page_title: British hardened field defences of World War II
section_title: Type 26
hierarchical_section_title: British hardened field defences of World War II / FW3 pillbox types / Type 26
caption_attribution_description: Section drawing of pillbox of this type Pillbox at Curzon Bridges (South). OS reference SU921561 Photographed on 19-Mar-06.
context_page_description: British hardened field defences of World War II were small fortified structures constructed as a part of British anti-invasion preparations. They were popularly known as pillboxes, a reference to their shape.
context_section_description: The type 26 is a simple square in plan, each wall being 10 feet (3 m) long. There is a door in one side and embrasures in each of the remaining three walls with, possibly, an additional embrasure next to the door. There are no internal walls. Occasionally, there are two embrasures in one of the walls. The embrasures are suitable for rifles or light machine guns. Walls are normally constructed to bulletproof standard at about 18 inches (46 cm) thick.
  The type 26 also had an important prefabricated variant, in which the shuttering — both inside and out — was provided by precast concrete slabs slotted into reinforced concrete posts. The shuttering was filled with concrete in situ. This pillbox was also known as the 'Stent' after the company that produced the prefabricated components, Stent Precast Concrete Limited. On those examples where damage allows inspection of the construction, it seems that the concrete fill was not reinforced.
  
  The type 26 is uncommon: 140 are recorded as extant, including the Stent prefabricated type.
caption: Pillbox type FW3/26, prefabricated construction.
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