1 Leonardo da Vinci designed the first armored vehicle in 1485
Da Vinci’s armored vehicle was turtle-shaped with a turret and was protected by cannons mounted on the outside and pointing in all directions to give 360 cover.
Inside, eight men cranked handles to turn the wheels which enabled the vehicle to move in different directions.
Apparently Da Vinci first thought of using horses inside to power the armored vehicle but was concerned that they would behave unpredictably in such a confined space and with battle raging around them outside!
Ironically, Da Vinci was actually a confirmed pacifist and it is believed he included deliberate flaws in his design which that meant his vehicle design, if built according to the plans, would never actually move forward and so was useless as a vehicle of war!
2 The first armored car was actually a mobile bank
In 1910, the Bellamore Armored Motor Bank Car was the first reinforced and protected mobile bank to hit the streets of New York.
Designed by British inventor and entrepreneur, David Havelock Bellamore, this bullet and fire-proof armored car incorporated chromium steel panels to protect both cashier and driver, as well as a safe deposit vault encased in steel, and electric burglar alarms.
Bellamore went on to work with the Mosler Safe Company and later with Cincinnati’s Otto Armleder Company which manufactured heavy trucks that were exported for use in the First World War.
During the buildup to the First World War he served as Export Director of the Otto Armleder Co., a Cincinnati-based manufacturer of heavy trucks.
3 Modified school buses were some of the first armored trucks
Chicago in the 1920s was a dangerous place with mobsters who were already using armored cars to protect themselves against both the police and their rivals.
This is why the now-celebrated Brinks armored truck company – then just a run-of-the-mill delivery company – decided to buy up a fleet of old school buses and reinforce them with lower steel body panels and solid metal bars to protect the windows.
They would drive these modified buses closely followed by a second armed vehicle – a Model T Ford equipped with guards with machine guns to discourage anyone thinking of hi-jacking the contents!
4 Armored vehicles can be driven even when their tires deflate
Armored vehicles have tires lined with reinforced plastic which means they can continue to be driven fast, safely and with stability for several miles even after their tires have been blown out.
This safety feature allows the occupants to make a fast get away so that they can reach a safe haven without having to leave the vehicle.
Other safety measures designed to provide protective cover while the armored vehicle is driven away from the scene of an attack include angled steel body panels which can deflect even rifle bullets, and tilted windscreens made of several layers of composite and bullet proof glass that absorb the impact of bullets and so do not shatter.
5 Armored vehicles carrying coins can weigh more than 27 tons!
This is 55,000 pounds – or almost as much as a humpback whale or one of the USA military’s Chinook cargo helicopter (CH-47D model)!
6 The 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York influenced new additions to armored truck designs
The September 11 attacks highlighted the dangers of fuel tank explosions and bombs. Many armored vehicles now include new features to limit these dangers and offer increased protection to the occupants, including bomb detectors and remote mechanisms that permit the fuel tank to be killed.
7 Many armored vehicles include internal monitored CCTV cameras
These are monitored and recorded by both the armored vehicle driver and back at the control room which means that the occupants and contents are under surveillance at all times for their further protection.
Other extra protection measures include reinforced bumpers that can ram through blockades, and sirens and flashing warning lights that draw attention to the vehicle and so deter would-be thieves from drawing attention to them.
8 Armored vehicles are also used to help civilians escape from dangerous situations
In 1997, the Los Angeles police used an armored vehicle to protect wounded people who were being removed from the scene of a shoot-out in North Hollywood.
And in fact business men, celebrities, and many other private citizens are increasingly turning to armored vehicles to offer protection and security to their loved ones and valuable possessions while on the move.