The Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251 (SdKfz 251) half-track was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by Nazi Germany's Hanomag company during World War II. They were produced throughout the war.
The early production models of this vehicle were issued to the 1st Panzer Division in 1939. There were four main models (A - D), with many variants. The initial idea was for a vehicle that could be used to transport a squad of infantry to the battlefield protected from enemy small arms fire, and with some protection from artillery fire. The open top meant that the crew was still vulnerable, especially to high explosive rounds and shell fragments.
The first two models were produced in small numbers. The C variant had a larger production run, but was a quite complex vehicle to build, involving many angled plates that gave reasonable protection from small arms fire. The D version utilized a much simpler design, and can be easily recognised by its single piece sloping rear (with flat doors). Although designed for cross country work, it had some limitations as the front wheels were not powered.
The standard personnel carrier version, Sdkfz 251/1, was equipped with a 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun mounted at the front of the open compartment, above and behind the driver. A second machine gun was usually mounted at the rear on an anti-aircraft mount.
These vehicles were meant to enable panzergrenadiers to accompany panzers and provide infantry support as required. In practice, there were never enough of them to go around, and many panzergrenadier units had to make do with trucks for transport. Only favored divisions like Panzer Lehr received enough to fully equip their infantry units.
Variants were produced for specialized purposes, including with anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank rockets (triple Panzerschrecks fitted on either side of the vehicle) as well as a version with an infra-red search light used to spot potential targets for associated Panther tanks equipped with infrared detectors. There were 23 official variants, and sundry unofficial variants. Each variant is identified by a suffix to the model number. There was however some overlap in the variant numbers.
SDKFZ 222 Armoured Car
The post-WWI Versailles Treaty severely limited the number and type of military vehicles Germany was permitted to possess. No tanks of any kind were allowed, and only a small number of older armored cars could be used for border patrol and police work.
Starting in 1920, the Sd.Kfz.3 armored personnel carrier served with police and military units, but possessed poor cross-country performance due to its solid rubber tires. In the late 1920s, the Armaments Ministry called for a new armored carrier that could meet a series of demanding requirements. However, development was brought to a premature end by the worldwide financial collapse of 1929. These budgetary and treaty-imposed limitations led to Germany's development of simulated fighting vehicles for use in training exercises.
The earliest of these "paper panzers" was simply a dummy tank body mounted on a car chassis. In 1930 came a standardized design for a mock armored car, which featured an aluminum or thin steel body on an Adler Standard 6 car chassis. The use of such dummy vehicles helped the German army develop doctrines of mechanization and armored warfare during the interwar period. These ideas would gain even more momentum when re-armament began in earnest under Hitler.
4-Wheeled Armored Car
Produced from 1932 to 1934, the Kfz.13 was one of the first 4-wheeled armored cars developed by the expanding German army. Based on the Adler Standard 6 chassis, with lightly armored open top body, the Kfz.13 was armed with a single MG13. A command version designated Kfz.14 replaced the machine gun with radio apparatus. Both versions served with cavalry and reconnaissance detachments.
After 1936, the German army adopted a number of standard chassis designations to serve as the basis for all new wheeled vehicle designs. Among them was the Standard Chassis No.1 for Heavy Passenger Cars, which was designed by Auto Union. This chassis was used as the basis for the Sd.Kfz.221, which was intended to replace the Kfz.13/14. This light armored car featured a 3,517cc displacement, rear-mounted, 75hp V8-108 gasoline engine. It had 4-wheel independent suspension, and could switch between 2-wheel and 4-wheel steering.
Protected by sloped armor plates, the Sd.Kfz.221 featured a turret armed with a single 7.92mm MG34 machine gun. Carrying a crew of 2, it had outstanding crosscountry performance and speed of 80km/h on-road and 40km/h off-road. The Sd.Kfz.221 was eventually replaced by the Sd.Kfz.222, which featured a 20mm KwK 30 U55 auto cannon mounted coaxially with the MG34. The addition of a gunner brought the crew to 3, and a wireless radio apparatus was installed. Later versions were given the improved 20mm KwK 38 cannon, hydraulic brakes and increased engine displacement.
Serving with reconnaissance battalions of Panzer divisions, the Sd.Kfz.222 made an important contribution to the success of the Blitzkrieg in Europe. It also performed with distinction in the North African theatre, and is regarded as one of the most representative German armored cars of the period. Approximately 1,000 models were built until the end of production in June of 1943.
The Sd.Kfz.222 was gradually displaced in the reconnaissance role by half-tracks like the Sd.Kfz.250/9 DEMAG, but remained in service until the end of the war. A communications car variant, armed with the MG34 and featuring a large frame antenna, was designated Sd.Kfz.223. The Sd.Kfz.221/2/3 served as the eyes of the Panzer divisions in such disparate locations as Norway, the western coast of France, North African deserts and the outskirts of Moscow.
Deployment
The first Sd.Kfz.221 cars were deployed to armored car squadrons in the reconnaissance battalions of armored divisions. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, 12 motorized reconnaissance battalions and 2 motorized reconnaissance regiments were attached to the Wehrmacht's 6 armored divisions, 4 light divisions and 4 motorized infantry divisions.
In general, the battalions consisted of 1 or 2 armored reconnaissance squadrons, 1 motorcycle scout squadron and 1 heavy squadron. The armored recon squadrons employed Sd.Kfz.231/2 and Sd.Kfz.221/2/3 cars, with 4 Sd.Kfz.222s assigned to the unit. In 1942, recon battalions attached to Panzer divisions were merged with the division's separate motorcycle battalion and named motorcycle rifle battalions. To these battalions were added 2nd Company (armored recon) equipped with Sd.Kfz.250 series cars, and 3rd Company (motorized recon) equipped with kubelwagens, for a total of 5 companies, with the term `squadron' replaced by `company.'
Tactics
German armored units enjoyed extremely high mobility, as they employed 4, 6 and 8-wheeled vehicles capable of speeds of 70 to 85km/h. Armored cars were capable of gaining intelligence that was difficult to obtain from the air, while radio cars could transmit the data to field headquarters. The 20mm cannon enabled them to threaten and engage the enemy, and indeed they performed more of a combat function in North Africa, where lack of cover made it difficult to engage in reconnaissance.
