 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2009) |
 |
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009) |
| SdKfz 251 | |
|---|---|
 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. A or B |
|
| Type | Halftrack |
| Place of origin |  Nazi Germany |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 7.81 tonnes (8.61 short tons) |
| Length | 5.80 m (19 ft 0.3 in) |
| Width | 2.10 m (6 ft 10.7 in) |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 8.9 in) |
| Crew | 12 (including passengers) |
|
|
|
| Armor | 6-14.5 mm (0.24-0.57 in) |
| Primary armament |
various (see text) |
| Secondary armament |
various (see text) |
| Engine | one Maybach HL 42 6-cylinder petrol engine 100 hp (74.6 kW) |
| Power/weight | 12.8 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | Half track |
| Operational range |
300 km (186 mi) |
| Speed | 52.5 km/h (32.5 mph) |
The Sd.Kfz. 251 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251) half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by Nazi Germany's Hanomag company during World War II. They were produced throughout the war, and by the end of the war over 15,252 had been produced by German industry.[1]
Contents |
Design
There were four main models (Ausf. A through Ausf. D), which formed the basis for at least 22 variants[1]. The initial idea was for a vehicle that could be used to transport a squad of infantry to the battlefield protected from enemy small arms fire, and with some protection from artillery fire. The open top meant that the crew was still vulnerable, especially to high explosive rounds and shell fragments.
The first two models were produced in small numbers. A and B model can be recognized by front armors in two pieces of trapezoids. The lower trapezoid has a cooling hatch. The C and D models had a single hexagonal front armor. Ausf. A through C had rear doors of the vehicle bulging out. The C variant had a larger production run, but was a quite complex vehicle to build, involving many angled plates that gave reasonable protection from small arms fire. From early 1943, Ausf D was developed with a purpose of reducing number of angled body plates down to 50%, simplifying the design and thus speeding up the production. Ausf D can be easily recognized by its single piece sloping rear (with flat doors).
Although designed for cross country work, the design had some limitations as the front wheels were not powered.
The standard personnel carrier version was equipped with a 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun mounted at the front of the open compartment, above and behind the driver. A second machine gun was usually mounted at the rear on an anti-aircraft mount.
Variants were produced for specialized purposes, including with anti-aircraft guns, light howitzers, anti-tank guns and mortars or even large unguided artillery rockets, as well as a version with an infra-red search light used to spot potential targets for associated Panther tanks equipped with infrared detectors.
Use
The early production models of this vehicle were issued to the 1st Panzer Division in 1939.
These vehicles were meant to enable panzergrenadiers to accompany panzers and provide infantry support as required. In practice, there were never enough of them to go around, and many panzergrenadier units had to make do with trucks for transport. Only a very few favored divisions like Panzer Lehr received enough to fully equip their infantry units.
Variants
.jpg)
There were 23 official variants, and sundry unofficial variants. Each variant is identified by a suffix to the model number. There was however some overlap in the variant numbers.
- Sdkfz 251/1 - Schützenpanzerwagen. Standard personnel carrier.
- 251/1-I - As above, but with intercom facilities
- 251/1-II - Rocket launcher (called "Stuka zu Fuß" (Walking Stuka) or Wurfrahmen 40) equipped with six side mounted frames for launching 280 mm or 320 mm Wurfkoerper rockets.
- SdKfz 251/1 - Falke Infrared detection equipment, to be used in combination with SdKfz 251/20 Uhu. Mostly Ausf. D variants.
- Sdkfz 251/2 - Schützenpanzerwagen (Granatwerfer). 81 mm Mortar carrier
- Sdkfz 251/3 - mittlere Kommandopanzerwagen (Funkpanzerwagen). Communications vehicle, fitted with extra radio equipment for command use in Ausf. C and Ausf. D versions.[2]
- 251/3 I FuG8 and FuG5 Radios
- 251/3 II FuG8 and FuG5 Radios
- 251/3 III FuG7 and FuG1 Radios
- 251/3 IV FuG11 and FuG12 Radios (with 9 m telescopic mast); Command vehicle variant (Kommandowagen)
- 251/3 V FuG11 Radio
- Sdkfz 251/4 - Schützenpanzerwagen für Munition und Zubehör des leIG18. Gun-towing tractor, initially for use with the 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18. Later used with the 50 mm Pak 38, 75 mm PaK 40 and 10.5 cm leFH 18 Light Field Howitzer.
- Sdkfz 251/5 - Schützenpanzerwagen für Pionierzug. Assault Engineer vehicle with inflatable boats, assault bridges. Command Vehicle for Pioneer platoons (Pionierzug).
- Sdkfz 251/6 - mittlere Funkpanzerwagen (Kommandopanzerwagen). Command version equipped with map boards, cipher and encoding machines in versions Ausf. A and Ausf. B.
- Sdkfz 251/7-I - Pionierpanzerwagen. Another assault engineer vehicle with fittings to carry assault bridge ramps on the sides.
- 251/7-II - As above but with different radio.
- Sdkfz 251/8-I - Krankenpanzerwagen. Armoured ambulance.
- 251/8-II - As above but with different radio.
- Sdkfz 251/9 - Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm KwK37). Equipped with a 75 mm L/24 low velocity gun, nicknamed "Stummel" ("stump").
- Sdkfz 251/10 - Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7 cm PaK). Equipped with a 37 mm Pak 36 anti-tank gun mount. Platoon commander's variant.
- Sdkfz 251/11 - Fernsprechpanzerwagen. Telephone line layer.
- Sdkfz 251/12 - Messtrupp und Geratpanzerwagen. Survey and instrument carrier for artillery units.
- Sdkfz 251/13 - Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen. Sound recording carrier for artillery units.
- Sdkfz 251/14 - Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen. Sound recording carrier for artillery units.
- Sdkfz 251/15 - Lichtauswertepanzerwagen. Flash spotting carrier for artillery units.
- Sdkfz 251/16 - Flammpanzerwagen. Fitted with two flame projectors and initially a rear mounted flamethrower, detachable but still connected to the vehicle, to be operated by dismounted infantry. This was in addition to the standard MG34 machine gun and mount. Six Sd.Kfz. 251/16 Flammpanzerwagens were authorised for issue to each Panzergrenadier regiment.
- Sdkfz 251/17 - Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm FlaK38). Anti-aircraft use with either a 20 mm Flak 30 or Flak 38. Also a variant called "Schwebenlafette".
- Sdkfz 251/18-I - Beobachtungspanzerwagen. Artillery observation vehicle.
- 251/18-Ia - Differences unknown, likely different radio fit.
- 251/18-II - Armored observation vehicle.
- 251/18-IIa - Different radio.
- Sdkfz 251/19 - Fernsprechbetriebspanzerwagen. Telephone exchange vehicle.
- Sdkfz 251/20 - Schützenpanzerwagen (Infrarotscheinwerfer) Uhu Mounted an Infrared searchlight for night fighting.
- Sdkfz 251/21 - Schützenpanzerwagen mit Fla MG Drilling. Equipped with a triple-mount ("Drilling" in German means "triple") of MG151 autocannon; early version being MG151/15 mm cannon, later being MG151/20 mm Luftwaffe cannon.
- Sdkfz 251/22 - 7.5 cm PaK40 L/46 auf Mittlerem Schützenpanzerwagen. Fitted with a 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun.
- Sdkfz 251/23 - 2 cm Hängelafette 38 auf Mittlerem Schützenpanzerwagen. Recon version, rare- same turret as a 234/1 or a 222.[3]
- OT-810 - Czechoslovakian produced version, made by Praga and Tatra. This version had an air cooled diesel engine, and an armored roof over the troop compartment. The vehicle was not liked by those who used it and was nicknamed "Hitler's revenge".
Notes
- ^ a b Green, Michael. Anderson, Thomas. Schulz, Frank. German Tanks of World War II. Zenith Imprint, 2000.ISBN 9780760306710
- ^ Sdkfz 251/3 was produced after Sdkfz 251/6, and changed designations in the process
- ^ http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/half-tracks/sdKfz-251.asp
References
Culver, Bruce; Laurier, Jim (Illustrator) (November 1998), SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939-45, New Vanguard #25 (2nd ed.), Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1855328461
Kliment, Charles; Greer, Don (Illustrator) (March 1981), SdKfz 251 in action, Armor No.21 (1st ed.), Squadron/Signal Publications, ISBN 0897471245
See also
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: SdKfz 251 |
External links
- Information about the mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.251) at Panzerworld
- SdKfz 251
- photos of SdKfz 251 and czech post war OT-810
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
