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VTP-2 4x4 Escarabajo

The VTP-2 4x4 Escarabajo [Beetle] is an armored hull mounted on a UNIMOG chassis. Cardoen VTP-2 [probably vehículo táctico del personal = tactical personnel vehicle] is a Chilean armored car designed for use as an armored personnel carrier, command-staff ambulance, and repair vehicle. The car was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Chilean Air Force, but lost in the competition to an armored car of a similar purpose, developed at the Makina firm.

The hull has a weight of 2.5 and 3.3 tons depending on the armor. The vehicle weighs 6,600 kg, empty with lighter armor and 5,800 kg with heavy armor. Its load capacity varies between 1,400 kg for the first and 2,000 kg for the second. Its maximum weight at flat load is 8,000 kg. The vehicle could withstand 7.62mm, armor-piercing impacts. The structure includes armored sights on the sides of the vehicle. In the front part and in the two side doors it has larger armored glasses, which can also be reinforced by folding armored plates, for cases in which heavy fire must be faced. The vehicle can house 12 fully equipped soldiers, at the same time it can be an employer in different configurations, such as command vehicle, anti-aircraft, anti-tank, porter, etc.

The body of the VTP-2 armored car is welded, made of steel armor plates 6-8 mm thick. On the sides, next to the commander's and driver's seats, there are small forward-opening doors with bulletproof glass windows. The front of the hull has one large bulletproof glass window. The windows in the doors can be covered with armored dampers. For firing personal weapons in the sides there are three embrasures and three observation devices, two more embrasures are in the aft armor plate. The fighting compartment is accessed through a door at the rear of the vehicle and through two rectangular hatches in the roof. In the roof, behind the commander's and driver's seats, there is a round hatch, next to which a machine gun can be installed, or a rotating tower can be mounted instead of the hatch.

Variants of armored personnel carriers were developed with turrets armed with 20 and 25 mm automatic cannons, a 12.7 mm machine gun, and coaxial 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. A variant of the armored personnel carrier with an open top of the fighting compartment was being tested. The engine compartment is located in the front part of the body in a small ledge. The armored structure can be adapted with various types of armaments from 7.62mm immediate defense machine guns to anti-tank wire-guided missiles.

The engine uses DIESEL N2 oil, it has tanks of 150 liters with a performance of 4 km / liters. Engine six-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine Daimler-Benz BD-OM 352 with a power of 88 kW. The Daimler Benz Diesel engine allows it a power-to-weight ratio of 15 HP / Ton., Enough for its operation in all terrain. The engine is water-cooled, operates a conventional synchronized manual transmission gearbox, 8 forward and 4 reverse gears , with dry single-disc clutch. Disc brakes are installed on all four wheels, Hutchinson tires are 12.5x20. The front wheels are steered, the hydraulic booster is included in the control circuit. The armored car is equipped with a filter-ventilation system; a slight overpressure is maintained inside the body.