Lo cA 3) Oshkosh Gack NES v2, © Weyye AKO Dragon Wagon To havo a highmebilty ‘ruck writ the abil toface any 'ype of {erran, however adverse end oo Ken it may 90, has aways been a top recurement in all Armies Command specticstons. This re flrement derives rom ha neces: Siytotranspen payloads tactical combat erase, inal situations, with Tigh operatve speeds, even folo- wing armouted units which have increasingly high power concer tration and are capable of rd course changes. These require tones are ofen hindered, nol so ‘much by acco echnical capabi {to predioe such vehicles. as by thehigh cos involved. This could ‘el be ofrerwse, cup to the less ‘rc efusion and high cost of re Search and development van ced techniques. Less-wicely diffused because ‘hey are costly and costly because thay are less widely fused, these ‘vehicles sutfer from a vicious circle vihich only the really big armies, and then only partially, are able 10 break. In fact the trucks in service with the various Armed Forces are ‘of a classical type, that Is, of ab- vous civil origin, ahough somow- hat highly specialized. That is mo- recrless the story ofthe DRAGON WAGON, although the utmost ef- forts have been made to reduce costs by seoking a thorough stan- dardizalion of ‘component. parts plus maximum utilzation of the ‘equipment, adopting a basic tront fend and engina, and coupling the- se to 2 seties cf interchangeable The DRAGON WAGON on rough ground. rear-end configurations. DEVELOPMENT In the early ‘60s Lockneed ac developed & private vente, the TWISTER, a highemodiy 8x8 ue temodert vehicle” But he otal fal solutions adopted for tho TW. STER never wert beyond the pro: tolype stage and he three vericles intansively tested for tho U.S. Ar my were not flowed up. The fm then developed an Armoured Fle= connaissance Sout Vo, be ed on the experience gained on the TWISTER Iwasa 6x6 n com: poition wih a tracked vehicle of thesameclase,buleven this ceca ‘ion was lost due tothe cancel: tion ofthe progranme, However ‘the experience gained was lost ‘duo to the cancellation of the pro ‘gramme. However, the experience gained was exploled in tho devo lopment of a largor vehicle, proci- saly the DRAGON. It was originally ‘meantioroffer to civilian userswith ‘an eventual extension into the mil- tary field. Afler undergoing a long series of tests, from the torrid heat ofthe desort tothe cold ofthe Aric Circle, the DRAGON went into the pre-series stage with a toial of 15, Vehicles. The subsequent series, production was hended over tothe (Oshkosh Truck Corporation. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION ‘The DRAGON is a high-mobilty x8 ruck. The chassis i of a high resistance steel, with welded and bolted sections. The general de- sign compiexis based on eight n= ‘ving wheels, cividedin two interde~ pendent modules articulated in Such a way as to effect turning Ia aspect to he longitudinal axis (70 ling) and fo the vertical axis (etee- fing). A power transfer joint alo- ‘wing total wheel travel between front and rear body sections of 28 inches; the power transfer joint a so gives 11° rotation of ring and INTERCONAIR- 11-1981 AeThis pots token fram the rear eermis the reaaer co prelate rhe movement ofthe Frame andthe oittude angle on ‘ugh groan more of less 92° of steering Thisis ofcourse very sophistica- ted and therefore costly, but ne- cessary for obtaining a double re- sul, thatis, maintaining amore po- live wheel-torgroune contact and keeping good steering control. No cther system, even with all inde pendent drive wheels, has equal ‘ground holding capability, except In afewrare examples such as the Oshkésh Truck Corporation DRAGON WAGON 26 PAVESI tractor and the VOLVO BM. Correct steering also aids in making a shorter tuming radius, and helps to maintain high mobi ty, The DRAGON steering system offers a furor orginal characton- Stic; other than the standard chas- is sleering effected by two hy- draulically-controlled _operator- cylinders of 89mm and a compart. ment of 508mm actuated by two pumps taking thelr drive from the engine, the steering of the first Shafts effected by an Ackermann: ‘ype antculation, the driving gear of Which is. hydraulically. sorvo- ‘aeeleted. The front and rear ou: pensions are very simple, with r- {id axles and leal-iype springs for both font and rear, Verical range goes from plus 140mm {0 less 216mm, Tyres are 16x21 tubeless on wheels with discs and ims of 21,00x10, The engines locatedon the frant_ module immediately bbayond the driving cab. The org nal engine was a Caterpilar model 3208 developing 225 HP at 2,800 {rp.m. but the present version nas 4 Detroit Diesel Alison 8Y-12TA ‘giving 438 HP at 2,100 rp.m, ana Maximum torque of 1,400 r.p.m. It iswater-cooled with @ tube-act-fin Faciator, (rental surface is 12,904 ‘ema,) and a centrifugal pump ac- tuated by gears. There is also a transmission oli-cooling raciator (conver). There is ary aittiter, double-stage. Transmission is au ‘tomatic with @ lockable hydraulic ‘torque conventer, Alison HT704D with four forward doers olus reser- ve, The gear ralios are: 4th - 14 Sid - 1.38:1, 2nd ~ 2.02.1, tsi + 3,68:1 and reverse -6,05:1, Move ‘ment al gear outit, through a halt- shal is transmitted to 2 gear-tox with two spgeds, with ratios of 0.97 and 2.12. The differentials ‘ean be locked by the driver. Elec trigcurrentis of 28V. andplant con: sisis of a generator (alternator), stare, lights and 4 batteries. “The steel anving cab can com: fortably accomodate two men, The ctver's seat has its own susaen- sion, Instrumentation consists of fuel level indicator, mileomster, cack, air pressure manomoter, ci pressure manometer, rev counter, low airpressure warning light, Cooling-water high temperature warning light, headlights full beam warning light, transmission ~ il high-temperature warning light and direction indicator. Two fuol fanks are mounied one an each side behind the cab, each of 208 lives capacity The vehicle is offered in three vorsions, denominated respective ly 3838, 03645 and 03858, Which vary essentially accordingto load carrying capacity. Ground welants vary from 27,216 kg to 37,195kg, Thereisawide range of ‘plional extras to choose from, in- cluding an exhaust gas thermore- ter, outlet for eloctronic diagnostic data check, dimmed lights, pas senger seat suspension, winch, small hyoraulic crane, special 24.00 x 21 tyres, with radials for sandy ferain, low temperature kit, tngine brake, automatic S-aar transmission, alt-conditioning, muhi-ratio reducer, movable searchlight, spare wneel with tyre, special contigurations for particu lar comeat uses, bullet-proof glass for windows. There is eiso a wide range of cuitable body applica tions, including general cargo with crane, tanker, wrecker, weapons ‘Yansporter and weapons platform, Trellor towing eppication sinclude INTERGONAIR - I). 1981{ulltraler, emitraler and drawoar traler CONCLUSIONS Side view ofthe DRAGON WAGON which permits one 10 appreciate the clean ies ond the zwo semames. ‘Atechnically-advanced vehicle, Bete of the articulation foint Wate one af the stesrng evades in she note Forearound the transmission shaft and he with notable pertormance and spe- “lca! and nneatatic cables Gial applications. The DRAGON. ‘does Not seem fo fe destined for lamorous success, especially ad regards production. Itis to be con- sidered, however, as a possible subsiitutefortne U.S. Army GOER. 4x4, forthe '80s. Oshkosh Truck Co. DRAGON WAGON x8 high-mnobilty truck, 8- seater cab, Dimensions: (with roar standard body 16M. car- {go version) length 10.008 me- ires, width 2.438 metres, height 2.591 metres, wheel track 2.007 metres, distance between front and rear axles 4.524 melres, tront and rear body angles 45° and 48°, at ulated chassis, steering an- {le morecrless 32°, rollangle moreless 11°. Engine: Detroit Diesel Alison 8Y—92TA wa- ter-cooled, 495 HP at 2 100 pm, max. iorque 1,694 Nm at 1,400 r.p.m.: Allison HT7400 transmission, 4 for- ‘ward gears and overse, Osh kash. two-speod_ soparaior Feducer, wheels 21.00 x 10, tyres 16.00 x 21, electric curt rent 24V. Periormance: max. Toad speed 88 k.p.h.(S8mph) Gat kph off-road, with eadicar ingerted 43 koh. Max gradient 60% lateral cant 40%, fording dopih 1-143 metres, turning radius 8.454 motros. INTERCONAIR -I1- 1981 aay