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Vehicles made by Brazil's Engesa have come up a few times recently in the Secret Army Projects section. Engesa vehicle designations were rather confusing so I thought I'd have a go at an Engesa designation list ...
Engesa (Engenheiros Especializados SA) 1958/1963-1993
Engesa entered the vehicle field by fitting all-wheel-drive systems into existing commercial trucks (mainly for the oil company, Petrobras). Engesa also refurbished and updated obsolete armoured vehicles which had been sold or given to the Brazilian Army during or after World War II. At the request of the Exército Brasileiro, the 'specialized engineers' at Engesa began fitting four-wheel-drive conversion kits to Brazilian-made Chevrolet C10 light trucks in 1974.
Engesa Armoured Vehicle Designations
Engesa vehicle designations all began with 'EE' for the 'Engenheiros Especializados' of the firm's full name.
The most straightforward Engesa designation seem to be those of the sequential EE-Tx tracked vehicles. Wheeled vehicles are another matter. The Engesa 'EE-x' series is not a numerical sequence. But exactly how those designation numerals were arrived at varied. Most are based on vehicle weight or payload in some way. Some were based on empty weight measured in tonnes. For example, the early-model EE-9 had an empty weight of 9 tonnes, the EE-11 weighed 11 tonnes. Inevitably, those weights later grew as operational equipment was added. But weight changes while prototype were still under development could result in new designation numbers.
One examples of changing weight resulting in revised designations are the Sucuri prototypes. The first prototype - the EE-17 - had its designation numerals rounded up from 16.5 tonnes. The EE-18 Sucuri II weighed a full 18 tonnes. There were a host of changes between these two tank destroyer prototypes (including their main armaments) but their designation changes were dictated by weight. An early exception was the EE-3 Jararaca recce car - which weighed 5.8 tonnes. Here the designations seems to have referred to the 3-man crew (or, possible, to the vehicle's three main roles?).
Engesa Tactical Vehicles Designations
Engesa's unarmoured wheeled vehicle designation were also based on weight ... but here things get peculiar. When Angelo Gonçalves' Envemo applied Engesa's 4x4 kits to Chevrolet C14 and C15 pickups for the Exército Brasileiro, converted vehicle were designated EE-34. [1] The numerals in that EE-34 designation stood for its payload of '3/4 ton'. This formed a general pattern ... if decimal points are ignored. So, an EE-15 can transport 1.5 tonnes, the EE-25 about 2.5 tonnes and the EE-50 around 5.0 tonnes. Actually, the possible payloads were higher. In the case of EE-25 and EE-50, the quoted numbers were for their off-road payloads (I'm not sure if that was also true for the EE-15).
Engesa's small range of light 4x4 vehicles had two designation styles. A commercial venture, the Engesa EE-4 was a small SUV (akin to the slightly later Suzuki Vitara/Geo Tracker). Branded as the 'Engasa 4', this was clearly a reference to its 4x4 drive. However, military EE-4 derivatives were assigned more typical Engesa designations based on payload. First up was the 1983 EE-14, with reference to its planned '1/4 ton' payload. In development, it was quickly realized that the design could easily carry a 500 kg payload. As a result, that EE-14 designation was changed (c.1985) to EE-12 for a '1/2' ton payload. [2]
Engesa Sub-Types
Although Engesa designations were apt to change according to weight, there's little evidence for factory-applied sub-type designations. [3] The EE-T1 and EE-T2 tanks were given suffixes - P1 and P2 - which simply stood for Protótipo. To distinquish variants in armoured vehicle types, Engesa applied Mark numbers. The approach of the Exército Brasileiro what somewhat more convoluted. However, since such military designators show up in discussions of Engesa vehicles, they are worth discussing here.
The Exército Brasileiro made those distinctions by applying Modelo and Série suffixes to Engesa service vehicles. Eg: pre-production EE-9 Cascavels were Modelo M1 Série 1, early production Modelo M2 Série 2. [4] Here, the Modelo number suggested a type variation while the Série showed a sequence. So, the Modelo M2 Série 3 (a Mk II brought up to Mk III standards) was followed by new-builds - the Modelo M6 Séries 3, 4, and 5. By the time that Séries 8 and 9 had been reached, these were being applied to Modelo M7.
AFAIK, sub-type or role-designator additions were not made to tactical vehicle designations. An exception was EE-12 F2, referring to an upgrade programme for EE-12 light military utility 4x4s. In that case, 'F2' stood for Fase 2 (Phase 2) of that upgrade programme - but I'm not sure if that F2 tack-on originated with Engesa or with the Exército Brasileiro.
Engesa Tracked Vehicles Designations
Mention has already been made of the EE-Tx designation sequence exclusively for tracked vehicles. Numerically, these EE-Tx designations seem completely separate from the alpha-numerical EE-x designation. The 'T' is the EE-Tx sequence was most likely originally for 'Tanque' but this designation style was held over for the Ogum light vehicles. There only seems to be three EE-Tx designations - two for the Osório tank and one for the proposed Ogum family. I have been unable to find any trace of a genuine 'EE-T3' project.
There are other Engesa designation sequences for systems beside vehicles. Examples are the ET-90 (Engesa Torre - 90 mm) turret used on some EE-9s and proposed for the Uruvel (below). The main armament for that ET-90 turret was the EC-90 (Engesa Canhão - 90 mm) - a license-built 90 mm Belgian Cockerill gun built by Engesa subsidiary Engex (Salvador, Bahia). Doubtless there were other Engesa non-vehicular product lines with similar designation styles applied.
Engesa's Vehicle Naming Tradition
The majority of Engesa armoured vehicle designs were also assigned popular names (utility vehicles never received popular names but oddly the heavy truck did). Initially, the names chosen were those of venomous snakes of Brazil but the scope later broadened. One naming oddity was the EE-11 variant Uravel - a contraction of Urutú and Cascavel (since it combined features of both types). [5] This 1985 Engesa/FMC [edit: Engesa/Bell Textron; see reply #4] joint project was also referred to as 'Hydrocobra' (or 'Hydracobra') for reasons unknown to me.
For convenience, I'll list designations here with translations or explanations of their assigned popular names.
Engesa Vehicle Popular Names
EE-T1/EE-T2 Osório - after General Manuel Luís Osório (1808-1879)
EE-T4 Ogum - after a warrior god in the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Candomblé
EE-3 Jararaca - Jararaca pit viper (Bothrops jararaca)
EE-4 'Engasa 4' - Self-explanatory for a commercial 4x4 SUV
EE-9 Cascavel - rattlesnake (of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus)
EE-11 Urutú - Urutú viper (Bothrops alternatus) [6]
EE-17/EE-18 Sucuri - Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
EE-50 Mamute - Mammoth (but for Mammuthus or just 'large'?) [7]
__________________________________________________
[1] Envemo (Engenharia de Veículos e Motores Ltda.) produced 86 x EE-34s between 1981 and closing its doors in 1985. Engesa produced 386 x EE-34s between 1983 and 1988. It is possible that the 'EE' in EE-34 initially stood for 'Envemo-Engesa'.
[2] A modernized descendant of the EE-12 is the 2005 Agrale Marruá (Wild Bull) in military service as the 4x4 Viatura de Transporte Não Especializada (Non-Specialised Transport Vehicle) - VTNE being a generic description. Agrale was formed by ex-employees afte collapse of Engesa.
[3] An oddity is the current EE-9U designation which originated with the Cavalaria do Exército. It is effectively the military designation for upgraded Cascavels being proposed by Equitron Automação (as their EQ-12) and prototyped by the Arsenal de Guerra de São Paulo (as the MX-8).
[4] These Modelo numbers are sometimes rendered with Roman numerals. So, for example, in place of Modelo M2 or just M2, we might see Modelo II.
[5] Although best regarded as an EE-11 variant, I have yet to see the Uravel assigned a type designation. However, in the designation listings below, I have included the Uravel amongst EE-11 variants.
[6] Note: The accented spelling Urutú appeared in early Engesa brochures. However, the unaccented Urutu has since become more common (for both the EE-11 and Bothrops alternatus).
[7] The EE-50 Mamute naming may also have been inspired by the earlier Chevrolet 937 Gigante.
Engesa (Engenheiros Especializados SA) 1958/1963-1993
Engesa entered the vehicle field by fitting all-wheel-drive systems into existing commercial trucks (mainly for the oil company, Petrobras). Engesa also refurbished and updated obsolete armoured vehicles which had been sold or given to the Brazilian Army during or after World War II. At the request of the Exército Brasileiro, the 'specialized engineers' at Engesa began fitting four-wheel-drive conversion kits to Brazilian-made Chevrolet C10 light trucks in 1974.
Engesa Armoured Vehicle Designations
Engesa vehicle designations all began with 'EE' for the 'Engenheiros Especializados' of the firm's full name.
The most straightforward Engesa designation seem to be those of the sequential EE-Tx tracked vehicles. Wheeled vehicles are another matter. The Engesa 'EE-x' series is not a numerical sequence. But exactly how those designation numerals were arrived at varied. Most are based on vehicle weight or payload in some way. Some were based on empty weight measured in tonnes. For example, the early-model EE-9 had an empty weight of 9 tonnes, the EE-11 weighed 11 tonnes. Inevitably, those weights later grew as operational equipment was added. But weight changes while prototype were still under development could result in new designation numbers.
One examples of changing weight resulting in revised designations are the Sucuri prototypes. The first prototype - the EE-17 - had its designation numerals rounded up from 16.5 tonnes. The EE-18 Sucuri II weighed a full 18 tonnes. There were a host of changes between these two tank destroyer prototypes (including their main armaments) but their designation changes were dictated by weight. An early exception was the EE-3 Jararaca recce car - which weighed 5.8 tonnes. Here the designations seems to have referred to the 3-man crew (or, possible, to the vehicle's three main roles?).
Engesa Tactical Vehicles Designations
Engesa's unarmoured wheeled vehicle designation were also based on weight ... but here things get peculiar. When Angelo Gonçalves' Envemo applied Engesa's 4x4 kits to Chevrolet C14 and C15 pickups for the Exército Brasileiro, converted vehicle were designated EE-34. [1] The numerals in that EE-34 designation stood for its payload of '3/4 ton'. This formed a general pattern ... if decimal points are ignored. So, an EE-15 can transport 1.5 tonnes, the EE-25 about 2.5 tonnes and the EE-50 around 5.0 tonnes. Actually, the possible payloads were higher. In the case of EE-25 and EE-50, the quoted numbers were for their off-road payloads (I'm not sure if that was also true for the EE-15).
Engesa's small range of light 4x4 vehicles had two designation styles. A commercial venture, the Engesa EE-4 was a small SUV (akin to the slightly later Suzuki Vitara/Geo Tracker). Branded as the 'Engasa 4', this was clearly a reference to its 4x4 drive. However, military EE-4 derivatives were assigned more typical Engesa designations based on payload. First up was the 1983 EE-14, with reference to its planned '1/4 ton' payload. In development, it was quickly realized that the design could easily carry a 500 kg payload. As a result, that EE-14 designation was changed (c.1985) to EE-12 for a '1/2' ton payload. [2]
Engesa Sub-Types
Although Engesa designations were apt to change according to weight, there's little evidence for factory-applied sub-type designations. [3] The EE-T1 and EE-T2 tanks were given suffixes - P1 and P2 - which simply stood for Protótipo. To distinquish variants in armoured vehicle types, Engesa applied Mark numbers. The approach of the Exército Brasileiro what somewhat more convoluted. However, since such military designators show up in discussions of Engesa vehicles, they are worth discussing here.
The Exército Brasileiro made those distinctions by applying Modelo and Série suffixes to Engesa service vehicles. Eg: pre-production EE-9 Cascavels were Modelo M1 Série 1, early production Modelo M2 Série 2. [4] Here, the Modelo number suggested a type variation while the Série showed a sequence. So, the Modelo M2 Série 3 (a Mk II brought up to Mk III standards) was followed by new-builds - the Modelo M6 Séries 3, 4, and 5. By the time that Séries 8 and 9 had been reached, these were being applied to Modelo M7.
AFAIK, sub-type or role-designator additions were not made to tactical vehicle designations. An exception was EE-12 F2, referring to an upgrade programme for EE-12 light military utility 4x4s. In that case, 'F2' stood for Fase 2 (Phase 2) of that upgrade programme - but I'm not sure if that F2 tack-on originated with Engesa or with the Exército Brasileiro.
Engesa Tracked Vehicles Designations
Mention has already been made of the EE-Tx designation sequence exclusively for tracked vehicles. Numerically, these EE-Tx designations seem completely separate from the alpha-numerical EE-x designation. The 'T' is the EE-Tx sequence was most likely originally for 'Tanque' but this designation style was held over for the Ogum light vehicles. There only seems to be three EE-Tx designations - two for the Osório tank and one for the proposed Ogum family. I have been unable to find any trace of a genuine 'EE-T3' project.
There are other Engesa designation sequences for systems beside vehicles. Examples are the ET-90 (Engesa Torre - 90 mm) turret used on some EE-9s and proposed for the Uruvel (below). The main armament for that ET-90 turret was the EC-90 (Engesa Canhão - 90 mm) - a license-built 90 mm Belgian Cockerill gun built by Engesa subsidiary Engex (Salvador, Bahia). Doubtless there were other Engesa non-vehicular product lines with similar designation styles applied.
Engesa's Vehicle Naming Tradition
The majority of Engesa armoured vehicle designs were also assigned popular names (utility vehicles never received popular names but oddly the heavy truck did). Initially, the names chosen were those of venomous snakes of Brazil but the scope later broadened. One naming oddity was the EE-11 variant Uravel - a contraction of Urutú and Cascavel (since it combined features of both types). [5] This 1985 Engesa/
For convenience, I'll list designations here with translations or explanations of their assigned popular names.
Engesa Vehicle Popular Names
EE-T1/EE-T2 Osório - after General Manuel Luís Osório (1808-1879)
EE-T4 Ogum - after a warrior god in the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Candomblé
EE-3 Jararaca - Jararaca pit viper (Bothrops jararaca)
EE-4 'Engasa 4' - Self-explanatory for a commercial 4x4 SUV
EE-9 Cascavel - rattlesnake (of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus)
EE-11 Urutú - Urutú viper (Bothrops alternatus) [6]
EE-17/EE-18 Sucuri - Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
EE-50 Mamute - Mammoth (but for Mammuthus or just 'large'?) [7]
__________________________________________________
[1] Envemo (Engenharia de Veículos e Motores Ltda.) produced 86 x EE-34s between 1981 and closing its doors in 1985. Engesa produced 386 x EE-34s between 1983 and 1988. It is possible that the 'EE' in EE-34 initially stood for 'Envemo-Engesa'.
[2] A modernized descendant of the EE-12 is the 2005 Agrale Marruá (Wild Bull) in military service as the 4x4 Viatura de Transporte Não Especializada (Non-Specialised Transport Vehicle) - VTNE being a generic description. Agrale was formed by ex-employees afte collapse of Engesa.
[3] An oddity is the current EE-9U designation which originated with the Cavalaria do Exército. It is effectively the military designation for upgraded Cascavels being proposed by Equitron Automação (as their EQ-12) and prototyped by the Arsenal de Guerra de São Paulo (as the MX-8).
[4] These Modelo numbers are sometimes rendered with Roman numerals. So, for example, in place of Modelo M2 or just M2, we might see Modelo II.
[5] Although best regarded as an EE-11 variant, I have yet to see the Uravel assigned a type designation. However, in the designation listings below, I have included the Uravel amongst EE-11 variants.
[6] Note: The accented spelling Urutú appeared in early Engesa brochures. However, the unaccented Urutu has since become more common (for both the EE-11 and Bothrops alternatus).
[7] The EE-50 Mamute naming may also have been inspired by the earlier Chevrolet 937 Gigante.
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