The Humber Pig was a
heavily-armoured truck used by the British Army from the
mid 1950s until the 1990s. The original vehicles were
built by adding an armoured body to a four wheel drive
1-ton Humber truck (FV 1601), and were designed as a
stop-gap measure until fleets of purpose-built armoured
vehicles were delivered. They were then sold off or put
aside to be scrapped.
The development was carried out by The Royal Ordnance
Factory in Woolwich, and production of the armoured
bodies took place at Sankey (later GKN) at Telford or by
Royal Ordnance.
The vehicles were powered by a 6-cylinder Rolls-Royce B60
engine developing 98 hp at 3.850 rpm. Power was was
transmitted through a large dry-plate clutch to a 5-speed
gear-box, and the transfer box was incorporated with the
rear axle.
As the situation worsened in Northern Ireland the
vehicles proved ideal for internal security duties, and
were brought back into use. They have served longer than
their battlefield successors, the Alvis Saracen. Legend
has it that the vehicle acquired its nickname because its
bonnet resembled a pig's snout and because its driving
characteristics were somewhat unrefined.
As the troubles in Ulster escalated during the 1960s and
1970s the Pigs were modified to create the Mark II
version. Extra armour for protection against armour
piercing bullets and rocket propelled grenades were
added, and "barricade removers" (heavy-duty
bull bars) mounted to enable them to force their way
through barricades erected in the streets.
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