'Mule' Tracked Cargo Hauler, Very WIP

Classification: Tracked Cargo Hauler (Prototype)
Nickname: The Mule
Manufacturer: Royal Morridane Engineers, Morridane Army
Designer: 85 Field Squadron RME
Designed: 2011
Produced: 2012
Numbers Built: 1
Users: Morridane Army

GVWR (total weight): 52,000 kg
Carrying Capacity: 10,000 kg
Length: 8 meters
Width: 3.38 meters
Height: 4 meters
Crew: 1 (Driver)

Engine: Rolls-Royce Meteor
Fuel: Diesel
Horsepower: 650 hp
Speed: 35 km/h

Operational Range: 850km
Suspension: Horstmann suspension
Cost:

Background

The Mule stems from a requirement made by the Commonwealth Colonial Authority; a rugged, all-terrain vehicle was needed that was easy to maintain in order to haul cargo on the frontiers of the various CCA colonies. Despite the CCA looking at foreign markets for a possible vehicle to meet its requirements a Captain Harold Tisdale, of the Royal Morridane Engineer's 85th Field Squadron, got wind of the matter and quickly tasked the sappers under his command with a practical exercise. The sappers soon came up with the idea of a tracked vehicle based around one of the mothballed Centurion tanks that the Morridane Army still had on its books, their plan was to modify the tank's chassis and then bolt the cab and cargo bed of a truck on top. This resulted in a heavy and lumbering vehicle, but it was argued that its cargo capacity and cross-country performance would more than make up for it.

To date only one prototype has been built and is currently on field trials in the South-West Territory of Morrdh, plans have been drawn up for a more refined version and will be tendered to foreign companies to develop.

Design

The Mule is quite simply two vehicles that have been combined, the bottom half being the chassis and body of a mothballed Centurion tank. The upper half is the cab and cargo bed of a 1966 ACCO International Series V that has been extended to sit comfortably over the Centurion's chassis, thus making for a large vehicle. The tank's crew compartment was completely ripped out and replaced by additional fuel tanks that allowed the vehicle's ranged to be almost doubled, at the same time the transmission was replaced by a newer three-speed automatic transmission and directed to the new cab that sat on the front end of the vehicle. It was decided to keep the tank's Rolls-Royce Meteor engine and simply overhaul rather than fit an entirely new engine, this was to ensure that the prototype was ready in the shortest amount of time as possible.

The planned MK.II version will be expected to have a more powerful engine and possibly use a custom built chassis to make it a much lighter vehicle.

~ ~ ~

First vehicle design and I'm sure I've screwed up on the numbers, most of the stats were taken from the Centurion and a bit of guess work was used to estimate height and weight, etc.

I realize that I probably still have plenty of work to do on it and have probably missed stuff out, so feedback will be greatly welcomed.

Well... it looks exactly like I imagine a tank/cargo hauler cross-breed would look.

But... have you looked at the PTS?

Over here, it beckons.

Have now.

I can see how the PTS can be useful, but the Mule was designed more with desert terrain in mind.

Something I just stumbled upon, isn't Real Life wonderful?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M8_Tractor

Now with added (most likely bad) image.

This may be of interest.

Thanks for that.

Seriously doubt that there wasn't anything the Land Rover wasn't converted into!