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 VANGUARD SERIES

EDITOR: MARTIN WINDROW

THE SdKfz 25!

HALF-TRACK
Text and colour plates by

BRUCE CULVER

OSPREY PUBLISHING LONDON

Published in 1983 by
Osprey Publishing Ltd
59 Grosvenor Street, London W1X gDA
© Copyright 1983 Osprey Publishing Ltd
Reprinted 1984, 1985 (twice), 1988 (twice), 1990

This book is copyrighted under the Berne Convention.

All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the
purpose of private study, research, criticism or review,
as permitted under the Copyright Designs and Patents
Act, 1988, no part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical,
chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of
the copyright owner. Enquiries should be addressed to
the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Culver, Bruce
The SdKfz 251 half track— (Vanguard; 32)
1. Germany. Wehrmacht— History
2. Half-track vehicles, Military— History
I. Title IL. Series :
623.74'7 UG685.G/

ISBN 0-85045-429-8

Filmset in Great Britain

Printed in Hong Kong

Acknowledgements
The author and publisher are grateful to Steven Zaloga
for his assistance during the preparation of this book.
The Requirement SdKfz 251 Ausf. A half-tracks in France, 1940; on the near
mudguard of the first the original print shows the white
oakleaf of 1.Panzer-Division above the ‘box’ and ‘10’ white
tactical marking of 10.Kompanie, Schiitzen-Regiment 1.
Only some 300 vehicles had been built by this stage, so few
were available at the front. Note heavy sandbag protection
The efficient use of tanks in modern warfare has in for the unshielded front MG34. (US National Archives, as are
large measure been the result of developments in all photos in this book not specifically credited otherwise.)

combat vehicles designed to carry infantry units

into action with the tanks, providing close-in Second World War was so completely different
support and protection from enemy tank-killer from the First were the development ofthe military
teams. Modern tank armoured infantry formations aircraft, and the modern manoeuvrable fighting
have evolved over many years; but the first tank, with the war of rapid movement and
widespread use ofarmoured infantry toaccompany concentrated armoured assaults that the tank
tanks in the assault occurred during the Second allowed.
World War. Converted tanks had been used in the First
Near the end of the First World War, fairly large World War to carry supporting infantry with the
tank battles were fought at several places on the tank forces, but this was a tactic of expediency, as
Western Front, perhaps the best known being there was little the infantry could do in their hot
Cambrai. Early tanks, such as the British Mk I-IV iron boxes. After 1918, tank development in the
and the German A7V, were large, slow, unreliable, Allied armies generally languished. What little
and often unwieldy. Nonetheless, to many far- money was spent more often than not went on
sighted front-line officers in both Allied and Central prototypes of various tank designs. Though some
Power armies, these primitive fighting machines of this effort would pay off in the years ahead, at
had changed the face of land warfare forever. the time there were very few tanks available. Those
Though most of these young officers were ignored that were used in service were assigned to the
by the entrenched military establishments, they infantry. Thus, the most common forms of tanks in
were correct: the two major reasons why the the 1920s were those intended to advance with the

3
infantry at a walking pace, suppressing enemy more progress in developing a whole new concept
defensive fire, and generally limited to a top speed of warfare. Though the British coined the word
of 10 to 12 mph. Light tanks suitable for scouting ‘Blitzkrieg’, ‘lightning war’—a war of movement
or reconnaissance were generally assigned to —was an apt description of the concentrated,
cavalry units, but were too lightly armoured and co-ordinated armour assault proposed by officers
armed to function as assault vehicles. In this like Heinz Guderian.
environment of confusion and specialised, single- With the ascendancy of Adolf Hitler in 1933
purpose vehicles, it is not surprising that relatively and the subsequent rejection of the Treaty of
little was done to provide armoured vehicles for Versailles, Germany concentrated openly on
infantry assaults. re-armament. The early light tanks, the PzKpfw I
Defeated in 1918, Germany was more successful and II, were intended only as light reconnaissance
in overcoming the conservatism of the General vehicles, with the PzK pfw II having a limited réle
Staff, and during the 1920s and early ’30s she had in assaults against lightly defended positions. The
conducted numerous experiments with develop- PzKpfw III and IV, meanwhile, were intended
ments in tanks and armoured cars. More im- from the start as the main armoured vehicles in
portantly, Germany’s armour tacticians made far the attack.
It was at this point, in 1936-37, that the concept
of a specialised vehicle for armoured infantry
An Ausf. A command vehicle of the same company; note that
at this early date the tactical sign is still that for motorised became more popular. Important combat lessons
rather than armoured infantry. The platform fitted above from the Spanish Civil War showed, among other
the driver’s position of this modified vehicle is for map-
reading. things, that in many cases tanks in restricted areas
—towns, mountain passes, woods, etc.—were for carrying a squad (gruppe) of ten men and their
vulnerable to enemy anti-tank weapons. In such equipment was the SdKfz 11 3-tonne artillery
circumstances, infantry support and protection tractor developed by Hanomag. Following de-
were badly needed. Guderian submitted proposals velopment, the new ‘Mittlerer gepanzerter
to develop a specific vehicle designed to carry Mannschafttransportwagen’ (MTW) was stan-
supporting infantry into action, allowing them to dardised as the SdKfz 251 Ausfiihrung A.
fight from the vehicle on the move if necessary, or
to dismount and engage the enemy on foot. Sucha Description
vehicle required a good top speed and good cross- Development of the new vehicle was aided by the
country performance, and had to be cheap enough fact that very few changes to the SdKfz 11 chassis
to build in reasonable numbers. were required. The new armoured superstructure
Since Germany was already producing a large designed by Biissing NAG was bolted to the
variety of specialised military vehicles, these were Hanomag chassis frame, an armoured belly plate
considered in the light of the requirement. Fully- being bolted onto the frame bottom. The major
tracked vehicles were rejected because of the alteration to the chassis was the use of an angled
complexity, expense, and lack of current pro- steering wheel driving the steering gear shaft
duction capacity. A wheeled vehicle design was
rejected because cross-country performance would
An Ausf. A retro-fitted with the MG shield, but retaining the
have been inadequate. The search narrowed down original radio antenna mounting on the mudguard. The
to the several types of half-tracked artillery tractors individual vehicle number on the nearside mudguard was
frequently seen early in the war. This vehicle is emerging
then being produced. Of these, the most suitable from a river crossing in France.
The 251/4 was a towing vehicle for light artillery, e.g. the case giving a total of eight forward speeds and two
3-7em PaK36, 7.5cm le IG, and 10.5cm le FH18. This 251/4
Ausf. A—note ‘boxed’ 1.Pz-Div sign on left rear hull quarter reverse. Though a fully-tracked design had been
—towed the 10.5cm howitzer. It retains the earlier crane
mount for the front MG34. rejected because of excessive cost and complexity,
the long ground run ofthe tracks required the use
through a bevel gearbox. The radiator installation of a tank-type steering final drive unit. During
was adapted to fit inside the armoured nose slight turns, the steering wheel turned only the
section. front wheels. Past 15°, the clutch and brake
The front axle was unpowered, and served only steering mechanism in the final drive system
to support the weight of the engine and nose operated to slow the track on the inside of the turn
armour. Two pressed steel wheels were mounted and apply full power to the outside track. Though
on the front axle beam, which was supported by a this was a complexity avoided in the US White
multi-leaf transverse spring, and braced to the Ma2/Msg half-tracks with their short track ground
chassis itself by two trailing arms forming an ‘A’ runs and ordinary truck-type differential drive
frame, which was hinged to the chassis at its apex. axles, the cross-country performance of the
Two restraining straps limited the front axle drop German armoured troop carrier was excellent,
when the vehicle crossed ditches and other and usually superior to the simpler US types’.
obstacles. The main suspension design was identical to that
The engine was a Maybach HL42 6-cylinder of the SdKfz 11 artillery tractor. Each side had a
water-cooled in-line gasoline (petrol) engine of drive sprocket of cast and welded construction,
4.17 litres displacement and developing 100 hp at with a rubber rim to carry the tracks, and rollers
2,800rpm. The powertrain consisted ofa Hanomag
021 32 785 U5o0 transmission with four gears ‘Though see Vanguard 31, US Half-Tracks of World War II, for a
forward and one reverse with a two-speed transfer contrasting opinion.

6
to engage the guide teeth and drive the tracks. to provide the new armoured troop carrier with
Seven pairs of interleaved pressed steel roadwheels good cross-country performance to keep up with
comprised the suspension. Each pair of rubber- the tanks. A lubrication fitting was provided in
tyred wheels was carried on a trailing arm torsion each shoe.
bar. The wheels on the left side were 4ins. farther The armoured superstructure was welded from
back than those on the right, since the torsion bars armour plate, and was made in two sections bolted
overlapped across the floor of the chassis and had together just aft of the driver’s and vehicle
to be offset. Unique to the SdKfz 11 chassis, the commander’s seats. The front section protected
rear pairs of wheels on both sides were also offset, the engine and powertrain plus the driver and
since the rear axles on the 3-tonne chassis were commander. The nose plates were 14.5mm thick,
mounted on torsion bars. The track on the right with side and engine deck plates of gmm and
side had 55 shoes while that on the left had 56. 1romm thickness. The air intake for the radiator
The track consisted of a manganese steel
skeleton casting for each shoe. A rubber block was The 251/6 command communications half-track; for senior
mounted ona raised pad, and a guide tooth, which commanders this was fitted with the ‘Enigma’ cryptographic
equipment as well as the more usual radio sets, for which a
also engaged the rollers on the drive sprocket, large frame aerial was mounted. This 251/6 is that of Gen.
Guderian, commanding XIX Panzer-Korps in France, 1940.
extended from the inner side. The shoes were On original prints one can make out the tactical sign for a
joined by low-friction needle bearings and steel signals unit, and the white ‘G’ belowand right ofit, on the right
(as viewed) front mudguard; a broad white stripe air rec-
pins. Though these did require more maintenance ognition sign up the centre of the engine deck access hatches;
than the dry pin tracks used on tanks, the needle and forward of this a white ‘mobile’ swastika just touching
the top radiator grille. Apart from a balkenkreuz well forward
bearings allowed the high track speeds necessary on each hull side, the ‘Panzer grey’ paint scheme was other-
wise unmarked.
 was a grille in the engine deck at the front of the brake and accelerator pedals; the transmission
nose section. Large double hatches in the engine and transfer case levers, parking brake lever, and
deck allowed access to the engine and radiator for driving instruments. In front of the vehicle
maintenance, and two additional cooling flaps commander’s right front seat was a container for
were provided in the upper side plates over the medical supplies. A Funksprechgerat ‘F’ radio
front mudguards. A third cooling flap was located telephone set was mounted on the side wall above
in the lower nose plate. and behind the right front seat. It was somewhat
The vehicle crew was protected by front and inconvenient, and required the commander to
side armour 8mm thick and by a roof of 8mm twist in his seat to operate the controls.
plate. Removable floor plates under the front seats Vision ports in the front and side plates allowed
allowed access to the battery and chassis, and the the crew a measure of protected vision. In rear
transmission and final drive units were enclosed areas and convoys, the entire armour visor could
beneath the floor. The original front seats had be raised. In areas where fire could be expected,
padded cushions and separate backrest cushions the armour plate section of the visor could be
with single support frames. On the front bulkhead raised, leaving the thick armour glass vision block to
were the driver’s controls: steering wheel; clutch, protect the crew. In front-line areas the metal visor
was lowered to provide better protection, though
Another example of the 251/6 mittlerer Kommandopanzerwagen,
photographed in the Balkans, 1941. Despite the Panzer uni- at the cost of reduced vision. Spare glass blocks
forms of the crew, it seems to bear the insignia of 112. were carried to replace those damaged by shell
’ Infanterie-Division, and the ‘K’ of Kleist’s Panzergruppe, on
the mudguard. splinters.
 The rear section carried the infantry squad, and
was essentially a long open-topped box with seats
for ten men. The upper and lower sides were 8mm
plate, and were angled to provide better ballistic
protection. At the front end a prominent flange
was welded to the side plates, and the rear section
was then bolted to the front. At the back, angled
rear and corner plates enclosed the crew compart-
ment, with two large exit doors in the centre. The
doors were built up from two pieces of plate bolted
together, and were mounted on hinged swing-out
arms. There was a narrow top crosspiece bolted to
the body rear plates to close off the top of the door
opening. A towing pintle was mounted in the
centre of the rear hull below the doors, and an
electrical connection and compressed air brake
line for towed trailers, etc., were provided at the 251/10 Ausf. A, bearing the ‘inverted Y’ sign which replaced
the 1.Pz-Div’s oakleaf for Operation ‘Barbarossa’, and fitted
lower left of the rear body. with an intermediate type of armoured shield for the PaK36
The interior arrangement in this early model 3-7cm gun. The whole shield moved with the gun, and the side
extensions gave added protection to the crewand commander.
was very simple. Four bench seats, two along each
side, provided seating for the crew. The seats
folded upwards to allow access to the ten boxes of
Variants
machine gun ammunition stowed beneath each
seat in floor brackets. There were no seat backs, Early combat experience led to improvements. An
and brackets on the side walls allowed for the interim model, the Ausf. B, incorporated few
stowage of rifles, two MG34s, spare barrels, a changes, but did eliminate the view ports in the
heavy mount for one of theMG3ys, and carriers at rear body sides and re-organised the stowage and
the rear for 50-round ammunition drums for the some internal fittings. Externally it was almost
guns. Two fixed vision ports were provided in identical to the Ausf. A. A new front MG mount
each upper side wall. with an armoured shield and a fixed pivot mount
Initial armament was a pair of MG34 light improved protection for the gunner and made the
machine guns on swing-out crane-type mounts for gun more accurate. The rear crane mount was
anti-aircraft and ground fire. A number of retained, primarily for anti-aircraft use. The new
vehicles were assigned to heavy machine gun mount was also widely retrofitted to Ausf. As. The
sections, and these carried two heavy tripods on Ausf. B also had the FuSpG ‘F’ R/T antenna
the forward side walls just behind the body joint moved from the right front mudguard back to the
flange. Heavy MG section vehicles also had a right upper side over the radio. Late Ausf. Bs had
heavy tripod mount fitting for the front MG34q. some improvements officially introduced on the
This allowed the gun to be used for relatively Ausf. C.
accurate long-range suppression fire. The first version to take full advantage of the
The SdKfz 251 Ausf. A entered service trials in experience gained in trials and early combat was
1939, and some saw service in the Polish campaign. the SdKfz 251 Ausf. C. The most noticeable
A larger number ofvehicles were on hand to equip improvements in the Ausf. C were in the design of
part of the 1st Schiitzen (Rifle) Regiment of the the engine compartment armour layout, and the
ist Panzer Division during the campaign in the crew’s interior stowage and seating arrangements.
West in the spring of 1940. The engine section was extensively modified. A
single-piece 14.5mm nose plate replaced the
original two-piece design. The cooling air was now
drawn up behind the lower front plate, the open
9
Heavily ‘stowed’ with the packs of the crew, ammunition men and the rear seats two. The bottom of each
boxes, and the spare tracks which were often used as appliqué
armour, a 251/1 Ausf. B of 7.Panzer-Division rolls on into seat comprised a floor-mounted stowage bin with
Russia during the invasion of summer 1941. a removable top and a front access flap. The seat
frames were welded, formed steel tubing with
heavy, flat springs, covered with horsehair-
top grille being eliminated. The side cooling flaps padded leather cushions. The driver’s and com-
were replaced with side vent cover boxes, which mander’s seats were also redesigned, having a
allowed the vents to remain open all the time for tubular frame with flat springs to support the
better cooling. seat and back cushions.
The forward sections of the main suspension The equipment and weapons stowage was also
mudguards were raised at the front to provide new. The FuSpG ‘F° R/T was moved under the
more clearance between the drive sprockets and front armour in front of the commander’s seat,
the mudguards: there had been instances of heavy where the medical kit had been. Map tubes were
mud and debris fouling the original straight usually provided behind the R/T set, and an
mudguards. Pioneer tools were removed from the optional hot air heating duct could be found on the
upper rear sides of the body and placed on the forward bulkhead.
front part of the track mudguards. The side Stowage in the rear body compartment was
stowage bins were moved to the rear to allow room altered to improve accessibility to weapons and
for the mudguard modifications and tool stowage. equipment. All the side wall stowage brackets and
The interior stowage and seating arrangements fittings were attached to a false inner wall bolted
were completely reworked. So successful were to the external armour plates. New racks were
these modifications that they remained standard provided to stow the Kar 98k service rifles, four on
for the rest of the war. The seats were built in each side. A heavy flap in front of each rack folded
sections, each forward seat accommodating three down for access to the rifles. When raised, it

10
 a : .
om angie, “ffeinagae <B a Se, = . pees
i ay
-

served as a backrest for the soldiers in the front Classic photo of the armoured infantry dismounting from an
Ausf. B to deal with an obstacle. Note heavy front MG mount;
seat, and had a horsehair-filled leather cushion. and use of ba/kenkreuz marking between vision ports at front.
To the rear of each rifle rack was a stowage bin
open at the top. A seat backrest cushion was
fastened on the front side for the men in the rear delay re-equipment programmes. Early belief in
seat. On the rear corner plates were carriers for the likelihood of a short war led to inadequate
50-round ammo drums for the MG3j4s, and spent plans for production and procurement as the war
case sacks to catch empty cartridges during firing. dragged on. Germany’s war machine had not
Behind the seats, on the lower side walls, were been geared to produce the large quantities of
brackets for stowing two MG34 light machine guns material needed for an extended conflict. In 1940
and spare barrel containers. This proved to be a several additional firms were brought into the
most efficient layout and, though altered or SdKfz 251 programme to increase the supply of
adapted for special-purpose variants, it remained these critically needed vehicles. Because many of
the standard armoured infantry carrier configur- these companies had no experience of welding
ation for the rest of the war. The rear doors were homogeneous armour plate, an alternative riveted
formed from single pieces of plate, bent to match body structure was developed; this could be
the body angles. The door hinge mounts were produced until the necessary training and
welded to the armour plates; not bolted as was experience in welding techniques were acquired.
previously done. A number of the SdKfz 251 Ausf. C vehicles thus
One of the greatest problems the Germans had had a riveted structure, with the engine cooling
during the early part of the war was a lack of vent covers formed from the upper side armour
production capacity actually available to the war pieces, instead of being welded boxes added to the
effort, and the resulting shortages of vehicles, straight side plates. In other respects, these
which often made it necessary to scale down or vehicles were the same as the welded versions.
 used as an ammunition carrier. When firing the
mortar from the vehicle, the driver would stop the
half-track, the mortar crew would aim the weapon,
and then fire as with a ground-mounted weapon.
The advantage of having the SdKfz 251/2 was
that the mortar could be moved rapidly without
trouble, making it more versatile and protecting
the crew from enemy fire. The forward MG34 was
removed.
The SdKfz 251/3 was a communications
vehicle carrying several radio sets. There were
several versions, all differing in the complement of
This shot of a 251/1 Ausf. B with PzKpfw IB tanks has been
captioned as showing vehicles committed to the invasion of radios. Some were used for infantry command and
Greece, 1941—this seems most unlikely, given the con- co-ordination, some for armoured units, still
figuration of the vehicles, and it probably shows tank co-
operation training. others for Luftwaffe ground-air communications.
All of the /3 versions had a prominent built-up
In early 1941 the SdKfz 251 was officially antenna with a perimeter frame and a raised
redesignated as ‘mittlerer Schiitzenpanzerwagen’ centre spine. Some command and liaison vehicles
(medium armoured infantry carrier), usually equipped with Fu-11 were also fitted with a
abbreviated as ‘SPW’. collapsible nine-metre sectional rod antenna.
Planning for the establishment of the Panzer From 1942, the frame antenna was often replaced
Divisions had also thrown up requirements for a with a ‘star’ rod antenna, which was not so
variety of special-purpose vehicles for support and conspicuous.
command functions. Because the SdKfz 251 was The SdKfz 251/4 was a towing vehicle for the
relatively spacious and had the necessary cross- 10.5cm le FH18 medium howitzer. It also carried
country performance the army decided to use the crew and a small amount of ammunition.
special versions ofthe 251 to meet the need for these After the crew set up the gun and began their fire
special vehicles. This also relieved pressures on mission, the half-track served as an ammunition
tank production—tanks were the only real alterna- carrier. This version was eventually replaced as a
tives—and simplified logistics. 10.5cm howitzer tractor by the Wespe self-
Each version of the SdKfz 251 was identified by propelled howitzer. Because of the shortage ofself-
a slash (/) and a number, followed by the propelled anti-tank weapons, however, variations
Aiisfiihrung designation of the basic body. The of the SdK fz 251/4 were used to the end of the war
basic “Schutzenpanzerwagen’ (SPW)—the ar- to tow the 5cm PaK38 and later the 7.5cm PaK4o.
moured infantry personnel carrier—was Armoured assaults often involved advancing
designated SdKfz251/1 Ausf. A, B, or C (depending through anti-tank obstacles, and all Panzer
on the vehicle’s model). This designation was very. Divisions had assault engineers (pioneers) to
specific and allowed the supply personnel to accompany the tanks to clear mines and obstacles,
choose the correct spares from stocks held by units fill in anti-tank ditches and craters, and repair
in the field. The vehicle for the heavy machine gun bridges. It was obvious that the pioneer companies
section, with its special forward gun mount, was would need armoured vehicles, and the SdKfz
referred to as SdKfz 251/1 (s. MG) Ausf. A (or B 251/5 was designed as a specialised carrier for a
or C). heavy assault pioneer section. The interior stowage
The initial support and command versions of was extensively altered to carry the special equip-
the SdKfz 251 were developed in 1939-40. The ment used by pioneer troops. The exact layout
SdKfz 251/2 provided a mobile mount for the varied, as units in some areas and climates
8cm GrW34 medium mortar and crew. A base- required equipment and supplies different from
plate was stowed in the vehicle so that the mortar those used in other areas. The standard armament
could be fired from the ground, with the vehicle of two MG334s was retained.
12
 The SdKfz 251/6 was a variant of the SdKfz
251/3, but fitted out for the use of senior com-
manders. It carried the same basic command
radio sets as a SdK fz 251/3 of the same unit, but in
addition the /6 carried cryptographic decoding
equipment (the Enigma machine) and extra radio
operators. Mostofthe SdKfz 251/6s wereconverted
from Ausf. A vehicles. Some of these command
vehicles had no armament. In many cases, the
easiest way to identify the /6 variant is to note the
presence of command pennants and markings on aa

the frontplate,or the presence of well-known senior

This 251/3 of 5.Leichte-Division, DAK carries the type of
commanders in the vehicles. ‘expedient’ camouflage of mud over factory grey often seen
The SdK fz 251/7 was a less extensively modified during the early months of the Afrikakorps’ operations.
Behind it is one of the captured AEC Dorchester command
pioneers’ vehicle than the /5, and was intended for vehicles used by Rommel and his staff.
alight assault pioneer section. More ofthe original
vehicle layout was retained, the major change had the entire mount removed and, in addition,
being the addition of extra brackets for specialised the rear top plate was often removed so that
equipment. There were two models of the SdKfz stretchers could be carried from the vehicle more
251/7, designated types I and II: they were similar, easily.
differing only in stowage. Equipment carried The SdKfz 251/9 was designed to provide close
a varied as for the /5, from chainsaws to pyro- fire support for reconnaissance units. The re-
technics and demolitions equipment. Both arming of the PzKpfw IV Ausf. F with the KwK4o
MG34s were retained, and two assault bridge L/43 long gun provided a number of 7.5cm
treadways were also carried. A number ofpioneer Kwk37 L/24 howitzers originally intended for
units re-arranged the bridge brackets in order to those tanks. Additional L/24 howitzers became
place boards between them, providing extra available as earlier PzKpfw IVs were rebuilt with
stowage areas for crew equipment. The SdKfz long guns. The SdKfz 251/g9 carried the howitzer
251/7 was produced in greater numbers than the in the mount originally developed for the StuG III
/5, and gradually supplanted the earlier vehicle. assault gun. The cradle base was bolted to the
Many nations evolved armoured ambulances floor frame, and the right hand portion of the
for recovering wounded personnel from front-line driver’s compartment was cut away to provide
combat areas. The SdKfz 251/8 was designed as clearance for the gun. Traverse was very limited,
an armoured field ambulance suitable for four but adequate, since the rough aiming was done by
stretcher cases or up to ten sitting wounded. The positioning the entire vehicle to face the target.
normal seats and equipment brackets were The crew was four men, and the rear crane-
removed and replaced with folding stretchers and mounted MG34 was retained. The FuSpG ‘F°
seats. All armament was removed, and large Red R/T set was moved to the left side wall, and an
Cross markings were applied as per the provisions ammunition bin replaced the left rear seat. Fifty-
of the Geneva Convention. A water container was two rounds of ammunition were carried, with six
situated over the transmission housing, and round in a ready rack on the right wall near the
medical supplies were carried. Because of the howitzer.
shortage of SdKfz 251/8s, a number ofstandard /1 Even with the very heavy squad firepower from
personnel carriers were converted for ambulance several MG34s, the Germans found a need for a
duty by removing the MG34s and applying Red heavier support weapon for the attacking infantry.
Cross markings or flying a Red Cross flag. The The SdKfz 251/10 was issued to platoon leaders in
extemporaneous ambulances usually can be ident- armoured infantry companies, and mounted a
ified by the presence of the forward MG armour 3.7cm PaK36 light anti-tank gun. Early models
shield, without the gun. The true /8 ambulance mounted not only the gun but also the large shield
13
used on the field mount. Since the crew was damage and casualties on unarmoured vehicles or
protected by the vehicle and the shield was very buildings at normal ranges. It proved to be most
high, lower shields were soon developed to protect valuable as a close-in support weapon.
the crew without making the vehicle so con- By 1940, it had been decided to use the SdKfz
spicuous. The first lower shield went across the 251 as the basis for all special-purpose vehicles
front of the gun mount the full width ofthe vehicle. used by armoured formations; the pace of
The second, more common type had a single pair development and conversion picked up, and
of spaced plates protecting only the gunner. numerous variants were developed for different
Ammunition was carried in standard containers units in the Panzer Divisions. The SdKfz 251/11
stored on the right side. Early in the war the was a telephone communications vehicle used for
3.7cm PaK36 was still a creditable anti-tank gun, laying and servicing telephone and telegraph lines
and its HE projectiles were capable of inflicting and cables. It had a crew of four, and carried
cables and telephone lines on reels, together with
Apparently a 251/6, this command half-track flies a tin splicing and servicing equipment.
pennant in black, white and red, identifying one of Rommel’s The SdKfz 251/12, /13, /14, and /15 were
divisional HQs. It is painted all over yellow-brown; and the
canvas tilt has been rigged over the frame aerial to protect specialised artillery surveying and _ spotting
the radios and their operators from the desert sun. An
additional rod aerial has been erected beside the rear hull, vehicles. Little is known of the technical details of
for a radio whose crew seem to be protected by a canvas equipment and stowage, and production was
‘lean-to’ bivouac. Panzer insignia worn by the right-hand
officer suggest this is the HQ of either 15. or 21.Pz-Div. diverted to other versions with higher priorities.

LA.
—_

‘aoe /

ge

The SdKfz 251/12 carried an artillery surveying The slinging of jerrycans on this half-track emphasises the
new flat one-piece nose plate of the Ausf. C; large armoured
section and its instruments. The /13 was a sound- cowls protect the ventilators in the side of the engine com-
partment, and the exterior stowage bins are further back
recording vehicle. The SdKfz 251/14 (a sound than on the Ausf. A and B. This vehicle of 24.Panzer-Division,
ranging vehicle) and /15 (a flash-spotting vehicle) photographed during the advance to the Volga in summer
1942, is the subject of Plate Bz.
were used to detect and plot the location of enemy
artillery. In many units these functions were
taken over by special-purpose trucks. suggested the need for organic self-propelled anti-
The SdKfz 251/16 was a flamethrower half- aircraft guns to protect armoured formations.
track intended for the close support role. The Heavy anti-aircraft guns were usually manned by
SdKfz 251/16, built on the Ausf. C chassis, carried Luftwaffe crews, since Flak units were under the
two 14mm flamethrowers, one on each side, and control of the Luftwaffe, though there were some
one 7mm portable flame projector attached to the Heeresflak (Army flak) units to supplement them.
vehicle by a hose 10 metres long. This small unit Defence against low-level attack was a more
was used in cases in which the large projectors pressing need, as tanks were more vulnerable to
could not be aimed properly at a target. Since the such tactics. Initially, SdKfz 10/4 and /5 light
portable unit was used outside the vehicle, support- artillery tractors, mounting the 2cm Flak 30 and
ing infantry were required to suppress any Flak 38 respectively, were used for this r6le.
defensive fire from the target. Fuel tanks for the Largely unarmoured, these light flak vehicles
flame projectors were mounted along the rear side proved vulnerable not only to enemy aircraft but
walls, and the fuel tank for the portable flame- also to ground fire.
thrower was mounted in front of the rear doors, As a field expedient a number of SdKfz 251/1
which were kept shut. personnel carriers were converted to anti-aircraft
During 1941 and 1942 combat experience vehicles by mounting 2cm Flak 38 guns inside the

5)
 ‘Field mods’ were common; this 251/7 Ausf. C engineer
half-track has been retro-fitted as a command vehicle with
salvaged aerial array from another type of AFV. Damage
mudguards were often removed. Note the magnetic ant
tank mines—‘sticky bombs’—on the roof of this half-track

crew compartment to allow full traverse for the

2cm Flak 38. The gun was installed on the complet
ground mount inside the vehicle above the floor.
For engaging ground targets, the sides of the
vehicle could be lowered to allow maximum gun
depression to the sides. This also reduced the
protection for the gun crew, but the 2cm gun could
be used effectively at ranges greater than the limits
of Russian return fire. Though practical, this
vehicle was considerably more expensive to
manufacture, and it was not put into series
rear body. Because of the narrow width of the production. The trial vehicles were extensively
SdKfz 251 crew compartment, these had only photographed, leading to the belief that they were
limited traverse, and generally were notsuitable for used widely in active service. The two command
engaging ground targets. Nonetheless, they were vehicles had the extensive body modifications
useful for air defence and provided better pro- although they did not mount the 2cm Flak 38.
tection for the crew than the open mounts on the During late 1942 and early 1943 it became
SdKfz 7 and SdK fz 10 tractors mounting 2cm and obvious that far higher production levels of
3.7cm weapons. armament would be required to fight a war on
In 1942 the Luftwaffe developed a special anti- several fronts—the vast Russian Front swallowed
aircraft version of the SdKfz 251 Ausf. C. Ten whole armies, and was the logistic equivalent of
armed vehicles and two command vehicles with several European campaigns. The Deutsches
frame antennae were built for troop service trials, Afrikakorps also required supplies to tie down the
and served for a time in Russia. The body was divisions of British and Commonwealth troops
extensively modified, being widened across the Hitler wanted kept in Africa and away from any
preparations for a war in Europe. Hitler’s new
armaments minister, Albert Speer, sought ways to
diversify and expand production within the
limitations of Germany’s economy and industry.
The SdKfz 251 employed a body composed of
many angled plates, which were time-consuming
to cut and assemble. A major redesign ofthe basic
body of the SdKfz 251 resulted in the Ausfiihrung
D, which was to be the last basic body variant.
Many of the special-purpose versions of the Ausf.
A, B, and C were continued with the Ausf. D,
while some were eliminated and new ones added.
More Ausf. D vehicles were built than all the
previous versions together, though early vehicles
were often used right up to the end of the war.
11.Panzer-Division was very active on the Eastern Front.
This 251/3 Ausf. C carries both ‘official’ and ‘unofficial’
divisional signs just visible among the scruffy winter
camouflage paint on the nose: the vertically-halved yellow
circle, and the white ‘ghost’.
 The primary goal in the design of the SdKfz 251/6 Ausf. C of Panzergrenadier-Regt. ‘Grossdeutschland’
commander, Oberst Lorenz, photographed in 1943; Lorenz
251 Ausf. D was to increase production. This was is seen at right in vehicle, with goggles on service cap. Note
the white divisional sign of ‘GD’ on the nose plate, the
achieved by reducing the number of body plates command flag in grey and white, and ‘Ox’ on hull side. See
by 50 per cent and simplifying many details of the also Plate C2.
design. The primary changes in the body were
the new engine upper side plates, which eliminated
the welded air vent boxes; the stowage bins built were made to save time or conserve critical ma-
into two long boxes on the lower sides; and the terials. The rifle rack buttplate holders were made
straight rear overhang with two straight hinged from wood rather than metal. The crew seats were
doors replacing the complex angled ‘clamshell’ made of wood slats, much like a park bench, re-
type of the Ausf. A to C. Most pioneer tools were placing the complex Ausf. C seats with their steel
moved to the stowage bins, the pick and axe being tube frames, springs, and padded leather cushions.
placed on the front wheel mudguards. Since the The rear doors swung down and out on simple
early engine lower side plates were bent to shape, hinges and were locked by internal bars through
the Ausf. D introduced a new design welded from guides welded to the body above and below the door
smaller plates—welding was considered preferable opening. A ‘T’-handle outside allowed the rear
to the special processing required to bend armour doors to be locked closed from outside the vehicle
plate accurately. The MG34s were replaced by —unlike the Ausf. A to C doors, the Ausf. D
MG42s, but the mounts were otherwise un- doors could not be kept closed without locking
changed from the earlier models. them. The machine gun stowage brackets were
The interior was the same as that of the Ausf. C, redesigned to accommodate the MG42’s bulky
and retained all the seats, rifle racks, bins and square barrel jacket. The special-purpose versions
interior stowage. Improvements and alterations of the Ausf. D were expanded to nearly 20 variants.
17
 and featured the same folding stretchers and seat Bu
and crews still deleted the rear top plate on som
vehicles. co’
The SdKfz 251/9 Ausf. D was built in two,
versions. The first used the original StuG Ilha
L/24 howitzer mount identical to that of the Ausf. th
C. In late 1943 a new light 7.5cm howitzer moun| pl
was developed specifically for converting existing
vehicles. It was mounted on the driver’s roof plate 4,
and required no extensive alterations to the basic
body. The L/24 howitzer could be traversed to the e
limits of the mount, and a co-axial MG42 was b
mounted next to the main armament for defensive V
fire. A sight was located to the left of the howitzer, a
which was aimed and fired as for previous models, c
Thin armour plates protected the front and sides \
of the mount from shell splinters and fragments. {
This same mount was also used on the SdKfz
234/3 and SdKfz 250/8 (new body type)’.
Nicknamed ‘Stummel’ (‘Stump’), the SdKfz
251/9 Ausf. D was an effective close-support
weapon, and was issued to armoured reconnais-
sance units.
Relatively few SdKfz 251/10 Ausf. Ds were
251 Ausf. C of an armoured infantry platoon of Panzer- built, as 1943 combat conditions required heavier
grenadier-Division ‘Grossdeutschland’ in action in Russia
during September 1943, when the division was being ground weapons than the 3.7cm PaK36. Nonetheless, the
down in fierce defensive fighting on the southern flank of the /10 Ausf. D was used in some numbers in 1943-44.
great Russian advance after the Kursk battles. Note cross
on rear hull; prominent white divisional sign on door; The SdKfz 251/11 was similar to the earlier
‘crow’s-foot’ antenna; and three-colour camouflage paint version. The SdKfz 251/12-15 appear to have
scheme, in an obviously flamboyant pattern. (J. Grandsen).
been dropped prior to introduction of the Ausf. D
body, but a few may have been produced.
Surviving from the earlier Ausf. A to C were the The SdKfz 251/17 Ausf. D was an anti-
/1 APC, /2 mortar carrier, and the /3 radio vehicle aircraft half-track, the first officially designated
(usually, but not always, with the rod antenna). anti-aircraft version of the SdKfz 251. This
The SdKfz 251/4 Ausf. D was used to tow the vehicle mounted a single 2cm Flak 38 in a small
7.5cm PaK4o in units which lacked sufficient armoured turret mounted on a pedestal. The
self-propelled AT guns. The SdKfz 251/5 does not gunner sat in a suspended seat behind the weapon
appear to have been manufactured on the D and operated the mount by handwheels. The gun
chassis, but pioneer troops were well-equipped to was loaded with 20-round box magazines. The
alter their own vehicles, and no doubt variations crew was four and an MG42 was retained for
of the /7 Ausf. D pioneer vehicle did exist. It is additional firepower. Relatively few of these
also possible that some of the Ausf. Ds seen with vehicles were produced. The single 2cm Flak 38
frame antennae—often field modifications to did not lay down a heavy volume of fire, and the
replace or supplement the rod antennae—were box magazine system required a loader, who was
equipped as /6 senior command vehicles with cramped under the vehicle roof. Several of these
cryptographic sets. As mentioned, the /7 pioneer vehicles were encountered by Allied troops in
version appears to have been the factory-built
variant for the engineers. The /8 ambulance was See also Vanguard 25, German Armoured Cars and Reconnaissance Half-
very similar to the /8 built on the Ausf. C chassis, Tracks 1939-45.

18
Europe in late 1944-45. illuminated by the IR searchlight. Though the
The SdKfz 251/18 appears to have been war ended before regular units were equipped
converted from earlier models, and served as an with infra red equipment, the few engagements
artillery observation post and command vehicle. fought by the IR-equipped Panthers proved the
The main identifying characteristic of the /18 was tremendous advantages of this new night-time
the large map table built up over the driver’s roof fighting technique. Several SdKfz 251/20 vehicles
plate. The available photos generally show Ausf. were captured, and interest and development in
Aand B vehicles, but some Ausf. C types may have IR sighting has continued up to the present time.
been converted as the need arose. The SdK fz 251/21 represented a cheaper, more
The SdKfz 251/19 was a mobile telephone expedient attempt at a new anti-aircraft vehicle,
exchange vehicle and contained telephone switch- and proved to be the most effective AA version of
board and routing equipment. These vehicles the SdKfz 251. There were field modifications
were built on Ausf. C chassis as well as Ausf. Ds, made on Ausf. C vehicles which approximated the
and were very valuable for maintaining telephone /21, but all production vehicles were built on the
communications in fluid combat situations in Ausf. D chassis.
which headquarters units were forced to move The interior fittings—rifle racks, front and rear
fairly frequently to maintain contact with the seats, etc.—were removed and a modified naval
forward areas. pedestal mount carrying three 15cm MG 151
The SdK fz 251/20 was developed on the Ausf. aircraft machine guns was mounted on the floor
D body, and mounted a large (60cm) infra red
searchlight. This vehicle, known as ‘Uhw’ (‘Owl’)
was used to illuminate targets at night, and worked SPWs of the ‘Grossdeutschland’ Division face the cruel
winter horizon at the turn of 1943~44. In the last two months
with Panther tanks equipped with infra red of 1943 the Wehrmacht was forced back 150 miles right
across a 650-mile front. That this retreat was in some sectors
detection equipment. The driver of the SdKfz orderly, and costly for the Red Army, was largely due to the
251/20 was equipped with an infra red scope, efforts of mobile battle groups of tanks and half-tracks,
which were moved from one weak point to another as ‘fire
enabling him to see the surrounding area brigades’.
A brand new 251/7 Ausf. C during training. Less extensively chests each held 250 rounds. The centre chest was
modified than the other engineers’ half-track—the 251/5—
the 251/7 is identified by the removable bridge sections larger because the middle gun was more difficult
carried on hull brackets. A supply trailer was frequently to reload.
used for heavy equipment and tools.
The gunner sat on a metal seat suspended from
the rear of the gun mount, and moved the entire
where the front seats had been. The Kriegsmarine mount manually; there were no gear drives or
had developed the ‘Flakdrilling Sockellafette’ handwheels. Two handgrips, one on each side of
(triple AA gun mount) as an inexpensive close air the mount, contained triggers for firing the guns.
defence gun installation. As the Luftwaffe required Early gun mounts used a reflector-type optical
heavier calibre guns, large quantities of the sight, but later versions used a simpler speed ring
excellent Mauser 15mm MG 151 were made sight. Later vehicles also had different armour
available for other purposes. In 1944, additional around the guns and cradle assembly.
quantities of g2em MG 151/20 machine guns also Additional armour was added to the body of
became available as the Luftwaffe increased the the vehicle across the rear edge of the driver’s
use of 3cm cannon. Both 15cm and 2cm (20mm) roof, and along the forward upper edges of the
MG 151s were used in the SdKfz 251/21. sides. Brackets were provided for a rear armour
The mounting consisted of a fixed base plate brace across the body behind the gunner, but this
with a rotating conical pedestal extending up to was generally removed. Ammunition was carried
the cradle assembly. The cradle held all three in chests at the rear of the vehicle. Total capacity
MG 151s in aircraft-type buffer assemblies. The was 3,000 rounds per vehicle. The rear MG42 was
guns were mounted offset toward the right side to retained for vehicle defence.
allow clearance for the belts and feed chutes. The Perhaps the greatest irony in the development of
ejected shell cases and belt links were collected in self-propelled AA gun mounts is that such vehicles,
the central pedestal. Three chests of ammunition usually lightly armoured, became the prime
were carried on the pedestal and rotated with the targets for enemy fighter-bombers, and _ the
entire mount. The centre chest held 400 rounds of majority of SdKfz 251/21 vehicles lost on the
mixed HE, tracer, and AP ammunition. The outer Western Front were destroyed by Allied air
20
attacks. As spare parts and fuel became harder to Ausf. C Pionierpanzerwagen fitted with a 3.7cm ‘door-knocker’ in
place of the forward MG34.
obtain, many were abandoned and captured
virtually intact.
The last major variant of the SdKfz 251 resulted near. the gun mount. A large bin designed to fit
from a personal order by Hitler that all suitable against the right side wall held 17 rounds, and a
types of vehicles were to be used to mount anti- smaller vertical bin below the mount platform
tank guns. The SdKfz 251 chassis, though some- held five rounds. This bin layout made rapid exit
what overloaded, was capable of mounting the from the driver’s seat rather difficult, as there was
7.5cm PaK 40. Vehicles were converted in late no other way out. The right front (vehicle
1944-early 1945, and issued as the SdK fz 251/22 commander’s) seat was eliminated. Loose ammu-
Ausf. D. The mounting was essentially similar to nition in containers below the floor replaced the
that of the SdKfz 234/4 armoured car, which also right rear seat. The left stowage bin and rear seat
carried the Pak 40. Two ‘Tl’ beams extended from were retained for the two loaders. The gunner sat
the rear of the driver’s roof plate down and to the in a folding wooden seat to the left of the gun, and
rear at an angle, being welded directly to the floor aimed and fired the weapon using the standard
at their lower ends. A platform was welded to the optical sight for the Pak 40. The position formerly
beams partway down from the roof, and the upper occupied by the left rifle rack was used on some
carriage of the PaK 40o—comprising the traversing vehicles to stow additional loose ready ammu-
and elevating mechanisms, gun tube, sight, and nition. The rear MG42 was retained for vehicle
shield—was bolted to this platform. The lower defence.
corners of the gun shield were cut away to clear There has been one reference to the SdKfz
the sides of the half-track. A section of the driver’s 251/23, a reconnaissance vehicle intended to
roof plate was cut back to clear the recoil mech- replace the SdKfz 250/9, which was withdrawn
anism below the barrel. A simple cradle-type from production in the 1945 industrial plan. The
travel lock was welded to the front of the driver’s published photo ofthis vehicle is a composite view,
roof. Both front seats and rifle racks were removed. and there is no information on exactly how many
Two closed ammunition bins were provided were built or saw service. The description
ie |
 251s were often adapted to carry rocket projectiles for
infantry support fire. The conversion involved only the
fitting of a welded tube assembly upon which vertical base-
plates were fixed, each bearing a launcher-support adjustable
Claas for elevation. The 28cm HE or 32cm napalm projectiles were
shipped in crates which doubled as launcher-frames; they
were clamped on to the launcher-supports on the base-
plates, and the rockets were fired from inside them. Of the
two types of crate, the heavy wooden variety (opposite, top)
were normally discarded after firing; the alternative iron
type (bottom) were sometimes re-used. The photos at left,
and opposite top, show the two vertical vanes fixed to the
vehicles’ nose as rudimentary sights. Note that the half-
track in the left-hand photo—in common with many of these
Schiitzenpanzerwagen mit Wurfrahmen—bears the tactical sign of an
armoured engineer company, with a ‘double arrowhead’
rising from the ‘box’.

indicates that the SdKfz 251/23 mounted the same Troops in the field excel at adapting to local
‘Hanglafette 38° six-sided turret used on the conditions, and many field modifications appeared
SdKfz 234/1 and Aufklpz.38(t), mounting a 2cm in answer to their needs. Most of the 2cm Flak 38
KwKg8 and an MG34. Presumably the entire mounts in SdK{z 251s were field-built conversions,
body was roofed over, as on the SdKfz 250/9. and many vehicles were temporarily modified, or
A widely used modification to the SdKfz 251 simply assigned, as ambulances, ammunition and
APC was fitted with launchers for 28cm or 32cm supply carriers, radio and command vehicles, etc.
rocket-propelled projectiles carrying warheads of This accounts for many of the odd vehicles that
high explosive (28cm Wiirfkorper) orjellied petrol occasionally appear in photographs.
(32cm Wiirfkorper). Two aiming rods were
attached at the front of the engine compartment
to guide the driver in aiming the vehicle at the
target. Elevation was adjustable on the launcher
baseplates. Six launcher brackets were used on the
SdKfz 251.
Training and Organisation
The launcher fittings on the SdKfz 251 held Training during the pre-war and early wartime
wooden or metal frames which were shipped with periods was lavish by most contemporary stan-
each projectile, serving as shipping crates during dards. The progressive leaders of the German
transport. The wooden crates were disposed of Army regarded the Panzer Division as the ‘queen
when damaged, but the metal frames were re- of battle’, and efforts to improve the tactics and the
usable. Normally, the rockets were fired while the effectiveness of the armoured formations were
crew was out ofthe vehicle, as there was consider- given a high priority. Assignment to an armoured
able backblast from these spin-stabilised pro- infantry regiment was a mark of excellence and,
jectiles. The effective range of the rocket pro- initially at least, these men were carefully chosen
jectiles was 1,900 to 2,200 metres, and they were from the best troops and recriuts.
very widely used in reducing built-up areas or Initial training was similar to that of the mass
enemy fortifications, especially when sufficient of the infantry, and this standard of instruction was
artillery support was not available. very high. The armoured infantry recruits then
22
ee

23
entered a specialist phase oftheir training, during managed to carry all their infantry in armoured
which they learned the special tactics involved ina carriers, only the first battalion ofa regiment being
combined assault. Tactics did change considerably designated as armoured. The second (motorised)
during the early war years, because initially there battalion rode in trucks and was often held in
were few armoured carriers available and un- reserve, due to the difficulties of protecting the
armoured infantry formations were not able to troops without armoured transport in the forward
stay as close to the tanks as the armoured groups. assault areas.
Training covered phases of the assault, advanc- One administrative problem early in the war
ing with armoured units; reconnaissance, tank- was that the Schiitzen regiments were under the
infantry co-operation, and various tactics of overall command of the Inspector of Infantry,
securing ground and enemy positions overrun by while the tank units were under the Inspector of
the tank units. Initial training made use of dummy Armour Troops (Panzertruppe). In July 1942 the
tanks mounted on light automobiles, but advanced Schiitzen formations were redesignated Panzer-
training included operations with light tanks grenadiers—largely for morale purposes, as
assigned to the training schools. In addition, the grenadiers had been élite units in the Imperial
Panzer Divisions had training operations for new German Army. However, this redesignation also
troops to indoctrinate them as they joined the transferred overall control of the Panzergrenadiers
various line companies. to the Inspector of Armour Troops and _ thus
The ‘Schiitzen’ (rifle infantry) regiments were simplified chains of command. Considering that
organised on the same lines as the regiments in assault guns were under the Inspector of Artillery,
infantry divisions. Each regiment was composed and that most Flak troops were in attached
of two battalions; each battalion had three rifle Luftwaffe units, the commanders of the Panzer
companies and a heavy support company. A Divisions were no doubt grateful for the elimination
company was composed of three rifle platoons, of yet another conflict of authority.
and these platoons each contained three rifle As a complement to the full Panzer Divisions,
squads or sections (Gruppen). The SdKfz 251 was the Germans created a second type of armoured
designed to carry a ten-man squad or section, formation, the Panzergrenadier Division. The
and provide a measure of fire support for the early Panzergrenadier formations were, in most
section during dismounted engagements. cases, converted from existing motorised infantry
Each section in an armoured infantry platoon divisions. The Panzergrenadier Division contained
was equipped with two MG3z4 light machine guns two regiments of Panzergrenadier ‘armoured’
(one with a heavy tripod mount), eight Karg8K infantry troops, but still with only one battalion
service rifles, and two MP38 or MP4o machine in each regiment equipped with SdKfz 251s and
pistols for the driver and commander. The heavy the other battalions with trucks. Instead of the
MG section had two tripod mounts and a special full Panzer Regiment of a Panzer Division, there
long-range front mount on the vehicle, but was was only one tank battalion, generally equipped
otherwise similar to the normal infantry section. with PzKpfw III and IV medium tanks.
There were four SdKfz 251s ina platoon. When Panzergrenadier Divisions allowed additional
it became available, the SdKfz 251/10, armed armoured units to be placed into service without as
with the 3.7cm PaK36 anti-tank gun, was issued much pressure on tank production as whole
to the platoon leader for additional heavy fire Panzer Divisions would have caused. Later on,
support. In addition to the normal complement of this was especially true of Panther production,
infantry section vehicles, each platoon had a heavy which had not kept up with the original schedule.
weapons support section. Additional support units The PzKpfw IV was a good support tank and, in
were available for special needs, and during the its late war configuration, was capable of dealing
course of the war a number ofdifferent formations with most Allied tanks on an equal footing. In
were used. It should be remembered that this was 1942 the PzKpfw III with the 5cm L/60 long gun
the full-strength complement. The shortage of was still a very useful vehicle.
SPWs was such that most Panzer units never Panzergrenadier Divisions were ideally suited
24
1: SdKfz 251/1 Ausf.A, 10th Co.,Schutzen-Regt.1, 1. Panzer-Division; France, 1940
2: SdKfz 251/6 Ausf.C, HQ 9.Panzer-Division; Russia, 1941
3: SdKfz 251/3 Ausf.B; Luftwaffe ‘Flivo’, Deutsches Afrikakorps, 1942
\ 1: SdKfz 251/3 Ausf.B with 2.8cm Panzerbuchse; 3.Panzer-Division, Russia, 1942

2: SdKfz 251/1 Ausf:C, 24.Panzer-Division; Russia, 1942

 Sea
‘at
i}
a
OA .
—_——- Ty NT SEATON OT gy ODRET NF

H-1548 89

1: SdKfz 251/3 Ausf.B, 21.Panzer-Division; Deutsches Afrikakorps, 1941

2: SdKfz 251/6 Ausf.C, CO of Pz.Gren.Regt,‘Grossdeutschland’; Russia, 1943
3: SdKfz 251/10 Ausf.C, unidentified unit; North Russia, 1943
 1943
on; France, summer
f.C, 1.Panzer-Divisi
1: SdKfz 251/16 Aus

4
ision; Russia, 1943-4
.C, 16.Panzer -Div
2: SdKfz 251/1 Ausf
 \ :
x
brn 1749855
Ppraven panies

wncglalier gpa , ( Dap PTT ING EF eget Uhl eal

a HNN oti Au /alaeee ah it i Bp ae A A f GHEY ti: vis

1: SdKfz 251/2 Ausf.D, unidentified unit; Western Europe, autumn 1944

2: SdKfz 251/9 Ausf.D, 20.Panzer-Division; Russia, summer 1944
3: SdKfz 251/7 Ausf.D., Armd.Eng.Bn., 2.Panzer-Division; France, 1944
 1: SdKfz 251/1 Ausf.D rocket-launcher,
unidentified unit; Russia, spring 1944

2: SdKfz 251/8 Ausf.D ambulance, Fallschirm-Pz-Div.

‘Hermann Goring’; Italy, 1944

3: SdKfz 251/21 Ausf.D captured by US 87th Inf.Div., early 1945

aa |
1: Interior view, SdKfz 251/1 Ausf.C, looking forward; see key in Plates commentary

2: Interior view, SdKfz 251/1 Ausf.C, looking to rear

 ty
|ah
*
o

-
b
at—

Exterior and interior views of SdKfz 251/22; see key in Plates commentary
for the armoured assault role. Though ‘light’ in to meet all the demands, began to fall offin early
tanks, they possessed enough armour to engage 1945 as factories in occupied countries and
and overwhelm most enemy infantry and isolated Germany were bombed or captured by Allied
armour units. In the defensive role later in the war, forces.
they supplemented the firepower of the Panzer The vehicle establishments of most German
Divisions and provided a reserve of strength that formations were decreased in 1944 and 1945,
was often crucial. and generally units did not receive even the
By 1943, under Guderian’s aegis, training for reduced number ofvehicles. It was not uncommon
Panzergrenadiers had been expanded to include for a dozen or so tanks and perhaps twice that
newly developed tactics, and with rather more number of SPWs to represent the armoured
emphasis on defensive manoeuvres in co-operation complement of a Panzer or Panzergrenadier
with armour. These included support oftank units Division in the spring of 1945, and shortages of
during counter-attacks, attacking the enemy’s fuel often did more to restrict the effective use of
exposed flanks, securing important defensive the armoured units than did their reduced
objectives and securing the most advantageous numbers.
defensive perimeter. This mid-war period marked
the zenith in the fortunes of the Panzergrenadiers.
1944 saw the introduction of new weapons and
improved versions of existing equipment, such as
the Panther Ausf. G and PzKpfw IV Ausf. J. The
more ambitious plans to build new SPW designs
Tactics: Assault
to replace the SdKfz 250 and 251 were gradually The tactics employed by the Panzer Divisions
delayed and then abandoned. Thus, the SdKfz were well thought out, and efficiently executed
251 Ausf. D, as the final production version, was under the best of circumstances—good prep-
the vehicle the Panzergrenadiers rode in the aration, the element of surprise, and sufficient
retreat across France and to final defeat in 1945. armoured infantry in SPWs to exploit the gains
As 1944 passed, increasing shortages and more won by the tanks. More importantly, for much of
severe disruption of many daylight activities the war these tactics were sufficiently flexible and
combined to reduce the effectiveness of the effective that they usually worked under less-than-
training. In addition, the serious losses of personnel ideal conditions, and occasionally succeeded
in Russia and, to a lesser extent, France led the under appalling circumstances. Where they failed
Army to reduce the duration and level of training the cause was usually massive enemy opposition—
in order to service as many recruits as possible. especially co-ordinated air cover—which caused
By 1945 training had become a very rough affair such heavy attrition in men and materiél that the
compared to the 1942 period. Many training Panzer Divisions no longer had sufficient forces to
schools did maintain the highest standards they carry out their assigned tasks.
possibly could; but the shortages of fuel, ammu- Since the SPWs were to operate as close to the
nition, vehicles, and many other critical supplies tanks as possible, the basic tactics for the tanks will
inevitably lowered the quality ofinstruction. Fewer necessarily be involved in a discussion of the
older, experienced troops were in the front-line employment of the SdKfz 251. Under the ideal
units, so the newly-trained recruits often had to conditions above, the personnel carriers were part
learn the lessons of combat up in the front lines. of acombined force which in many ways was more
Although some Panzer Divisions and Panzer- than the sum ofits parts.
grenadier Divisions did survive into 1945 with The basic tactical objective of a Panzer or
fairly good levels of men and equipment, many Panzergrenadier Division was to concentrate at a
units suffered from very high levels of attrition, weak point in the enemy’s lines a sufficient number
and a number of Panzergrenadier units had to of aggressively employed tanks and support
revert to trucks and even tanks for transport. troops to break through the enemy front, to spread
Production of the SdKfz 251, never great enough out to encircle strongpoints and troop con-

25
 centrations, and to hold open a corridor through
which additional armoured and support units
could move to expand the breakthrough and
repeat the process in the enemy’s rear support
positions and at other points in the front lines.
The initial operation in an offensive was battle-
field reconnaissance. The Panzer Aufklarungs
Abteilung (armoured reconnaissance battalion)
was responsible for local reconnaissance for a
Panzer or Panzergrenadier Division. Using ar-
moured cars, half-tracks, and other vehicles, the
reconnaissance detachments probed enemy pos-
itions or observed enemy forces. They also were
The SdKfz 251/8 was an armoured ambulance, some being
purpose-built, and others modified to this layout in the field. responsible for locating suitable terrain features
This example, in overall grey paint heavily coated with pale for the armoured advance, and the placement of
dust and mud, served with the Tiger tank battalion sPzAbt.
501 in Tunisia in spring 1943. The two sand-yellow jerrycans artillery and anti-tank guns; and for locating
on the rear racks bear the white cross marking indicating
that they contained water.
fording areas across streams or suitable positions
for building bridges or launching assault boats
Column of 251 Ausf. C half-tracks in Russia, 1943. The nearest during an attack’.
vehicle is a late example of the 251/10 platoon commander’s The use of combined arms in the assault was
track with 3.7cm anti-tank gun mounted. Most of the shield
was removed from later vehicles, leaving only a low strip at
the left of the breech to protect the gunner; the commander
used a binocular spotting telescope and was not directly ‘See detailed accounts in Vanguard 25, German Armoured Cars and
exposed to enemy fire. Reconnaissance Half-Tracks 1939-45.
critical to German tactics. As early as the Polish 251 Ausf. B of an artillery battalion of 2.Panzer-Division—
tactical and divisional signs just visible in white on left rear
campaign, the Germans learned that direct tank door in original print—passing a Soviet ZiS-3 76.2mm field
gun abandoned during the Kursk fighting of summer 1943.
assaults against effective anti-tank defences re- Broad vertical stripes of green or brown are painted over the
sulted in heavy losses. Later events demonstrated 1943 dark yellow factory finish.
that even large formations of tanks could not
chieve a breakthrough when opposed by anti-tank
guns unless assisted by Assault Artillery and used very similar tank/infantry tactics. Tanks
Panzergrenadiers. Thus, the mobility and armour were intended to break through the front line
protection for the Panzergrenadiers was improved positions and attack the enemy artillery and
as much as possible to allow the infantry to command positions. The infantry was to assist the
operate up with the armour during an attack. tanks and, in particular, to destroy enemy anti-
There were several types of attacks: flank tank weapons. Enemy tanks were countered by
attack, frontal attack, envelopment (combination German anti-tank guns, usually self-propelled in
flank and frontal assaults), wing (against the ends the front units of the assault.
of the enemy’s main frontal positions) and en- An assault was spearheaded by a Panzer
circlement, in which the main attacking force regiment (or battalion, in the case of a Panzer-
bypasses the enemy positions on a flank, then grenadier division). Earlier in the war, the
sweeps around from the rear to manoeuvre the standard form ofthe attack was composed of three
enemy from his prepared positions and disrupt his waves; though there were variations, the basic
defences. However, within variables caused by tactic was consistent. The first wave was composed
terrain, deployment of the enemy, and resources of tanks as the forward line of movement. One
available for the assault, all these attack plans commonly used formation was the ‘blunt wedge’.
27
 4

Crew of the 251/17 practising a quick start. Heavily modified advanced to good firing positions, they laid down
from the basic Ausf. C to Luftwaffe specifications, in order
to mount the 2cm Flak 38 cannon in a widened body with fire to support the following vehicles as they
hydraulically-lowering sides to allow traverse, this version
was produced in very small numbers: it is believed that only advanced to the forward positions. This ‘leap-
ten gun-tracks and two command vehicles were completed. frogging’ was the standard tactic for tank advance
A sequence of photos shows them in service with the 2nd Bn.
of the Flak-Regiment ‘Hermann Géring’. Colour scheme and for most of the war.
markings are shown in Vanguard 4, Fallschirmpanzerdivision
“Hermann Goring’.
The second wave provided fire support for the
first wave, and consisted of tank units from the
first and/or second tank battalions accompanied
In this advance, two tank companies ofa battalion by a few companies of Panzergrenadiers in
were lined up abreast; each company was spread SdKfz 251s. The second wave attacked the
to cover about 450 to 500 metres offront line, with remaining anti-tank positions, the heavy infantry
about 200 to 300 metres between them. Battalion support weapons, and enemy machine guns
headquarters was about 500 metres behind the lead which would slow the following infantry advance.
tanks, and the third and fourth companies, as The third wave, consisting of the remainder of
reserves, trailed in file (or double file) behind the tanks in the second tank battalion and the rest
battalion HQ, the rearmost tanks about goo to of the Panzergrenadiers, consolidated the gains
1000 metres behind the HQ troops. won by the first waves, mopped up pockets of
The lead tank companies advanced to the resistance bypassed in the assault, and provided a
enemy lines and broke through to the artillery and reserve for the lead elements as the assault
anti-tank defence positions. Ifresistance developed, progressed. Most of the Panzergrenadiers in this
the leading companies bypassed it, or the battalion third wave were motorized infantry in trucks, as
commander could reinforce the tanks with his the armoured infantry was used in the first and
remaining companies. The tanks advanced in second waves.
steps, using terrain as cover whenever possible. During the actual advance the SPWs of the
The rear echelons provided fire support for the Panzergrenadier companies stayed from 100 to
advance elements. When the leading tanks had 150 metres behind the tanks. The SPWs provided
28
fire support directed against enemy forward anti- as woods or stream beds were used for cover, and
tank weapons or tank-killer infantry and also every attempt was made to avoid crossing open
advised the armour of additional targets for the terrain under direct fire.
tanks’ heavier guns. In the flank areas, assault In cases where strong anti-tank defences
guns or self-propelled anti-tank guns provided existed or where there were extensive anti-tank
support and protection for the tanks. SPWs also obstacles, the Panzergrenadiers led the assault
accompanied the assault guns when necessary, to ahead of the tanks. Although the SdKfz 251 was
provide protection against tank-killer teams or very vulnerable to anti-tank weapons, in many
concealed anti-tank weapons. cases enemy gunners waited as long as possible
The actual tactics of the Panzergrenadiers before firing, since they would thus expose their
depended on the terrain and objectives. Open positions. The tanks remained a few hundred
terrain was crossed as quickly as possible, using metres behind the SPWs and fired on any enemy
artillery to lay HE shells and/or smoke to provide positions that were spotted.
cover and fire support. When possible, the In situations where rapid advances could be
Panzergrenadiers stayed in the vehicles until they made with good cover, the Panzergrenadiers
were close enough to the enemy to dismount and could clear enemy anti-tank positions with
attack as infantry. The SPWs provided fire support relatively low losses. Across open terrain the tanks
with the vehicle machine guns. In terrain with and SPWs were more exposed, and often the
more cover, platoons of SPWs would advance in tanks had to move closer (100 to 200 metres) behind
stages from one covered position to another, with
the leading and following elements providing fire The Ausf. D, developed largely to simplify production, is
instantly recognisable by the incorporation of the stowage
support for each other. Any natural features such bins over the tracks into the hull itself.
 the half-tracks to provide more effective support.
Though infantry losses were higher in attacking ~

enemy positions ahead ofthe tanks, this tactic was

essential to allow German armour to manoeuvre
freely during the penetration and breakthrough
phases of the assault.
After the enemy anti-tank troops had been
neutralized, the tanks and Panzergrenadiers
advanced together in one assault wave. The
infantry rode in the SPWs as far as possible, and
al — age
oe
sng. Os F hm.
eS
dismounted to destroy individual pockets of
resistance. The Panzergrenadiers’ heavy support
In side elevation the most obvious feature of the Ausf. D is weapons—mortars and light artillery pieces—
the single undercut plane of the rear hull and doors, rather
than the ‘pitched’ shape of the early variants. Note the were brought up to fire on any newly discovered
tactical number, red ‘224’, on this half-track camouflaged
with blotches of green and/or brown over dark yellow. In
enemy anti-tank weapons or artillery. At this
mid-1944 Gen. Guderian, as Inspector of Armoured Troops, point in the assault the primary mission of the
ordered all AFVs in armoured formations to adopt the same
marking system as used in tank turret numbering; this half- Panzergrenadiers was to eliminate enemy positions
track is thus the fourth vehicle of the second platoon of the that had survived the first assault wave, and to
second company in its regiment.
protect the rear of the armoured formation.

Tactics: Defence
German doctrine, like that of the US Army,
viewed the objective of a defensive action as a
prelude to a counter-attack or to gain time for the
Rear view of the Ausf. D; note stowage bins acting as track- marshalling of forces to prepare a new offensive.
guards, and protruding T-shaped door lock handle—the
straight Ausf. D doors would not stay closed unless locked. Thus, the main thrust of German defensive
This half-track photographed in Normandy in summer 1944 tactics was to halt the enemy’s offensive drive, and,
has the divisional sign obliterated, but is probably from 2.
Panzer-Division. if possible, to counter-attack quickly and decisively
75 to break the enemy assault and drive back the
assaulting troops. Properly employed under
favourable conditions, this tactic could result in a
successful new offensive, and even a rout of the
enemy forces.
As the war dragged on through 1943-44,
however, shortages of men and equipment necessi-
tated revision of the defensive strategy and tactics.
More emphasis was placed on fortifications, mine-
fields and anti-tank obstacles than previously.
The massive counter-attacks by the larger mobile
reserves of 1942-43 gave way to smaller local
thrusts intended more to keep the enemy off
balance than to become a major counter-
offensive.
The main line of resistance was determined by
the local terrain, and was usually developed only
after thorough reconnaissance. In 1944, however,
30
the realities of Germany’s declining military
fortunes resulted in an order that basic work on
the defence perimeter had to be started as soon as
possible. Reconnaissance thus added detailed
information for specific strongpoints or positions,
but commanders had to design their defensive
lines before all the reconnaissance was completed.
Advanced positions were set 5,000 to 7,000
metres in front of the main line of resistance.
Usually, mobile armoured units—reconnaissance
detachments, armoured car and half-track pla-
toons, machine guns, and anti-tank guns—were
deployed in the advanced positions. They occupied
and controlled important terrain features, such as
crossroads, bridges, railroads, and high ground.
Their primary functions were to report enemy
movements and to deceive the enemy as to the
location of the actual main line ofresistance. These
troops did not hold their positions at all costs, but
were to retire to the main positions under cover of
German medium artillery.
Because of the flexible nature of German
tactics, Panzergrenadiers in SdKfz 251s were
sometimes deployed in the advanced positions to
reinforce the other detachments. Depending on
the terrain and the size of the defending German Ly

unit, a platoon or even a company of Panzer-

grenadiers might be placed in an advanced
position. Their main function was to man the
defensive perimeter, sending out patrols and
attempting to spot as many enemy positions as
Two Ausf. Ds seen in Budapest in summer 1944. One is a
possible. They also provided extra firepower 251/3, finished in a striking, interlocked pattern of green and
during enemy attacks on the advanced positions, brown over factory yellow; it has the later ‘crow’s-foot’ radio
antenna. The other, a 251/6 fitted with both ‘crow’s-foot’ and
and served as the rearguard during withdrawal to frame antennae, is painted in a more faded and random
slashing of both colours over yellow; and note Korps
the main defensive positions. command pennant in black, white and red on the mudguard.
Outposts were established about 2,000 to 5,000
metres in front of the main position, and once the
advance positions were abandoned, the outposts of fire, and safe routes for withdrawal. Units
were the only positions in front of the main line of generally established positions at the edges of
resistance. In armoured formations outpost pos- woods, in villages and hedgerows, and on hills.
itions were manned by Panzergrenadiers, usually Outpost troops supported small local attacks
from the motorised regiment, supported by intended to keep the enemy off balance and to
reconnaissance detachments and infantry support secure information about enemy forces. When the
weapons. By 1944 most reconnaissance units had outpost units were withdrawn under pressure of an
heavy support companies with SdKfz 251/g half- enemy assault, their old positions were swept by
tracks carrying 7.5cm L/24 howitzers. These carefully registered artillery, mortar and machine
provided fire support for advance and outpost gun fire to prevent them from being taken and
positions. Outpost positions were chosen to provide occupied by enemy troops.
adequate cover for the deployed units, good fields In the main line of resistance, defensive positions
31
 1944 saw the end of the Luftwaffe’s ability to
provide effective air cover for German ground
units in NW Europe. Most vehicle movement
could take place only at night; movement during
the day was dangerous and required extra-
ordinary measures. Very heavy foliage camouflage
became the accepted practice, and most military
routes were lined with hundreds of emergency
parking areas, usually under trees or in brush.
Some roads even had ready-cut foliage at these
emergency pull-ins to cover the tracks and
suspensions of parked vehicles.
The experimental Luftwaffe anti-aircraft SdKfz
251, the SdKfz 251/17, and the SdKfz 251/21 were
all attempts to provide useful tactical anti-aircraft
251/8 Ausf. D ambulance of the ‘Hermann Goring’ Division defences for armoured formations. All failed, for
in Italy, 1944 this is the subject of Plate F2.
different reasons. The Luftwaffe vehicle was too
costly and only trials examples were made. The
were carefully chosen and interlocked. Platoon SdKfz 251/17 suffered from inadequate firepower,
strongpoints were incorporated into company and the SdKfz 251/21—the most effective version
strongpoints, and so on up to the largest unit in —was, like most other German anti-aircraft
the line. Most defensive positions were on the vehicles, overwhelmed by the hordes of Allied
reverse slopes of hills or rolling terrain. Forward fighter-bombers roaming at will over most of
slope positions were too vulnerable to early Europe. The US 5in. and British 60lb. air-to-
detection by directed heavy artillery fire. ground rockets proved to be very effective counters
Panzergrenadier units generally camouflaged to the greater firepower of the acm MG151
their vehicles thoroughly in prepared positions. compared to the .50 Brownings in US fighters.
Deployment in heavy woods was not usual when Even with the loss of effective air cover, German
time and materials were in short supply, since units were capable ofpresenting effective defences.
occupying woods requires more defensive strength, The Germans applied the same principles in
because of reduced mobility and poor observation. defence that they did in the assault. The main
However, use was made of heavy woods when time effort of defence was made opposite the area where
allowed, since the extensive cover provided the the enemy concentrated his attacking forces. In
same advantages as reverse slopes in hiding particular, observation posts and reconnaissance
positions from the enemy. Mobile units, however, units kept enemy forces under observed artillery
often used the edges of woods as cover, and SPWs fire continuously. No matter where an enemy
were often placed in heavy brush as an aid to thrust penetrated, artillery fire could follow the
camouflage. This became much more important advance and try to break the enemy’s advancing
as the Allies gained air superiority, especially in units.
NW Europe. Panzergrenadiers in SdKfz 251s were normally
In built-up areas—villages, towns and cities kept as the reserve for counter-attacks, the
—camouflage was equally important. As many forward defensive positions being manned by the
vehicles as possible would be hidden in woods, motorised Panzergrenadier units. The counter-
hedgerows, and favourable terrain features, often attack proceeded like a genuine aggressive assault,
with heavy netting or foliage, hay, and other aimed at stopping the enemy’s momentum and
materials used as cover. Vehicles hidden in turning his lines. Immediate counter-thrusts were
buildings—generally tanks or self-propelled anti- directed at enemy penetrations to deny opposing
tank guns—often used parts of the surrounding troops the opportunity to hold or consolidate their
building as additional camouflage protection. gains. The SPWs advanced behind or with the
32
tanks, but as the war progressed and shortages Photographed on display at the Aberdeen Proving Ground,
this 251/9 Ausf. D seems to retain the correct markings for a
became more severe, such counter-attacks were track of an armoured reconnaissance company of 2.Panzer-
Division; however, the Aufklarungs-Abteilung normally had
smaller, more localised, and often used assault only four companies. (See also Vanguard 25.) Ofinterest is the
guns or self-propelled guns. Tanks were in short high, fixed frontal shield behind the 7.5cm L/24 howitzer. The
radio, normally in front of the right-hand front seat, was
supply in many units and had to be reserved for moved to the left rear wall to allow the crew to serve the
major counter-attacks. howitzer, and the antenna mount moved accordingly.

For much of the war, German armoured

formations had endeavoured to stay out of heavily
built-up areas where their tanks and SPWs were penetrations into the town. Larger, similar mobile
vulnerable to attacks by concealed anti-tank reserve battle groups were reserved for bigger
guns and infantry. SdKfz 251s were quite counter-attacks. In general, however, most
vulnerable because of their open tops, but on German tanks and SPWs were kept in reserve
occasion they were camouflaged in built-up areas outside of built-up areas. This reduced their
and used for fire support or as mobile observation vulnerability to attack and allowed them the
or command posts. freedom ofmovementsoimportant to the successful
As German units went on to the defensive, employment of armour in the field.
however, towns and cities became excellent The introduction of the SdKfz 251 Ausf. D, and
fortified defensive positions. Tanks and SPWs the expansion of military production under Albert
were considered ineffective as fighting vehicles in a Speer, increased the available numbers of SPWs,
defended town, but they were used as dug-in and at one time the SdKfz 251 was the most
guns and observation points. Detachments of numerous armoured vehicle in the German armed
tanks, assault guns, and SPWs were organised to forces. Simultaneously, there were additional
make surprise counter-attacks against enemy attempts to increase the firepower of armoured

33
 Serviceability
The relatively complex design of the main
suspension led to increased maintenance require-
ments. The track links were connected with steel
pins riding in needle bearings, and each shoe had
an oil reservoir for the bearings. Periodically,
the level of lubricant had to be checked for every
link. In addition, leaks had to be repaired promptly
if possible. Sand or dirt mixed with leaking oil or
grease could form an abrasive compound which
could quickly damage the seals and track pins.
The front axle beam and wheels were not as
robust as the driven front axle on US half-tracks
and the lack of apowered axle reduced the cross-
country performance somewhat. Some drivers
Side view of a 251/9 Ausf. D—the howitzer is obscured by the found the angled steering wheel awkward, and
background in this blurred photograph. Later production
versions sacrificed a low profile for simplicity of con- vision—as in most armoured vehicles—left much
struction; the howitzer was mounted higher, on the cab roof, to be desired, even when ‘opened up’.
rather than being ‘countersunk’ into the front plate.
The Maybach HL 42 engine was somewhat
units, in which the normal establishment of tanks underpowered for the SdKfz 251, though tests
was reduced almost every year. with a US Mg half-track showed that this lack of
The SdKfz 251/9, mounting the short 7.5cm power was not critical in most circumstances. The
L/24 howitzer, was replaced by an improved M3 half-track was generally superior on roads and
version which could easily be converted from a in flat or rolling country. In rougher going, the
standard SPW, though the units produced were SdKfz 251’s more sophisticated suspension proved
manufactured and issued through normal better, being especially superior in crossing ditches
channels. Nonetheless, the greatly reduced work or rough stream banks. The rollers fitted to many
requirement allowed these support vehicles to be Allied M2/Mg half-tracks did give an advantage
produced far more easily and cheaply. Because of in climbing a vertical obstacle, but the SdKfz 251
a continuing shortage of self-propelled anti-tank was much less likely to get stuck at the crest, since
guns, the SdKfz 251 was adapted to carry the the 3-length track run could support the weight
7.5cm Pak 4o, and was assigned to reconnaissance of the whole vehicle. Later in the war some SdKfz
battalions. In the few units which received the /22 251s were fitted with all-metal tracks without the
model, it supplemented the earlier /g with the rubber pads. While effective in cross-country use,
short 7.5cm L/24 howitzer. It was overloaded to they caused too much vibration for use on paved
some extent, but the SdKfz 251/22 was an effective roads and were replaced with the original tracks.
weapon when used from ambush, especially in the The war in Russia brought new problems. All
traditional forward defence positions usually German vehicles suffered from the effects of cold.
manned by reconnaissance units. The /22 had a Engine oil congealed, then froze; gearboxes stuck
fairly high silhouette, though it was much lower solid, and wheel bearings froze. A great deal of
than many self-propelled PaK4o mounts. How- effort had to be devoted to working out solutions
ever, it was vastly more effective than the SdKfz to these—and other—problems. The use of
251/g9 with the short howitzer. Firing at enemy heaters and even small fires to heat engine crank-
armour was often delayed until the tanks were cases was widespread, and most vehicles were
only 300 metres away, to ensure quick destruction supplied with heating torches to deal with frozen
of the targets. The PaK4o could, if necessary, or jammed components. Engine wear was greatly
engage armour at ranges of 1,500 metres or more. increased because the thicker oil did not lubricate
This greater range capability allowed more well until the engine had warmed up. Cold metal
flexibility in positioning these anti-tank vehicles. parts failed more easily, and were under greater

on
Some blurred but interesting views of formation signs
marked on 251s late in the war: here, front and back views of
heavily-camouflaged Ausf. Ds of 12.SS-Panzer-Division
‘Hitlerjugend’ in Normandy. Both have an indistinct camou-
flage scheme of green and/or brown mottled over yellow, and
heavy added foliage. The white divisional sign—crossed
‘Dietrich’ key and Sigrun in shield over oakleaves—appears
at front and rear on the right side. The front view shows the
tactical sign of the armoured radio battalion on the left of the
nose; this track has two ‘crow’s-foot’ aerials at the rear hull
corners, and an air recognition flag across the engine hood —
inappropriate as this seems, for Normandy in 1944. The rear
view is of a 251/7—note bridging sections—with the tactical
number ‘440’ in black or dark red. It retains an MG34— most
Ausf. Ds had MG4z2s mounted.

strain because of stiff lubricants. Many units using

the standard half-tracks with interleaved road-
wheels learned that snow and ice left in the
suspensions overnight could freeze solid, resulting
in stranded vehicles or broken tracks when the
crews attempted to move out in the morning.
The interleaved wheel design also resulted in side
loads on the bearings during turns and in traversing
rough ground, and maintenance had to be done
on a fairly regular basis to ensure reliable
performance. The transmission and final drive
unit were very similar to simpler tank powertrains,
and the clutch and brake steering components
required adjustment and maintenance more
often that the simpler truck differential-on the
M2/Msg half-tracks.
Operations in the desert of North Africa and
the hot dusty plains of southern Russia required
additional maintenance procedures. The primary
problem was lack of proper cooling, but the SdKfz
251 had a good cooling system layout and over-
heating was not generally a serious problem. Dust In spite of its more complex components, the
infiltration was an equally serious problem, and SdKfz 251 proved a most useful vehicle. The basic
months of development and improvements to oil vehicle was adaptable to a variety of roles, and
filters were needed to increase serviceability. Even performed most of these functions satisfactorily.
with improved filters, frequent oil changes were Allied experience with captured SdKfz 251s
required, and engines and transmissions wore out appears to have been mixed. Many units, like the
faster than the norm in northern Europe. US grd Army, evaluated the SPW and found it
The desert climate and terrain were extremely deficient in a number of areas, especially in
harsh on wheels, tyres and suspensions. The durability. The massive M2/M3 half-tracks were
Germans often covered the tyres on vehicles when better suited to the aggressive driving style of the
stopped, since excessive heat could devulcanise Americans. On the other hand, a number of US
the rubber. Tyre pressures were checked often and British units captured numbers of SdKfz 251s
because of heat build-up during marches. The and cheerfully used them until they broke down, at
limestone outcroppings in much of the African which point the disabled vehicles were usually
desert ruined the rubber roadwheel tyres and pushed off the road and left to the depredations of
rubber track pads. The dust and sand necessitated souvenir hunters and scavengers. Because of their
frequent cleaning ofair filters and all moving parts. distinctive shape, captured German SPWs were
39
usually marked with prominent white stars. were made and the final version, the OT-810, had
Post-war use of the SdKfz 251 was generally a redesigned body, a diesel engine and a modified
limited to areas liberated from German occupation suspension with cast steel single pin tracks without
near the end ofthe war. During the early post-war the distinctive rubber pads. Versions ofthe OT-810
years, surplus Allied military vehicles began have served since its introduction in the early
replacing those German vehicles retained for 1960s.
transportation and other uses. The surviving The SdKfz 251 proved the concept of a
SPWs were usually broken up as scrap, the fate for competent cross-country tactical vehicle for ar-
most German tactical vehicles. moured infantry units. The successes of the Panzer
Czechoslovakia was producing the SdKfz 251 Divisions led to adaptations and outright copying
Ausf. D and, after the end of the war, production of the German tactics by the Allied powers. These
continued for the Czech Army. Various changes revitalised forces drove the German troops into
their homeland, using tactics very similar to those
of the Panzer and Panzergrenadier divisions. Most
modern armies owe their basic tactics of armour-
SdKfz 251/4 Ausf. D of 5.SS-Panzer-Division ‘Wiking’ towing
a 7.5cem Pak4o anti-tank gun on the Eastern Front, 1944-45.
infantry co-operation to the early German suc-
The shortage of SP weapons in many units forced the re- cesses, and the SdKfz 251 deserves a place in
tention of towed guns until the end of the war. The tactical sign
on the right rear hull seems to indicate the motorised, rather history as an integral part of those successful
than the armoured, battalion of this Panzergrenadier regi- actions.
ment, which must have been either ‘Germania’ or ‘Westland’
at this date. The divisional sign of a white ‘mobile’ swastika in
circular form appears within a shield to the left of the white-
trimmed black vehicle number ‘2533’.

ia

36
i +. , oh ys } ta <a

Ausf. D of 1.SS-Panzer-Division ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’

knocked out by men of 1st Polish Armoured Division during
the battle of the Falaise Gap, August 1944. (Steven Zaloga)

The Plates
Ar: Sdkfz 251/1 Ausf. A, roth Company, Schittzen- yellow-brown, the half-track appears to bear a
Regiment 1, 1. Panzer-Division; France, 1940 small insignia of a red map of Africa on a white
The typical appearance of the early SPW, panel on the rear quarter.
finished in overall ‘Panzer grey’. Note the upper
half of the rear hull doors painted white as an air Br: Sdkfz 251/3 Ausf. B, 3.Panzer-Division,
identification measure; and the tactical markings Russia, 1942
of roth Company, together with the oakleaf Though lacking distinctive markings, this vehicle
divisional emblem. The use of sandbags to protect is interesting in having the 2.8cm tapered-bore
the front gunner was common before the introduc- Panzerbuchse anti-tank gun mounted in place of
tion of the armour shield. the forward MG34. Note the appliqué armour
plates on the driver’s front plate; and the side
Az: SdKfz 251/6 Ausf. C., HQ 9.Panzer-Division ; hull racks for spare track links.
Russia, 1941
The conspicuous frame antenna was later replaced Be: SdKfz 251/1 Ausf. C, 24.Panzer-Division;
by the ‘crow’s-foot’ rod antenna. Note command Russia, 1942
marking and divisional sign on front plate. The forward MG34 appears to be fitted on the
‘heavy’ mount. This vehicle is almost completely
A3: SdKfz 251/3 Ausf. B., Luftwaffe ‘Flivo’. covered in a coating of mud, and a streaked effect
Deutsches Afrikakorps ;Libya, 1942 is visible on the side bins.
Distinguished by its tall telescopic rod antenna,
this vehicle was used by Luftwaffe ground control Cr: SdKfz 251/3 Ausf. B, 21.Panzer-Division,
officers providing the communications link Deutches Afrikakorps ;Libya, 1941
between DAK units and the air force units There was a shortage of sand-colour paint in the
supporting them. Painted in all-over 1941-42 spring and early summer of 1941, and ‘expedient’

37
colour schemes were observed, with partial Er: SdKfz 251/2 Ausf. D, unidentified unit;
application of paint, or even of water-and-sand Western Front, autumn 1944
mud, over the factory grey finish. This vehicle is The ‘ambush’ colour scheme of three shades in a
unusual in carrying the top section of the pattern intended to simulate sunlight dappled
collapsible gm. mast as a radio antenna. Note through trees was fairly unusual for a half-track.
small white DAK emblem on side of engine Note, however, that this is a mortar-carrier
housing. vehicle, which would logically operate in semi-
static concealed positions and thus required a more
C2: SdKfz 251/6 Ausf. C, HQ Panzergrenadier-Regt. careful camouflage scheme than the usual run of
‘Grossdeutschland’ ; Russia, 1943 troop carriers.
Finished in the overall dark yellow factory paint
scheme of German armoured vehicles from early E2: Sdkfz 251/9 Ausf. D, 20.Panzer-Division ;
1943 onwards, this SPW bears the white helmet Russia, summer 1944
sign of the Panzer-Division ‘GD’; and the white This late-production vehicle, with the 7.5cm
‘Or’ which identified the command vehicle of howitzer mounted, bears a_ tactical number
Oberst Lorenz, the regimental commander, to- indicating 4th vehicle, rst Platoon, 8th Company
gether with the command pennant flown from the in the manner of tank tactical numbers. Note the
mudguard. divisional sign on the rear hull quarter, perhaps
repeated on the front plate. The three standard
C3: Sdkfz 251/10 Ausf. C, unidentified unit; North issue paint colours are used here in a ‘cloud’
Russia, 1943 pattern.
The supply of white camouflage paint was more
reliable from winter 1942-43 onwards than it had E3: SdkKfz 251/7 Ausf. D, Armoured Engineer
been in the first winter of the campaign. Many Battalion, 2.Panzer-Division; France, 1944
vehicles were completely overpainted, with no In contrast, the rather less effective mottled
attempt to retain national or tactical markings pattern of the same three colours is used here. The
which might give enemy weapons crews an aiming division’s trident emblem, and the tactical mark-
point. On this SPW only the individual vehicle ing of the battalion’s 3rd Company, are marked on
name ‘Baden’ has been preserved. front, rear, and side surfaces, the latter just visible
beside the driver’s side vision slot. The lack of the
Di: Sdkfz 251/16 Ausf. C, 1.Panzer-Division ; national cross is notable.
France. summer 1943
Between January and June 1943 this division was Fr: Sdkfz 251/1 Ausf. D, mit Wurfrahmen, un-
refitting in France, and received many replace- identified unit; Russia, spring 1944
ment vehicles, including this factory-fresh flame- Unidentified except by the individual vehicle
thrower Ausf. C in unblemished condition and name ‘Gerti’, this 251/1 Ausf. D has the six 28cm
overall dark yellow paintwork. Note divisional rocket launchers mounted along the hull sides.
oakleaf sign on front—and, presumably, rear— The rocket crates, being expendable, appeared in
quarter. a number of colours. The ‘cloud’ pattern is again
evident; dark green and brown pastes were issued,
De: Sdkfz 251/1 Ausf. C, Panzergrenadier-Regt. 64, and diluted and applied at unit level over the
16.Panzer-Division; Russia, 1943-44 factory finish of dark yellow.
Tactical markings were often painted directly on
to the front plate, instead of on a separate plate. Fe: Sdkfz 251/8 Ausf. D ambulance, Fallschirm-
This vehicle, in an overall covering of whitewash, Panzer-Division ‘Hermann Giring’ ; Italy, 1944
bears in red the divisional insignia above the Colour scheme displayed by a_ purpose-built
tactical marking of the 6th Company of the ambulance vehicle of the Luftwaffe’s premier
division’s Panzergrenadier-Regiment 64. armoured formation, photographed near Monte
Cassino early in 1944. Other vehicles were con-
38
 ee,

verted to this role in the field. The large Red Cross Interesting shot of both armoured and unarmoured versions
of the 3.7cm Flak auf sWS, captured by Allied troops in 1944.
flags were common; painted markings were often The sWS was a larger vehicle than the 251, and was intended
to supplement it in some roles such as carrying the heavier
obscured by mud or dust, and were hard to flak weapons and rocket launchers. (Steven Zaloga)
distinguish at a distance.

F3: SdKfz 251/21 Ausf. D, unidentified unit; visible behind set, two diagonal map stowage
Europe, 1945 tubes. (11) Heater duct. (12) Gear shift lever.
Typical of the very plain finish of many late-war (13) Transfer case shift lever. (14) Handbrake.
vehicles, this SPW captured intactin ‘march order’ (15) Side vision port. (16) Internal ‘false’ mounting
by the US 87th Infantry Division bears only a wall, bolted to armour. (17) Rail for slinging
black railway loading label on the forward packs. (18) Gasmask canister. (19) Driver’s vision
stowage bin door. port.
Gr: Interwor view, SdKfz 251/1 Ausf. C, looking
forward: Ge: Interior view, SdAfz 251/1 Ausf. C’, looking to
In open-topped vehicles the interior paint was the rear:
same colour as the exterior, though repainted Note that the right wall stowage bin is omitted for
vehicles often retained their original interior clarity. The complex door hinges were fastened
finish. to welded brackets; on the Ausf. A and B these
(1) MG34 mounting, with armoured shield and brackets were bolted to the doors, leading to the
gun lock. (2) Padding on underside of roof. belief that some ofthese vehicles were ofbolted or
(3) Radio antenna base. (4) Radio junction box. riveted construction.
(5) Bin for four-rifle rack behind cushioned back (1) Crane mount for rear MG34. (2) Door lock
of forward seat. (6) MP4o0 machine pistol. handle. (3) Internal mounting wall. (4) Stowage
(7) Shelter-half. (8) Six MP4o magazines. (9) for 50-round MG34 ammunition drums. (5) Spent
Stowed MG34 machine gun. (10) Funksprech- cartridge bag for MG34. (6) Outline of omitted
gerat ‘F’ radio-telephone with headset; just rear wall stowage bin. (7) Rear seats, on top of

39
stowage bins. (8) Fire extinguisher. (g) Rear seat (1) 7.5cem PaKygo anti-tank gun. (2) Am-
cushion, in front of wall stowage bin. (10) Stowed munition bin—17 rounds. (3) Ammunition bin—
canvas tilt support hoops. (11) Door hinge. five rounds. (4) Recoil slide. (5) ‘P’-beam for gun
mounting. (6) Extra loose rounds in metal tube
HT: Exterior and interior views, SdKfz 251/22: shipping containers. (7) Rear seat, of wooden slat
Issued in late 1944 and 1945 to augment the construction, mounted on stowage bin, with back
defensive firepower of armoured infantry units, cushion of padded leather or canvas mounted on
the SdKfz 251/22 mounted the 7.5cm PaK4o anti- front face of wall stowage bin. (8) Gunner’s
tank gun. The very plain colour scheme of red- wooden slat seat. (g) Gun mounting platform.
brown dapple over factory yellow is typical. The (10) Vertical body reinforcement plate behind
mounting for the gun was very simple; the main driver’s seat—both sides. (11) PaK4o optical
support ‘I’-beams were welded fore and aft. direct sight. (12) Gun travel lock.

Notes sur les planches en couleur Farbtafeln

Ax Avant l’introduction de boucliers blindés, des sacs de sable protégeaient les Ax Sandsacke schiitzten den Schtitzen vor der Montage des gepanzerten
artilleurs. Notez que le haut des portes arriére est peint en blanc pour re- Schutzschildes. Bemerke die obere Halfte der hinteren Tiiren ist weiss gestrichen
connaissance aérienne. L’insigne “feuille de chéne’ de la division se trouve als Lufterkennungszeichen. Divisionelles Eichenblattabzeichen tiber der
au-dessus du marquage tactique du régiment sur la porte. Az Marquages du regimentalen taktischen Markierung an der Tir. Ag Markierungen des HQ,
Quartier Général, g°™® Panzer-Division, sur la plaque avant. Ag Véhicule g. Panzer-division auf der vorderen Platte. Ag Fahrzeug des Luftwaffen-
d’un officier de liaison de la Luftwaffe; le petit insigne sur la porte arriére verbindungsoffiziers; das kleine Abzeichen auf der hinteren Tiir scheint eine
ressemble a une carte rouge de VP Afrique. rote Karte von Afrika zu sein.
Bx La mitrailleuse avant est remplacée par un canon anti-tank de 2.8cm. Bi Vorderes Maschinengewehr durch ein 2, 8cm Panzerabwehrgeschiitz
Notez le blindage additionel du coté du conducteur et les portants pour ersetzt. Bemerke die hinzugefiigte Panzerung an der Fahrerposition und
chenilles de remplacement. Bz Ce n’est pas de la peinture mais une couche de Seitenstander fiir Ersatzkettenteile. Bz Dies ist keine Farbe, sondern ein sehr
boue couvrant le gris du char; notez l’effet de traces sur les coffres de cété. vollstandiges Auftragen von Lehm iiber der grauen Grundfarbe; bemerke den
fahrigen Effekt an den Seitenbehaltern.
Cr Le manque de peinture est ici bien évident! Notez le petit insigne DAK sur
le coté de engin, et Pantenne de radio inhabituelle. C2 ‘Or’ indique le Cx Eine Farbenknappheit ist hier deutlich! Bemerke das kleine DAK-
véhicule du commandant du régiment, ici, celui de l’?Oberst Lorenz. Notez Abzeichen an der Motorenseite; und ungewéhnliche Radio-antenne. C2 ‘O1’
aussi le fanion de commandant sur le garde-boue. Insignes de division a l’avant zeigt das Fahrzeug des Regimentskommandeurs an—hier, das des Oberst
et a larriére. Cg Véhicule non identifié, complétement passé au blanc pour Lorenz. Bemerke auch den Kommando-wimpel am Kotfliigel. Divisionsab-
Phiver; cela rappelle que les insignes exacts étaient plutot rares en premiéres zeichen vorne und hinten. Cg Nicht identifiziertes Fahrzeug in komplettem
lignes. weissgetiinchtem Farbschema fiir den Winter; eine Erinnerung, dass in der
vorderen Linie genaue Markierungen eher selten als tiblich waren.
Dx Véhicule neuf peint en jaune foncé; notez V'insigne de division sur la plaque
avant. Dz Véhicule passé au blanc, avec les marquages de la 6°™* Compagnie, Dx Neu ausgegebene Fahrzeuge in dunkelgelbem Farbschema; bemerke das
Bataillon blindé du Génie, 16°™* Panzer-Division. Divisionszeichen auf der vorderen Platte. Dz Komplettes weissgetiinchtes
Farbschema mit den Markierungen der 6. Kompanie, Panzerpionier-Bataillon,
Er Camouflage dit ‘d’embuscade’, inhabituel sur les half-tracks, mais notez 16. Panzerdivision,
que c’est un véhicule avec mortier, dont la dissimulation serait particuliérement
souhaitable. Ez Harmonie tricolore de la fin de la guerre; numéros tactiques Ex Sogenanntes ‘Hinterhaltsschema’ der Tarnung, ungewoéhnlich an Halb-
sur les cotés et a arriére, comme dans les unités de chars; signe de la division kettenantriebsfahrzeugen; bemerke jedoch, dass dies ein Morser tragendes
sur la porte arriére. Eg Signe de la division et insigne tactique de la Compagnie Fahrzeug ist, fiir welches Tarnung viel wichtiger als normalerweise sein wiirde.
juste visibles sur le cété, prés la fente de vision du conducteur, et a l’avant et Ez Dreifarbenschema von spater im Krieg; taktische Nummern auf den
Varriére de ce véhicule du Génie. Variante du camouflage tricolore de 1943-45. Seiten und hinten in der Art der Panzereinheiten; Divisionszeichen an der
hinteren Tiir. Ez Divisionszeichen und das taktische Abzeichen der Kompanie
Fr L’application en ‘nuages’ des trois couleurs masquait les contours le plus gerade sichtbar auf der Seite beim Sehschlitz des Fahrers, sowie vorne und
efficacement. Comme on pouvait en disposer, les caissons a fusées étaient peints
hinten an diesem Pionierfahrzeug. Eine alternative Benutzung der drei
de fagons variées. Notez le nom de ce véhicule, ‘Gerti’. Fz Intéressant motif Tarnungsfarben von 1943-45.
‘tigré’ en brun sur le fond jaune foncé de cette ambulance de la Division
‘Hermann Goring’, prés de Cassino. Fg La plupart des véhicules de la fin de la Fx Das ‘Wolken’- Muster der drei Farben war das effektivste bei der Form-
guerre avaient un air terne—ils n’étaient ni camouflés ni marqués; celuici verdeckung. Die Rakentenkisten, die Einwegkisten sind, erschienen in ver-
porte seulement une étiquette de transport par train sur le coffre de cété avant. schiedenen Farben. Bemerke den individuellen Fahrzeugnamen ‘Gerti’.
F2 Interessantes ‘Tiegerstreifen’—Muster in braun tiber dem einfachen
G1, G2, H1, Hz Par manque de place, nous ne pouvons donner une traduction dunkelgelb eines Krankenfahrzeuges der ‘Hermann Goring’ Division, in der
détaillée des légendes. Referrez-vous aux textes anglais, qui sont faciles a Nahe von Casino gesehen. Fg So langweilig es auch aussieht, die meisten
comprendre si on examine les illustrations en détail. Notez que dans G2 nous Spatkriegsfahrzeuge waren weder getarnt noch markiert; dieses tragt nur ein
avons pour plus de clareté omis le coffre de réserves a l’intérieur de la caisee, Eisenbahntransportschild auf dem vorderen Seitenbehalter.
contre la cloison de droite.
Gr, G2, Hx, H2: Aus Platzmangel miissen wir die genaue einzelne Ubersetzung
der Untertitel weglassen. Benutzen Sie die englischen Sprachtitel, die, wie wir
glauben, selbsterklarend sind, wenn die Zeichnungen Stiick fur Stiick betrachtet
werden. Bemerke, dass wir in Gz der Klarheit wegen den Vorratsbehalter an
der inneren rechten Wand des Rumpfes weglassen.

40
OSPREY - VANGUARD

A series of books describing key units and weapons systems of

zoth century warfare, prepared by leading military experts
for the enthusiast and modeller, and illustrating authentic details
of armour and supporting vehicles, camouflage, markings,
uniforms, insignia and weapons.

Avec annotations en francais sur les planches en couleur

Mit Aufzeichnungen auf deutsch uber die Farbtafeln

(3) US 1st Infantry Division 1939-45 ) The M47 & M48 Patton Tanks
(6) The Lee/Grant Tanks in British Service ) Polish Armour 1939-45
(8) US 1st Marine Division 1941-45 ) US Half-Tracks of World War II
(13) The Churchill Tank )
(15) The Sherman Tank in British Service ) German Light Panzers 1932-42
194245 ) M113 Series
(16 ) The Panzerkampfwagen III ) Armour of the Pacific War
(17 ) The Stuart Light Tank Series ) Long Range Desert Group
(18 ) The Panzerkampfwagen IV ) Modern Soviet Combat Tanks
(19 ) Armour of the Middle East Wars 1948-78 )
(20 ) The Tiger Tanks )
(21) ) The PzKpfw V Panther 1917-45
(22 ) The Centurion Tank in Battle (40) US Light Tanks 1944-84; M24 Chaffee, M41
(23 ) British Tanks in N. Africa 1940~-42 Walker Bulldog and M551 Sheridan
(24 ) Soviet Heavy Tanks ( The Mi Abrams Battle Tank
41)
(25 ) German Armoured Cars and Recce Half- (42) Armour of the Vietnam Wars
Tracks 1939-45 (43) The M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle
(26) The Sherman Tank in US and Allied Service 44) Anti-Tank Helicopters
(27) Armour of the Korean War 1950-53 45) Amtracs: US Amphibious Assault Vehicles
(28) The 6th Panzer Division 1937-45 (46)
46 The Renault FT Light Tank

BRUCE CULVER, born in 1940, was for many years known for his highly praised books Panzer Colours and
a professional medical illustrator, while pursuing his Panzer Colours 2. Currently a technical writer with the
interest in the history of Second World War armoured Vought Corporation, Bruce Culver lives in Texas
vehicles and colour scheme practices. He has been an with his wife and two children.
active member of IPMS USA, and is probably best

ISBN 0-85045-429-8

ra

r.
kee

780850°454291