LEYLAND DAF T244 GS
| Weight: | 6.853kg | Length: | 6.65m |
| Height: | 3.34m | Width: | 2.49m |
| Crew: | 3 | Maximum Road Speed: | 89km/h |
In June 1989 the Leyland DAF 4-tonne truck was selected to be the basis of the next generation of 4ton trucks
used by the British Army. The selection followed an arduous 'drive off' contest against designs from AWD Bedford and
Volvo Trucks Ltd, and the initial order was for 5350 units, production started the same year.
The Leyland DAF T244 GS was to replace to the Bedford MJ/MK GS and is currently in service with British Army, although many
of the Bedfords have been retained due to their reliability and ease of repair. It is not uncommon to see a 1981 Bedford alongside a 1990 Daf.
The Leyland entrant, now produced by Leyland Trucks, was based on a design known as the T244, an entirely orthodox
design with a forward control all-steel cab and the conventional cargo body with a removable tailgate and dropsides as required on all British Army GS Trucks.
The forward tilting cab design was based on the C44 used on the Leyland Roadrunner commercial light truck and is so
arranged to allow the vehicle to be driven directly into a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft (the T244 GS model).
DAF T244 with 1.5ton trailer
The sleeper cab has space to allow it to be used for driver training or to allow radios or additional equipment to be carried. The cab roof is strengthened to bear the weight of two men and has provision for a storage box or roof hatch and machine gun installation over the observers platform inside the cab.
DAF T244 with Workshop Body
Every component on the vehicle was rigorously tested prior to the selection contest, including the axles which were specially developed at the Leyland Albion plant in Glasgow. The engine chosen was the Cummins 6 Cylinder 5.9litre Diesel developing 145bhp. The Leyland truck has assumed many of the tasks undertaken by British in-service 4ton vehicles.
DAF T244 Containerised
It can carry 20 troops or 3 standard NATO pallets, and may be encountered with a variety of special bodies. These are a flat-bed versions used to carry Medium Girder Bridge sections, a field refueling module, various types of containers for electronics and communication systems, workshops, and acting as a mobile trackway carrier and layer.
DAF T244 UBRE
Optional equipment includes a front or rear-operating winch, left or right-hand drive, a tipper body, and a
load-handling crane.
DAF T244 Royal Engineers Track Layer
Many thanks to Tony Hoare (plainmilitary@yahoo.co.uk) for the use of the following photographs:
DAF T244 REME Salisbury Plain
Medic DAF T244
