Buffel
Encyclopedia
The Buffel is a mine-protected APC used by the South Africa
n Army during the South African Border War
. The Buffel was also used as an armoured fighting vehicle and proved itself in this role. It has been replaced by the Mamba
in South Africa, but remains in use elsewhere, notably Sri Lanka
.
protected vehicle. More than 1,400 were delivered before production stopped. A few of these vehicles found their way into other armies.
The Buffel was not a wholly South African built vehicle, but made use of the chassis, engine and some other components of the Mercedes-Benz
Unimog
, which were married to the armoured driver's cab and separate armoured troop compartment. The driver's cab was situated on the left with the engine compartment on the right. Later models replaced the original Mercedes engine with copies built under license by Atlantis Diesel Engines
factory near Cape Town
.
Land mine protection was provided by the V-shaped hull
underneath these compartments, which quite effectively deflected the blast. The troop compartment contained two plastic tanks in the vee beneath the floor, a 200 litre diesel tank and a 100 litre water tank. The water tank provided drinking water to the occupants by means of a tap at the rear of the vehicle. It was a commonly held misconception amongst the troops that the weight of the water added to the blast protection.
In order to help dissipate the energy from hitting a mine, the large tires were usually filled with water, adding , we were told, about 500kg per wheel to the vehicle weight.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Army during the South African Border War
South African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
. The Buffel was also used as an armoured fighting vehicle and proved itself in this role. It has been replaced by the Mamba
Mamba APC
The Mamba is a South African armoured personnel carrier that offers protection against small arms fire and land mines. The vehicle, which uses a Unimog chassis and is powered by a Mercedes Benz engine, is suited for rough terrain and can carry up to 10 passengers plus the driver...
in South Africa, but remains in use elsewhere, notably Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
Production history
The Buffel was introduced in 1978 after it was found that the South African Army had the need for a basic mineLand mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
protected vehicle. More than 1,400 were delivered before production stopped. A few of these vehicles found their way into other armies.
The Buffel was not a wholly South African built vehicle, but made use of the chassis, engine and some other components of the Mercedes-Benz
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...
Unimog
Unimog
Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
, which were married to the armoured driver's cab and separate armoured troop compartment. The driver's cab was situated on the left with the engine compartment on the right. Later models replaced the original Mercedes engine with copies built under license by Atlantis Diesel Engines
Atlantis Diesel Engines
Atlantis Diesel Engines was a South African manufacturer of diesel engines and vehicle components, notably for the military. Engine manufacture ended in 1999...
factory near Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
.
Land mine protection was provided by the V-shaped hull
V-hull
The V-hull is a type of vehicle armor design used on wheeled armored personnel carriers , infantry mobility vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles...
underneath these compartments, which quite effectively deflected the blast. The troop compartment contained two plastic tanks in the vee beneath the floor, a 200 litre diesel tank and a 100 litre water tank. The water tank provided drinking water to the occupants by means of a tap at the rear of the vehicle. It was a commonly held misconception amongst the troops that the weight of the water added to the blast protection.
In order to help dissipate the energy from hitting a mine, the large tires were usually filled with water, adding , we were told, about 500kg per wheel to the vehicle weight.
Variants
- Buffel - original
- Buffel Mk 1 - Improved engine and bushguard/bumper
- Log Buffel - Logistic/Cargo version, a standard Buffel with the seat assembly removed from the troop compartment
- Moffel - Open cargo-bed version
- UnicornUnicorn classThe Unicorn is a mine-protected wheeled APC used by the Sri Lankan military.-Production history:Initial research into producing a "Blast Protected Vehicle" armoured personnel carrier was begun in 1983 by a lone Infantry Major named Jayantha de Silva who was concerned by the destruction wrought by...
- Sri LankaSri Lankan ArmyThe Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
n produced version of the Buffel original. - UnibuffelUnibuffelThe Unibuffel is a mine-protected wheeled APC used by the Sri Lankan military.-Production history:Although similar to the South African Buffel, it is built entirely by the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers...
- Sri LankaSri Lankan ArmyThe Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
n produced version of the Mk 1 with a TataTata MotorsTata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
engine. - Buffel Mk IIA/B - Rebuilds of earlier Mk 1s with an enclosed troop compartment, a rear exit door and large bulletproof windows on the sides and rear
- Bulldog - based on SAMIL 20SAMIL TrucksSAMIL Trucks are the standard logistical transport vehicles of the South African National Defence Force, re-manufactured by Truck-Makers in Rosslyn, Pretoria, Drakensberg Truck Manufacturers in Wallmannsthal, N1 Trucks in Wallmansthal and Transvaal Motors in Boksburg...
truck with the driver's cab on the right - Rhino - A further development of the Bulldog but with the driver seated inside a fully enclosed troop compartment
Combat history
- AngolaSouth African Border WarThe South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
- NamibiaNamibian War of IndependenceSee also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
- Sri Lanka
See also
- Infantry fighting vehicleInfantry fighting vehicleAn infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
- List of armored fighting vehicles
- MambaMamba APCThe Mamba is a South African armoured personnel carrier that offers protection against small arms fire and land mines. The vehicle, which uses a Unimog chassis and is powered by a Mercedes Benz engine, is suited for rough terrain and can carry up to 10 passengers plus the driver...
- RCV-9RCV-9The RCV-9 is a light armoured vehicle manufactured by Land Systems OMC of South Africa.-Production history:It was developed in 1986 as a private venture by Sandock-Austral as an internal security vehicle for protecting high risk areas such as airports...
- RG-12RG-12The RG-12 is a multi-purpose public order vehicle with anti-personnel mine, grenade, fire bomb and small arms fire protection that is manufactured by Land Systems OMC of South Africa, with over 700 being in service globally in more than eight countries.Originally designed as a police public order...
- RG-19RG-19The RG-19 Caddie is a prototype Armoured Personnel carrier manufactured by TFM of South Africa. The company was later taken over by Reunert Defence OMC.-Production history:...
- RG-31RG-31The RG-31 Nyala is a 4×4 multi-purpose mine-protected armoured personnel carrier manufactured in South Africa by Land Systems OMC, a division of BAE Systems. It is based on the Mamba APC of TFM Industries...