The Isotta Fraschini D80 (civilian version) is a large truck built in Italy from 1934 to 1955, the Isotta Fraschini D80 NM (military version) was built only in 1935.

History

In the 1930s the Italian company

Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 195 ...

(IF), which specialized in the production of luxury cars, airplane, and naval engines had acquired through

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company

MAN SE MAN SE (abbreviation of ''Maschinenfabrik Augsburg- Nürnberg'', ) was a manufacturing and engineering company based in Munich, Germany. Its primary output was commercial vehicles and diesel engines through its MAN Truck & Bus and MAN Latin ...

the production license of

Diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine ...

engines. In 1934 they got in the truck market with the D80 heavy truck. In 1935 they added the D80 NM ("Nafta Militare" i.e. Army, Diesel fuel), immediately adopted by the

Italian Royal Army The Royal Italian Army () (RE) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfredo Fanti signed a decree c ...

. They were also used by the Italian

Corpo Truppe Volontarie The Corps of Volunteer Troops () was a Fascist Italian expeditionary force of military volunteers, which was sent to Spain to support the Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco against the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil ...

in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

. In 1937 the Isotta Fraschini D65 was added. These two trucks are known as the ''1st series.'' Isotta fraschini d80 NM

Following the unification decree of 1937, which required manufacturer to standardize certain properties (weight, capacity, number of

axle An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotation, rotating wheel and axle, wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In ...

, speed) in relation to any requisition for the war effort, in 1939 the Milanese house changed the rules thus allowing unified production of Isotta Fraschini D80 CO (civilian version) and D80 COM (military version) both known as the '' 2nd series.'' After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the ''3rd series'' went into production for the civilian market. In 1949,

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's Fàbrica Nacional de Motores (FNM) bought the rights for the production of the truck, and produced it there as the 'FNM R-80', then as 'FNM D 7.300'. It was FNM's first road vehicle, the company having been founded to manufacture aircraft engines and other products. Around 200 examples were built there, with 30 percent local parts content.

Bus models

The D80 was also used as a bus chassis, as a luxurious

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

. It used the same 7.3-litre diesel straight-six as the truck, delivering at 2,000 rpm. Power was delivered through an eight-speed gearbox (a four-speed with a splitter, including two reverse gears).

Technical information

The D80 is a heavy four-wheel truck with twin, driven rear wheels. The cab, built by

Zagato Zagato is a Coachbuilder, coachbuilding company founded by Ugo Zagato in 1919. The design center of the company is located in Terrazzano, a village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy. History The 1910s: Aeronautics Ugo Zagato was an Italians, Italian ...

, is conventional, right-hand drive. On the nose, five chrome strips start from the badge in the center of the grille continue along the sides of the bonnet. The engine is a

four-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

Diesel straight-six with displacement and delivered at 1,900 rpm in the pre-war specifications. The frame, supporting a 6.5 tons payload has a wheelbase and axle tracks of (front) and (rear). Bore and stroke are . The D80 CO and COM of the "2nd series", "unified" in accordance with the provisions of the Government, are characterized by a low fuel consumption and the presence of booster air. Outwardly, the CO and COM civilian and military have the same cabin with rounded corners, but they differ in the nose: the civilian model has an oval-shaped grille, while in the military is rectangular. While the civilian model is equipped with an electric starter, the military D80 NM was produced with a manual crank starter and only received an electric starter a few years into World War II.

Bibliography

*'' The Vehicles tactical and logistic of the Royal Italian Army until 1943'', vol. II (Italian), the Army, Historical Office, Nicola and Philip Pignato Chaplain, 2005.

References

External links