Bernardini X-1A2 Recovery Vehicle

     Notes:  This is an X-1A2 light tank with the turret removed and replaced with an A-frame crane which may be raised over for front or back, with a capacity of 8 tons.  The vehicle also has a front mounted winch with a capacity of 10 tons, and a rear winch with a capacity of 20 tons, each with 60 meters of cable.  Also on the front end of the vehicle is a dozer blade; it is not meant for obstacle clearance as a primary role, but instead is meant to brace the vehicle when using crane or winch. (The winch cable actually hooks to the bottom of the blade when traveling.) The vehicle carries basic tools, tracked vehicle tools, wheeled vehicle tools, excavating tools, a tow bar, welding gear, an air compressor, and various ropes, chains, and pulleys for its tasks. An arc welder/cutter powered by the vehicle is also provided, as is a selection of spare parts for the X-1A2 or other light vehicles depending on what vehicles it is intended to recover.  Typically, two X-1A2-type roadwheels, two short tread sections, and a sprocket and idler are carried, along with a small selection of spare parts for the X-1 series.  The RV can also carry a complete X-1A2 engine and transmission on its rear deck.

     As with the X-1A2, the recovery vehicle version is powered by a 300-horsepower Saab-Scania turbocharged diesel engine, coupled to a manual transmission.  The suspension is comprised of three bogies (and an idler and drive sprocket); it is the same sort of suspension as used on early models of the M4 Sherman tank. Torsion bars were also fitted, with a shock absorbers at the front and rear. As it uses an X-1A2 hull, it is lengthened as well.

     As the X-1A2 is long out of service with Brazil, the X-1A2 RV is as well; however, many were bought by Paraguay for recovering their light vehicles.

Bernardini XLP-10

     Notes:  This is a Brazilian armored vehicle launched bridge based on the chassis of the X-1A light tank.  The bridge on the vehicle can span a gap of 10 meters and take a weight of 22 tons.  The bridge itself weighs 4.7 tons, and takes 5 minutes to emplace or recover.  The chassis has its turret removed, and replaced with machinery to carry and emplace the bridge.  The commander is rather low in the vehicle, as is the driver, and the bridge operator is in the center front of the vehicle and sits the lowest within the vehicle, generally working through vision blocks.

     The setup is otherwise similar to the hull of the X-1A, with the driver on the left front and the commander on the right front. The commander has a mount for a light weapon; the weapon has limited elevation and left traverse while the bridge is being carried; and the commander can only raise his head to about the head-and-shoulders level. The engine is the same 280-horsepower Saab-Scania turbocharged diesel as on the X-1A, with a manual transmission. It has the same sort of suspension as the X-1A2 RV: vertical volute with torsion bars and modernized shock absorbers.

     As with the X-1A2 recovery vehicle, numbers of the XLP-10 were bought by Paraguay for its light vehicles and infantry forces.

*The “turret” values are actually for the bridge, the “CiH” rating actually reflects the difficulty to hit the bridge and it’s machinery and do significant damage to it.