Tea and Tank: 8 x 8 Einheitsdiesel or MAN Sperrbrecher, amphibious truck

Samstag, 8. Juli 2017

8 x 8 Einheitsdiesel or MAN Sperrbrecher, amphibious truck

The Germans made several attempts to standardize all trucks and cars. So one product was the well known Einheitsdiesel. This 6x6 version saw production with all bigger German truck manufacturers.
A very good overview you can find here: overview.

During development they thought about a 8x8 variant as well. Finally they decided to build 4 prototypes of this 8x8 truck. MAN got the order and build the 4 prototypes. Tests were made but somehow it looks like the results were not that convincing that the mass production started. So these 4 trucks left and were converted into so called "Sperrbrecher". Sperrbrecher means something like breaking through a barricade. A bit strange this maning. A bit more information about the 8x8 Sperrbrecher can you read here. There are not that much picture, so here you can see one from the testing in Austria.

It took me awhile to get all needed information and to start with the drawing.
Anyway I have to say, a lot of the dimensions are assumptions as I had only some basic dimensions I found no drawing for the final version.

1/114 design of the 8x8 Sperrbrecher

The 1/114 modell of the 8X8 Einheitsdiesel:

I decided to go with two different designs. First of all, the one where I found some pictures and were I can say, yes this truck existed and was used in the Wehrmacht. The second design was a bit tricky. I found some sources, saying, that at least two trucks got a spade and a 40 ton winch. As MAN build these trucks, it is not so unrealistic, MAN build the Panther Bergepanzer, and yes they had a spade and a 40 ton winch for recovery use.
I hope you like the second version too, even I have no picture proofing his existence.