The Weiss Manfred Acel- es Femmuvek ("Manfred Weiss Steel and Metal Works"), or colloquially Csepel Muvek (" Csepel Works") was one of the largest machine factories in Hungary, located on Csepel island outside Budapest. It played an integral role in the heavy industry and military production of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Founded by Baron Manfred Weiss of Csepel, a Jewish industrialist, by the time of World War I the company was one of largest defense contractors in Austria-Hungary, producing all types of equipment, from airplanes and munitions to automotive engines and cars. Badly damaged by Allied air raids and eventually pillaged during World War II, the company continued in existence until 1950, when it was nationalised and renamed to Rakosi Matyas Vas- es Femmuvek ("Matyas Rakosi Iron and Metal Works NV", where "NV" means Nemzeti Vallalat, "National Company").
Development of the new vehicle for the Royal Hungarian Army started in 1937, when Dezso Winkler was ordered by the Ministry of Defence to create a project of a 1.5-ton lorry to be used as personnel carrier. In order to have the ability for higher cross-country mobility but also keep the costs down, the truck received the 6x4 configuration. To aid in difficult terrain, the construction received a number of innovative mechanisms. One was the second axle, raised above the ground level and in contact only at the peak of a summit. Another innovation was a set of two rollers mounted at the front bumper that were intended to aid in crossing of ditches. The latter feature was a copy of a similar mechanism used in the 31M H-2 lorry designed by Zsigmond Hollos of the Manfred Weiss Steel and Metal Works (HMW). Two prototypes were built and were well received by the Ministry of Defence. The initial configuration allowed for 14 people to be transported in an open cargo compartment and the cab. The lorry was designed to be able to tow up to 2000 kilograms in a trailer, it was also equipped with a factory-installed winch.
Between 1928 and 1933, Straussler ran Folding Boats and Structures Ltd and patented a number of flotation devices, including collapsible ones. In February 1933, he became a British citizen. Throughout the 1930s, he worked with Alvis Cars, Vickers-Armstrong and Hungarian companies on a variety of projects. His work for Alvis involved designing armoured cars such as the Alvis Straussler AC2 and the Alvis Straussler AC3. The prototypes were built by his own company Straussler Mechanisation Ltd, and the production vehicles by a new joint company, Alvis-Straussler.that was formed in July, 1936. He later improved the AC2 design and it was built in Hungary by Manfred Weiss as the 39M Csaba. These saw service with the Royal Hungarian Army. As Hungary was allied to the Axis powers during much of World War 2, 39M Csabas were also used by the German Army. Another vehicle he was involved with that saw Axis use was the Garner-Straussler G.3, a four-wheel drive, off-road truck that was used in small numbers as an artillery tractor by the Germans. This truck had the unusual feature of being driven by two engines that were coupled together
Winkler Dezso (Tet, 1901. julius 11. – Budapest, 1985. oktober 7.) magyar gepeszmernok, Kossuth-dijas (1951). A brunni nemet nyelvu muszaki egyetemen 1925-ben szerzett gepeszmernoki oklevelet. 1925-1936 kozott a gyori Raba Magyar Vagon- es Gepgyarban konstruktor, 1936-1948 kozott az autoosztaly vezeto fomernoke. 1944-45-ben Nemetorszagba deportaltak. 1948-50-ben a NIK Kozponti Autotervezo Iroda vezetoje, 1950-51-ben a sajat szervezesu Jarmufejlesztesi Intezet (JAFI) – az AUTOKUT jogelodje – foosztalyvezetoje, 1951-68 kozott elso igazgatoja. 1968-ban vonult nyugallomanyba. Uj traktorok, autobuszalvazak, terepjaro gepkocsik tervezesevel, dizelmotorok tovabbfejlesztesevel tunt ki. A Gepipari Tudomanyos Egyesulet [1] Gepjarmu- es Motortechnikai Szakosztalyanak elnoke volt.
Âíåäîðîæíûå òðàíñïîðòíûå ñðåäñòâà (Land Locomotion – Mechanical Vehicle Mobility LL-MVM) Home