Bergepanzer 2

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Bergepanzer 2
Bergepanzer 2 rightside.jpg
Bergepanzer 2 of the German Army
Type Armoured recovery vehicle
Place of origin West Germany
Service history
In service1966–present
Used bySee Operators
Production history
Designer Flag of Germany.svg Porsche
Flag of Germany.svg Jung Jungenthal
Flag of Germany.svg Atlas-MaK Maschinenbau
Flag of Germany.svg Luther-Werke
Designed1960s
Manufacturer Flag of Germany.svg Atlas-MaK Maschinenbau
Flag of Italy.svg OTO Melara [1]
Unit costDM 750.000 (1966)
Produced1966–1978
No. built742
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass39.8 tonnes (43.9 short tons)
2A2: 40.6 tonnes (44.8 short tons)
Length7.68 metres (25.2 feet)
Width3.25 m (10.7 ft)
Height2.69 m (8.8 ft) (crane boom retracted)
Crew4

Armor Steel: 10–40 mm RHAe
Main
armament
7.62 mm MG3
Secondary
armament
Smoke discharger
Engine MTU MB 838 CaM 500, 10-cylinder, 37.4 litres, multi-fuel engine
830 PS (820 hp) (2.86 kNm, 610 kW)
Power/weight20.9 PS/t (20.6 hp/t)
2A2: 20.4 PS/t (20.1 hp/t)
Transmission ZF Friedrichshafen 4 HP-250
Suspension Torsion bar suspension
Fuel capacity1,550 litres (341 imperial gallons; 409 US gallons)
2A1: 1,410 litres (310 imperial gallons; 372 US gallons)
Operational
range
850 km (530 mi)
Maximum speed 62 km/h (39 mph)

The Bergepanzer 2 is an armored recovery vehicle based on the Leopard 1 main battle tank, developed in the 1960s and manufactured by Atlas-MaK Maschinenbau for the West German army. It first entered service in 1966 and replaced the earlier Bergepanzer 1. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and other countries. It was later succeeded by the Bergepanzer 3 "Büffel".

Contents

History

Predecessor Bergepanzer 1 Bergepanzer M88 auf Faun Zugmaschine.jpg
Predecessor Bergepanzer 1

The West German rearmament from the mid-1950s led to the initial equipping of the Bundeswehr with U.S. armored vehicles. In addition to M47 and M48 Patton main battle tanks, M74 armored recovery vehicles were introduced, which, from 1962, were replaced by the M88 Recovery Vehicle, designated "Bergepanzer 1". [2] :2

Development

The Leopard 1 was designed from the outset as a family of vehicles. This was intended to significantly reduce the cost of operating, maintaining and repairing the tracked vehicles, since the personnel for many areas only required one-off training and the assemblies could be easily replaced.
Right after the Leopard, the armored recovery vehicle 2 was tackled. "Its main task is to recover or, as far as possible, repair on the spot tanks that have broken down on the battlefield due to enemy action or technical damage." [3]

On September 9, 1966, the first Bergepanzer Standard rolled off the production line at MaK Kiel. [3]

Variants

WiSENT 1

FFG offers the WiSENT in 3 different variants, the WiSENT 1 ARV, the WiSENT 1 AEV and the WiSENT 1 Mine Clearing. [4]

Technical data

Technical data
DescriptionBergepanzer 2 [2] Bergepanzer 2A1/Pionierpanzer 1Bergepanzer 2A2 [2] Bergepanzer "Wisent"
Type:Armored recovery vehicle with self-supporting hull, turretless superstructure and crane boom
Crew:4
Engine: MTU MB 838 CaM 500, 10-cylinder, 37.4 litres, multi-fuel engine
Displacement:37.400 cm³
Power output:610 kW (830 PS)706 kW (960 PS) 3300 Nm at 1600 min−1
Cooling:Thermostatically controlled axial fan
Transmission: ZF 4 HP-250 planetary gearbox with four forward and two reverse gears
Suspension system:Torsion bar spring mounted support roller driveTorsion bar spring mounted support roller drive with hydraulic dampers
Overall length:
(Clearing blade in driving position)
7570 mm7980 mm7680 mm8210 mm
Overall width:3250 mm
Overall height:2695 mm2970 mm (with topcase)
Ground clearance:440 mm
Wading depth without preparation:1200 mm
Wading depth with wading snorkel:2250 mm
Underwater driving depth w. underwater snorkel:4000 mm
Trench passability:2500 mm
Climbing ability:1150 mm880 mm1000 mm880 mm
Gradeability:60 %
Cross slope capability:30 %
Empty weight:39.200 kg40.200 kg39.980 kg47.000 kg
Combat weight:39.800 kg40.800 kg40.600 kg54.000 kg (max. 56.000 kg)
Maximum speed:62 km/h
Fuel capacity:1550 l1410 l1550 l
Fuel consumption and operating range (road):840 km at 165 l/100 km650 km at 165 l/100 km840 km at 165 l/100 km
Fuel consumption and operating range (terrain):400 km (2A1) bis 500 km at 300 l/100 km (Consumption above 400 l/100 km is not uncommon in towing operations)
Turning radius:496 cm
Clearing blade width:3250 mm3250 mm (3750 mm with increased width blade)3250 mm3250 mm (3750 mm with increased width blade)
Clearing blade height:591 mm995 mm591 mm995 mm
Armament:2 × 7.62×51mm NATO MG3 or C6 GPMG as anti aircraft gun and front gun, smoke dischargersmoke discharger, armament varies depending on user
Ammunition:4250 cartridges pverall for both MG3

Operators

Map with Bergepanzer 2 operators in blue and former operators in red Bergepanzer 2 operators.svg
Map with Bergepanzer 2 operators in blue and former operators in red

Current operators

Former operators

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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