1964 Saurer 4K 4FA APC

1964 Saurer 4K 4FA APC – Armoured Personnel carrier.
The Saurer 4K 4FA is an Austrian armoured personnel carrier with caterpillar tracks. It was later replaced by the Steyr 4K 7FA G 127. It went into production in 1961.

Unlike many other European Countries, the bulk of the Austrian tracked APC force during the Cold War was not based on US-supplied M113. Instead, the Austrians used a locally-produced model designed in 1956. At that time, Osterreichische Saurer-Werke from Vienna started development of an Armored Personnel Carrier. This first prototype was presented two years later as the 3K 3H. The following year, the improved 4K 3H was developed. Both were propelled by a Saurer 3H 200 hp diesel engine. The next 4K 2P prototype had a revised torsion bar suspension and a 250 hp 2P engine.

The final prototype was the 4K 4F in 1961. This is the vehicle which entered production. The 4K 3FA and 4K 4FA series only differed by their engine. No less than 445 vehicles in various versions were delivered by OSW, and production lasted until 1969. The company was integrated into Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG in 1970. At that stage, the 4K 4FA was replaced by the 4K 7FA, which shared components with the Kürassier SK-105.

The hull of the Saurer 4K 4FA series armoured personnel carrier is made of all-welded steel armour and is immune to penetration from 20 mm armour-piercing projectiles over its frontal arc. The driver sits at the front of the hull on the left side with the power pack to his right and has a two-piece hatch cover that opens to the left and right, in front of which are three day periscopes. The centre periscope can be replaced by a passive periscope for driving at night.

The gunner sits behind the driver and on the basic model has a cupola with a two-piece hatch cover opening left and right and a single day observation periscope. A standard 0.50 inch (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun is mounted on the forward part of the cupola and most vehicles are fitted with a shield to give limited frontal protection to the gunner. This model is known under the company designation of the 4K 4FA-G1 with its Austrian Army designation being the usMGSPz (Schützenpanzer/Überschweres MG).

The personnel compartment is at the rear of the hull with the eight infantrymen seated on bench seats, four down each side of the hull. The crew in the rear face inwards. The section leader is the first on the right seat and is provided with a day periscope in the forward part of the personnel compartment roof, on the right side. Access to the personnel compartment is by two doors in the rear of the hull. Two hatches over the roof of the vehicle open to the outside. Mounting sockets for the pivot trunnion of an adaptor mount for the MG 42 machine gun are provided on the front, right, left and rear side of the hatch above the personnel compartment.
The suspension is of the torsion bar type with either side consisting of five dual road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front, the idler at the rear and two track-return rollers. The first and last road wheel stations are provided with a hydraulic shock-absorber. The 4K 4FA has no NBC system, night vision equipment or amphibious capability.

4K 4FA-G2 (Grenadier-Schützenpanzer)
This is similar to the basic 4K 4FA-G1 but is fitted with an Oerlikon Contraves GAD-AOA one-person turret which is armed with a 20 mm Oerlikon Contraves cannon Model 204 GK. This is belt-fed and can be used in both the ground and anti-aircraft roles. The weapon is provided with 100 rounds of ready use ammunition and the empty cartridge cases and links are ejected outside the turret. The 20 mm cannon has an elevation of +70° and a depression of -12°, turret traverse is 360°. Although its company designation is the 4K 4FA-G2 its Austrian Army designation is the MK66SPz Schützenpanzer/Maschinenkanone 66.

APC – 445 built

CC rating: 10,000cc 610 ci (10.0L) Inline – 6 diesel