Normag NG 15 - NG 23

Schmidt, Krantz & Co. AG, which engaged in mining industry and mining machine manufacturing, established a subsidiary Normag GmbH in Nordhausen in 1936 for tractor production. It managed to produce about 5,000 units of 20…25-horsepower tractors before the factory, located in the Soviet occupation zone, relocated west to Zorge in 1946. Most of the factory’s machinery was brought along.

Already in Nordhausen, the NG 23 model was introduced in 1944, which became Normag-Zorge's main product in its early years. The engine was a 2.1-liter MWM, but in 1948 it was replaced by Normag’s own 2.36-liter pre-chamber diesel largely based on MWM technology, producing 24 hp. The first models had no hood at all, the next featured a box-shaped design, but from 1949 onwards, the tractor was equipped with a modernly styled hood.

The NG 23 transmission was 4+1. Some versions also featured 5+1 and 8+2 transmissions. The electrical system was either 6 or 12 volts. The optional lift device operated with compressed air. Technical specifications varied considerably in different years. In 1949, the single-cylinder NG 15 was introduced, differing little from the NG 23 except for the engine.

About 120 Normag units were imported to Finland by Suomen Autoteollisuus Oy. The Vakola test report noted numerous deficiencies both in technical performance and tractor durability, and Normag gained a poor reputation in Finland. However, in Germany, it is somewhat appreciated as a collector’s tractor.