Dutch military car

[Hanno Spoelstra]

DAF Prototype 4x4 Amphibious vehicle, 1939

No series production

It used driveline components from the Citroen Traction Avant, IIRC

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[Lang]

One must ask what insanity even brought this design to prototype stage?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

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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[Lang]

Thanks Hanno

Lang

[Hanno Spoelstra]

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:
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Rear view:
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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

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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
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[David Dunlop]

Hanno.

Do you think it influenced the small, German amphibious vehicle development at all?

David

[Colin Alford]

Hanno,

Given the two Registration plates visible (N-44943 and N-44945) is it possible that there was more than one prototype?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Do you think it influenced the small, German amphibious vehicle development at all?

David,

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.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

The prototype disappeared without a trace during the German occupation.

Sjoerd van de Wal told me the DAF MC139 amphibious vehicle was hidden during the German invasion in May 1940 - it never surfaced again. If the Germans would have found it, it would have been documented by them but there is no paper trail. Also, there are indications that they went out looking for it because they were interested in the double controls.

[Lionelgee]

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