AEC Matador

The AEC Matador is a heavy four-wheel-drive truck and medium artillery tractor built by the Associated Equipment Company for British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. Built with a distinctive forward-control cab and a powerful diesel engine suited to towing heavy field guns across difficult terrain, the Matador served extensively as a gun tractor for medium artillery pieces such as the British 5.5 inch gun, as well as in general cargo and recovery roles, across every major theater in which British and Commonwealth forces fought. The Matador's rugged four-wheel-drive design and wartime production numbers made it one of the most recognizable British military trucks of the Second World War, and surviving examples remain popular among military vehicle collectors and preservation groups today.