MAP75 Armoured Personnel Carrier
Encyclopedia
The MAP75 Armoured Personnel Carrier (aka MAP ‘seven five’) is a Rhodesian/Zimbabwean 4x4d heavy troop-carrying vehicle (TCV) first introduced in 1978 based on a Mercedes-Benz
truck chassis.
7.5 ton Series LA1113/42 truck chassis. Adapted from the Crocodile Armoured Personnel Carrier
, the open-topped hull or ‘capsule’ is faceted at the sides, which were designed to deflect small-arms’ rounds, and a flat deck reinforced by a v-shaped ‘crush box’ meant to deflect landmine blasts. Three inverted U-shaped ‘roll bars’ shorter than those on the Crocodile were fitted to protect the fighting compartment from being crushed in case the vehicle turned and roll over after a mine detonation. However, the reduced height of the ‘roll bars’ often hampered the crew’s movements inside the vehicle, though the problem was rectified only in the post-war Zimbabwean versions by fitting higher bars.
Access to the vehicle’s interior is made by means of two medium-sized doors at the vertical hull rear whilst two square hatches placed low at the hull sides allowed for rapid debussing, an innovation that reflected the vehicle’s combat offensive role.
-58 7.62mm Light Machine Gun
(LMG), sometimes installed on a locally-produced one-man MG armoured turret to protect the gunner. Vehicles assigned to convoy escorting duties (‘E-type’) had a Browning M1919A4
7.62mm heavy machine gun mounted on a open-topped, cylinder-shaped turret (dubbed ‘the dustbin’). Twin Browning MG pintle mounts placed behind the driver’s compartment were often added on ‘Seven fives’ employed for ‘externals’. The Zimbabwean vehicles after 1980 sported pintle-mounted Soviet-made 12.7mm and 14.5mm Heavy Machine Gun
s (HMG) instead.
(ZNA) in early 1980 and equipped both the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Rhodesian African Rifles
(RAR), which participated in the large military exercises conducted at Somabula Plain, Matabeleland
that same year. ZNA's 'Seven Fives' were thrown into action in November 1980 against ZIPRA troops at the battle of Entumbane (near Bulawayo
, Matabeleland), and later again after February 1982 by helping to put down the super-ZAPU insurgency in Matabeleland. 'Seven Fives' were also employed by the ZNA forces in Mozambique
guarding the Mutare
-Beira oil pipeline in 1982-1993 from MNR (later Renamo) guerrilla attacks.
, ZNA Pumas appear on several scenes portraying South African Defence Force
(SADF) and South African Police
(SAP) armoured vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
truck chassis.
General description
The MAP75 consists of an all-welded body with a fully enclosed troop compartment built on a modified Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
7.5 ton Series LA1113/42 truck chassis. Adapted from the Crocodile Armoured Personnel Carrier
Crocodile Armoured Personnel Carrier
The Crocodile Armoured Personnel Carrier or “Croc”is a Rhodesian/Zimbabwean 4x2d heavy troop-carrying vehicle first introduced in 1977 based on Japanese commercial trucks’ chassis.- General description :...
, the open-topped hull or ‘capsule’ is faceted at the sides, which were designed to deflect small-arms’ rounds, and a flat deck reinforced by a v-shaped ‘crush box’ meant to deflect landmine blasts. Three inverted U-shaped ‘roll bars’ shorter than those on the Crocodile were fitted to protect the fighting compartment from being crushed in case the vehicle turned and roll over after a mine detonation. However, the reduced height of the ‘roll bars’ often hampered the crew’s movements inside the vehicle, though the problem was rectified only in the post-war Zimbabwean versions by fitting higher bars.
Access to the vehicle’s interior is made by means of two medium-sized doors at the vertical hull rear whilst two square hatches placed low at the hull sides allowed for rapid debussing, an innovation that reflected the vehicle’s combat offensive role.
Armament
Rhodesian MAP75s were usually armed with a FN MAGFN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
-58 7.62mm Light Machine Gun
Light machine gun
A light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
(LMG), sometimes installed on a locally-produced one-man MG armoured turret to protect the gunner. Vehicles assigned to convoy escorting duties (‘E-type’) had a Browning M1919A4
M1919 Browning machine gun
The M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War...
7.62mm heavy machine gun mounted on a open-topped, cylinder-shaped turret (dubbed ‘the dustbin’). Twin Browning MG pintle mounts placed behind the driver’s compartment were often added on ‘Seven fives’ employed for ‘externals’. The Zimbabwean vehicles after 1980 sported pintle-mounted Soviet-made 12.7mm and 14.5mm Heavy Machine Gun
Heavy machine gun
The heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I...
s (HMG) instead.
Variants
- Troop-Carrying Vehicle (TCV) or “Puma” – is the standard IFV/APC version, armed with either a single LMG (Rhodesian SF 1978-79) or HMG (ZNA 1980–present) and capable of carrying 16 infantrymen.
- Convoy escorting version - basic IFV/APC version (‘E-type’) fitted with ‘dustbin’ Browning MG turret (Rhodesian SF 1978-79).
- Command vehicle – command version equipped with radios and map boards.
- Ambulance – modified version of the command vehicle intended for medical support and casualty evacuation.
- Cargo vehicle – transport version with shortened, open-top cargo hull.
- Articulated tractor – heavy transport truck with a four-wheel cargo trailer.
- Horse-carrying vehicle (HCV) – modified transport version with wooden box for horses (‘horse box’).
- Armoured horse-carrying vehicle – 1 specially-modified articulated tractor in service with the Grey's ScoutsGrey's ScoutsGrey's Scouts were a Rhodesian mounted infantry unit raised in July 1975 and named after George Grey, a prominent soldier in the Second Matabele War. Based in Salisbury , they were known for their participation in the Rhodesian Bush War...
later converted to a mobile operations and command room (Rhodesian SF 1978-79).
- Wrecker – recovery version with shortened cab mounting a 6-tonne Model 600 Holmes jib, with A-frame and tooling.
Combat history
After independence, the MAP75 entered service with the Zimbabwe National ArmyZimbabwe National Army
The Zimbabwe National Army is the land warfare branch of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000.-History:...
(ZNA) in early 1980 and equipped both the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Rhodesian African Rifles
Rhodesian African Rifles
The Rhodesian African Rifles, or RAR, was the oldest regiment in the Rhodesian Army, dating from the formation of the 1st Rhodesian Native Regiment in 1916 during the First World War. This was followed by the creation of the Matabeleland Native Regiment, and the 2nd Rhodesian Native Regiment,...
(RAR), which participated in the large military exercises conducted at Somabula Plain, Matabeleland
Matabeleland
Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...
that same year. ZNA's 'Seven Fives' were thrown into action in November 1980 against ZIPRA troops at the battle of Entumbane (near Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, Matabeleland), and later again after February 1982 by helping to put down the super-ZAPU insurgency in Matabeleland. 'Seven Fives' were also employed by the ZNA forces in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
guarding the Mutare
Mutare
Mutare is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of around 170,000. It is the capital of Manicaland province.-History:...
-Beira oil pipeline in 1982-1993 from MNR (later Renamo) guerrilla attacks.
Operators
– In service with the Rhodesian Security Forces in 1978-1980 passed on to successor state. – Still in service with the ZNA.Pop culture
The post-war “Puma” version made some appearances in television and film productions shot in Zimbabwe and set in the Apartheid era of the 1970s-80s. In one such film, the 1987 British movie Cry FreedomCry Freedom
Cry Freedom is a 1987 British drama film directed by Richard Attenborough, set in the late 1970s, during the apartheid era of South Africa. It was written from a screenplay by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods...
, ZNA Pumas appear on several scenes portraying South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
(SADF) and South African Police
South African Police
The South African Police was the country's police force until 1994. The SAP traced its origin to the Dutch Watch, a paramilitary organization formed by settlers in the Cape in 1655, initially to protect civilians against attack and later to maintain law and order...
(SAP) armoured vehicles.
See also
- MAP45 Armoured Personnel CarrierMAP45 Armoured Personnel CarrierThe MAP45 Armoured Personnel Carrier is a Rhodesian/Zimbabwean 4x4d heavy troop-carrying vehicle first introduced in 1978 based on a Mercedes-Benz truck chassis.- History :...
- Crocodile Armoured Personnel CarrierCrocodile Armoured Personnel CarrierThe Crocodile Armoured Personnel Carrier or “Croc”is a Rhodesian/Zimbabwean 4x2d heavy troop-carrying vehicle first introduced in 1977 based on Japanese commercial trucks’ chassis.- General description :...
- Mine Protected Combat Vehicle - MPCV