Kubelwagen Type 82 Dak 1/24 Hasegawa 24504

Kubelwagen Type 82 "Dak"
1/24   Car
Hasegawa 24504

Manufacturer: Hasegawa
Scale: 1/24
Material: Plastic
Paint: Unpainted, Unassembled, Kit do not contain paints and glue.
Condition: New in Box

The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (literally translated as "bucket car", for its resemblance to a metal bathtub on wheels ) was a light military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known internally as the Type 82.

With its rolling chassis and mechanics built at Stadt des KdF-Wagens(renamed Wolfsburg after 1945), and its body built by US-owned firm Ambi Budd Presswerke in Berlinthe Kübelwagen was for the Germans, what the jeep was for the Allies.Porsche began work on the project immediately, having a prototype of the vehicle ready within the month, but realized during development, that it would not be enough to reinforce the Beetle's chassis to handle the stresses, that military use would put on it. In order to guarantee adequate off-road performance of a two-wheel-drive vehicle with a 1,000 cc FMCV 1 engine, it would have to be lightweight. In fact, the army had stipulated a laden weight of 950 kg (2,090 lb), including four battle-dressed troops, which meant, that the vehicle itself should not weigh more than 550 kg (1,210 lb). Porsche therefore sub-contracted Trutz, an experienced military coachbuilder, to help out with the body design.

Developmental testing by the military began after a presentation of the prototypes designated as Type 62 in November 1938. Despite lacking four wheel drive, a mainstay of the American military Jeeps, the vehicle proved very competent at maneuvering its way over rough terrain, even in a direct comparison with a contemporary standard German army 4×4, and the project was given the green light for further development. The vehicle's light weight and ZF self-locking differential compensated for the lack of 4×4 capabilities.When the German military took delivery of the first vehicles, they immediately put them to the test on- and off-road in snow and ice to test their capability at handling European winters. Several four-wheel-drive vehicles were used as reference points. The two-wheel-drive Kübelwagen surprised even those, who had been a part of its development, as it handily out-performed the other vehicles in nearly every test. Most notably, thanks to its smooth, flat underbody, the Kübel would propel itself much like a motorised sled, when its wheels were sinking into sand, snow, or mud, allowing it to follow tracked vehicles with remarkable tenacity.

In November 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests as well on several Type 82s they had captured in NorthAfrica. They concluded, that the vehicle was simpler, easier to manufacture and maintain, faster, and more comfortable for four passengers than the U.S. Jeeps. This statement is at odds with U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451,Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945. In this manual (p. 416), it states "The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the U.S. "Jeep", is inferior in every way, except in the comfort of its seating accommodations."Among the design features, that contributed to the Kübelwagen's performance were:

• Light weight, although some 41 cm (16 in) longer than the Willys MB, it was over 300 kg (660 lb) lighter.
• Very flat and smooth underbody, that allowed the car to slide over the surface it was traversing.
• Considerable ground clearance, roughly 28 cm (11 in), in part thanks to:
  • The use of portal gear hub reduction, providing more torque and ride height simultaneously.
  • Independent suspension on all four wheels.
  • Self-locking differential, limiting slippage and retaining traction.

Apart from that, the air-cooled engine proved highly tolerant of hot and cold climates, and less vulnerable to bullets, due to the absence of a radiator. For starting under winter conditions, a specially volatile starting fuel was required, contained in a small auxiliary fuel tank.

As the body was not a load-bearing part of the structure of the vehicle, it could easily be modified to special purposes.

The Kübelwagen could reach a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).

W type 82 "Kübelwagen"

Overview
Manufacturer	Volkswagenwerk GmbH
Also called	Safari, "Bucket/Tub Car"
Production	50,435 (1940–1945)
Assembly	Stadt des KDF-Wagens, today:Wolfsburg
Body and chassis
Class	Military vehicle
Body style	4-door utility roadster
Layout	RR layout
Platform	VW Type 1 Kdf-Wagen
Related	VW 166 Schwimmwagen VW 276 Schlepperfahrzeug