Bedford OXAThe Bedford OXA was an armoured car built on the chassis of the Bedford OX medium truck.
Bedford OXA with Boys anti-tank rifle during excersises in the UK, early WW2.
The OXA was an emergency stopgap measure, designed and built to defend the British Isles against a threatening German invasion after de evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. The vehicle in fact was nothing else then the chassis of the popular Bedford OX medium military truck, built up with armoured box-like structures. The OXA was meant as an anti-tank vehicle and for that purpose armed with one or several Boys anti-tank rifles.
Bedford OXA's in production.
Almost a thousand OXA's were built in 1940-41. They were only used in the UK, and put out of service in 1942 when sufficient real tanks and anti-tank guns became available. The OXA crews can be happy that they never had to use their armoured cars against real German tanks. They would have been no match, even for the lightest German tanks, because of their thin armour, lack of fire power, lack of cross-country mobility and their high profile.
The Airfix Bedford OXAirfix recently issued the Bedford OX in two versions in their Bomber resupply set. But already in 1972 Airfix issued a Bedford OXC in their 1/76 RAF Recovery Set as a tractor for the Queen Mary trailer:
My 1994 boxing of the Airfix RAF Recovery Set. The Bedford OXC is the vehicle in the back.
Two years ago I built the
Thorneycroft Amazon from this kit. I have other plans wity the Queen Mary trailer. So the Bedford is a leftover. When searching the web for inspiration what to do with the Bedford, I discovered the OXA. So thats what its going to be. A Bedford OXA armoured car, using the chassis, wheels and suspension of the old Airfix kit.
The parts for the Bedford OXC from the Airfix kit.
So, let's start!