Bison Mobile Pillbox


This Bison Mobile Pillbox, rescued by the Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group, can be seen on display at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire.

This Bison Mobile Pillbox, rescued by the Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group, can be seen on display at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, near Spilsby, Lincolnshire.

 Key Facts

  •  The construction involved taking the cab from the lorry chassis and replacing it with a concrete one.
  • In addition, a pillbox of 6 inch reinforced concrete, 12 feet long, 8 feet wide and 5 feet high was placed on the lorries flat-bed.
  • Access to the pillbox was via a trapdoor in the wooden floor.
  • Use of this primitive vehicle was mainly by the Home Guard for airfield defence. However, some were possibly in service with the regular army.
  • The crew of the Bison consisted of two men in the cab and up to three riflemen squatting in the cramped pillbox.
  • It is significant to note, that, due to the varied chassis required, no two Bisons would have been the same.

    Thornycroft Bison

    Bison airfield defence, based on a Thornycroft chassis, at Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset.

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