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Volkswagen Schwimmwagen Type 128
Germany · Car · built by Volkswagen
| Also known as | VW Type 128, Type 128 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
| Country | Germany |
| Built | 1940– |
| Type | Car |
| Use | Military |
| Propulsion | |
| Land drive | 4x4 |
| In water | Propeller |
| Engine | Volkswagen air-cooled flat-four, 1,131 cc, 25 bhp |
| Power | 25 hp |
| Dimensions & performance | |
| Weight | 900 kg |
| Speed on land | 80 km/h |
| Speed on water | 9.7 km/h |
| Seats | 5 |
Specifications need checking. Some figures here were taken from the archive and have not been confirmed against a source.
The Volkswagen Schwimmwagen Type 128 was the first of Volkswagen's amphibious military cars, completed in September 1940. It was essentially a heavily reworked Kübelwagen, built on the chassis of the KdF (Beetle) car and designed both for off-road driving and for swimming.
Design
The car used Volkswagen's air-cooled four-cylinder engine, which the archive text gives as 1,131 cc and 25 bhp. Thanks to a kerb weight of only 900 kg, it could still reach about 50 mph (80 km/h). Drive went through a four-speed manual gearbox. For rough ground, ZF differentials were fitted to both axles, although normally only the rear wheels were driven. For use in the water, a three-bladed propeller at the rear was stowed upright and swung down when needed, taking its drive directly from the transmission. With five fully equipped soldiers aboard, the Type 128 could make about 6 mph (10 km/h) afloat.
Successor
The German military judged the Type 128 a success, and in late 1941 ordered a successor, which became the Type 166 Schwimmwagen.
3 Photographs
12 photographs in the archive folder. Click any image to view it full size.
4 Related vehicles
Compare the Volkswagen Schwimmwagen Type 128 with another vehicle.
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