Dutch military car
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Not seen this car before https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...itary%20car%22
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DAF Prototype 4x4 Amphibious vehicle, 1939
No series production It used driveline components from the Citroen Traction Avant, IIRC Attachment 119961 Attachment 119962 |
One must ask what insanity even brought this design to prototype stage?
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Insanity or innovative?
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Mr van Doorne was quite ingenious. His M39 Armoured Car was ahead of its time with its welded unibody construction. By 1939 it was already a case of too little too late
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Thanks Hanno
Lang |
Daf mc139
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Of course the layout looks a bit silly with that engine mounted centrally. But the DAF MC139 was developed in 1938-1939 as a 4-wheel drive 4-wheel steer amphibious vehicle. 4-wheel drive was selectable, and a propeller could be fitted to propel it as a full-fledged amphibious vehicle. It could also be driven from both sides (not at the same time of course - now, that would have been silly).
I think it is an examplary vehicle of the early days of all-wheel drive military vehicles where concepts like 4-wheel steering, bi-directional driving postions and amphibious capabilities were all put into one vehicle to create the supernatural abilities deemed necessary (this vehicle should have been named after Eugene the Jeep like so many other off-road vehicles). Today we would call this a technology demonstrator. Its intended role was reconnaissance car. But probably because the Dutch government would find it too expensive (they always do), only one prototype was built. The prototype disappeared without a trace during the German occupation. Front view: Attachment 119978 Rear view: Attachment 119984 The Dutch defence strategy relied heavily on the age-old method of inundation and most equipment was tested to see if it the could overcome these water obstacles. Thus the MC139 was tested on the frozen IJssel river in the winter of 1940 and "performed excellently". It is nice to see it was featured in a newspaper on the other side of the globe. See a short video of the MC139 being tested here: https://www.openbeelden.nl/media/657233 Attachment 119979 Attachment 119981 Technical data: Engine: Citroën Traction Avant 7S, 4 cylinder 1911 c.c. 48 hp. Wheelbase 2500 mm. Overall length 3500 mm. Note the MC139 was fitted with the so-called Pilot wheels from the Citroën Traction Avant Attachment 119983 |
Hanno.
Do you think it influenced the small, German amphibious vehicle development at all? David |
Hanno,
Given the two Registration plates visible (N-44943 and N-44945) is it possible that there was more than one prototype? |
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I would have to map it against the timeline of the German developments by Porsche (KdF / Volkswagen) and Trippel. I think Hans Trippel had built his first amphibious car by the time DAF did. As the German designs were not as sophisticated as the DAF, I would put a bet on the MC139 prototype being scurried away by the German army to study it in detail and then display it as a captured enemy object. Other Dutch Army vehicles were on display in a large museum in Berlin, all being destroyed in 1945. |
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Well spotted! Actually these registration plates are a type of trade plate as they have been spotted on other DAF vehicles under test at times before WW2. N-44943 - also used on DAF Trado command car prototype: Attachment 119986 N-44945 - also used on Ford tractor towing DAF trailer with automated container loader: Attachment 119985 |
So it could very well be one vehicle being tested at two different times with whatever registration plates were on hand.
Are those small bumperettes either side of the front plate, Hanno, or small ditching wheels? David |
David
They certainly look like "ditching wheels". A good idea and obviously of some use though these tiny ones would not be much help on a soft bank. You can see similar wheels and rollers on cross country vehicles and machinery going back well before WW1. That pretty little 6 wheeler looks a much better proposition than the push-me pull-you 4 wheeler. But as Hanno said it was a proof of concept machine experimenting with several different ideas. Lang |
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DAF & Ford Six Wheeler
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Hello All,
Following on from the earlier post showing the DAF on Ford six wheel vehicle. The attached photo shows a similar vehicle that is complete with wet weather wintering kit. Photo accessed 12th February 2021 from, https://panzerserra.blogspot.com/201...1940-case.html. The website suggests that there were DAF Chevrolet versions of the Trado as well. Kind regards Lionel |
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I think there would be arguments about who faced forward. The losers would get to be carsick from riding backwards.
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