Ford M151 MUTT

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M151 A2, front view
M151 A2, side view
M151 in Saudi Arabia
A TOW anti- tank missile launched from an M151

Ford M151 MUTT is a US military off-road vehicle series. From 1959 onwards, it replaced the Willys MB , which became famous in the Second World War, and its successor M38 in the US Army . The acronym MUTT stands for Military Utility Tactical Truck .

history

Even if the Ford M151 looks very similar to its predecessors, it is a newly developed vehicle. In contrast to its predecessors, it does not have a ladder frame with rigid axles on leaf springs and an attached body , but a self-supporting body with independent wheel suspension and coil springs.

In general, only all vehicles with Willys origin are referred to as Jeeps, the Ford MUTT is not listed as Jeeps.

The Ford MUTT (internal designation of the US armed forces : M151 Series ) was delivered in the years from 1964 to 1976 to about 100,000 pieces for different armies, the US Army received the largest part. The M151s were procured to replace the M38 Willys jeeps and the Willys MB jeeps from World War II .

The original M151 was a safety risk for inexperienced drivers when cornering quickly, especially when the rear axle was unloaded. With the M151 A2, the rear swing axle was replaced by a trailing arm axle , which alleviated the problem, and a number of vehicles were also equipped with roll cages . The US Department of Defense recognized the vehicle as unsuitable for civil use and high speeds. From 1973 onwards, the chassis of all M151s that had been decommissioned were therefore destroyed - even countries that had received M151s through military aid followed this form of demilitarization. The components that remained intact, such as the engine and transmission, were built into new chassis by some companies, but significant production figures were never achieved.

In the third episode of the second season of Steel Buddies , Michael Manousakis reports that he has succeeded in auctioning around 500 such vehicles in Saudi Arabia . This makes him the only dealer in Europe who sells these vehicles. The vehicles are restored individually (sometimes composed of several copies), as they do not have a completely destroyed chassis, but are anything but roadworthy.

In the Army, it was compulsory to take part in an educational film showing about the "jeep dangers" before being allowed to move these vehicles. The questionable driving characteristics prompted the US Army to gradually retire the M151 as part of its renewal program and to replace it with the new Humvee .

Today you can still find it sporadically in some armies, such as in Israel . The US Army still has a few M151s in their inventory to maintain tradition.

variants

The MUTT was available in the following versions:

  • M151, M151 A1, M151 A2 with extensively revised rear suspension
  • M151 A1C for M40 gun
  • M825 for recoilless 106 mm gun, later with TOW launcher
  • M718, M718 A1 ambulance

Technical data of the basic type M151

  • Engine: 4 cylinders, petrol, 2.2 l displacement with 72 hp
  • Transmission: 4-speed, reverse gear, selectable all-wheel drive (4 × 4)
  • Top speed: 65 mph (104 km / h)
  • Tire size: 7.00x16
  • Tank capacity: 17 gals (60.5 l)
  • Consumption: 15–18 l / 100 km
  • Length: 3.37 m (132.7 inch)
  • Width: 1.63 m (64.0 inch)
  • Height: 1.80 m (71.0 inch)
  • Wheelbase: 2.15 m
  • Ground clearance: 0.24 m
  • Weight: 1088 kg unloaded, 1633 kg loaded
  • Payload in the area: 0.25 t
  • Wading depth: 0.53 m (21.0 inch), with special parts: 1.52 m (60.0 inch)
  • Electrical: 24 volts
  • Crew: 4 people

Web links

Commons : Ford M151 MUTT  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ MOTHER. In: morlock-motors.de. Retrieved August 1, 2020 .