Design development 1934-38

Most German heavy trucks were originally only civilian vehicles or Type S models from the Shell program. They were mostly 4 X 2s of 4,500 t to 6 t, such as the MAN ML4500, which was also built by OÄF in Austria. The Mercedes-Benz L4500A was a typical example of a German truck used by the Wehrmacht. Its engine was a 6-cylinder Daimler-Benz OM67/4 Diesel. This vehicle held the top rank in the German army's automobile fleet. One of the various models was equipped with a mobile anti-aircraft gun, the 37 mm Flak 41 on a Mercedes chassis.

An attempt was made to produce a tank transporter for the PzKpfw I, and for this purpose the 4 X4 version of the 6,500 t Büssing-NAG truck was used, but little progress was made in this direction. The tank transport was carried out on 6 X4 Faun L900 D567s, with a payload of 8,800 t. German industry was never able to supply enough tank transporters and, ultimately, it was the half-track with trailer that took over this role.

The 6 X4 Faun L900 D567 was ultimately the only heavy-duty flatbed truck that could claim the title of tank transporter. The origins of the Faun company go back to the founding of a casting shop by Justus Christian Braun in Nuremberg in 1845. During the First World War, trucks were manufactured for the German Imperial Army. In 1918, the merger with the Ansbach vehicle factory took place. This gave rise to the F ahrzeugfabriken Ansbach and N ürnberg (Ansbach and Nuremberg Automobile Plants), briefly called FAUN.

In the 1920s, FAUN developed, among other things, utility vehicles. In the 1930s, the FAUN company in Nuremberg manufactured trucks with a load capacity of 1.5 to 14.7 tonnes and wheeled tractors, which were produced in small numbers. In addition to the Einheits-Diesel trucks, heavy trucks in the 9-ton class were manufactured as armoured transporters and heavy wheeled tractors were produced for the Wehrmacht. Unfortunately, the FAUN photo archive was destroyed by a bomb attack. Therefore, the relevant literature is only partially useful. In addition, FAUN only manufactured small series of utility vehicles. Some types were produced for several years and with numerous modifications such as models with a tarpaulin or all-metal cab. For these reasons, precise type identification is almost impossible, with a few exceptions.


Original booklet

About Faun Werke AG

FAUN Werke AG was a German company manufacturing construction machinery, trucks and earthmoving equipment, dumpers and excavators and truck cranes. Its headquarters were in Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Lower Saxony. Following financial difficulties, the Schmidt family, the owners of the group, sold the construction equipment branch to O&K in 1986, which was itself bought by Fiat Industrial in 1999, and in 1990 the truck crane branch to the Japanese Tadano Ltd.

Started with a foundry in 1848, the Justus Christian Braun-Premier-Werke AG filed for bankruptcy in 1913 and was managed by a bankruptcy administrator until the end of the First World War. In 1914, all production was transferred to the Karl Schmidt factory, in Nuremberg, merging in 1917 with the Ansbach automobile company AG. This formed the Fahrzeugfabriken Ansbach Und Nürnberg AG or (FAUN) Werke AG since 1920. During the Second World War, the FAUN factory was destroyed by allied bombings and only resumed production from 1946.

Production

Based on the documents that still exist, 27 Faun L 900 Ds were produced in 1939 (chassis numbers 6008 – 6034), some with the six-cylinder engine F6 M 517, some with the eight-cylinder engine F8 M 317. In 1940, a further 54 units were produced (chassis numbers 6327 – 6380), all with the six-cylinder engine mentioned[1]. Oswald, on the other hand, claims that production took place between 1937 and 1939[2]. However, based on the sources cited here, production of the Faun L 900 D in 1937 or 1938 cannot be proven (in contrast to the competitor Büssing 900 GD6, which ran from 1935 to 1939).

The concept of the new "Light Division" of the German Wehrmacht was based on the idea of being able to quickly form new focal points with armored forces by transporting the tanks on fast-moving trucks. This was initially possible with the light tank types Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf. A (5.4t) / B (6 t) and Panzerkampfwagen II (after Ausf. 7.6-10 t) and later with the Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) (after Ausf. 9.7 - 9.85 t). Originally, some Büssing-NAG 654s were converted as transporters for Panzerkampfwagen I, but they could not transport Panzerkampfwagen IIs due to their weight and dimensions.

The Faun L900 family

The FAUN L900 is a heavy truck from the Ansbach vehicle factory and Nuremberg fire extinguishing equipment & vehicle factory (FAUN). The heavy FAUN L 900 Type 567 was a frequently seen vehicle at Wehrmacht parades in the 1930s, as it also served as a transport vehicle for light tanks. A version as a heavy load crane 10 t with the designation LK5 was one of the heaviest crane vehicles of this era.

A lot of detailed information and photographs about the L900 type were lost when the FAUN factory archive was destroyed by Allied bombers. In recent years, however, the interesting transport vehicle has become the focus of model making and many technical details have been clarified.

FAUN L900 Type 567

The FAUN L900 belongs to the class of heavy long-distance trucks that can also tow a large, loaded trailer. Comparable vehicles are the Mercedes L 10000 and the Büssing-NAG Type 900. The number of vehicles in this class that were produced for the private sector before the Second World War was small. However, the Wehrmacht became a major customer for FAUN and Büssing. The 6×4 trucks were powered by water-cooled diesel engines with 180 hp (F 8 M 517) or 150 hp (F 6 M 517) output. Speeds of up to 50 km/h could be reached, with the 13,538 cc six-cylinder engine (150 hp) consuming an average of 50 litres of fuel per 100 km and around 1 litre of oil over the same distance. With a tank volume of 200 litres, the range was relatively limited to a maximum of 400 km. For the eight-cylinder engine (18,050 cc), the hood was extended because it was around 400 mm longer and two additional batteries were installed. The vehicle normally had two batteries, a Bosch starter and a Bosch alternator.

The torque or driving force was transmitted via a five-speed gearbox with a multi-disk dry clutch to the central cardan shaft, which led to an overhead worm drive on the rear axles. The two worm drives on the rear axles were connected to another cardan shaft. An air brake acted on all six wheels. The wheels had the dimensions 12.75-20 in, although oversized tires 13.50-20 in were also possible. The vehicle was built on a ladder frame. The front axle wheels and the rear axles each had a large leaf spring package mounted lengthwise on both sides of the solid ladder frame.

The loading area was 6.5 m long and 2.32 m wide. The side walls were split in two and stabilized in the middle with a fixed post. There was a connection for a trailer. With the tailgate folded down, the later version of the special trailer 115 could serve as a ramp for the tanks. The bows of the tarpaulin roof could be stored in a holder on the front wall of the flatbed. For use as a personnel carrier, supports were mounted on the inside of the side walls of some vehicles; a set of boards for this was carried in a metal frame across the bottom of the flatbed.

Since most of the vehicles were built for the Wehrmacht, they mostly had an open driver's cab with a folding windshield and canvas roof. However, tank transporters with a closed driver's cab could also be found in the Wehrmacht's fleet.

Design

Faun L900 carrying two Panzer I in 1939, one on flatbed, one towed on trailer.

Designed in 1934 and produced until 1937 by Faun, this was a massive truck, one of the largest in the German Army, rated for 9 tons unladen plus a payload of ten tons, so a full gross weight laden of 19 tons. The long bonnet and generous flatbed stretched along a nerly ten meters chassis (9.80 m, and 10.40 m overall) with 2.50 m in width to stay compatible with most roads, and a limited height of 2.60 m. The open cabin hosted a 1 driver with a bunk aside, large enough for two other men, their personal weapons providing the sole armament of the vehicle. The payload however could sometimes transform the vehicle into an improvized self propelled gun, such as the 88 mm main gun. There was no protection and no known armored version of the vehicles, which is often mismatched with the Vomag 7 truck, used as a dedicated 88 mm self propelled gun.

The Faun L900 was powered by a sturdy and cavernous Deutz F6M5171 diesel engine rated either for 13.500 cc (13.5 liters capacity) on the 6 cylinder version, rated for 150 HP or the even larger 18 liters 8 cylinder model rated for 180 HP. This provided plenty of torque for its main role of tank tractor and transporter. This engine in both cases was connected to a 4 speed forward x 1 reverse gearbox. Top speed was about 50 km/h (max.) and it had two 100L fuel tanks on either side of the ladder type chassis, for 200 L total. Between them was located a spare tyre. This quantity provided the vehicle a range of 360 Km unladen. Braking used compressed air.

The Suspension used semi-elliptical leaf spring on the forward directing axle and the two aft neutral axles with doubled tires. Its Cargo capacity was above ten tons, however sources diverged, some stating max payload was 8,8 tonnes. It was used for transporting the Panzer I and Panzer II and in some cases, towed the SdAh 115 trailer with capacity for another Panzer I or II tank. The vehicle ran on fairly large service tyres, 13.50 or 14.00-20 and the wheelbase between the forward and rear axle was 6,175 meters.

Variants

• 13.5L 6-cyl 150 hp
• 18L 8-cyl 180 hp

Faun LK5

As early as 1928, FAUN had developed a crane truck with a petrol-electric drive. The electric drive enabled the crane drive to be controlled much more sensitively. Based on the D 567 flatbed truck, a vehicle with a diesel-electric crane drive was developed in 1937. DEMAG supplied the crane body for this. In order to be able to take on the considerable load, the frame was reinforced and the axle made somewhat wider. The vehicle's engine drove an electric generator via a shaft, which had an output of 40 to 50 kW. The crane truck model was called LK5. The electrical switchgear with fuse box was installed in the driver's cab behind the passenger seat.

A version called LK5 S was created for the Wehrmacht's railway pioneers and the "Organisation Todt" (OT) that could run on rails. With a maximum reach of 5.5 m from the center of the crane, the maximum load capacity with the vehicle supported was 8 t, and with a full reach of 8.7 m from the center of the vehicle, it was 5 t. The load capacity at maximum reach was the determining factor in the name of the vehicle. A striking feature of this vehicle was a large counterweight filled with scrap iron for the crane boom, which was brought into position using ropes and pulleys so that the respective load could be lifted. Even after the Second World War, individual crane vehicles were still manufactured until 1951.

Engine: Deutz F 6 M 517 with 150 HP (bore 130 mm, stroke 170 mm, displacement 13,538 cm3 with a speed of 1600 rpm)
Gearbox: ZF-Friedrichshafen ZK-55 (4 forward gears and 1 reverse gear)
Power transmission: Cardan shaft to 2 worm gears on the rear axle
Axle load: 6250 kg (front) and 2 × 8800 kg rear
Axle distance: front axle to 1st rear axle 5000 mm and up to the 2nd rear axle + 1600 mm (approx. 500 mm less than the L 900)
Braking system: compressed air six-wheel brake with trailer brake connection (Knorr)

The Faun L900 in combat

The Faun L900 ("L" stands for "Lang" (long/chassis)) became the primary transporter for the Wehmacht, for the standard Panzer I and II in 1937. In 1940 it started to be replaced by heavy half-tracks. It was still used as heavy trucks thanks to its limited off-road capabilities, inhertitance of its primary use in public works. It saw action as a tank transporter either on the rear of the front, or to and from gathering sites and workshops to repatriate broken down tanks and bringing up replacements. It's not certain it was able to carry every light german vehicles, but it was capable of transporting the Skoda Panzer 38(t) and its variants for example according to photos.

The heavy trucks used as tank transporters received special equipment on the loading area: wedges, guide rails or beams, seat boards for the rear of the vehicle and material for lashing the tanks. Each heavy tank transporter in the special units of the "Light Division" had a special trailer 115, which in the early version had a payload of 8 t and later 10 t, so that each heavy truck could transport two tanks.

In the structure of the army expansion program as of November 10, 1938, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th light divisions with the assigned tank divisions 65, 66, 67 and 33 were the only units that had loaded light tanks.

The war strength certificates 1110, 1169, 1193, 1173 and 1180 were decisive for these units. The Panzerabteilung (loaded) consisted of four light companies each, in addition to the respective armored staffs including a company squad with an armored command vehicle (PzBefWg) and three Panzerkampfwagen II (PzKpfw II). In the war strength record, the platoon commander's vehicle was always a Panzerkampfwagen II and in the 1st to 3rd platoons the other vehicles were Panzerkampfwagen I (PzKpfw I). The 4th platoon consisted exclusively of Panzerkampfwagen II. This meant that, without counting the loaded vehicles of the department staff, 192 heavy trucks with trailers were required to transport the armored companies of the four departments.

After the reorganization of the "Light Panzer Company" on March 1, 1939, the equipment of the platoons and the company squad changed. The company squad now consisted of an armored command vehicle, an Panzer II and two Panzer I. The 1st to 3rd platoons each had three Panzer IIs and two Panzer Is, with the 4th platoon still having 5 Panzer IIs.

When Panzerabteilung 65 was re-equipped with captured Panzerkampfwagen 35 (t) during the occupation of Czechoslovakia in June 1939, 52 heavy trucks and 50 low-loader trailers were handed over by the department. As a result, the unit was no longer considered "overloaded". Panzerabteilung 67 was reassigned captured Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) (PzKpfw 38 (t)), which were just about transportable in terms of weight. Panzerabteilung 33 led 34 Panzer Kpfw I, 23 Panzer Kpfw II and 5 PanzerBefWg during the attack on Poland. Panzerabteilung 67 had 23 PzKpfw II, 55 PzKpfw 38 (t) and 2 PzBefWg 38 (t). Panzerabteilung 66 had 41 PzKpfw I, 42 PzKpfw II and 2 PzBefWg. All three departments were deployed in Army Group South.

Problems in operations arose due to the total weight of the loaded transporters. Many bridges could only be crossed at crawling speed without a load, which required laborious unloading and loading. The shorter transport time was quickly used up. The huge teams rarely forgive driving errors and in at least one case there is photographic documentation of a Panzer II, apparently transported without security, completely crushing the cab of a heavy truck when braking on a motorway.

During the campaign against Poland, the concept of the loaded Panzerabteilung was retained and showed advantages and disadvantages. Since the loaded units only had light tanks, they lacked firepower and armor. With a planned reorganization to set up new tank divisions, units 33, 67 and 66 became regular tank units in accordance with the war strength certificate of 21 February 1940 applicable to light tank companies.[8]

Faun L900 D567 specifications
Dimensions	9.80 x 2.50 x 2.60 m
Weight, unladen	9 tons
Crew	1 driver +2 passengers
Propulsion	Deutz F6M5171 diesel 13.5k cc/6 cyl. 150 HP or 18k cc 8 cyl. 180 HP
Top speed	50 km/h (max.)
Payload	10.000 Kg
Transmission	4 speed foward x 1 reverse
Suspension	Semi-elliptical leaf spring front and rear
Maximum range	200 L, 360 Km
Production	1934–1937: 81

Links about the Faun L900

L’encyclopédie des armes Camions 1939-1945 fascicule N° 125 éditions Atlas
Historic Military Vehicles Directory Bart Vanderveen Wheels&Tracks
Hans Lipp (Hrsg.): Kraftfahrzeuge in Deutschland ca. 1930–1940, Baujahre und Chassisnummern, München 2017
Werner Oswald: Deutsche Militärlastwagen bis 1945. 1. Auflage. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2019
Werner Oswald: Kraftfahzeuge und Panzer der Reichswehr, Wehrmacht und Bundeswehr, Stuttgart 1982
Walter J. Spielberger: Die Panzerkampfwagen I und II und ihre Abarten. Band 2, Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart
Thomas L. Jentz: Die deutsche Panzertruppe 1933–1942 Band 1, 1. Auflage, Podzun-Pallas-Verlag GmbH, Wölfersheim-Berstadt 1998
G. N. Georgano: World War Two Military Vehicles Transport & Halftracks. Reprint Auflage. Osprey, London 1995


materielsterrestres39-45.fr
ww2-history.fandom.com
wwiivehicles.com
panzerserra.blogspot.com
themodellingnews.com
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faun_L900

Gallery

Basic camouflaged model carrying a Panzer II in 1939


1942 Faun L900 D567 with a later three tone camo


D567 "Erika" in 1945


Civilian D567.

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L900 in action


Faun L900 ZR 567 towing a Me 323 Gigant


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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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