Ford G398

Ford G 398 SAM (NATO goat)

The Ford G398SAM was used by the German Armed Forces as a 3-ton truck from 1957 to 1975 . With its angular bonnet , the vehicle, which is strongly reminiscent of the much larger MAN 630 L2A / L2AE , had an eight-cylinder V-engine with 68 kW (92 hp) and a selectable all-wheel drive .

The truck received the nickname "NATO goat" because of it

• the engine noise reminiscent of the moaning of a goat

and also because of

• his behavior in the field (due to the lack of shock absorbers in the flatbed vehicles, they "jumped like a goat" - in the case of the vehicles with box bodies it was also not a pleasure to drive off the road - in addition, the vehicle tended to tip over very quickly in curves )

The chassis together with the side-controlled V8 gasoline engine was a pre-war development by Ford ( V 3000 S ). It is very narrow, but the Bundeswehr required the use of the standard driver's cab and suitcase of the three-ton variant. This prompted Ford to widen the axles, but this did not significantly improve off-road handling. Due to the combination of a narrow track and a high center of gravity , the vehicle tended to tip over quickly.

The three-ton series of the Bundeswehr was no longer pursued. Of the approximately 8,000 "goats" produced, two are still licensed for use on public roads; a further seven vehicles are known and are in museums or with private owners.

Web links

• Bundeswehr truck "NATO goat"