Berliet GD series

The GD series had a limited military use as a not-armoured transport vehicle both with purposely-made models and through requisition.

[3] The French magazine La revue industrielle gives an alternative name for the GDH: CBL.

[4] In May 1927, Berliet introduced a GDH version more focussed on coach usage, the GDHV[2] with a 10.5 tonnes GVW, using various evolutions of the MLB engine, with the same bore/stroke/displacement ratio (MLBC, MLBD, MLB5 and MLB6).

In August 1929, Berliet launched yet another GDHM derivative, the 12 tonnes GVW GDHP, basically the same chassis but with an inline-six petrol engine codenamed as MLPC3.

[5] By 1931, Berliet began fitting diesel engines on its CBAC lorries, using Acro technology licensed from Bosch.

In March 1932, various vehicles of the GD series mounted the MDB, an inline four diesel with 120 mm bore and 160 mm stroke, giving a displacement of 7,238 cc and rated at 28 CV (actual power 55 metric horsepower (40 kW) and later 70 metric horsepower (51 kW)).

By late 1932, the number alongside the letters started making reference to the engine displacement in litres, which would become common practice for diesels.

Between September and October 1932, two new six cylinder diesel engines appeared: a variant of the MDB called MDE (10,857 cc, rounded to 10 litres) with a power of 100 metric horsepower (74 kW) and the MDC of 110 mm bore x 150 mm stroke (8,553 cc, rounded to 8 litres), 80 metric horsepower (59 kW).

All the diesels and most petrols generally have the same, rectangular profile cabin cell, with two doors opening from the rear side (as most vehicles today) and whose roof forms a projection acting as a sun visor above the windscreen.

[12] Also by that time, the bodywork was slightly updated, with minor changes as the addition of a front bumper (early models do not have one).

[15][16] For 1934, Berliet introduced the GDL,[13] a 5 tonnes payload chassis similar to the GDHM[9] aimed at replacing the GDHL.

[21] In late 1936, at that year's Paris Salon, Berliet unveiled the GDLR 8 chassis with the MDCW engine.

By the end of the year, it appeared another forward control chassis (GDLK 8) and a heavier GDR 7 (GDRC 7).

[27] The GDR 22 was the most common military GD series in the years leading to World War II.

[32] The forward control, low chassis GDLS 30 (15 tonnes GVW) was already developed as a primarily military vehicle in view of the upcoming war for hauling the 75 CA 1932 anti-aircraft gun on road.

[33] The larger size compared to other mid-range haulers of the time responds to guidelines of a 1933 re-armament programme, requiring to transport under cover the entire gun crew (20 men) and an initial supply of ammunition.

[37] The 10.85 tonnes GVW[35] GDRA (A for armée)[37] was a variant of the GDR type conceived from the start to be a military vehicle.

By comparison, the most produced GD series model in the interwar period was the GDR 7 of which 1,182 were built between 1936 and 1939 (including military versions and the forward control GDRK 7).

In 1943, upon request of the German leadership, the lorries of this type adopted the Imbert technology for their gasifiers, as it was favoured by it.

From January 1944, it also produced the GDRKLG, a gasifier-equipped hybrid vehicle with the cabin cell of a pre-war GDRK on a GDLS 30 chassis.

[44] As a strategic industrial site for the German war effort, from early 1944 onwards the Berliet plant was bombed in various opportunities by the AAF.

[48] In November 1945, Berliet launched the GDR 7 D, basically a diesel version of the GDRAG aimed at replacing it.

[51] The engine used by the GDR 7 D is the MDB 3R[49] rated at 19 CV and with a maximum actual power of 85 metric horsepower (63 kW) at 1,650 rpm.

The engine is the same MDER[55] rated at 29 CV[56] and with a maximum actual power of 125 metric horsepower (92 kW) at 1,600 rpm.

[55] In June 1947, Berliet introduced the GDC 6 D, a lighter lorry based on the VDC 6 D, a truck originally sold for the V series.

[58] The cabin is slightly different to that of the rest of the GD series, most notably: the radiator cover section of the grille is divided vertically into two parts while in the other models is one piece, the doors open from the rear instead of from the front.

[59] A military version of the GDR 7 W, army type, was delivered from late 1947 to run supply routes in the French-controlled Sahara.

From the early 1950s, the French military tested successors for the GDR 7 W, including the four-wheel drive Renault R 2152 and the Willème LD 610.

From 1952 onwards, the GDR 7 W was gradually replaced by its Berliet commercial successor of the GL series, the GLR 8.

[68] Between 1952 and 1953, the GDC, GDR and GDM chassis were gradually replaced by the GLC, GLR and GLM, starting the GL series.

GDHE (10 tonnes payload) dumper pictured in 1931
Evolution of the cabin cell profiles for the normal control GD series
Two 7.5 tonnes payload chassis for 1937. The one at the front is a GDMK, first styling forward control cabin, and the one in the background is a GDM, first styling (transitional) normal cabin.
Cabin for normal control, four cylinder GD series in the late 1930s. The basic design (second styling) would be kept until the end of the series. The chromed grille would mostly disappear of the military vehicles in the late 1930s (replaced by camouflage patterns) and of the civilian ones in the mid-1940s.
An early military GDR 22 with the first (transitional) styling. The later tanker models would be delivered with the second styling.
GDRAG diagram, showing the gasifier behind the cabin
GDR 7 D diagram
This picture shows an early design GDME 10.46, with a two-part bonnet section as in the pre-war design. Later models would use a single bonnet cover by each side as the four cylinders.