Volkswagen Kommandeurswagen
The Volkswagen Typ 87, also known as the Kommandeurswagen, is a World War II, four-wheel-drive version of the Volkswagen Beetle.[1] It was produced from 1941 to 1944 by the Volkswagen plant, primarily for high officers of the Wehrmacht (German armed forces).[1] The Wehrmacht classified the Kommandeurswagen as leichter geländegängiger PKW, 4-sitziger, 4-radgetriebener Geländewagen Typ 87.[3] ("light offroad passenger car, four seat, four-wheel drive offroad vehicle Type 87").
| Volkswagen Typ 87 | |
|---|---|
 VW Typ 87 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagenwerk GmbH |
| Also called | Kommandeurswagen |
| Production | 1941-1944 |
| Assembly | Stadt des KdF-Wagens |
| Designer | Ferdinand Porsche[1] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Military vehicle |
| Body style | 2-door saloon 2-door coupe utility |
| Layout | Rear engine, four-wheel drive [2] |
| Platform | VW Typ 166 / KdF-Wagen |
| Related | Volkswagen Typ 166 Schwimmwagen |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Volkswagen Type 1 petrol (1131 cm3, 18 kW) |
| Transmission | 4+1-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,400 mm (94.5 in) |
| Length | 3,830 mm (12 ft 6.8 in) |
| Width | 1,620 mm (5 ft 3.8 in) |
| Height | 1,720 mm (5 ft 7.7 in) |
The engine and drive-train, including portal geared wheel hubs, are the same as in the Volkswagen Typ 166 Schwimmwagen amphibious vehicle.[1] 564 units of the Kommandeurswagen were produced;[4] in November 1946,[5] the Volkswagen plant - by then under British control - produced two more vehicles using spare parts from stores.
Description
The Typ 87 is a two-door offroad saloon. The visual appearance is similar to the KdF-Wagen, because the KdF-Wagen body was also used for the Typ 87. Due to the 5¼-16 offroad tyres, the wings had to be increased in width.[1] The running boards were also made wider.[6] While the boot of the KdF-Wagen holds a spare wheel in front of the fuel tank, the Typ 87 has an additional 20 L (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal) fuel canister instead at the same place. The spare wheel is located on top of the 40 L (8.8 imp gal; 11 US gal) fuel tank, which has a modified filler neck.[6] Chassis and body are connected with screws. By default, the Kommandeurswagen has a sunroof.[6]
Like the VW Typ 166, the Typ 87 has a modified KdF-Wagen chassis.[1] The backbone tube was increased in diameter to hold the additional drive shaft for the front wheels.[1] A worm and sector steering was used,[3] and the steering knuckles were modified to fit driveshafts for the front-wheel drive.[1] The rear axle is equipped with reduction gears, both front and rear axle differentials are lockable.[1] A single disc Fichtel & Sachs K10 dry clutch[3] transmits the torque from the engine to the manual Porsche four-speed (plus reverse) gearbox, which is equipped with an additional offroad gear.[1] The lever that engaged the offroad gear also engaged the front wheel drive.[1] With four wheel drive engaged, the top speed is 10 km/h (6.2 mph) and the maximum slope climbing angle is 33.75°.
The Typ 87 is powered by an air-cooled flat four-cylinder 1,131 cm3 (69 in3) four-stroke OHV petrol engine fed by a single Solex 26 VF3 carburettor. It is rated at 18 kW (24 PS; 24 hp).[6]
Vehicles made for the German Afrika Korps were often equipped with tropical equipment which protected the air filter, the carburettor and the electrics from dust;[6] in addition to that, they were fitted with Kronprinz sand tyres.[7]
Technical specifications
| Engine | |
|---|---|
| Engine type | Volkswagen air-cooled engine |
| Engine layout | Four-cylinder, flat engine (spark-ignition (Otto)) |
| Cooling | Air-cooling with fan |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Fuel system | Carburettor Solex 26 VF3 |
| Firing order | 1-4-3-2 |
| Bore × Stroke | 75 mm × 64 mm (3.0 in × 2.5 in) |
| Displacement | 1,131 cm3 |
| Rated power | 18 kW (24 hp) at 3,000 rpm |
| Drivetrain | |
| Clutch | Single disc dry clutch Fichtel & Sachs K10 |
| Gearbox | Porsche 4-speed gearbox with additional offroad and reverse gear |
| Drive | Rear wheel drive with switchable front wheel drive and locking differentials |
| Chassis | |
| Frame | Backbone tube chassis |
| Front springs | Torsion bar |
| Rear springs | |
| Steering | Worm and nut |
| Brake system | Drum brakes |
| Tyres | front and rear 5,25-16 or 200-16 |
| Dimensions and weights | |
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 3,830 mm (151 in) × 1,620 mm (64 in) × 1,720 mm (68 in) |
| Ground clearance | 255 mm (10.0 in) |
| Wheelbase | 2,400 mm (94 in) |
| Track width | front: 1,356 mm (53.4 in) rear: 1,360 mm (54 in) |
| Turning radius | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Max. allowed weight | 1,240 kg (2,734 lb) |
| Max. payload | 450 kg (992 lb) |
| Additional data | |
| Fuel consumption | 8.5 L/100 km |
| Oil consumption | 0.12 L/100 km |
| Fuel tank | 40 L + 20 L canister |
| Top speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Battery | Lead-acid, 6 V, 75 Ah |
| Starter | Bosch EED 0,4/6 |
| Generator | Bosch REDK 130/6/2600 |
References
- Mayer, p 30
- In lowest gear(s) only.
- Mayer, p.34
- Mayer, p.33
- Mayer, p.47
- Mayer, p.32
- Mayer, p.31
Bibliography
- Hans-Georg Mayer: Der VW-Käfer im Kriege und im militärischen Einsatz danach. Band 114 aus der Reihe Waffen-Arsenal, Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Dorheim 1988, ISBN 3-7909-0357-4. (in German)
