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half-track kubelwagen
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finster
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2022 10:34 am    Post subject: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

a photo of a kubelwagen (made in 1943?) has been posted on facebook and the owner claims it is rare because it has the mounting points for the half-track adaptations. I've said that I don't think this is correct because as far as I'm aware the half-track kubels were experimental and didn't go into series production. does anybody know otherwise?
the mounts can be seen below the front door
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Martin Southwell
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2022 2:06 pm    Post subject: Re: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

As I was taught by a lecturer many years ago in my aircraft days, never say never, and never say always, because as soon as you state something, someone will come along to prove you wrong! Bearing this in mind, in Wikipedia it says:

Type 155/1: Half-track / snow-track Kübelwagen prototype. Pictures of several track-set designs exist,[17] although it is possible, that these were consecutively fitted to the same prototype. Trials proved, that the Type 155 was able to cover the most difficult terrain, but the modifications necessary to the standard Kübelwagen were extensive and the resulting vehicle was both very slow and forbiddingly inefficient.

Whilst I don't know this particular vehicle, I suggest that what the owner says may be a possibility, because, after they had finished experimented with producing a half track and found it wanting, what would have they have done with the vehicle or bodywork? They wouldn't have scrapped it with virtually zero miles on the clock, and it could have made it into service, albeit with the anchor points still in situ. Not a great problem when the average lifespan for a Kubel in wartime could be measured in weeks.

As to the age of this vehicle, if it were pre mid 43, (Pre body number 25,000) then it it should have the windscreeen wiper cable exit nodule on the scuttle, which this one doesn't. Maybe removed during restoration, and the windscreen seems to sit in a more upright position than is the norm, plus oddly, the rear wheels seem to sit inboard more than normal. Otherwise, a nice looking vehicle.
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finster
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2022 2:30 am    Post subject: Re: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

I agree with 'never say never' and am open to correction and revelations. looking at the photos of the test vehicle(s) it seems to be the same kubel and has a round boss patch and some stray tubes protruding from the sills but they don't match the 'survivor'. according to the designations there were 7 type 155 tested.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


of course it could be some mod made post-war for some obscure reason...
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Martin Southwell
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2022 2:47 pm    Post subject: Re: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

On the rear door and body of the vehicle in the 1st picture, it shows the fitment of riveted round holed tabs on each (The same tabs as used on the engine lid, both sides) so that a paddlock could be used to lock the door. You can see the padlock & chain fitted to the rear 1/4 panel, opposite the door handle.

These were normally fitted to 3 seater Kubels, such as those used as radio or engineers vehicles, to stop the casual theft of items from within. Out of interest, when I first got my Kubel, I wondered what they were there for, on all four doors, but subsequently found out that the vehicle was supplied new as an engineers version, for use with the Luftwaffe Research Dept at Gardelagen Airfield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardelegen_Airfield where they were developing various aircraft.

Why the need for a locking door on the half track version? Safety I would guess, as anybody getting out of the rear door, even when moving slowly, would have their legs shredded! It seems that this version, where the tracks don't extend fully forward, it would be safe, with great caution, to exit the front doors.

The 2nd picture shows that the tracks extend fully forward, and that the doors can't be opened, again to save leg shredding. There is no front door handle, only a top hinge, and there seems to be a continuous bar on the bottom of the doors. Not a terribly user friendly vehicle! Plus, the front wheels don't seem to be touching the ground.

Plus, as the second picture doesn't show any padlocking facility, it can't be the same vehicle in both pictures, plus the UK registered Kubel (in the original photo) doesn't have provision for padlocks either, so couldn't be the one in the 1st photo, which appears to be older anyway, when you look at the rear tow hooks. When they were experimenting with half track Kubels, there were obviously at least two different vehicles used, and no doubt more, and so nothing is proved, or disproved when it comes to the owner's claims of having an original half track Kubel!
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T2_681
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 15, 2022 11:37 pm    Post subject: Re: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

Martin, if you look closely, the 2nd photo has been photoshopped, namely the door area. The doors are standard.
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Martin Southwell
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:07 am    Post subject: Re: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

I'll take your word for it! I can see the remains of a red/pink hue in that area, but thought that someone had removed a 'protection' name from it, like people do when seling on Ebay for instance.
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finster
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 3:10 am    Post subject: Re: half-track kubelwagen Reply with quote

I was using photos already in the samba gallery Rolling Eyes but here are fresh scans from barber's birth of the beetle.
this is the first version from late 1941
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

according to barber these are 155/2 and 155/3 the latter from sept 42
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

barber says this is 155/4 - although marked as 155/1 Confused - and 155/7. as you can see the sill has been patched and the doors open normally
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

the half tracks would have needed brake/steering for the tracks, this is a photo of experimental brake levers
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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