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Land Rover APGP

S

Steyn

Accelerating Away
There's an awesome collection of photos of the APGP prototype at the Woolwich Arsenal on the Royal Arsenal History FB page posted yesterday, if anyone's interested in historical photos of an interesting Land Rover. The whole page is hours of great reading, a tribute to those who are trying to keep the hisstory of this amazing institution from being lost.

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Royal-Arsenal-History.com (RAH) | Royal Arsenal Woolwich - Army Land Rover | Facebook

Royal Arsenal Woolwich - Army Land Rover Glass negatives envelope 5 of many!
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Interesting.
Different radiators on certain pics (different vehicles or development stages?) and other oddities.

Can someone confirm what this is? Some type of transmission dampening..?

Screenshot 2024-02-15 at 15.32.48.png
 
I think (from reading it somewhere) they only built something like 20 APGP test vehicles.
There must have been something unusual with the suspension as well because they were designed to be stacked on top of each other for and transportation and the only pictures I have seen of them like that shows the hubs practically touching the top of the wheel arch (wheels removed obviously)
 
Neil said:
I think (from reading it somewhere) they only built something like 20 APGP test vehicles.
There must have been something unusual with the suspension as well because they were designed to be stacked on top of each other for and transportation and the only pictures I have seen of them like that shows the hubs practically touching the top of the wheel arch (wheels removed obviously)
Click to expand...

The modified bodywork is reinforced at the bed and top of the bulkhead, to take the weight. I believe there are packing pieces between the chassis of the upper and the bulkhead of the lower, and chocks under the front axle. Obviously, they weren't designed to be airdropped in pairs! The "air portable" refers to them being compacted to fit it the transport planes of the day, so as to get the maximum number per load. And as you say, there were only a handful built as prototypes; they were never adopted. Bigger transports made them unnecessary.
 
The only picture I have seen of them "stacked" it looks like the rear springs on the top vehicle have deflected over centre and are curved in the opposite direction to "normal"
 
Neil said:
The only picture I have seen of them "stacked" it looks like the rear springs on the top vehicle have deflected over centre and are curved in the opposite direction to "normal"
Click to expand...

You probably mean this photo:

Land Rover APGP 8.jpg


The springs are indeed compressed to the max, even with the extended shackles. You can see the restraining straps hanging very loose, and the bonnet removed from the lower vehicle. The axle has actually been bound up to the chassis apparently, allowing the rear of the upper vehicle to sit low enough to clear the door of the aircraft. Clearly not a healthy condition in which to maintain Land Rover springs! Theoretically, they're kept in this distressed state very briefly, and I doubt that their longevity was improved by this treatment.

The British Army was already using extended shackles, and the APGP was an early application of 900x16 tyres, giving it the clearance and load-carrying to absorb the extra weight. Both these features would later be combined in the SAS "Pink Panther" and the civilian 1-Ton models, which is the only real connection between the three. I suspect the APGP also used the low-ratio transfer box, given its' uprated 1-ton classification. This does not make it a "1-Ton Land Rover", just a military Land Rover with a 1-ton load rating. The civilian 1-Ton Land Rover was a completely distinct, later model (and also rare these days, becoming more so every year).

I wouldn't care to be standing too close if those springs broke loose!
 
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That is the photo, something interesting behind the front wheel of the lower vehicle as well. Plus it looks like the front springs on the lower vehicle are pretty "flat"
No, I wouldn't fancy being too close while trying to compress the springs to that degree, wonder if the curves in the chassis above the axles were more pronounced, or if they were fitted with bump stops?
There are numerous other oddities as well, not least the different (looks deeper) windscreen and hinges
 
Just realised what the "interesting" bits are underneath. They will be receivers for the hoops to carry the flotation bags. Although quite what the function of the box shape behind the receiver just behind the front wheel is, no idea.
Going back to the propeller on the propshaft I would have thought that the rotation of the wheels would provide more propulsion.
Looking at the back end of the stacked one, there is something going on next to the NATO hitch as well.
 
Neil said:
Just realised what the "interesting" bits are underneath. They will be receivers for the hoops to carry the flotation bags. Although quite what the function of the box shape behind the receiver just behind the front wheel is, no idea.
Going back to the propeller on the propshaft I would have thought that the rotation of the wheels would provide more propulsion.
Looking at the back end of the stacked one, there is something going on next to the NATO hitch as well.
Click to expand...

The "box shape" is a stirrup step for climbing in (no doors):

Land Rover APGP 4.jpg


As for the prop, tyres never provide the same propulsion as a prop (unless they're massive paddle-treads), but I'd be more concerned with the way the thrust is blocked by the diff. Plus, the prop won't last very long going cross-country. If it's just being used in a landing, the prop would be pretty much expendable, but in ongoing amphib work, e.g. river crossings advancing into the Soviet Bloc, it wouldn't have been very long-lived. If development had continued, I would expect they'd move to some form of fold-up prop, like the VW Schwimmwagen. The PTO option is there.
 
Neil said:
That is the photo, something interesting behind the front wheel of the lower vehicle as well. Plus it looks like the front springs on the lower vehicle are pretty "flat"
No, I wouldn't fancy being too close while trying to compress the springs to that degree, wonder if the curves in the chassis above the axles were more pronounced, or if they were fitted with bump stops?
There are numerous other oddities as well, not least the different (looks deeper) windscreen and hinges
Click to expand...

All of the bodywork back from and including the bulkhead, is unique to this model. Only the bonnet, rad support, and wings are stock, and those are modified:

Land Rover APGP 10.jpg
 
Thank you for clearing up those points. Wonder what the prop was made from, wonder if it was some type of deformable rubber? Presumably would need to be pretty stiff in order to fulfil its function. In the event of it getting damaged it would cause massive vibration. Then again, vehicles are expendable and squaddies can always walk to the scene of the fighting.
Next question, what are the upright panels for, just inboard of the bumperettes at the front?
A fascinating vehicle in many ways with lots of interesting modifications (if you're a bit of an anorak.) For instance the different front bumperettes in the most recent picture and the purpose of the holes in the front bumper?
 
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