Latil TAR Truck

[David]

The French Automative Firm of Latil (now long since absorbed by Renault) built the worlds first fourwheel-drive trucks in the late 1890-ies. During WW1 they started to manufacture trucks primarily intended for use as tractors for heavy artillery pieces. The Latil TAR used a 4-cylider, 4200cc, 35hp gasoline motor. It had a loading capacity of 4000 kilos. Using motor vehicles to pull artillery pieces was one of the novelties introduced during WW1. Only heavier guns were moved in this way. Field Artillery and other guns under 6 tons was still moved exclusively by horse, which was judged to be a more reliable and less complicated mode of transportation then by motor car. And motorized transport relied on fairly good roads and firm ground. But it had advantages: the speed was greater than horse transport, and also, the physical length of the marching columns was shortened considerably. Motorized transport could also cover longer distances than those units using La traction hippomobile. The Latil TAR was used to pull guns like the 155mm GPF, the Schneider 220L and the Schneider 280. Latil Trucks were also employed by the American Expeditionary Force during the War. The relative quality of the truck can also be judged by the fact, that the French Army kept it in Service all through the 20-ies and 30-ies, and it was also used in opening years of WW2 - but by then it was finally obsolete.