Notes: Intended to replace the former West German Army’s FAUN SLT 50-2 semi-tractor, the FS 42.75/42 ended up instead only partially replacing its progenitor, with the SLT 50-2 being retained and upgraded for future use and possible sales. The layout is largely similar to the SLT 50-2, with a forward control cab constructed partially from steel and partially from synthetics and plastics. The driver’s seat is adjustable, with a separate front bench seat for three passengers. The roof has a hatch with a weapon mount, and behind the front seats there is a space for equipment stowage. All cab walls are double-skinned (for soundproofing and insulation, not for armoring), and the glass is laminated to avoid shattering. The truck has two heaters; one is powered by the engine, and the other is self-powered (using the truck’s fuel) and is used when the engine is off. Behind the cab are two winches, each with an 18.6-ton capacity. The suspension is 8x6 and uses single, large tires for each set of wheels. Both front axles are steerable, but the second row of wheels are not powered. (An 8x8 version is also available, however). The suspension is high and cross-country rated.
Notes: This semi-tractor is a military adaptation of a civilian semi-tractor, the FAUN 2144.93 Version B. It is of conventional layout, with the engine up front, a center cab, and the rear area with the fifth wheel. The engine compartment is largely of steel, but the hood is made from reinforced glass fiber composites. The cab is of steel, with three doors for access to two rows of seats. The front row has three single seats; the rear row is a bench seat with the center portion foldable to give a standing area for access to a roof hatch. The hatch has a weapon mount as an option. The truck has a 6x6 suspension designed primarily for road use but with some off-road capability. Since it also has a tow hook at the rear, it may also tow standard trailers in addition to semi-trailers. A plethora of optional equipment is available, including twin 18-ton-capacity winches with 55 meters of 24mm cable, differential locks for the rear axles, snow chains, a rack for up to four jerry cans, two hand fire extinguishers, an air compressor, and special rails to allow the connection of a standard trailer to the fifth wheel. The HZ 40.45 was primarily designed as a tank transporter, but with the march of time and the advent of heavier tanks, it has been dropped from German service in favor of trucks capable of towing heavier loads, and today is used primarily by Chad, Libya, and Turkey.
Notes: Though it was supposed to be replaced by the FS 42.75/42, the SLT 50-2 continues to serve on with the German Army in a supplemental role as a tank transporter, and in towing other types of semi-trailers. Also known to the Germans as the Elefant, the SLT 50-2 was originally designed starting in 1965 to tow the abortive MBT-70 tank, but was kept when that project was cancelled for other duties. Despite its age, the SLT 50-2 remains capable of towing any tank in German service.
The cab of the SLT 50-2 is of the forward control tipper type, constructed of steel and glass fiber composites. The suspension is 8x8 and steerable on the front two axles. The suspension is quite capable off-road, with the front and rear sets of axles being capable of independent flexing. The axles have locking differentials. The truck has airbrakes and is capable of providing compression to a trailer equipped with airbrakes. Sensors ensure smooth and equal braking regardless of speed or loading. At the rear of the cab are twin winches with a capacity of 18.6 tons each, and equipped with 43 meters of 28mm rope each. The truck also carries a spare tire, with a small hand winch to help the crew handle the tire.
Notes: The 330-40 ANWTM is a semi-tractor based upon the Magirus line of trucks produced by IVECO. Formerly known as the Magirus 400M33AS, this truck is a 6x6 vehicle with a heavy-duty cross-country suspension. Like most trucks of this sort, there are single wheels on the front axle and dual wheels on the two rear axles. The chassis and frame are made from high-strength steel designed to flex with bumps, with the fifth wheel being placed on an independent frame that keeps it level while traveling over rough terrain. The cab is a standard IVECO Magirus cab of the older variety, with a large hood for access to the engine and three seats, as well as dual air-intake stacks. Behind the seats is a space for crew equipment. Behind the cab are two 20-ton-capacity winches or a single 30-ton-capacity winch. A cab roof hatch with a weapon mount is optional, as is a sleeper cab. Another option for the 330-40 ANWTM is special larger, soft tires for the two rear axles, allowing it to better traverse sandy or snowy terrain.
The 330-32 ANWTM is the predecessor of the 330-40 ANWTM; in physical appearance, it is virtually identical to the 330-40 ANWTM, but the 330-32 ANWTM uses a non-turbocharged version of the engine used in the newer vehicle. The 330-32 ANWTM cannot use the special tires for soft terrain that the 330-40 ANWTM can use.
Notes: Used by a variety of countries worldwide (but not by Germany herself), these three semi-tractors use a common chassis, cab, and ancillary equipment. All three use all-steel forward-control tipper cabs, chassis frames and bumpers which are heavily-reinforced, and a fifth wheel carried on a reinforced sub-frame. Transmissions are normally manual, but the two smaller models may have automatic transmission at the request of the buyer. The transmissions include a power take-off to power the hydraulic winches; the two smaller models have one, with a capacity of 20 or 25 tons and using 50 meters of 24mm cable. In addition, each model is also equipped with a mechanical winch powered directly by the engine; this winch may be of 24-ton or 18-ton capacity, and is equipped with 60 meters of 26mm cable. (The 40.400 DFAT comes only with the 24-ton winch.) A large amount of options are available, including a variable speed governor for the engine, a tropical radiator kit (which also raises the height of the cab by 80mm), a manual engine throttle, a reinforced transmission, reinforced brackets for the exhaust system and fuel tanks, a roof-mounted air intake to allow greater fording capability, an exhaust pipe extended to the roof (for the same purpose as the roof-mounted air intake), a spare wheel and mount, a working platform behind the cab, and fiberglass water tanks (for drinking or otherwise) of a 60-liter capacity and up to two able to be carried. The primary difference between the three models are the engines. Note that while the normal maximum towing capacities of these trucks are listed below, these figures may be exceeded if necessary for a time; the 32.320 DFAT may be overloaded to 85 tons, the 32.365 DFAT overloaded to 105 tons, and the 40.400 DFAT overloaded to 130 tons. Overloading in this manner is very stressful on almost every component of the vehicle, and all maintenance figures are doubled for as long as this overload is being towed.
Notes: This semi-tractor’s primary use is with heavy tank transporter trailers, though other types of semi-trailers may be towed by this truck. The cab is of the forward-control tipper type, with a heavy bumper up front and room for three in the sleeper cab. The air intake for the engine is on top of the cab and contains a filter for use in dusty environments. The transmission is manual, but hydraulically-assisted. The truck has a 6x6 suspension designed primarily for road use, but with limited off-road capability, and it has the standard single wheel front and dual wheel rear layout for such semi-tractors. The rear axles have differential locks, as well as the transfer case. Behind the cab is a spare tire and a winch with a capacity of 65 tons, with 60 meters of 26mm cable.
The 3850 AS is an improved version of the 2636 AS. It has a longer wheelbase, and uses a more powerful version of the same engine as the 2636 AS. The air intake has been moved from the roof, making room for a roof hatch with a weapons mount. The left-most seat folds forward and provides a hard platform upon which the gunner may stand. The sleeper section is gone, replaced by a folding bench seat which also has a storage bin beneath it. The cab is isolated from the frame and suspension by two pivot bearings, flexible rubber sleeves, and four vibration-dampened spring struts. Options include automatic transmission, special sand/snow tires, and a central tire inflation system. (Another version, the 3250 AS, has the sand/snow tires as standard equipment.) The 3850 AS is capable of towing an overload of up to 220 tons, but this puts an extreme strain on the vehicle and maintenance must be adhered to strictly in such a case; double the maintenance figure if such a load is towed.
The 4050 A is an 8x8 version of 3850 AS, and shares several components with that model. The main differences between the two trucks is the 4050 As higher fifth wheel loading and rear axles’ suspensions, allowing it to tow heavier loads. The 4050 A also has two turbochargers for its engine, as opposed to the one turbocharger of the 3850 AS. The cab is virtually identical to the 3850 AS, but has a standard roof hatch with a weapon mount and optional air conditioning. The standard fuel tank for the 4050 A is 400 liters, but fuel tanks with capacities of up to 1000 liters are optional; other options include an automatic transmission and a central tire inflation system. A variant of the 4050 A, the 4850 A, has a further-reinforced frame, chassis, suspension, and fifth wheel to allow even heavier loads to be towed. The 4850 A may also has the capability to mount sand/snow tires on its rear axles, an ability the 4050 A lacks. In the case of both variants, a double load may be towed if necessary, but this is very stressful on all components of the truck and the maintenance figures should be doubled in such a case.
Notes: These German-built semi-tractors are primarily used to tow tank transporter and heavy equipment semi-trailers. They are currently used only by Poland, though Mercedes-Benz is aggressively marketing them throughout the world, to the point that they have replaced all earlier Mercedes-Benz semi-tractors in production. There are also civilian users of this truck, though civilian versions are different from military versions in many aspects. The Actros 3353 AS may have a manual or automatic transmission, or a manual shift gate that allows manual or automatic transmission modes at the driver’s option, and changeable on the fly. The truck has one primary radiator, but more may be added as necessary in hot climates. The suspension is heavy duty, 6x6, and has permanent all-wheel drive. Differential locks may be engaged as necessary, even while the truck is moving. The front axle uses single tires; the rear two axles may have single or dual tires, and if fitted with single tires, the Actros 3353 AS has a standard central tire inflation system. Antilock brakes are optional, as is a winch with a capacity of 65 tons or two winches with capacities of 20 tons each. The cab is a forward control tipper cab, The cab has two rows of seats, with the driver and one passenger up front and four more in the rear; an optional sleeper cab dispenses with the rear seat and replaces it with two bunks, and makes the cab’s roof somewhat higher. The towing capacity of 110 tons may be doubled if necessary, but if more than 110 tons are towed, double all maintenance figures.
Twilight 2000 Notes: This semi-tractor does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.