TheHaflinger.com

The Australian Army used Haflingers during the Vietnam War where they were used to carry ammunition in remote locations and a general runabout. I am not sure if any got shot up but I do know of at least one failed air drop back home where a Haffie came to a nasty end.

What other countries used Haflingers in wars and how were they used?

Got any pics?

Garry

Hi Garry,

Last year, I sent an e-mail to an Australian Association of veterans of the Vietnam War, to get some information on the presence of Haflinger in Vietnam.

Before you answer, the person asked me to contact other veterans and even knowing the Haflinger, all were in agreement that these vehicles were never in Vietnam.

Also last year, I bought a Haflinger 703ap, of English origin, who sold this Haflinger UK said it had been at war in the Falkland Islands, but I have not found any feedback and photographs that this was true .....

maxhafli wrote:Hi Garry,

Last year, I sent an e-mail to an Australian Association of veterans of the Vietnam War, to get some information on the presence of Haflinger in Vietnam.

Before you answer, the person asked me to contact other veterans and even knowing the Haflinger, all were in agreement that these vehicles were never in Vietnam.

Hello Max. Only a few weeks ago I spoke with a Vietnam vet who said he saw around 8 Haflingers at the Nui Dat base, and he drove some of them as well. They were flown to Vietnam in the belly of a Hercules transport aircraft, so these vehicles were not on the official register of vehicles shipped there. I'm doing some more research on this topic.

With regards from Sydney. Rick

Hi Rick,
wow, good news! I hope you manage to find the photographs, it would be great !!

Certainly the references on the internet all come from one source and there is no independent second source.

I know a senior conservator at the Australian War Memorial so I have sent him an email asking if the Haffie was used. There is certainly not one in the Memorial and I visited the Annex where they restore everything in the collection last December and there was not one there. The AWM only displays items that relate to active war service.

I have also assisted the Bandiana Army Museum with equipment for the restoration of their Landrover 101FC so have contacts there - they have a Haffie and trailer on display so they should know for sure - I will try to contact them tomorrow.

But lets not let this detract from the subject of the thread - if any one else knows of Haflingers in war conditions please post up information.

Cheers

Garry

Interesting, with the US activly using Mules in Vietnam, I suprised Haflingers were not used extensivly. Having friends that spent time there from the US forces, they indicated the Mule was a perfect truck in theater.

US Army Mule for referance

Hello

I am also keen to know how the Indonesian army used their Haflingers. Constantins website http://tdc.haflinger-4wd.com/types/idarmy-haf.php tells us that 1000 Haflingers were sold to the Indonesian army from 1962, some 6% of the entire production of the model, and they received the first of the tropical variants with the cyclonic air filter system at the front end.

Indonesia was involved in several combative military operations, including the invasion of East Timor, occupation of West Papua, Malayan Emergency etc. and presumably the Indonsian Army would have used its Haflingers in some of these theatres. I wonder how we could learn more of how the Indonesian Army used its Haflingers?

cheers

Rick

maxhafli wrote:Hi Rick,
wow, good news! I hope you manage to find the photographs, it would be great !!

Hello Max. Im following up on a couple of good leads now, hoping to corroborate stories. No photos as yet. Im afraid the Bandiana Museum folks couldnt tell me much. The vehicle logs, which would have been very useful with service/use history, seem to have been lost or destroyed (certainly the AWM dosnt keep this type of record, at least not for the Haflinger). Wish me luck.

Cheers

Rick

maxhafli wrote:Last year, I sent an e-mail to an Australian Association of veterans of the Vietnam War, to get some information on the presence of Haflinger in Vietnam.

all were in agreement that these vehicles were never in Vietnam.

Max on looking at this a bit closer and I am beginning to think you are correct. Like Rick, I contacted Bandiana Museum and they did not know if Haffies went to Vietnam. I was put onto a recognised text authored by a senior member of the Australian War Memorial. The book is called Mud and Dust by Mike Cecil and it outlines all vehicles and artillery used by the Australian Army in Vietnam and indeed also covers some local vehicles that were requisitioned. Here is a link to it http://www.awm.gov.au/shop/item/9781741 ... T3Zbld8Ols This book does not list the Haflinger as one of the vehicles used.

Rick K wrote:Hello Max. Only a few weeks ago I spoke with a Vietnam vet who said he saw around 8 Haflingers at the Nui Dat base, and he drove some of them as well. They were flown to Vietnam in the belly of a Hercules transport aircraft, so these vehicles were not on the official register of vehicles shipped there. I'm doing some more research on this topic.

Rick

I wonder if the vehicles that this Vet saw were in fact Mules?

Cheers

Garry

Hello all -

Just to add another dimension to this thread, the BBC last year showed a documentary about bomb disposal in the 70's and 80's by the British Army (sadly predominantly in Northern Ireland). In some of the footage/images shown, a Hafi can be seen in the background . . .
Not sure who was responsible for bomb disposal back then - perhaps the Royal Logistics Corps ?

Sorry - I can't remember the name of the programme . . . . Doh !

Paul

Paul,
Thanks for the lead.
Try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jL3drcH_8
and look to the time 12:07. I have not seen the entire video but the video upon which the four soldiers are leaning is a RHD Haflinger with trailer atached.
Great photo!
Thanks and take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

Crikey - you need good eyes and to be concentrating to notice that.

Jim,

a very interesting link, thanks. I am quite sure that the Haflinger shown is a Royal Navy model, because one can clearly see the spare wheel fitted directly underneath the platform without rear footwell. This would be typical for this version. Maybe we can track down the owner of the picture and find out more... I'll certainly try.


Kind regards,
Constantin

Hi Garry - It must have been on a rare occasion I was paying attention !

The programme was very interesting and as I remember focussed on the Army Bomb Disposal. I'll have to watch it all again for details, but maybe the Royal Ordnance Corps were involved ? Also, it's interesting as Constantin suggests, that the Haf is an RN version - maybe it was borrowed for trials ?

And . . . look at the size of the trailer the poor things towing

Best wishes to all -

Paul

I had a look at the whole documentary and Haflingers (or possibly the same one) can also be seen in pictures at 3:06 and 31:26. It would be great to find out more about these historic pictures. I'll try and see if I can track down the right ex ATO.

Kind regards,
Constantin

Constantin,
I do believe you are correct. That is excellent! Three vintage black and white photos showing a Haflinger in active duty. It is helpful that the credits at the end of the documentary are so complete. Before this is over, I suspect there will be a large number of Haflinger photos coming to the surface.
Please let us know how we may be of assistance.
Take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

There seams to be some interest in this topic. I of course also have an interest in finding a photo of my Haflinger.
I was told by an australian amry haflinger owner that the Australian army haflingers did see active duty but there is some conflicting stories and no evidence to support.

Looking forward on seeing some pictures of ARN 101847........

I have also raised this issue on some aussie military forums - the consensus (but not 100%) was that the vehicles sighted in Vietnam were most likely Mules http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Milit ... 2_Ton,_4X4 . As yet there is no confirmed (followed up with a verification process) sighting of a Haffie in Vietnam.

Once more there is no record or pics in Australian War Memorial records on the Haffie in warlike conditions and there would be something if they went.

Looks like a dead end on this at the moment.

As far as in service pics go - good luck.

Cheers

Garry