Mercedes Benz L 4500 (1939)
Germany (1939-45) - Heavy Truck: 10,599 built
The Mercedes-Benz L 4500 was a heavy duty truck manufactured from 1939 to 1944 in Gaggenau and then in 1944–1945 by Saurer due to allied bombings. This truck was a long-bonnet model using a rear-wheel-drive for the L 4500 S or all-wheel-drive on the L 4500 A, then half-track "Maultier" with the L4500R, using a Panzer II track system. The Wehrmacht used the L 4500 with armoured cabins as Flak trucks also during the war, as heavy AA truck with 50 mm or Flakvierling mounts. Due to the shortage of materials there was a last simplified variant whic spoted the Heinheit wooden cabin standardised as the mudwings from 1943. One of the chassis derivative was the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 4 rocker launching half track. The prodution of the L4500 resumed postwar and until 1954 when replaced by the L 312 (1953-1961).
Design
Development
(In research)
General Layout and specifics
L4500A
The L 4500 is a two-axle truck with a bonnet-steering design and a U-profile ladder frame. The two rigid axles, front and rear, are suspended on half springs. The front axle has single tires, while the rear axle has dual tires. The pneumatic off-road tires are sized 10.5–20. The hydraulic brake with compressed air assistance (brake servo) acts on all wheels, while the parking brake (handbrake) only brakes the rear wheels. This truck had a split window with side windows and rear small windows. The large flatbed was close by side panels with five frames for the tarpaulin. The latter had four plastic windows.
The L4500 had a front track width of 1905 mm, a rear track width of 1714 mm, and a ground clearance of 340 mm. I had a fording ability of 800 mm. Its unladen weight was 5,717 kg for a standard payload of max. 4,685 kg (4,085 kg) and maximum permissible total weight 10,400 kg (9,800 kg). It was given a standard cabin ver close to the one produced for its little brother the L3000. It was adapted to the new chassis and longer bonnet but was essentially the same cab, sharing the same dashboard, seats, gearbox lever, parking brake lever, pedals, etc.
Powerplant
The Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen manufactured the Type 721 steering system. Drive output was transferred from the engine via a single-disk dry clutch to a manual five-speed transmission with a reduction gear. Power was then transferred from the transmission to the rear wheels. The all-wheel-drive Type L 4500 A also has front-wheel drive, which can only be engaged with the off-road gear engaged.
The Mercedes L4500 was powered by a liquid-cooled, six-cylinder, inline, four-stroke diesel engine with overhead camshaft (OHV) valve timing and pre-chamber injection. The crankshaft, supported by seven bearings, drives an overhead camshaft via a spur gear, which operates one overhead intake and one exhaust valve per cylinder. An injection pump from Bosch or Deckel injects the diesel fuel into the cylinders. The truck was given a pneumo-hydraulic brake-system, as each wheel has a drum brake. The parking brake locks the rear wheels only.
The Single-disk dry clutch coupled with a five-speed transmission with countershaft enabled on the military or L4500S version a transmission to all wheels. The OM 67/4 Inline six-cylinder pre-chamber diesel engine used Overhead valve timing. It was water-cooled, with a bore × stroke of 105 × 140 mm, a displacement of 7274 cm³, for a compression ratio of 20:1, and overall rated power of 82 kW [112 hp] at 2,250 rpm. Torque at this rated power was 350 Nm at the same rpm. The vehicle was given 10.5-20 tires for off-road work.
Thanks to this, the L4500S could reach a top speed of 66 km/h (43 km/h), unladen on flat. Fuel consumption was 28 l/100 km unladen (42 l/100 km fully laden) for a fuel tank capacity of 140 l diesel, making for a range of 500 km unladen, down to 330 km fully laden. It was also given a coupled of Bosch Batteries, 12 V each, rated for 105 Ah.
mercedes L4500 specifications |
| Dimensions | 7860 x 2350 x 3345 mm |
| Total weight | 5,7t unladen, 10,4t max |
| Crew | 1 driver, 30 soldiers |
| Propulsion | OM 67/4 Diesel 6 cyl. 7,2L: 82 kW/112 hp |
| Top speed | 66 kph |
| Payload | 4.7t |
| Transmission | ZF Type 721 Manual 5-speed +reduction gear |
| Suspension | Leaf springs front and rear, 6x4 |
| Max range | 200-500 km depending of the load and terrain |
| Production | 10,600 all variant combined |
Variants
Plan: Fire Truck
In the Wehrmacht, various structures were mounted on the L 4500 A and S chassis bedframe. The following is an excerpt of the only officially documented:
-Basic flatbed body (4500 A and S)
-KS 25 motorized fire engine, 1941 series (Magirus body/4500 S)
-TLF 25 firefighting tanker (Magirus body/4500 A)
-Armored version with 5 cm Flak 41 self-propelled gun (4500 A).
- L 4500A rear drive (1938–1939) c manufactured
- L 4500S 6x4 (1939–1944) c manufactured
- L 4500R half track (1943–1945) c manufactured
The mercedes L4500 in combat
In research.
Sources about the mercedes L4500
Gaier, Achim (2020). Mercedes-Benz LKW: Die legendären Langhauber 1945-1962. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag.
Frank, Reinhard: Mercedes im Kriege – Personenwagen, Lastkraftwagen, Sonderaufbauten. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Dorheim. 1985
Ware, Pat: The Illustrated Guide to Military Vehicles: A complete reference guide to over 100 years of military vehicles. Anness Publishing London. 2010.
Oswald, Werner: Kraftfahrzeuge der Reichswehr, Wehrmacht und Bundeswehr, Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 1970, p. 125.
kfzderwehrmacht.de daimler-benz AG
L4500A kfzderwehrmacht.de
L4500S kfzderwehrmacht.de
en.wikipedia.org Mercedes-Benz L4500
de.wikipedia.org/ Mercedes-Benz L4500
materielsterrestres39-45.fr
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armedconflicts.com LKW-4-5t-Maultier
o5m6.de/wehrmacht/mercedes_l4500a
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schwere gelandegangiger lastkraftwagen 4.5t (TE)
armedconflicts.com