The Hungarian D-442 FUG 4×4 Armoured Car

Description

The Hungarian D-442 FUG 4×4 Armoured Car

The Hungarian D-442 FUG 4×4 Armoured Car was developed and manufactured in the former People’s Republic of Hungary for the roles of either reconnaissance or Command & Control in the Hungarian Army and other WARSAW pact countries.

Production

It entered service in Hungary during 1964. Production was completed by the Hungarian State Arsenal. Production started in1964 and was withdrawn from service during the 1980’s.

Design

The vehicle is a all-welded steel construction offering protection from Machine Gun fire. The engine is located at the rear, then the crew compartment with the driver and the commander sitting up front. The rest of the compartment behind them is used to accommodate the various equipment dependant on role. Access to the crew compartment was via roof hatches.

Wheeled reconnaissance vehicles offer greater mobility on the road compared to track vehicles, but can not match their off-road mobility. To improve on the FUG’s off-roading, it has a pair of retractable powered wheels on either side of the vehicle between the front and rear standard wheels. They are lowered when going off road to provide additional traction and power over rough terrain. It also had a central tyre pressure system that could increase or lower the air in tyres to assist in off-roading.

To cope with the multitude of rivers running through North Europe, which was the anticipated battlefield if fighting had broken out during the Cold War, the FUG has two water-jets in the rear of the vehicle to power it across these rivers so as to conduct reconnaissance for the following Russian Armoured Fighting Vehicles. A trim vain would be erected at the front and internal bilge pumps switched on to pump any water that was taken onboard.

The Hungarian D-442 FUG 4×4 Armoured Car Variants

D-442.00 FUG (early 1960s) – Basic armoured scout car without the turret and x4 embarked troopers when used in the reconnaissance role.
D-442.01 PK-FUG (parancsnoki) – Command and Control vehicle. It carries the radio equipment and field commanders in the crew compartment.
D-442.03 VS-FUG (vegyi sugárfelderítö úszó gépkocsi) – NBC reconnaissance vehicle based on D-442 FUG with specialized radiation, chemical and biological detection devices as well as flag dispensers used to mark the contaminated areas.
D-442.01 MRP-FUG (páncélozott repülőirányító pont) – Forward air controller post, based on D-442 PK-FUG with an R-114 and an R-159 radio.
D-442.02 MÜ-FUG (műszaki) – Engineer reconnaissance vehicle with special equipments.

Spec’s

Engine: 100hp Csepel D.414.44 4-cylinder water cooled diesel
Power-To-Weight: 15.87hp/tonne
Combat Weight: 6.3 tonne
Top Road Speed: 87km/h
Top Water Speed: 9km/h
Operational Range: 600km
Vertical Obstacle: 0.4m
Trench Crossing: 1.2m
Gradient: 60%
Side Slope: 30%
Length: 5.79m
Width: 2.5m
Height (hull top): 1.91m

Former Czechoslovakia Variants

OT-65 (Obrněný Transportér vz. 65) – Czechoslovak version of D-442 FUG armoured scout car.
OT-65ZDR (zdravotní) – OT-65 converted into an armoured ambulance.
OT-65A “Vydra” (Otter) – OT-65 with a turret of the OT-62B TOPAS. The entry hatches have been moved so now they are positioned behind the turret. It also has additional protection on IR driving lights.
OT-65Ch (chemický) – Variant with specialized radiation, chemical and biological detection devices as well as flag dispensers used to mark the contaminated areas.
OT-65ChV (velitelsko-chemický) – Variant with specialized radiation, chemical and biological detection devices as well as flag dispensers used to mark the contaminated areas.
OT-65DP – Armoured artillery forward observation post.
OT-65DPP (pohyblivá dělostřelecká pozorovatelna) – Armoured artillery forward observation post.
OT-65 R-2 – Communication vehicle with additional radio set R-2.
OT-65 R-112 – Communication vehicle with additional radio set R-112.
OT-65RL – Variant fitted with a battlefield surveillance radar PSNR-1.
OT-65VP – FAC vehicle with additional radios. Similar to the Hungarian MRP-FUG.
OT-66 (Obrněný Transportér vz. 66) – Czechoslovak designation for D-944 PSzH.

Former Operators

Czechoslovakia – Passed on to the successor
East Germany – passed on to the unified German state.
Hungary – Any remaining vehicles are in storage.
Iraq – All destroyed or scrapped after 2003.
Poland – Received small numbers of FUG armoured scout cars in reconnaissance, command, artillery forward observation post and NBC reconnaissance versions in 1965. They were withdrawn from military service in 1980’s.