Tatra History

In about 1919, trucks under the marque, Tatra, began appearing in the newly created country of Czechoslovakia. The company manufacturing these trucks, situated in the Moravian town of Koprivnice (of which the Germanic name is Nesselsdorf), was called Koprivnicka Vozovka a.s. (Koprivnice Wagon Works) and would become Tatra some years later. Prior to this, it had actually been called Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau Fabrik (Nesselsdorf Wagon Works) which began producing vehicles in the 1850s. The firm is actually most famous for its fantastic, aerodynamic sedans with rear-mounted engines, but trucks have accounted for a major portion of its output since the 1950s.

The Tatra name comes from the Tatra High Mountains, some of the higher peaks of the Carpathian mountain range. One particular day, in 1919, on a road from the settlement of Lomnica to Strba in the Tatras, a very successful test occuried. A Nesselsdorfer vehicle, sporting experimental 4-wheel brakes, successfully navagated the tretcherous, snow-covered road, suprising its occupants as to how an automobile or truck could cope in such conditions. A passanger stated, "This is a car for the Tatras!", and the rest is history.

No doubt, one of the greatest contributors to the manufacturer was the Austrian engineer, Hans Ledwinka. Ledwinka was chief engineer between 1921 and the mid 1930s.His leadership signalled the emergence of the company as a maker of technically significant and advanced trucks, capable of operating in very rough conditions.

In 1925, the first truck, designed from start to finish as a Tatra, was born. The design of this truck, called the T13, was largely based on concepts that Hans Ledwinka had successfully applied to Tatra automobiles since the T11 of 1923. The T13 featured an independent rear suspension using swing axles and a torsionally rigid, central back-bone chassis construction. The drive-shaft ran inside a central tube to which components were attached, which offerred several advantages over more typically used design concepts in trucks. The enclosed drive shaft is shielded from dirt and has less of a chance of being damaged.The jointless, independant suspension allowed a high range of wheel movement, allowing the truck to be operated over rough terrain and harsh enviroments. The system would see a lot of refinements and improvements in its design in the larger Tatra trucks of higher load capacity and, in some cases, of multiple axle construction which would follow the T13.

The T13 was powered by an air-cooled 1056cc 2-cylinder OHV engine with an output of 12bhp. Air-cooled engines have been extensively employed in Tatra trucks over the years due to several advantages, including greater reliability in severe temperatures.

Various body types were available for the T13, which sported a distinctive, clean and rounded nose similar to the one found on Tatra passenger automobiles of the 1920s. In the years from 1925 to 1933, production of the 1 ton T13 trucks totalled 762.

In 1926 the T23 and T26 models appeared, the T23 was powered by a 7478cc water-cooled 64bhp (@ 1500 rpm) 4-cylinder engine. The T26 was powered by a 13bhp 2-cylinder air-cooled engine. The T23 was offered as a 3 ton bus until 1931. The T26 became a 6x4 in 1927 when it was upgraded to T26/30 form, with a 24bhp (@ 3000rpm) 1678cc engine which came from the T30 passenger car. Then in 1931 it became the T26/52, which meant that it was upgraded with the T52's 30bhp 1910cc horizontally opposed flat-4 engine. The 6-wheeled T26s were successfully used by the Czechoslovakian army in those years.

1927-1935

In 1927 the company was renamed Zavody Tatra, which translates to Tatra Works Ltd. Finally the successful Tatra marque was reflected in its manufacturer's name.

In 1929 the T43 was introduced and was powered by the same motor as the T26/30. The T43 was produced in a quantity of 900 until 1931.

In about 1929/30 came the 6x4 T24, available with a 4 or 6 cylinder engine, and lasted until 1931. Carrying capacity, with the water-cooled 12215cc 114bhp (@ 1500rpm) 6-cylinder engine, was 10-tons. The 4-cylinder engine was the same as in the T23 and the 1934-35 T29.

The T27, with newly developed hydraulic brakes, arrived in 1930. It had a 3-ton load capacity and utilized a 83bhp (@ 2100) water-cooled 4712cc 4-cylinder engine, which was down-rated to 62.3bhp for use in the 1931-35 6x4 T28. The T27 was one of the more popular Tatra trucks and was produced until 1941, when it was updated as the T27B, which continued production well into 1947.

In 1933 the T25 and T72 truck were introduced. The T25 was a towing truck produced until 1934 and was propelled by the engine used in the T24/63 it had a 4-ton carrying capacity. The T72 was a 6x4 off-road truck with all rear wheels suspended using half-axles and was powered by the same engine found in the T26/52 and with an 8 forward/2 reverse speed gearbox. Production of the T72 ceased in 1935. Lorraine-Dietrich of France also manufactured the T72 under license for a time. A modified T72 caravan was used in the 1930s, to tour Australia and Japan where it really succeeded to prove itself as a very good vehicle for rough terrain and again demonstrated that air-cooling could be highly advantageous for operation in warm climates. More treks of Tatra trucks would follow.

1935 brought in the T82 and T84. The round nosed T82 was a 6x4 vehicle that utilized an air-cooled 2494cc 4-cylinder OHC of 54bhp (@ 3500rpm), 325 were produced until 1937. The 6x6 (all swing-axles) T84 was made only that year and had its engine, the same as found in the T23 and T29, unconventionally mounted behind the cabin.

1936-1944

1936 brought the company yet another name change. Baron Hans von Ringhoffer, the proprietor of the Tatra works since 1923, decided to combine it with his Prague-Smichov wagon factory to create Ringhoffer-Tatra. Also during that year, the T85 platform truck appeared, employing a 8143cc water-cooled 4-cyl. engine and with a 4-6 ton load capacity, it stayed in production until 1938.

The T92 6x4 and T93 6x6 were introduced in 1937, where the T72 left off. Both were powered by a 3981cc air-cooled 8-cylinder OHC engine of 74bhp output.

In 1938 Tatra fell under German control due to the signing of the 'Munich Agreement', which was apparently a way to avoid war by giving a part of Chechoslovakia to the Germans. This meant halting all production and having all patents confiscated.

World War II broke out in 1939 and Tatra was forced to produce trucks for military use. That same year the massive 8-ton 6x4 T81 was introduced. The T81 utilized a 12.5-litre water-cooled 8-cylinder engine of 158bhp (either in gasoline or diesel form), had a carrying capacity of 6.5-tons, and a 65 km/h top speed.

In 1942, as war waged on, came the introduction of the legendary T111 which was derived from the earlier T81. This imposing 6x6 truck was powered by a massive and extremely reliable 14.8-litre V12 208bhp (@ 2250rpm) OHV engine, one of the first air-cooled diesel engines utilized in a truck. The T111 was capable of conquering 50% grades and carrying loads from 6 to 10 tons (depending on the version). Its total wheelbase measured 5.4 meters and its dry weight was 8.5 tons, but it posessed a very respectable maximum speed of 75 km/h.

The T111 proved popular as 32,243 sales spanned its production years from 1942 to 1961. The T111 was also involved in a favorite Tatra past time, touring foreign countries and continents to prove the worth of its products. Several highly successful treks were made by T111s, across China, Tibet, Mongolia, and Africa.

1945-1981

Hans Ledwinka's stay at Tatra was cut short after the war in 1945 when he was accused of collaboration with the Nazis and was promptly imprisoned until 1951. After release he moved to Austria and then to Munich, Germany where he remained until his death in 1967.

In 1946 the new socialist government of Czechoslovakia nationalized the company and its name was reverted to Tatra. Julius Mackerle was now the head engineer of the design team.

The first new, post-war Tatra truck to appear, was the T114. The T114 was capable of carrying 3 tons and was powered by a 4940cc air-cooled 4-cyl. engine. The year following brought the T115, which used the same 4940cc air-cooled 4-cyl. engine. The next year the T116 was created, which was powered by a 10.2 itter 6cyl. engine and had a 6 ton load capacity and was produced until 1952.

In the 1950s Tatra would begin placing more and more emphasis on truck production and less on passenger cars, due to a decree by the government to do so in the early part of that decade. Tatra already had a good reputation as a truck maker, and was experienced in that field and therefore this did not present much of a problem.

In 1952 the 2-powered-axle cross-country T128 was introduced, which was followed by the 6x6 T130. Both employed an air-cooled diesel 9883cc V8 128bhp (@ 2000rpm) powerplant.

In 1956 the rounded and interesting looking 4x4 T805, available in truck or van form was introduced. In production until 1960, the relatively small T805 was powered by a 2.5-litre 8-cyl. engine and could cruise at 75 km/h. A modified caravan version of it was involved in more expeditions of exotic places.

1957 was the first year of the production of the T141. It was largely based on the famous T111, still being produced at that time, and shared its diesel V12 engine. Production of T141, with its 5.7 ton load capacity and three power axles, ceased in 1969.

The distinctive T138, with an impressive 12 ton carrying capacity, appeared in 1961. It introduced a new type of suspension for commercial vehicles, utilizing sprung suspension rods. The T138 has an 11.8-litre 8clyl engine, producing 177.5bhp at 2000rpm. It was succeeded by the almost identical looking T148, made from 1970 to 1982 in a quantity of 113,647, which made do with a slightly bigger 209bhp engine. Both of these 6x6 models took part in an extensive trek across Europe during the 1970s to promote them.

In 1965 the squarely styled and imposing T813 was introduced. The T813 was outfitted with a monstrous and torquey 17.6-litre, 12-cylinder air-cooled diesel engine with 247bhp @ 2000rpm. It could haul up to 8.2 tons and was available in many forms, including the approprietly named 8x8 Kolos (collosal) towing truck. The T813 is probably the most widely known Tatra truck ever produced.

1982-1996 and beyond

The last new Tatra truck model produced in the Koprivnice Factory was the T815, which went on sale in 1982 and is still produced with minor improvements to this day in a multitude of different versions. The rather conventional looking T815, available in 2, 3, or 4 axle format, was initially equipped with a 15.8 liter 10-cylinder air-cooled diesel engine. Later on a 19-liter 12-cyl. engine and a 12.7-litre 8-cyl. engine became available. Carrying capaciy of a typical T815 is about 14 or 15 tons and maximum speed is around 90 km/h.

Special versions, in 4x4 and 6x6 form, of the T815 have had phenomenal success in the Dakar Rallies. At the 1987 Paris-Algiers-Dakar rally Tatra T815VD 4x4s (equipped with the mentioned 8-cyl. engine and capable of 150 km/h) placed in 2nd, 15th, 16th, and 18th in the truck category against tough competition (such as the Russian Kamaz trucks). In the 1988 Paris-Algiers-Dakar rally 1st place was captured by a similar truck piloted by Karel Laprais. At the 1990 Paris-Tripoli-Dakar rally the Kahaneck/Havlick/Krpec team took 3rd place. Third was also attained at the 1992 Paris-Sirte-Cape Town rally by the Loprais/Kalina/Stachura team. Once again 1st position came at the '95 Granada-Dakar by Loprais/Stachura/Tomecek. Complete results for the '96 Granada-Dakar event are as follows: 2nd (by the Loprais/Tomecek/Stachura team), 3rd, 4th, and 15th.

It is important to note that Tatra trucks commend such respect that the Dakar rally organizers have often used special 8x8 Tatra trucks to carry fuel and help out stranded entrants along the way. Such a job certainly requires a very capable and reliable vehicle. In addition to taking part in rallies, the T815 continued the Tatra tradition of travelling across the continents.

In 1992 Tatra became a company of the Czech Republic due to the split up of Czechoslovakia. It is not apparent when the company was privatized but this may have happend around that time.

Tatra a.s. has been having some difficulty in adjusting to the rather sudden change to the free-market economy and the temporary loss of markets after the collapse of the U.S.S.R It appears that the situation is improving. The case in point being a $180 million order by the United Arab Emirates Army for 1100 T815 8x8 trucks powered by Deutz water-cooled engines. Other news is that Skoda Plzen (unrelated to the auto-maker Skoda) has purchased 43.5% of Tatra.