Tank semi truck (Henschel) "Aral"

Tank semi truck (Henschel) "Aral".

WIKING is miniaturising a monumental classic of tanker history! Aral’s efforts to expand their logistics operations in their various sales branches began as early as the nineteen-fifties. The times called for powerful tankers capable of ensuring the fuel supply to the constantly growing network of petrol stations while also offering the largest possible cargo capacity for supplying industrial customers. The Henschel HS 165 T was to become the first forward-control truck to compete with the bonnet trucks, which were the most commonplace at the time. The Aral tanker trailer was subjected to extensive tests in Hamburg in an effort to prepare a tried-and-tested tractor-trailer combination for subsequent delivery to the fleet of vehicles used at the branches. Even though Aral was already operating with bonnet trucks made by Magirus, Henschel, Mercedes-Benz and MAN, the company entered somewhat uncharted territory with the HS 165 T. The features that helped sway the decision in favour of this front-control truck, unveiled by Henschel in Kassel in 1955, were the combination of a tight turn radius and a ground clearance that was ideal for passing over bumps in the road. Here the Henschel HS 165 T represents the era of forward-control vehicles that commenced in the mid-1950s. With the “T” at the end of the model designation, the truck manufacturer from Kassel abbreviated, without further ado, the hood-less construction of the “Tramausführung” (tram design). In 1955, the HS 165 T followed hot on the heels of its predecessor built two years before. The two only differ in terms of the cooling water filler necks, with the WIKING original displaying the later version that rolled off the line until 1961.