Design

The OM Ursus is a truck produced by Officine Meccaniche (OM) from 1939 to 1941. It equipped the Royal Army and Wehrmacht during the Second World War. It originated in the FIAT (via its subsidiary company OM) medium truck Taurus, declined into a heavy truck, Ursus, both sharing most elements and a fuel injection engine. The chassis was longer on the Ursus, but they had overall an extremely similar aspect. Taurus was the one manufactured in greatest numbers, with a gasoline version produced between 1940 and 1944 and also used by the Italian Royal army and after September 1943, the Wehrmacht. The military version Ursus was produced between 1940 and 1942 and differed in many aspects.

Based on the OM Taurus

The Ursus was essentially medium/large truck (Autocarro "pesante") built by OM on the base of its production lines to make the "Medium" civilian model, the Taurus. The OM Taurus was a "unified" truck which was tested in 1937 and entered production in 1938, but it went on until 1950. The name "Taurus" was also used to designate another truck launched in 1950 with a forward cabin (COE).

The OM (Officine Meccaniche) company in Milan was bought by Fiat V.I. in 1933. Shortly before Italy entered the war, OM launched two trucks powered by an injection engine, a medium, the Taurus ("bull"), and the heavy, called Ursus ("bear"). They had the same external appearance apart from their dimensions. The Ursus was longer. The Taurus was by far the most produced of the two, remaining on the lines for almost 10 years and declined into a gasoline engine variant between 1940 and 1944. It was considered one of the best medium trucks ever produced for the Italian army and proved particularly well suited to the North African front.

In 1944, the OM Taurus 35 was available as a tractor-trailer (with the Orlando trailer) used by the Wehrmacht. The German army acquired some 2,305 Taurus trucks between January 1944 and January 1945. Postwar, production went on for the Italian army and it was deployed in Somalia in 1950 with the "Corpo di Sicurezza Italiano". Payload of about 3 tons. Its all metal rearward cab (compared to the front axle) had a single driver seat and a bunk for 1-2 passengers. The dahsboard was simple and the

Specifics of the Aurocarro Pesante Ursus

The Ursus was only produced in civilian version from 1937, with either a diesel or gasoline engine. Production of the military model lasted only three years, from 1940 to 1942 included. The Ursus had a long chassis and larger payload of about 4 tons with the same long bonnet ending with a split radiator and windshield. To simplify production it also lacked windows on the side doors, replaced by a tarpaulin in some cases. The vehicle had four miitary style rear tires, two each side paired on the axle. The axle was fixed and rear-driven, the froward axle was directional only. It was provided with extra boxes and two spare tires under the chassis, behind the cab. The Ursus was unarmed, unprotected and never declined into a proper military version such as a weapon carrier.

OM delivered the first military production model in 1939. The Ursus measured 5.87 meters long by 2.16 meters wide, a Wheelbase of 4.50 m, a front track of 1.91 m and a rear track of 1.69 m, plus a turning radius of 7.00 m. It was capable of climbing a maximum slope of 27 % with an unladen weight of 5,600 kg for a payload capacity of 3,040 tonnes to 4 tonnes on road. There was a driver seat and a passenger bunk. It was powered by an OM Diesel 6 cylinder with a capacity of 7,980 cm³ with a rating of 100 HP at 2,100 rpm. Fuel consumption was 21 liters (without trailer) per 100 km. Top speed was 50 km/h, with a rear-wheel drive, 4×2 with a 8-speed manual gearbox.

The OM Ursus was capable of climbing a maximum gradient of 27%. Ignition comprised a manual flywheel and crank start, lubrication used oil, water Cooling. The right Steering right comprises a steering wheel. The Fuel tank is 75 liter in capacity, for an autonomy of 480 km on the road with an Oil pump.

Operational use

It seems the Ursus was mainly on the Russian front. The vehicle was painted either in Matt military green gray or colonial khaki apparently. In German service it was repainted with the standard dunkeldgelb and often camouflaged, with data markings proper to Wehrmacht standards.

Links about the OM Ursus

classic-autocars.com/taurus-speciale
centoventesimo.com OM Taurus
zimmerit.com/zimmeritpedia ITALIA
fr.wikipedia.org OM Ursus
wikiwand.com/it/articles Officine Meccaniche
centoventesimo.com
wardrawings.be OM trucks
regioesercito.it ursus
regioesercito.it OM trucks

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Amatori, Franco; et al. (1992). Storia della Lancia — Impresa Tecnologie Mercati 1906–1969. Milan.

specifications
Dimensions	7.83 x 2.33 x 2.88 m
Total weight	6,4 tons
Crew	1+3, 12+ troops
Propulsion	OM 6-cyl. diesel 8L 100 bhp
Top speed	52 km/h
Payload	4 tonnes (3 tonnes off road)
Transmission & suspension	Manual 8 speed, 4x2 rear drive, leaf springs
Maximum range (on/off road)	480 km with a 160 litres tank
Armament	None
Armor	None
Production	Unknown, c800

Reference illustrations

In overall Grey


In Grigioverde


In verde sciario

Photos

OM Taurus


OM Taurus used by the Wehrmacht

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BIBLIOGRAPHY “The tactical and logistic vehicles of the Italian Royal Army until 1943” by Nicola Pignato and Filippo Cappellano (Army General Staff – Historical Office) Rome 2005.

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