Pictures from the Heritage Archives

Armstrong Siddeley Motor’s, in-house, Burlington, along with Hooper, Lancefield, and a number of other independent coachbuilders, created stately  motors which glided, somewhat regally, down many a boulevard around the globe. Somewhat reminiscent of the swans, which seem so easily to dominate the waters of river or lake. On this site we have shown many such vehicles, however, today we are considering one of the ugly ducklings.

Armstrong Siddeley Motors in 1927 were requested by the MOD - Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment (MWEE), to evaluate and enhance a range of military tractor type vehicles built by Fiat for the Italian Government, having  a Pavesi gearbox and in all probability fitted with a Fiat engine.

To this end an example of the four wheel type was shipped from Italy to the UK, arriving at Liverpool Docks in May 1928. During the unloading process it slipped from the slings lifting it out of the ship’s hold and disappeared into the harbour’s murky depths. Once recovered it was transported to Coventry where it required complete stripping down and cleaning. Meantime, a second unit was dispatched from Italy. This time an example of the eight wheeled type, Pavesi military tractor.

The War Office were rather tepid in their attitude on seeing these vehicles but after discussion with Armstrong Siddeley placed orders for 20 of the standard four wheel version and a second of the eight wheeled type, only this time the Standard would be fitted with a Parkside designed air cooled inline, 45hp four cylinder engine, while the larger vehicle would be powered, somewhat unconventionally, by a five cylinder Genet rotary aircraft engine. (Oh! to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation).

Given the designation B10E1, the multi wheeled version, clad with twin pneumatic tyres was delivered to the MWEE in November 1929 at a cost of £3,500 (an unbelievable £288,615 in today’s money!) Five of the standard version, fitted with solid tyres, were delivered commencing October 1929 at a cost of £1,500 each (£123,692 each today) whilst a further Standard vehicle was supplied to India at a cost of £2,250 (£185,538 today).

It is believed eleven of the 20 ordered were completed, but subsequent trials failed to rouse interest with the British Army. Also they proved to be unable, probably due to having a rather high centre of gravity, to traverse the terrain envisaged by the War Ministry. The original four wheeled imported vehicle appears to have been a bit jinxed, as it turned over during trials and sadly this resulted in the death of the officer driver.

One of those left unsold was fitted with the Wilson gearbox and sent as a demonstrator to Italy, but local interest precluded any sales. Another is reported to have been purchased by a building contractor in Bromley, as being the only vehicle capable of site haulage.

Before and during WWII, Fiat in Italy, produced a quantity of these Pavesi Artillery tractor vehicles.