SdKfz 250

Infobox Weapon
name=SdKfz 250


caption=SdKfz 250 in the Svidník war museum, Slovakia.
origin=Nazi Germany
type=Half-track amoured personnel carrier
is_vehicle=yes
length=4.77 m (15 ft 8 in)
width=2.0 m (6 ft 6.5 in)
height=2.15 m (7 ft)
weight=5.5 t
suspension= Half track
speed=60 km/h (37 mph)
vehicle_range=300 km (186 mi)
primary_armament= various
secondary_armament= various
armour=8-15 mm (.31-.59 in)
engine= Maybach HL 42TRKM, [Hogg, Ian V. "Greenhill Armoured Fighting Vehicles Data Book" (London: Greenhill Books, 2000), p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC".] six-cylinder [Hogg, p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC".] petrol
engine_power=75 kW (100 hp)
pw_ratio=
crew=2 + 4

The SdKfz 250 was a light armoured halftrack, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sdkfz 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II. The 250 had 4 roadwheels and a cargo capacity of one ton.

Compared to U.S. halftracks, the "SdKfz" 250 series was less mobile, with unpowered front wheels. However, its tracks made it far more mobile than the armoured cars it replaced, and it was a popular vehicle. Most variants were open-topped and had a single access door in the rear.

Adopted in 1939 to supplement the standard halftrack, it was based on the 1938 [Hogg, Ian V., and Weeks, John. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles" (London: Hamlyn, 1980), p.251, "SdKfz 10 Light (One-ton) Military Tractor)".] "Sd.Kfz". 10 prime mover [Hogg, p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC".] and intended to carry an infantry section in company with an armoured car. [Hogg, p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC".] Production delays meant the first 250 did not appear until mid 1941. [Hogg, p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC".]

ervice history

The vehicle was used in a wide variety of roles throughout World War II. The basic troop carrier version was used as an armored personnel carrier for reconnaissance units, carrying scout sections. This basic variant usually mounted one or two MG34 machineguns. Later variants carried 20mm, 37mm, and even 75mm guns to support the more lightly-armed versions (see table below).

Several special-purpose variants were seen early in the war. The 250/3 and 250/5 were command variants, equipped with fewer seats but with long-range radio equipment. These were used by battalion and higher commanders as personal command vehicles, most famously the 250/3 used by Erwin Rommel in the North African campaign. Early versions had large 'bedframe' antennas easy to spot at long range, making them vulnerable to artillery fire. Later variants dispensed with this and used a whip antenna instead.

The "Sd.Kfz". 253 variant was fully enclosed, and was used by artillery forward observers to accompany tank and mechanized infantry units.

The initial design had an armoured body made of multi-faceted plates which gave good protection against small arms fire, but which made the design both expensive to manufacture and quite cramped. Production stopped in October 1943 with some 4,200 built, [Hogg, p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC".] and a second version ("neue art" or "new version"), greatly simplified to speed up manufacture, began replacing it. In both variants, the armour was useful only for stopping small-arms fire and small artillery fragments. Heavy machinegun fire, anti-tank gun fire, or almost any tank gun could penetrate the Sd.Kfz-250 at long range. The oblique lower body plates' V-shape deflected the energy from anti-tank mines. It was common on many WWII German light armoured vehicles, like "Sd.Kfz". 222 and "Sd.Kfz". 231 - and perfected in the modern South African CSIR Casspir.

Variants

;SdKfz 250/1 "leichter Schützenpanzerwagen": The standard troop carrier.

;SdKfz 250/2 "leichter Fernsprechpanzerwagen": Equipped with cable-laying gear.

;SdKfz 250/3 "leichter Funkpanzerwagen": Command variant, equipped with radio equipment and "bedstead" aerial frame.

;SdKfz 250/4
*SdKfz 250/4 "leichte Truppenluftschützpanzerwagen": Antiaircraft variant armed with a dual MG34, never reached production.
*SdKfz 250/4 "leichte Beobachtungspanzerwagen": Observation vehicle for a Sturmgeschütz detachment.

;SdKfz 250/5 "leichte Beobachtungspanzerwagen": Command variant with additional radio equipment.

;SdKfz 250/6 "leichte Munitionspanzerwagen": Ammunition carrier for assault guns.
*SdKfz 250/6 "Ausf A": carried 70 rounds for 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 gun.
*SdKfz 250/6 "Ausf B": carried 60 rounds for 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 gun.

;SdKfz 250/7:
*SdKfz 250/7 "leichte Schützenpanzerwagen (schwerer Granatwerfer)": With 80 mm Mortar.
*SdKfz 250/7 "leichte Schützenpanzerwagen (Munitionsfahrzeug)"': Ammunition transporter, carried 66 rounds for 80 mm mortar.

;SdKfz 250/8 "leichte Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5cm)": Support variant armed with a 7.5cm KwK 37 L/24 gun and an MG 34.

;SdKfz 250/9 "leichte Schützenpanzerwagen (2cm)": Reconnaissance variant with a 2 cm KwK 38 autocannon coaxial with an MG34 or MG42 in a low, open topped turret identical to the SdkFz-222 armoured car (early version) and the sdkfz-234/1 armoured car (late version).

;SdKfz 250/10 "leichte Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7cm PaK)": Reconnaissance platoon leader's variant with 3.7 cm PaK 35/36. This was the same antitank gun used in a towed mode early in the war. It was normally without protection shield, if any it was a small one.

;SdKfz 250/11 "leichte Schützenpanzerwagen (schwere Panzerbüchse 41)": With 2.8 cm sPzB 41 heavy anti-tank rifle and an MG-34.

;SdKfz 250/12 "leichte Messtruppanzerwagen": Survey and artillery range spotting vehicle.

;SdKfz 252 "leichte Gepanzerte Munitionskraftwagen": Ammunition carrier for Sturmgeschütz.

;SdKfz 253 "leichte Gepanzerte Beobachtungskraftwagen": Artillery forward observer vehicle, with fully-enclosed armoured body and artillery radios.

References

Notes

ources

* Hogg, Ian V. "Greenhill Armoured Fighting Vehicles Data Book", p.274, "Sd Kfz 250 ("alte") APC". London: Greenhill Books, 2000. ISBN 1-85367-391-9.
* ____, and Weeks, John. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles" , p.251, "SdKfz 10 Light (One-ton) Military Tractor)". London: Hamlyn, 1980. ISBN 0-600-33195-4.

External links

* [http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/sdkfz250.htm SdKfz 250 at The Campaign Battlefront]
* [http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/half-tracks/sdKfz-250.asp SdKfz 250 at WWIIvehicles]
* [http://ww2photo.mimerswell.com/tanks/d/sdkfz/sd250/sd250.htm SdKfz 250 photo gallery at WW2Photo.mimerswell.com]