Danish Unimog Training Variant

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Hello all,

Whilst browsing through one of the Discord severs I am a member of, another member found a picture of a little known variant of the Unimog. From the very little information I've received, it was conceived as a training vehicle, and, according to a Russian source, it was procured in relatively large numbers, however, this has not been confirmed. There is some information regarding this vehicle in a book called "Danske Kampvognsattraper", of which an extract is shown below, however, even here there is very little information. The extract reads: "Around the mid-1970s, experiments were carried out at the Army Combat School in Oksbøl with a replacement for the Dodge-based dummies. There are p.t. no further information available, but the construction was apparently performed on a Unimog 416 chassis (Fig. 8a)".

I would like to know whether anyone on this forum has any information regarding this basically unknown vehicle, such as official designations and production numbers, if any.

Thanks in advance.

Wyvern

 

[Apophenia]

FWIW, a rough translation of that armyvehicles.dk text would be:

In May 1975, the Østre Landsdelskommando [Eastern Regional Command] (ELK) wrote to LG [Kongelige Livgarde], DLR [Danske Livregiment], SJLR [sic? Sjællandske Livregiment SLR] and GHR [Gardehusarregimentet] regarding the preparation of 50 dummies for exercise ARROW EXPRESS. In connection with preparation, the dummies should have built-in mounting frames for DA / VRQ-271/281 and DA / VRC-271 (Figs. 7 and 8). The exact reason for this is not mentioned, but could possibly be related to the acquisition of Leopard 1A3 in 1974. There is p.t. [at present] no further information available, but the conversion was apparently performed on a Unimog 416 chassis (Fig. 8a)

Pure guesswork but if this Unimog 416-based trainer had an official designation it would have probably been something like 'Kampvognsattrap M/75' (or Tank Dummy Model 1975) or some such. In the earlier generic pattern, it would have simply been a 'Unimog-baserede attrapper (or Unimog-based 'dummy').

It sounds like both this Unimog 416 attrapper and the Kampvognsattrap M113/M113A1 were both dropped once it was realized that the rubber pads on the new Leopard 1A3s meant that real tanks could be safely driven to the Hærens Kampskole (Army Combat School) at Oksbøl.

For those without access to the armyvehicles.dk document, previous Danish Army simulated armour vehicles were:

- Carrier-baserede attrapper (Universal Carrier with canvas-covered steel-tube form)
-- The Carrier-baserede attrapper were used to train the pansertropperne
- Dodge WC-baserede attrapper (Dodge WC-51 Weapons Carrier with canvas-covered steel-tube form)
-- The Dodge WC-baserede attrapper were used to train the infantry [1]
- Kampvognsattrap M/66 (Dodge WC-51 & WC-56 Command Car, fibreglass body forms)
- Kampvognsattrap M/66 unbuilt project (Dodge W300M 1 ton truck with fibreglass body form)

BTW: Circa 1960, the Danish Army also considered German-made 'dummies' as OpFor 'T54s'. This option was dropped but it signifies since the by Kässbohrer-built 'T54' was also based on Unimog truck underpinnings - an S 404 chassis, in this case.

________________________

[1] Since 1961, the facility at Oksbøl ('Fort Ox') had been known as the Panserskolen (PNS). Then, in 1974, the Infanteriskolen and Infanteriets Reserveofficersskole were merged with the PNS. In March 1974, 'Fort Ox' was renamed as the Hærens Kampskole.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

How much did the vehicle weigh and did the turret rotate?

 

[Apophenia]

How much did the vehicle weigh and did the turret rotate?

No clue. None of the rest of the kampvognsattrapper had moving turrets. But, I note, that the others had inverted-V braces for the skorstenskanon ('chimney gun') - the Unimog doesn't. Assuming that the Unimog 416 attrapper had similar fibreglass bodywork/turret construction as the Kampvognsattrap M/66, weights would probably be little different from a standard 'mog 416.

That Danish Army Vehicles pdf which you've quoted seems to be the only real source of information on this Unimog attrapper. Trying to research online, all roads lead back to Danske kampvognsattrapper by Henrik Teller -- https://www.armyvehicles.dk/articles/attrapper.pdf

There is a note on the pdf to the effect that the article was originally published by the Dansk Militærhistorisk Køretøjs-Forenings (DMKF blad nr. 70, April 2007). The Danish Army Vehicles pdf is a later revision with a reworking of the PMV M113 section and the addition of the Unimog 416 attrapper. In other words, this pdf version of the Teller article was the first mention of that Unimog variant.

 

[PLK]

.. the tank dummies were used during training and exercises outside the Danish Army training grounds - my unit, a motorised infantry company, part of an armoured battalion with a headquarters/combat support company, two tank companies (Leopard 1) , a mechanised infantry company (M113) and a motorised infantry company (Unimog trucks), used the Dodge based variants for training purpose (when practicing infantry close anti-tank operations) - the real training with the Leopard 1 tanks took part at Jyske Dragonregiments training grounds in Holstebro ... friendly regards from a former Danish Army Slesvigske Fodregiment infantry platoon combat medic (1977-1978) ...