The Tank Museum
Published 29 May 2026Even though we call ourselves The Tank Museum, at heart we are the museum of the Royal Armoured Corps. That means we don’t just have tanks — we have a wide range of armoured fighting vehicles that tell the story of the Corps. Within that collection sits the armoured car.
On the surface it can seem redundant: tanks are better armoured, have superior cross-country mobility and usually carry bigger guns. So why do armoured cars — a concept that predates the tank — remain in service today? After all, a Ferret doesn’t sound nearly as intimidating when up against the likes of the Chieftain.
00:00 | Introduction
01:25 | Starting Small
02:49 | Speed Demons
09:40 | Going Global
13:13 | Only the Enemy in Front
19:28 | Go Big or Go Home
This video features archive footage courtesy of British Pathé.
In this film, join James Donaldson as he unearths the lesser-known history of the armoured car. These speed demons have been zooming round the battlefield since before the tank was even a concept, and even today they can play a significant role in major campaigns. Fast, feisty, and packing a ton of punch, armoured cars are an important part of the armoured fighting vehicle story.
And maybe, just maybe, we might race some vehicles around our arena…
Want to learn more about the history of armoured cars? Here are some of the sources we used to make this film:
The Tank Museum Guide to Daimler Ferret, Pat Ware, 2026.
The Tank Museum Guide to Rolls-Royce Armoured Car, David Fletcher, 2025.
The Rise and Fall of the British Army, 1975–2025, Ben Barry, 2025.
Panhard Armoured Car Haynes Enthusiasts’ Manual, Simon Dunstan, 2019.
How France Fought a Lightning War in Mali (Op Serval), Battle Order • How France Fought a Lightning War in Mali …
September 30, 2026
What’s the Point of Armoured Cars?
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