SdKfz 250

The SdKfz 250 ( Sonderkraftfahrzeug 250 ) was a the half-track vehicle armor-plated light, resembling largest the SdKfz 251, used by the Wehrmacht during the Second world war. The 250 had four wheel axles in contact with the ground whereas the 251 had six of them. SdKfz 251 could carry a load of three tons whereas smallest and lighter SdKfz 250 could carry only one ton of load. Seen of face, the two vehicles resembled each other much and were difficult to distinguish.

Compared with the half-track vehicles produced by the Americans during the same conflict, the standard vehicles SdKfz were less mobile and with nose gear wheels deprived of traction. However, its chains made of SdKfz 250 a vehicle much more mobile than the armored vehicles than it replaced and it was about a popular vehicle. The majority of the models did not have a protection on the top and did not have that a door of access on the back.

History

The vehicle was used in a great diversity of roles throughout the Second world war. The conveyer of basic troops was used like a transport of troops armor-plated for the units of recognition, transporting sections of scouts. On the initial version one or two machine-guns MG34 was usually assembled. Thereafter, other alternatives of the vehicle were equipped with guns of 20 mm, 37 mm and even of 75 mm to support SdKfz more slightly armed (see below).

Several versions intended for particular uses were brought into service at the beginning of the war. The 250/3 and the 250/5 were command vehicles, having less seat but equipped with radios with long range. These vehicles were used by the commander of battalions or the officers of a higher row like command vehicles personal, most famous being the 250/3 used by Erwin Rommel during the Guerre of the desert. The first versions were equipped with large easily locatable antennas in “framework of bed” by far what made them vulnerable to the shooting Artillerie. On the later versions, this type of antenna was abandoned to be replaced by an antenna whip.

The version SdKfz 253 was entirely closed and used by the advanced observers of artillery to accompany the tanks or of the units by mechanized infantry.

The initial version had an armor-plated case made up of plates joined on multiple angles and with multiple slopes, which gave a good protection against the light weapons, but what made this version at the same time expensive to assemble and skimped enough. The second version put in production (neue art or new version) appeared at the end of 1943 and was strongly simplified in order to accelerate the assembly of it. In the two versions, the shielding could not stop that the shootings of light weapons and the small artillery glares. On the other hand, the shootings of heavy machine guns, anti-tank guns or almost all the guns of tank could penetrate the shielding of SdKfz with long distance.

Versions

SdKfz 250/1 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen : Conveyer of standard troops.
SdKfz 250/2 leichter Fernsprechpanzerwagen : Equipped with equipment of installation of câbe
SdKfz 250/1 leichter Funkpanzerwagen : Command vehicle, equipped with radio operator equipment and an air antenna out of framework of bed
SdKfz 250/4 :

SdKfz 250/4 leichter Truppenluftschützenpanzerwagen : Anti-aircraft version equipped with a double machine-gun MG34. This version was never put in production.
SdKfz 250/4 leichter Beobachtungspanzerwagen : Convey observation for a detachment of Sturmgeschütz.

SdKfz 250/5 leichter Beobachtungspanzerwagen : Version of command with equipment radio operator additional
SdKfz 250/6 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen : Conveyer of ammunition for guns of assault

SdKfz 250/6 Ausf. With : transported 70 shells intended for the gun StuK 37 L/24 of 75mm
SdKfz 250/6 Ausf. B : 60 shells intended for the gun StuK 40 L/48 of 75mm

SdKfz 250/7 transported:

SdKfz 250/7 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (schwerer Granatwerfer) : Equip with a mortar of 80 mm
SdKfz 250/7 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (Munitionsfahrzeug) : Conveyer of ammunition, transported 60 shells intended for the mortar of 80mm

SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (7,5cm) : Version of support of infantry armed with a gun KwK 37 L/24 of 75mm and with a machine-gun MG34
SdKfz 250/9 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (2cm) : Version of recognition equipped with a gun at high rate of shooting KwK 38 of 20mm with a coaxial machine-gun MG34 or MG42 in a low turret, to discovered top, identical to the armored car SdKfz 222 or SdKfz 234/1
SdKfz 250/10 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (3,7cm PaK) : Convey of patrol leader of recognition equipped with a gun PaK 35/36 of 37mm. It is about the same gun as that which was used as a model tractor drawn at the beginning of the war. It did not have in theory a shield of protection and if it had one of them, it was about small.
SdKfz 250/11 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (schwere Panzerbüchse 41) : Convey equipped with anti-tank rifle sPzB 41 of 28 mm and a machine-gun MG34.
SdKfz 250/12 leichter Messtruppanzerwagen : Convey artillery observation.
SdKfz 252 leichter gepanzerter Munitionskraftwagen : conveyer of ammunition for Sturmgeschütz
SdKfz 253 leichter gepanzerter Beobachtungskraftwagen : Convey advanced artillery observation, equipped with a completely closed case and artillery radios.

External bonds

SdKfz 250 At The Campaign Battlefront
SdKfz 250 At WWIIvehicles
SdKfz 250 photograph gallery At WW2Photo.mimerswell.com

References

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