Europe jeep
Europa Jeep was the colloquial name of a started in the 1960 joint project of the states of France, Germany and Italy, to develop a new, lightweight, military terrain - amphibious vehicle . The project officially ran under the French name " V ehicule de C ommandement et de L iaison" ( VCL abbreviation ).
history
In 1966 France, the Federal Republic of Germany and Italy agreed to jointly develop the so-called Europa-Jeep. According to the tender, the vehicle should
- be equipped with a 40 to 50 hp (approx. 29 to 37 kW ) multi-fuel engine;
- Ensure a maximum and continuous speed of 95 km / h and an action radius of 800 kilometers;
- Transporting 500 kg payload and being able to pull 750 kg trailer load ;
- weigh a maximum of 1.5 tons, can be airlifted and lowered from the parachute, can swim and be fully cross-country.
The officially "véhicule de commandment et de liaison" (command and liaison vehicle) or VCL for short, was intended to replace the French Hotchkiss M201 , the German DKW Munga and the Italian Fiat Campagnola .
Originally, “three trilateral industrial groups” were supposed to build prototypes independently of one another and compete with one another for the production order. The first group was to be formed by Fiat , Glas / MAN and Renault / Saviem , the second by NSU , Moto Guzzi and Panhard / Citroën and the third by Hotchkiss , Büssing , Lancia . The basic model selected in this competition was to be built in a series of around 50,000 copies for all three countries involved, but equipped differently depending on the intended use. Ultimately, the two development consortia Fiat-MAN-Saviem (FMS) and Hotchkiss-Büssing-Lancia (HBL) remained, which were commissioned to develop corresponding prototypes. It was planned that these prototypes should be available for field testing by the troops in 1970. Overall, however, the project progressed very slowly, and when France finally left in 1976 it was abandoned.
Since the Bundeswehr urgently needed a replacement for its aging DKW Mungas and could not wait for the Europa Jeep to be completed, it decided on an interim solution, the VW 181 , a vehicle without all-wheel drive on a VW Beetle chassis. After the final cancellation of the Europa Jeep project, the German Armed Forces again put an all-wheel drive vehicle with 500 kg payload out to tender, but this time waived the requirement that the vehicle should be amphibious. Both Daimler-Benz and Volkswagen developed prototypes for the tests. In 1977 the VW 183 Iltis was finally chosen as the new light off-road vehicle for the German Armed Forces.
The French army, which needed a replacement for its Hotchkiss M201 off-road vehicle , also waived the requirement for buoyancy and asked the French automotive industry to develop a suitable off-road vehicle. Three French automobile manufacturers presented prototypes, none of which were new developments. Renault presented their TRM 500 (a revised Fiat 1107AD Campagnola ), Citroën the C44 (a VW Iltis with a Citroën CX engine) and Peugeot the P4 (a Mercedes G model with minor changes and a Peugeot engine). In 1981, Peugeot finally received the order to deliver almost 15,000 P4s.
The forerunners: Development of 0.5t nationally by Glas and BMW
On the basis of a specification sheet and a contract from 1964, Hans Glas GmbH / Isaria-Maschinenfabrik in Dingolfing developed the first prototype of a truck 0.5 t gl for the German armed forces. The vehicle was designed as a front control arm with an engine built into the front seats in a self-supporting tub construction and was completed in 1966. The vehicle was a four-wheel drive, buoyant six-seater with two doors and a folding top. The vehicle belongs to the holdings of the Defense Technical Study Collection in Koblenz .
After the Glas company was taken over by BMW AG, development was continued and at least four improved prototypes were manufactured between 1968 and 1971 for testing by the German armed forces. The basic structure of these was very similar to the glass prototype. Three of these prototypes were destroyed in crash tests in 1974. A prototype has been preserved and is also part of the Defense Technology Study Collection in Koblenz.
The Europa-Jeep from Fiat-MAN-Saviem LKW 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) FMS
The Bundeswehr gave the FMS prototypes it tested the name LKW 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) FMS (truck 0.5 t payload, all -terrain, buoyant, 4 wheels, 4 of which are driven). One of these vehicles is now part of the Defense Technology Study Collection in Koblenz, at least two are in private hands.
description
The two-tonne FMS prototype has a pontoon-shaped steel tub inside which all vehicle parts, with the exception of the wheels and the suspension, are protected from water. A frame is welded inside to strengthen the tub. The cavities are filled with PU foam to give the vehicle buoyancy even in the event of a leak . The tub is open at the top and has four small doors that are designed to prevent water from sloshing in when driving in the water. It has seven seats (+ one emergency seat) and a foldable hood. The windshield can be folded forward.
The vehicle is driven by a rear engine. Either a water-cooled, 4-cylinder in-line petrol engine from Fiat or an air-cooled 4-cylinder in-line multi-fuel engine from MAN with the designation L 9204 FMV is used. Power is transmitted via a 5-speed Saviem gearbox in front of the engine. A special feature of the vehicle that is probably difficult to control for the driver is the sixteen different driving and operating modes that can be switched using small control levers attached to the right and left of the handbrake lever. For example, the FMS prototype can be driven with either front-wheel, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive and water drive or front-axle drive with cable winch and water drive is also possible (see the diagram of operating modes).
There is no special off-road reduction, but 1st gear is designed as off-road gear. Differential locks were also dispensed with. The four drive wheels are individually suspended and have torsion bars. On the road, the FMS Europe Jeep reaches a top speed of 100 km / h. In the water it is maneuvered by a water jet drive that brings it to a maximum of 7.6 km / h. The vehicle has a sunk-in, mechanically driven cable winch at the bow, which is covered by a sheet metal cover when driving in the water. Two hydraulically driven bilge pumps are available to bring the water that may penetrate during water journeys back outboard, which can also be used to hose down the vehicle when a suction and pressure hose is connected. Two 4.70 m long ramps should be carried for loading and unloading the vehicle .
The following were also planned:
- Anchor with 40 m long rope,
- NBC protection device ,
- semi-automatic, on-board fire extinguishing system,
- MG - mount ,
- Radio equipment,
- Board crane with a lifting force of 1000 kg.
Technical data truck 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) FMS
| Technical data truck 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) FMS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. General information | ||||
| Manufacturer | Fiat, MAN, Saviem (FMS) | |||
| II. General performance information | ||||
| length | 4050 mm | |||
| width | 1600 mm | |||
| height | 1935 mm | |||
| Empty weight | 2140 kg | |||
| maximum weight allowed | 2640 kg | |||
| payload | 500 kg | |||
| Ground clearance | 375 mm | |||
| Approach angle v / h | 45 ° / 45 ° | |||
| Climbing ability | 50% | |||
| Fording depth | Buoyant | |||
| Fuel supply | 100 l | |||
| Range | approx. 800 km (road) | |||
| Top speed | 100 km / h (water approx. 7.6 km / h) | |||
| Seats | 8th | |||
| III. Technical specifications | ||||
| engine | 4 cylinder four-stroke in- line Otto | |||
| Displacement | 1955 cc | |||
| power | 55 kW (75 PS) | |||
| cooling | liquid | |||
| battery | 2 × 12 V 100 Ah | |||
| generator | 28 V 55 A three-phase current | |||
| Coupling type | Single-disc dry clutch | |||
| Manual transmission type | Mechanically | |||
| Number of gears F / R | 5/1 | |||
| Bilge pumps | 2, Rheinstrom type 20 | |||
| - drive | hydraulic | |||
| - Power | (max) 20 m³ / h | |||
The Europe Jeep from Hotchkiss-Büssing-Lancia truck 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) HBL
In the Bundeswehr, the vehicle was called LKW 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) HBL (truck 0.5 t payload, all -terrain, buoyant, 4 wheels, 4 of which are driven). In total, only four prototypes were produced. One of these vehicles is now in the Defense Technical Study Collection in Koblenz, nothing is known about the whereabouts of the remaining vehicles.
description
With a curb weight of 1,750 kg, the vehicle is lighter than the competitor model from the FMS group. Like this one, it has a buoyant sheet steel tub in which all essential components are housed and protected from water. The tub is open at the top and has five small doors (one of them at the rear of the vehicle), which are intended to prevent water from sloshing in when driving in the water. It has six seats (4 + 2 emergency seats). The two rear bench seats can be folded down. The result is a flat loading area that can be used to accommodate various devices. The hood has a simple bow construction and is removable. The windshield can be folded forward. The vehicle is driven either by a water-cooled, 4-cylinder boxer carburetor engine mounted in the front of the vehicle or by a corresponding injection engine. Both engines are Lancia and water-cooled. In two of the prototypes, power is transmitted via a single-disc dry clutch and a five-speed manual transmission, while the other two are via a torque converter plus a four-speed manual transmission. When driving on the road, the front axle is driven via a front drive block, the rear axle drive can be switched on for off-road operation. There is a manual differential lock on the rear axle . There is no special off-road reduction , but 1st gear is designed as off-road gear. The four drive wheels are individually suspended via wishbones and have coil springs. The components of the front and rear axles are identical. On the road, the HBL-Europa-Jeep reaches a top speed of 100 km / h. In the water it is maneuvered by a water jet drive that brings it to a maximum of 10.5 km / h. The vehicle has a winch at the bow.
Technical data truck 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) HBL
| Technical data truck 0.5 t gls (4 × 4) HBL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. General information | ||||
| Manufacturer | Hotchkiss, Büssing, Lancia (HBL) | |||
| crew | up to 5+ drivers | |||
| number of pieces | 4 prototypes | |||
| II. General performance information | ||||
| length | 4140 mm | |||
| width | 1600 mm | |||
| height | 1960 mm (over convertible top) | |||
| Empty weight | 1750 kg | |||
| maximum weight allowed | 2250 kg | |||
| payload | 500 kg | |||
| Trailer load | 500 kg | |||
| Ground clearance | 410 mm | |||
| Climbing ability | over 60% | |||
| Fording depth | Buoyant | |||
| Fuel supply | 110 l | |||
| Range | approx. 730 km (road) | |||
| Top speed | 100 km / h (water approx. 10.5 km / h) | |||
| Seats | 4 + 2 jump seats | |||
| III. Technical specifications | ||||
| engine | 4 cylinder four-stroke boxer Otto carburetor Lancia 208 000 | Injector Lancia 208 404 | ||
| Displacement | 1991 cc | 2086 cc | ||
| power | 68 kW (92 hp) | 54 kW (74 hp) | ||
| cooling | liquid | |||
| battery | 2 × 12 V 100 Ah | |||
| generator | Three-phase current 980 W. | |||
| Coupling type | Single-disc dry clutch | Torque converter | ||
| Manual transmission type | Hotchkiss, mechanical, BorgWarner system , fully synchronized | |||
| Number of gears F / R | 5/1 | 4/1 | ||
Individual evidence
- ↑ Article in: Soldier und Technik . Issue 1/1978, page 12ff.
- ↑ Article "Torn from Sleep" . In: Der Spiegel . Issue 42/1965 of October 13, 1965, page 44.
- ↑ Design and building descriptions of Hans Glas GmbH from 1967
- ^ Documentation in the exhibition of the Defense Technical Study Collection in Koblenz
- ^ Hasso Erb, Schwimmwagen. Cars and trucks, Stuttgart 1988, p. 471
