Bedford OY Armadillo Mk. III Armoured Truck

Plastic model kit of a British Bedford OY Armadillo Mk. III armored truck

• 1:35 scale
• Includes clear parts and photo-etched parts
• 2 figures
• Unassembled, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The Bedford OY Armadillo Mk. III was a British improvised anti-aircraft and defense vehicle variant of the Bedford OY 3-ton truck; it was created during World War II out of a need to rapidly provide additional armored vehicles to protect British airfields and key facilities. The OY was fitted with simple steel-plate armor and an armored cab for the driver and crew.

A distinctive feature of the Armadillo Mk. III was the armament mounted on the cargo bed. This consisted of an armored weapons platform capable of mounting a Vickers .303-inch machine gun or similar anti-aircraft weaponry. Although the design offered only limited protection against gunfire and shrapnel, it provided a relatively quick solution for close-range defense. The Armadillos were primarily used by the RAF and the British Auxiliary Air Force to secure airfields.

The Bedford OY itself was a widely used British 3-ton truck featuring a 6-cylinder gasoline engine and rear-wheel drive. Due to the added armor, the Armadillo conversions were significantly heavier—and consequently less mobile—than standard transport vehicles. Nevertheless, they played an important role in British home defense, particularly during the critical years of 1940 and 1941.

For modelers, the Armadillo Mk. III is characterized above all by its box-like armored cab, protected cargo area, and weapons platform. Combined with the typical British camouflage paintwork and the extensive equipment in the cargo area, the result is the highly distinctive appearance of an improvised British defensive vehicle.