The Magirus-Deutz Jupiter is one of the iconic models of the famous brand, known for its heavy duty models. Magirus (founded in 1864 at Ulm) made both Buses and trucks in the interwar. It was also known as Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG. The same foreworld as for the MAN 630 could be applied here concerning post war Germany, needs fo military trucks. As long as there was no authorized army, there was no need for new military trucks.

Even when the Bundeswehr was authorized in 1956, the existing park of trucks, including recent models by major manufacturers, seemed sufficient as an interim. However already the staff started to setup specification for a new generation light, medium and heavy tactical truck with standards to fill most roles. This led to specifications emitted for a 6x6 heavy truck in 1958, answered by notably Mercedes, MAN and Magirus. Due to limited production capabilities, the army preferred to have these types manufactured by both, and in the end, the Magirus-Deutz Jupiter ended very similar to the MAN 630 L2.

Development and Design

After Magirus-Deutz was awarded the contract to supply vehicles to the Bundeswehr in the 7-ton class, deliveries of the Jupiter 6×6 began in 1960. The most important change compared to the A 6500 and A 7500 models, in addition to the axle and drive configuration, was the installation of a multi-fuel engine: The air-cooled V8 F8L714A from Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz, which had a displacement of 12,667 cm³, delivering a an output between 100 and 110 hp for the Bundeswehr vehicles (or 131 kW), depending on the fuel used and injection pump setting. Indeed this was an early multifue engine according to new NATO standards.

The civilian version of the engine, however, produced 143 kW. Approved fuels for these were diesel, kerosene, petroleum and gasoline. Even if the above fuels were not available in sufficient quantities, the engine could even burn piston lubricating oil, but the latter needed to be brought to a viscosity of less than 17 cSt at ambient temperature, by mixing this with the the fuels already mentioned. In an emergency, the engine also burn vegetable oils such as the "B" type frying oil... German fired anyone ?

Like the MAN 630L2, the design was straighforward and tailored for mass production: The forward mudguards had simple shapes, easly to manufacture, and the cabin was essentially topless, with removable simple square windows and a canvas roof. Only the engine hood and radiator were not flattened and betrayed the old identity of the Magirus brand, including its iconic logo. The hood was classic in the way it was split in two by the middle hinged spine and secured by three brackets either side. The soft skin cabin top was later replaced by an all-metal cabin in the subsequent Magirus DL 178 (1964) but the two remained utterly similar in most aspects.

Mass and weight of the 6x6 truck was 7,170mm () for the regular truck and 8,350mm () for versions with extended rear (like the dump variant, cabin variant), for a Width of 2500mm () and height of 2,560mm (). Wheelbase ranged between models from 3,750 on 1,300 between rear axles, to 4,160 mm and 1,280 mm between rear axles. Track width was 1,955 mm forward and 1,715 mm at the rear, and Curb weight armounted to 9,150 kg for the dump truck but 8,000 kg for the standard military truck, one ton better than the 7-tonne designed category payload. In reality it could go up to 12,350 kg for the dump truck.



Crane Vehicle

Magirus Deutz Jupiter 178 with cabin

Drilling vehicle

LARS-I

Engine and Performances

Dashboard

The Magirus Jupiter's Engine designation was F8L 714 F8L 714A. It was an OHV type, eight-cylinder in vee (V8), four-stroke diesel, air cooled. It had an injection using a vortex chamber and fan cooling in the radiator forward. The pistons had a bore and stroke of 120 × 140 mm and the total displacement was 12,667 cm³. Rated output was officially of 143 kW at 2300 min, down to 131 kW at the same depending on the settings. Maximum torque was 706 Nm at 1,200 rpm ot 637 Nm (Newton-meter). Average working pressure was 6 bar and compression ratio was 19:1 23:1. Specific fuel consumption, on regular diesel oil, was 231 g/kWh and 28 liters for 100 km at 1,930 rpm.

The Power transmission consisted of a Gearbox ZF AK 6-70, connected to a Clutch Fichtel & Sachs G 380 KR-ZBH with Power transmission to all wheels (6x6). There was no doubled tires, the rear axles had four Tires 10-20 PR 16. The Axle ratio in crawl gear was 11.65:1 and top speed 72 km/h for a range of c600 km in road conditions.

Production and changes

After a change in the model nomenclature at Magirus-Deutz, the Jupiter 6×6 model was redesignated "M178 D15A" from 1964 onwards. 178 indicated performance in horsepower, and 15 the permissible total weight of 15 tons, "A" the all-wheel drive. So this was very much the same truck. By the time the serie production ended in 1967, the Bundeswehr received around 7,800 Jupiter 6×6 or M178 D15A. A few vehicles were still delivered by the 1970s in dedicated, specialized variants. The first started to be phased out in the 1980s. But specialized variants lingered in service for much longer.

Variants used by the Bundeswehr

-Recovery crane truck (Manufactured by Wilhag + Kirsten) with a front-mounted winch for pioneer units, gradients 57.7%
-Personnel transport (base troop truck)
-Tipper platform
-Airfield fire engine truck (from Bachert)
-Tank truck
-Rocket launchers (Light Artillery Rocket System, LARS 1).
-Semitrailer tractor.

The Jupiter in service

Magirus Jupiter rom 1Pz Bt l384 from Werratal Kaserne, Bad Salzungen, retired by 1998

Magirus-Deutz (successor company Iveco Magirus) received orders from the Bundeswehr and delivered Tank trucks and semitrailer tractors based the M320D22F and M320D26F (around 900 units), off-road four-car club models in the 5t class, M168M11FAL and M168M11FL and after nomenclature changes, 110-17 (around 6,800 from 1980). The latter, together with the Mercedes-Benz 1017 made the 2nd generation 5t class truck, Magirus-Deutz MK series. Robust and trusted as they were, the ones discarded from Army service soon took second-hand customers in the civilian sector and public agencies like the forest administration and services.

Another variant that was in service until very recent years were the airfield firetrucks driven by volunteer from fire departments. After being decommissioned from the Bundeswehr, numerous crane trucks/flatbed trucks ended at THW and other private towing and recovery companies. Preserved vehicles are also sought-after collector's items today. Foreign armies received the Jupiter 6×6/M178 D15A as well, but so far only the Albanian Armed Forces. It seems they are still in service there.

⚙ specifications
Displacement	8,000-9,150 kgs up to 12t payload (dump)
Dimensions	7,170 x 2,500 x 2,560mm
Wheelbase	3,750 mm
Propulsion	F8L OHV V8 4-str. diesel 714/714A 143 kW, 110 hp
Speed	72 km/h
Range	28 l/100 km at 1930 rpm, c900 km
Armament	None
Protection	None
Crew	2+12 (troop carrier)

Src/Read More

magirus-deutz.ch
Magirus on wikipedia
magirusgroup.com
panzerbaer.de
bw_lkw_07t_gl_md_a6500
armyvehicles.dk/magirusjupiter
de.wikipedia.org
On imcdb.org
scalemates
hcvc.com.au
mirtransporta.ru

Gallery of models

Standard KHD Jupiter with tarpaulin


Jupiter in early waterblue livery


Danish Jupiter


Jupiter dump truck


Jupiter with workshop/utility Cabin


Rak Art Btl-122

Photos

Vehicle at Wörth in 2006


Same, hood and radiator view


Hood of the same


WIHAG 35t Crane vehicle


2 axles Magirus Militarpritsche


Magirus-Deutz Uranus towing truck at Rougham air strip


Magirus Deutz KHD Jupiter crane


Flug Feld Loeschfahrzeug Kasel magirus, cabin

WW1 Vehicles

Allied ww2 Vehicles

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Axis Trucks

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Sd.Kfz 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were half-tracks designed just before the war as prime movers, to carry supplies, ammunition, personal, and tow artillery. Many were also converted during the war as armored versions carrying AA FLAK guns (Flakvierling, 37 mm, or the legendary 88 mm Rheinmetall als used as tank hunters), or were converted as nebelwerfer (rocket launching armored vehicles). They were built by Hanomag, Steyr, Mercedes-Benz, Bussing and many other manufacturers until 1945, over 20,000 half-tracks.

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