IFA W50 LA/A

     Notes: This is the predecessor of the IFA L60 LA/PVB; however, the W50 outlived the L60 by several months, and they were in turn replaced by trucks produced in the former West Germany and Western Europe.  The vehicle is similar to the IFA L60 LA/PVB, with a cabover design, and cargo area covered with a canvas top.  The front has a 4500-kg winch with 60 meters of cable.  W50s produced from 1965-67 were equipped with the 4 KVD 14.5/12 diesel developing 110 horsepower.  This was replaced in production by the 4 VD 14.5/12-1 from 1967-90, developing 125 horsepower. The 125-horsepower engine is also easier to start in cold weather, down to -40 degrees Celsius. The truck has a manual gearbox which is synchromesh in forward gears 2 through 5. The W50 is all-wheel drive with locking differentials. The W50 can haul 5.3 tons on roads.

     Variants include tractor-trailer, maintenance workshop, fire engine, dump truck, crane, tanker, and wrecker. Some 60 variants and subvariants were built, both by IFA and various second and third-hand shops. After the reunification, many W50s, now available on the civilian market, were reimagined as overland travel trucks. There is an IFA truck club, web address wp.ifaclub.co.uk, which is devoted to refurbishing and keeping the IFA trucks in action.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The W50 was built in large numbers, and Germany, Cambodia, Hungary, Iran, and Iraq were still using many at the time of the war. 

IVECO Magirus 75.13 AWM

     Notes: This German-made vehicle is in widespread service worldwide.  It is of a cabover construction, with the spare tire between the cab and cargo area.  The cab has a roof hatch with a weapon mount.   The cargo area has drop sides and tailgate, and a canvas cover with bows is provided.  The cargo bed’s sides and tailgate may also be completely removed, providing a flat cargo space. The 75.13 AWM has a forward-mounted winch with a capacity of 3000 kilograms.  This vehicle is known for its fuel-efficient engine, a Deutz Diesel F6L 913 130-horsepower engine, coupled with a manual transmission with five forward and one reverse gear. The 75.13 AWM may tow up to 7.5 tons.

IVECO Magirus 90.13 ANWM

     Notes: This is a medium truck of conventional layout, which is in widespread service worldwide.  The cab is soundproofed and has a large one-piece windshield.  The cab has a roof hatch with a weapon mount.   The spare tire is behind the cab between the cab and the cargo area. The cargo area is covered with a canvas top and has drop sides and tailgate, all of which may be removed.  There is a 5000 kilogram-capacity winch mounted in the front bumper, and a wading kit may be installed which allows fording of up to 1.2 meters; normal fording is 80 centimeters.  The engine is a Deutz Diesel F6L 913 130-horsepower engine, coupled with a manual transmission with five forward and one reverse gear. The 90.13 may be fitted with a 130-liter or 200-liter fuel tank, or both. Towing is limited to 5 tons.

MAN-Volkswagen Type 8.150 FAE/9.150 FAE

     Notes: Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Hungary (where it is license produced) use this medium 4x4 truck.  It is of cabover layout, with tool storage and spare tire behind the cab.  The rear cargo area may be covered with a canvas tilt over bows, or may be a hard body.  A winch is located behind the rear axle with a capacity of 5000kg.  The cab has a roof hatch with a weapon mount, and the vehicle may have a material-handling crane (not included).  The Type 8.150 FAE and 9.150 FAE may ford water up to 1 meter deep. The 8.150 uses a 135-horsepower diesel engine, while the 9.150 uses a 150-horsepower diesel engine. The Hungarian variant, the RABA H9, is equipped with a 155-horsepower engine.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These trucks are neither used nor produced by Hungary.

Mercedes-Benz 1114A/1117A

     Notes: These trucks were designed for both cargo and troops and for towing and supplying light artillery pieces.  The 1114A and 1117A are the same vehicle, except that the 1114A has a 136-horsepower engine and the 1117A (the standard version) has a 170-horsepower engine.  They are of cabover construction with many access panels to the engine and transmission for daily maintenance and a tilting cab for heavier work.  The cargo area has drop sides and tailgate, and bows under a canvas cover may be fitted.  The cab is noted for its ergonomic control and instrument layout, and there is a roof hatch (but without a weapon mount). The vehicle may be fitted with a wading kit allowing fording up to one meter; otherwise, fording is limited to 50 centimeters. The drive configuration is 4x4, and the axles are fitted with differential locks.

     Variants include a tanker, wrecker, container carrier, and a shelter body for command posts and workshops. 

Mercedes-Benz LA911B

     Notes: This medium 4x4 truck is in widespread use, particularly in Africa and Asia; new ones are still produced by Khodro Diesel Company in Iran.  It has a standard layout, with a distinctive short, curved hood.  The cab has a roof hatch with a weapon mount. The drive configuration is 4x4 and has distinctive independent suspension for all four wheels. The drive components, engine, transmission, and wiring are all waterproof and the LA911B can ford up to 90 centimeters of still water without preparation. The standard engine is a 130-horsepower OM352 diesel, but some were upgraded to an OM352A 168-horsepower diesel, particularly in Middle Eastern use. Most long wheelbase versions are used in hard-bodied form or as a flatbed for carrying a standard NATO ISO container,

     Variants include an ambulance, light recovery vehicle, fire engine, and hard cargo body.  The LA911B is also used as an artillery tractor, able to tow 11 tons. The LA911B is popular among civilians, being used as an expedition truck and off-road racing vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz L508 DG MA

     Notes: This is essentially a civilian truck with minor modifications for the military.  The cab is noise and temperature-insulated, and has a heater.  The rear cargo area has a plywood floor with drop steel sides and tailgate, and has stowage boxes and either a canvas or hard cover.  The L508 is primarily meant for use in rear areas and transportation in peacetime, and is a 4x2 drive vehicle with poor off-road performance. The L508 may be found as a truck body or a van body. The truck body may be covered with a tarpaulin over bows. The cargo bed has a number of tie-down/chain-down points for the carriage of cargo, including NATO standard pallets. The L508 may tow 1.16 tons. The engine is an OM314 diesel developing 85 horsepower.

     To German soldiers, this vehicle is colloquially known as the “Dusseldorfer.” This vehicle is in service with Germany and Sweden.

Mercedes-Benz Vario 815 DA

     Notes: This truck is mostly standard in layout; however, it comes in a long (the standard; 3.7 meters) and short (3.15 meters) wheelbase version.  It also may be equipped with a standard or extended 4-door cab.  The Vario comes in a standard cargo body, tipper, or van body.  A superstructure may be fitted to the top of the cab that allows the mounting of a weapon. The Vario is powered by an OM904 LA diesel developing 152 horsepower, exceptional for such a light vehicle.

Unimog Medium Trucks

     Notes: This is a 4x4 medium truck built by Germany and used by many nations in Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe.  They are license-produced in Argentina, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey.  The Unimog series is produced for civilian as well as military use, and is encountered in private businesses and relief organizations. The layout is conventional, with an engine up front, a cab behind it, and a rear cargo area covered with a canvas top.  The cab features a hydraulically suspended driver’s seat that is also adjustable. The frame and chassis are basically extended versions of each other and have a high commonality of parts. The cargo area has a drop tailgate and drop sides.  The axles have differential locks and semi-independent suspension. The Unimog series is known for its excellent cross-country ability despite its 4x4 suspension, and the medium Unimogs have a 3-ton-capacity winch for extraction if the vehicle becomes stuck.  The steering and brakes are power assisted.

     The U-140L is a larger version of the Unimog U-100L found in German Light Unarmored Vehicles.  It has a larger cargo area, a transmission with a wider gear range, larger tires, and a more powerful 140-horsepower diesel engine.

     The U-800L is roughly the same size as the U-1100L SWB, but was designed as a truck for export rather than domestic use. It is powered by an OM314 diesel developing 75 horsepower.

     The U-1100L is basically a larger version of the U-600L found in German Light Unarmored Vehicles.  It comes in a short (2.9-meter) and long (3.4-meter) wheelbase version. They are powered by an OM352 engine developing 110 horsepower.

     The U-1350L is a still larger version of the above vehicles.  The U-1350L has a different engine than the preceding two vehicles, and an even wider gear range than the U-140L, and a larger fuel tank. It is powered by an OM366A diesel developing 136 horsepower.

     The U-1550L is an even-larger version of the Unimog series.  The U-1550L has a larger cargo bed and larger tires than the U-1350L. It is powered by an OM366A uprated to 155 horsepower.