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In 1985 England-based EKA Ltd. equipped a MAN 32:321 chassis as a demonstration vehicle for its COMPACT heavy duty recovery system. In British Army service the COMPACT system was fitted to a Foden 6x6 chassis. The MAN based unit was .76m shorter than the Foden, had a Rotzler HZ 051 drum winch instead of a Wharton winch for self-recovery, a more powerful engine and could avail of the world-wide MAN service network. After the MAN unit had toured the Far East on a successful sales tour it was bought by the Irish Army in 1987 and entered service in 1988. It was nicknamed ‘The Beast’ by Irish soldiers on account of its huge size. This video was filmed during an Irish Army heavy vehicle recovery training course - hence the high-visibility jackets worn by trainees, trainers and safety personnel. Although it may appear sunny, the wind chill factor on the day was -2º Celsius. Video by Karl Martin. Photos by Karl Martin, Sean O’Sullivan, Comdt. Brian Daly and the Irish Defence Forces. In memory of Sgt. John ‘Ossie’ Osborne. Ossie crewed the MAN 32:321 for many years and was an expert in the art of heavy vehicle recovery. He died in April 2009. MAN 32:321 specification: Weight: GVW 32 tonnes. Length: 8.3 m overall. Width: 2.75 m. Cab height: 3.61 m. Wheelbase: 3.8 m + 1.45 m approx. (between hub centres) Tyres: Michelin 24R-20.5 XS flotation tyre, all terrain radial optimised for sand. Chassis no: WMA5100984MO34291 Engine type: 11.41-litre MAN D2566 MKF turbocharged six-cylinder diesel with an output of 320 bhp. Gearbox: ZF 16S 130RE. This range-splitter gearbox is split into eight ‘high’ and eight ‘low’ gears. ‘The Beast’ in use: The MAN 32:321 has an excellent cross-county performance but steep grassy hills can sometimes defeat it as a result of the huge tyres churning the grass into a slippery mulch and causing a loss of traction. Permanent 6x6 drive and three diff. locks are fitted but the front axle’s lock can only be engaged when going in a straight line, otherwise the heavy tyres will bend the steering arms. It has been successfully deployed overseas with Irish army units in Somalia, Lebanon and Kosovo. While ‘The Beast’ is still a useful recovery vehicle it can’t safely suspend tow modern fully loaded 8x8 vehicles such as the Irish-operated IVECO Astra and Scania DROPS or the Piranha IIIH 8x8 APC etc. This first became apparent in Kosovo in 2001 when the Irish KFOR contingent sometimes had to request assistance from nearby British or American units when recovering fully laden 8 x 8 vehicles. In 2003 an IVECO Astra 8 x 8 recovery wrecker, equipped with the EKALIFT 2500 heavy duty recovery body, was assigned to the Irish KFOR Transport Company Group as a replacement for the MAN Beast. In 2010 the Army took delivery of two state-of-the-art MAN SX45 8x8 recovery vehicles. One of these was delivered with appliqué armour fitted to the cab and is now based with Irish troops serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon. The MAN 6x6 Beast cannot be fitted with appliqué armour as the cab is a modified civilian model and it is therefore unlikely to be ever deployed overseas again. However, the Beast is still retained for use in Ireland because of its powerful winching ability, cross-country mobility and mechanical reliability. After over 27 years of service, the MAN Beast represents superb value for money and is ideal for training soldiers in the principles of heavy military vehicle recovery. ATLAS Crane: An ATLAS model AK6500EA12/1 12.5-tonne lift, fully slewing hydraulic crane is fitted. Two sideways extending stabilisers and two rear mounted anchor spades provide stability when in use. The operator sits on a chair attached to the side of the crane. The crane can also be operated by remote control when lifting dangerous loads. The crane’s double extension telescopic boom lifts 4.8 tonnes at 7.7 m., 7 tonnes at 5.3 m., 12.5 tonnes at 2.9 m. Winch details: One Rotzler HZ 051 drum winch (exiting via the front bumper) for self recovery and one rear mounted Rotzler HZ 200 drum winch with a 25-tonne straight pull or 50-tonne pull with the two rear anchor spades deployed. The winches can be operated remotely using the same console used for remote operation of the crane. EKA extendible underlift Recovery Arm: With the rear extendible Recovery Arm fully retracted to 700mm an 11.5-tonne dead lift and tow is possible. With the Arm extended to 1.5m. an eight-tonne dead lift and tow is permitted. For a video of the same ATLAS crane and EKA underlift in use on an ex-British Army Foden 6x6 see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU2HvKBfyjg