AEC 0853 Matador – Photos & Video

Photo gallery of a AEC 0853 Matador, Initially conceived as a Medium Artillery Tractor, the 4×4 Matador normally pulled the 5.5inch field gun, with crew and ammunition carried in the cargo body. Some were modified to actually carry a 25pounder in the back, so that from the air it looked less like an artillery unit. The Matador HAA – Heavy Artillery Tractor was also produced, comprising 786 units out of a total of 8612 Matadors built by 1945. In addition, 400 chassis cabs were built for towing trailers by the RAF. The design was influenced by an FWD/Hardy production in the early 1930s.

Source: Milweb

The AEC 0853 Matador was a heavy-duty truck produced by the Associated Equipment Company (AEC) in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1953. It was mainly used by the British Army as an artillery tractor, capable of towing medium and heavy guns. The Matador had a distinctive flat-fronted cab with a bonnet and a four-wheel drive system. The Matador was powered by a 7.7-litre diesel engine that delivered 95 horsepower. The Matador could carry a crew of six and had a maximum speed of 40 mph. The Matador was also used for other purposes, such as a recovery vehicle, a mobile crane, a fire engine, and a timber transporter. The Matador was widely exported to other countries, such as Canada, Australia, India, and South Africa. The Matador was praised for its reliability, versatility, and off-road performance. The Matador was retired from service in the 1960s and replaced by more modern vehicles.