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Britain's Bison Concrete Armored Vehicle

Design

With the shortage of vehicles in 1940, Concrete Ltd developed and built the Bison Concrete Armored Vehicle.¹

None of the vehicles were the same as any truck that could be scavenged was convereted.¹

Many of the chassis were AEC, Dennis, Leyland, or Thorneycroft pre-war trucks.¹ These had wood placed for the bodies and then up to 6" / 152 mm of concrete poured over the top.¹ This made the vehicle bullet proof and could handle hits from guns up to 37 mm.¹

Two types were constructed.¹ One with concrete over the engine and cab and then a pillbox mounted on the flatbed of the truck chassis.¹ The second type had concrete completely covering the cab and flatbed covered in concrete with the only entrance being a trapdoor underneath.¹

Typically these concrete armored vehicles could carry between 5 and 10 men and the heaviest armament being a light machinegun.¹

Sources:

1. World Encyclopedia of Armored Fighting Vehicles, Jack Livesey, 2006