The first South African Model to be made by Tamiya and Dragon ?

Could be....

I have just been privey to someinside info. You guys will know that the Americans bought 400 odd RG-31 vehicles from us a short while ago. Well they have just placed an order for 400 more.

Now I have just been told that they want the team who developed the RG-31 to design a new generation vehicle similar to the RG-31 to replace the HUMVEE in U.S. service.

The order would be for about 14000 vehicles!!! :-)

It is still early days and contracts have not been signed yet, so there is no definate on anything yet.

I have seen images of some of the concepts though and they look pretty good so far.

If this does go ahead, then I'm sure that this will be the first South African designed vehicle to be produced by the likes of Tamiya!!!

Thought that you guys might like to know about this one

Cannot say anymore , however if things become more definate I'll let you all know


Cheers,
Graugrun

apparently the hummer is a South African vehicle to begin with.. So I've heard..

Surely not

Arent they manufactured by GM in the States? Maybe a South African connection in the design? :-)

I was told (though my source might be full of it..) that the concept was South African, then sold/pilfered by the US of A..

Allegedly..

mmmmm, that is interesting. Wish someone out there could give us more info on this

I would suggest you guys ask that question in the Armor forum, although I fear you may be lambasted by the rather overzealously patriotic Yanks :-) :-) just kidding... :-) although you should pose the question over in the main Armor forum

The question is whether they would ever admit to any connection besides their own? And do we want to get lambasted by them....

That is a difficult question...but let me try anyways

LOL... yeah, watch out, it might just give GW grounds for invasion :-) :-)

Ok i have found something. Apparently GM South Africa have been awarded the contract to build the new Hummer H3, which is the commercial sports utility. Dont know if this is new info for everybody...

Not new... I had hear that the Hummer's were being assmebled at the local GM plant for export...

But that still doesn't imply any original design connection between SA and the US...

I have stayed out of this one as I do not know the true answer. However I have the strong feeling that we did not have any involvement.

Any South African Engineer worth anything would have ensured Mine protection right from the start.

This is an area in which the HUMVEE fails dismaly. Thats why the Yanks are now talking to us as per my original posting.

however I should be meeting with someone in the next few days who will quickly clarify this for me.

I would not bother the Yanks on the main site. Try for instance to tell them that Von Braun and his team designed the rocket that put them on the Moon - and very little if any American technology was used in the design and they will Poep themselves .

I will let you know as soon as I have spoken to the above mentioned person.

Cheers

Hi Matthew,

It is my feelings exactly. I couldnt believe that we were part of the design as it would have be common knowledge, yet it was interesting when Micheal brought it up.

So if you could find us an answer it would be great :-) :-)

Cheers

Oh dear.. Didn't want to start anything.. My source was a guy who was in the SA para's 10 years ago.. He might just be full of hot air though.

Firstly I want to correct a large error on my part , the Yanks have not bought 400 +400 RG- 31's, They bought 143 + 143, (the 400 figure comes in fact from them paying over R400 million for each batch).

So please forgive me on this one!

Regards the Hummvee I have clarified the following, We did not have any input into this at all. However in 1997 they approached Ermetek to help them re-design or mine-proof their HUMMVEE.

How far we helped them if any at that stage I'm not sure. I was told that the Yanks realised that they had messed up a little with the HUMMVEE and wanted us to help them corrrect it.

The latest designs from the South African RG-31 team for their new "HUMMVEE"-type vehicle are about to be submitted to the Yanks.

As promised when I know more, I will keep you all posted.

Cheers

Graugrun

Ah well so they finally have to admit they are not as good as they say they are. :-) :-)

Sad thing is the technology surrounding mine protection is fairly common knowledge. The 43 degree V hull was developed in Sweden (I think so don't crucify me - this I read in old Stiff's Taming the landmine the weekend) at the end of WW2.

We developed it here independently and there is no evidence to show we copied the idea. Still it was 40 years ago when the first research was done in this field. Our first efforts were to get commercial vehicles such as the landrover protected. This was never really successful. So we developed new vehicles such as the Buffel (still a stop gap but a far cry from a landrover with conveyer belting in the wheel arches) and the Casspir.

Now please tell me why the CIA in their infinite logic and wisdom can't just spend R300 (at most) and by the book, give it to the engineers and say: "Thar you go boys, build us a mine protected vehicle" (In my best southern accent)

They should stop farting about at trying to get the Humvee protected and build an entirely new thing. And with this news it seems that they might.