defence of airfields against airborne troops.
An ideal solution to the problem of protecting the open space of an airfield would be to make use of armoured fighting vehicles such as tanks and armoured cars. However, the British Army lacked heavy equipment, having been forced to abandon much of it during the Dunkirk evacuation. An alternative would be an improvised armoured fighting vehicle that did not compete for resources with conventional armaments. The form of vehicle that the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) needed was outlined:
The RAF started looking for a suitable vehicle at the end of May 1940 and by 4 June they settled on the design destined to be known as the Armadillo. This vehicle was a flat-bed truck, on the back of which was mounted a box-like fighting compartment. The box exterior was made of 7/8 in thick wooden boards measuring about 4 in 8 in (1.42 m) by 5 in 2 in (1.57 m) and standing 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) high; inside this was another, similar wooden box about 6 inches (152.4 mm) smaller all round; the gap between the boxes was filled with gravel. This provided protection from rifle and machine gun bullets. The fighting compartment had an embrasure on each side, these were about 8 inches (203.2 mm) high by 18 inches (457.2 mm) wide and fitted with sliding steel shutters. The fighting compartment had an open top with a beam across it to support a Lewis Gun
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
on a sliding mount. The drivers and the engine were protected by steel plates. Most Armadillos were armed with two Lewis Guns and three rifles.
Variants
The Mk I Armadillo was produced with startling speed. Using a wide range of trucks conscripted from civilian service, the first 20 were delivered on 7 June and the complete consignment of 312 vehicles within just a couple of weeks. On 20 June, the Air Ministry ordered another 300 vehicles; these Mk II Armadillos would mostly be based on a standard Bedford 1½ and 3 ton chassis.A later Mk III Armadillo was always based on a three ton chassis, it had a slightly smaller fighting compartment now occupying only the front half of the truck’s flat bed. On the rear half of the flat bed, a 37mm Coventry Ordnance Works gun
COW 37 mm gun
The COW 37 mm gun was a British automatic cannon that was developed as a heavy-calibre aircraft weapon.It was trialled in several installations and specified for the Westland C.O.W. Gun Fighter...
was mounted. The COW gun was a 37 mm clip loaded cannon designed at the end of the First World War for arming aircraft and used between the wars on flying boats. It fired a 1½ pound (680 g) High Explosive shell at modest velocity, but could be expected to be highly effective in its new role against landing aircraft, airborne troops or light vehicles. Fifty-five Mk III Armadillos were made. The crew comprised two drivers and three gunners.
In April 1942, a small number of Mk IIIs had their shingle protection replaced with plastic armour
Plastic Armour
Plastic armour was a type of vehicle armour originally developed for merchant ships by Edward Terrell of the British Admiralty in 1940...
.
Service history
It did not matter that the vehicle was lightly armoured, because the soldiers it was expected to meet would be lightly equipped; what was of key importance was that the vehicle would survive the bombardment that was expected to immediately precede a landing. Armadillos were to be kept a short distance from the airfield, well hidden and protected but always ready to be called into action. Overweight, the Armadillo was unsuitable for travelling over rough or boggy ground. However, it did not need to travel far or fast, nor did it need to cope with hills; it could easily move along airfield taxiways and perimeter roads.It was thought that commanders might be tempted to think of the Armadillo as a mobile pillbox rather than any sort of tank or armoured car. To counter such a view, instructions emphasised its use as a mobile unit, not a static fort and it was to be reserved for the defence of the airfield and not given other tasks such as transporting ammunition or being driven off to find parachutists.
The Armadillo was withdrawn in mid 1942, by which time 877 vehicles had been produced. The surviving vehicles were refurbished for other uses (some passing to the Home Guard), and Humber Light Reconnaissance Car
Humber Light Reconnaissance Car
The Humber Light Reconnaissance Car, also known as Humberette or Ironside, was a British armoured car produced during the Second World War....
s took over their role.
See also
- Bedford OXABedford OXAThe Bedford OXA was improvised British heavy armoured car built during World War II by mounting an armoured body onto a Bedford OXD 1.5 ton truck chassis. 948 units were built in 1940-1941. The vehicle was used by British Home Guard units until 1942....
- Bison concrete armoured lorry
- British anti-invasion preparations of World War IIBritish anti-invasion preparations of World War IIBritish anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in...