Unimog S 404 Krankenwagen

German Military Ambulance

The payload of one and a half tons made it possible to successfully use the Unimog S as an ambulance (Krankenkraftwagen). Such vehicles were built using standard closed bodies in various versions. The interior of the bodies could be adapted to meet different needs – for example, to carry four stretchers with patients, or to combine stretchers and seats. Wide doors in the rear of the body facilitated the process of loading stretchers inside. The ambulances had large white circles with red crosses to facilitate identification, a detail that was of great importance in the context of possible military operations. As in the case of standard general-purpose vans, different versions of the bodies appeared during operation, with differences in the details of the roof, windows, and so on.

Due to their excellent cross-country ability and good performance, these vehicles were in service with the Bundeswehr for many years. According to various estimates, the total number of Unimog S 404 ambulances produced is about 2,000.