Fiat 518
(Data tech. Concern variant: PZInż 302)
55km/h (when towing a trailer or running)
Polish Fiat 508/518 – Polish, light wheeled all-terrain vehicle from the interwar period.
At the end of 1935 in the State Engineering Works, a prototype light vehicle intended primarily to tow antitank guns mod. 36 and carrying ammunition, maintenance and equipment. The prototype was built based on elements from cars Polish Fiat 508 and Fiat 518 Polish new vehicle tests performed showed a number of disadvantages that arise from niedopracowania structures.
In 1936, work began, which aimed to overcome the drawbacks of the earlier car. In these works participated Eng. Mieczyslaw Skwierczyński. After trials and tests military factory in 1937 started production of the vehicle under the designation Polish Fiat 508/518.
Polish Fiat 508/518 appeared in several variants. The best-known variety is PZInż 302 artillery tractor with an open body, the guidelines developed by the Office of Armoured Forces Technical Research. The vehicle was designed to be towed antitank guns Bofors wz. 36 caliber 37 mm. He could carry five soldiers handling guns and ammunition in the number of 80 rounds (16 boxes after 5 rounds). PZInż 302 tractors were used in artillery subunits antiaircraft and antitank 10th Cavalry Brigade and the Warsaw Armoured-Motorized Brigade, as well as some special forces units of cavalry, infantry and engineers.
The Polish Army used some other variants of Fiats 508/518, among others. variety of transport (with box body), varieties intended for branch connectivity (adapted for the carriage of radio field) and a variant for the company’s heavy machine guns (for the carriage of machine guns mod. 30, and also to keep the fire with a rifle mounted on the vehicle).
After the defeat of the September campaign, a number of vehicles Polish Fiat 508/518 got into the hands of the Germans. Later, some of them were incorporated into the Wehrmacht equipment.
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