Opel Blitz flatbed
Year of manufacture: 1942
Power: 75 hp
Displacement:3,626 cm3
Number of cylinders/valves: 6/2
Weight: 5,800 kg
Condition: Damaged
Catalog number: 236
Before World War II, Opel was the largest German manufacturer of trucks. The name Blitz was first used for a new Opel truck introduced in November 1930. As part of the Nazi economy and Germany’s rearmament efforts, authorities ordered the construction of the Opelwerk Brandenburg factory. Between 1935 and 1944, more than 130,000 trucks and chassis of various designs and load capacities were produced.
The original factory in Rüsselsheim could not keep up with the required production volume, so the German leadership decided to build a new factory on a “greenfield” site. Construction of the factory, from groundbreaking to the assembly of the first vehicle, took an incredible 7 months. On August 6, 1944, the factory was largely destroyed by an RAF air raid, and production was moved to the Mercedes Benz factory, where it replaced the MB L3000 model.
The Opel Blitz was a medium-duty truck intended in the 1930s and 1940s mainly for tasks related to offensive military operations. It was used both in Africa and on the Eastern Front. Countless versions were made, including various bodies, flatbeds, and it also served as a tractor for artillery and trailers.
The base design was a 4×2 with rear-wheel drive and two wheelbase lengths. Later, an all-wheel-drive version was added. The engine was initially a flat six-cylinder. However, the majority of production was equipped with an inline six-cylinder engine with displacements of 2.5, 3.4, and 3.7 liters producing 55, 64, and 75 hp. The total weight ranged from 2,300 kg up to 6,000 kg.
It was the most widespread truck of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. After Germany’s defeat, the Opel factories in Brandenburg fell into the Soviet zone and were completely dismantled, with equipment shipped east. Production of the Blitz did not continue in the USSR. Production in Rüsselsheim was soon resumed, and the first post-war Blitz was completed on July 15, 1946.
This vehicle is a flatbed truck designed for transporting soldiers, including seats in the cargo bed.
