Fuchs infantry transport vehicle "ISAF", sand beige, 1:87

ABOUT FUCHS Infantry Transport Vehicle

The TPz Fuchs from Transportpanzer Fuchs is a German armoured personnel carrier originally developed by Daimler-Benz but manufactured and further developed by the now Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV). Fuchs was the second wheeled armoured vehicle to enter service with the Bundeswehr (West German Military) and it can be used for tasks including troop transport, engineer transport, bomb disposal, Nuclear, Biological and Chemical reconnaissance and electronic warfare. RMMV and its predecessors manufactured 1,236 Fuchs 1, mostly for the German Army.

In 1977, Rheinstahl Wehrtechnik (which in 1996 became Henschel Wehrtechnik (subsequently Rheinmetall Landsysteme and now Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV), under licence from Daimler-Benz, was awarded a contract by the German Army for 996 Transportpanzer Fuchs 1. The first production vehicle was handed over in December 1979 with deliveries running at 160 per year and concluding in late 1986.

In 2002, the German BWB announced that it had awarded a €45 million contract to upgrade 123 Fuchs 1 APCs. The work was carried out between 2004 and 2007 at Kassel, where the vehicles were originally built. Vehicles upgraded under this contract were given the TPz A7 designation.

The latest upgraded Fuchs 1 are given the TPz A8 designation, deliveries of these first made to the German Army in March 2008. It introduced improved protection against mines and IEDs, specially for German units stationed in Afghanistan.

The hull of the Fuchs is constructed of all-welded armoured steel. The driver sits at the front on the left, with the vehicle commander to his right. There are doors for both driver and commander. The door windows and windscreen have metal shutters that can be closed up. When closed up, the periscopes fitted in the roof of the vehicle to the front of the driver's hatch allow visibility out of the cabin. The commander has a circular roof hatch.

There are three or four hatches in the roof of the troop compartment. In APC configuration, the ten infantrymen carried by Fuchs 1 are seated on individual bucket-type seats, five on each side. These seats can be folded up when not required. Fuchs 2 seats up to nine on much-improved blast-resistant seating.

Normal amphibious payload for Fuchs 1 is 4,000 kg (8,800 lb) but, depending on configuration and protection options, up to 5,000 kg of cargo can be carried on land. Fuchs 2 has a maximum payload of 6000 kg.

The rigid Mercedes-Benz drive axles are of the hub-reduction type, fitted with differential locks and are sprung by progressively acting coil springs and shock-absorbers. Power-steering is on the front four wheels, the Fuchs 2 offering the option of a central tyre inflation system. On land maximum speed is 105 km/h (65 mph) and operational range is 800 km.