Volkswagen Schwimmwagen
The Volkswagen Type 166 is a buoyant SUV with four wheel drive. It was developed on the basis of the KdF car and the Volkswagen Type 82 for the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. From autumn 1942 to summer 1944, produced more than 14,000 pieces in the Volkswagen plant at Faller life. Colloquially the Type 166 is also referred to as VW float or commonly known as floating car.
Development of the people's car for Kubelwagen
In his opening speech, the car show in Berlin in 1934, Adolf Hitler called on the German automotive industry to build a " people's car ". His ideas about the people's car of the future he committed later in detail. It should not consume more than 7 liters of petrol per 100 km, can develop a sustained speed of 100 km / h and have enough space for a family of four and cost no more than RM 1,000. Even at this early stage ( April 1934 ) of the development debate has been the part of the Wehrmacht how such a future automobile itself could make use militarily. In June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to develop such a popular car. In January 1938 there was by the Army Ordnance concrete demands of a development and its conditions to a military vehicle; so on the basis of the KdF Car developed by then. The Army Ordnance Department made the following conditions to the vehicle: it should be able to accommodate three soldiers with equipment, a total weight of 950 kg not exceed (550 kg for the car and 400 kg for three men with equipment), have a low overall height and its off-road capabilities. In addition, the possibilities of production in large quantities and low conversion costs had to pass from civil to military vehicle. In November 1938, the Army Ordnance Office, a prototype was presented for the first nine months of development time. For this prototype 82 ( jeep ) was developed until 1940 the standard VW Type.
Development of the VW Type 128/166
Based on the experiences during the Polish campaign, the German General Staff of the Army demanded mid-1940 a floating - and off-road capable car for the motorized infantry units. At the Porsche KG with the all-wheel drive of the type 87 is a floating prototype was developed based on the VW - bucket car type 82. The main features of the new " Schwimmwagen " Type 128 were his well-shaped body, a herabschwenkbare three -blade propeller at the stern and a modified piston engine with 1131 cc (25 hp). The rear screw allowed just the required speed of 10 km / h on the water. Together with the company Drauz from Heilbronn, a first prototype was completed and immediately tested on the Max Eyth lake at Stuttgart on 21 September 1940. After the start of series production at Porsche showed themselves in the field but still has some shortcomings.
Then began in April 1941, the development of type 166 The wheelbase was shortened to exactly 2 meters ( KdF-Wagen, Type 128 and Type 82: 2.4 meters ) and the tub was shorter by 37.5 centimeters. This resulted in an increased body stability and improved off-road capability. In August 1941 the first prototype was ready and at Porsche KG a preliminary series of 125 pieces was commissioned. After the Army decrease in the May 29, 1942 began in the fall of 1942 the series production at the Volkswagen plant at Faller life. In contrast to the Kubelwagen Type 82, whose structure was prepared at Ambi- Budd in Berlin, Volkswagen produced the bodies themselves during Allied air attack on the VW plant on August 5, 1944, the production facilities have been in the body shop so badly damaged that further production is no longer out of the question. Then could be produced from 166 existing parts only a small number of the type. The production of the bucket car Type 82 hand worked at the VW plant until April 10, 1945 on. A total of 14,276 Schwimmwagen Type 166 were produced from 1942 to 1944 at the Volkswagen factory.
Use
The first models of the 128 in 1940, delivered to the engineer units of the army. Because of an order of the SS Main Office in 1941, the successor of the type 128, the new Type 166, which used hitherto Beiwagengespanne of BMW (BMW R75 ) and Zündapp (KS 750 ) should replace the Kradschützenbataillonen the Waffen- SS divisions. The new Schwimmwagen was several soldiers carry their equipment as well as weapons and ammunition. In addition, he owned under difficult conditions, a higher off-road capability than the Beiwagengespanne, but cost only about half. Overall, however, only a small number of types 166 and 128 was delivered to the Army and SS units. For use both types came to almost all fronts of World War II. His buoyancy, however, was rarely used. His real strength was the off-road through the high ratio off-road gear in conjunction with the all-wheel drive, the self-locking ZF limited slip differential and the ground clearance of 260 mm.
Specifications
Motor
Gearbox / transmission
Chassis
Landing gear
More details
Pedigree
Development Number / type list