VW 276 Schlepperfahrzeug

The Volkswagen Type 276 Schlepperfahrzeug (tractor vehicle) was a derivative of the Kübelwagen Type 82 modified to enable it to tow a load, gun or a trailer, which would be deployed in a unit composed of two modified Schlepperfahrzeug, Infantry support gun 75mm IG 37, an ammunition trailer laden with 16, three-round cases of AP shell, and seven men (drivers included). The Type 276 only saw light at the end of 1944 and never went into mass production.

Differences

Apart from having a standard Wehrmacht tow-hook fitted to the rear cross-body member, the Typ276 differed from the standard Typ82 on the following points:

Suspension and tyres

On the first model, the rear suspension was strengthened, and the car shod with bigger tyres (BF 200C16) on 7.00C16 rims (with a smaller offset inwards: 13 mm. instead of 33 mm). These were the same tyres and rims fitted on the Typ166 'Schwimmwagen'.

Gearing

To improve traction which proved to be grossly inadequate when towing off-road, these Typ276 were later fitted with different gears in the rear axle reduction boxes (14:29 = 1:2.07 instead of 15:21 = 1:1.4); this increased the ground clearance by 15 mm (19/32") at the rear, brought the top speed down from 80 km/h (50 mph) to 54 km/h (34 mph) at an engine speed of 3300 rpm, and lowered the rated mileage to 6.35 l/100km (37 mpg) on the road.

Governor

To prevent over-revving, especially when driving without a gun or trailer, the engine was fitted with a governor on the generator shaft (as fitted on the Typ155 stationary engine).

Drawbar pull

With these modifications, the drawbar pull reached, on tarmac, 700 kg (1550 lb) when starting from a stand, and 500 kg (1100 lb) at a speed of 8 km/h (5 mph) and the Type 276 would create a drawbar pull of about 550–650 kg (1210–50 lb) at top speed (of course this is not to be confused with the actual towing capacity, which is much greater; the drawbar pull is a rating of torque, and indicates the weight which the vehicle could theoretically lift straight off of the ground. A vehicle with a drawbar pull of 500kg could easily tow a trailer weighing 2,000kg or much more).

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References

Notes

    Bibliography
    • Piekalkiewicz, Janusz (2002), Der VW Kübelwagen Typ 82 im Zweiten Weltkrieg (in German), Stuttgart: Motorbuch, ISBN 3-87943-468-9.
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