SdKfz 250

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SdKfz 250 in Svidník war museum, Slovakia.
SdKfz 250
General characteristics
Crew 4
Length 4.77 m
Width 2.0 m
Height 2.15 m
Weight 5.5 t
Armour and armament
Armour 8-15 mm
Main armament various
Secondary armament various
Mobility
Power plant Maybach HL 42 petrol
100 hp (75 kW)
Suspension Half track
Road speed 37 mph (60 km/h)
Power/weight
Range 300 km

The SdKfz 250 was a light armoured half track, similar in appearance to the larger Sdkfz 251, used by Nazi Germany in World War II. The "250" had 4 roadwheel axles, compared to 6 for the 251. The SdKfz-251 had a three-ton cargo capacity, compared to one ton for the smaller and lighter SdKfz-250. Viewed from the front, the two vehicles appear very similar.

Compared to US 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.

[edit] 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 that were easy to spot at long range, making them vulnerable to artillery fire. Later variants dispensed with this antenna 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-faced angled plates which gave good protection against small arms fire, but which made the design both expensive to manufacture and quite cramped. The second version ("neue art" or "new version") appeared late in 1943, and was greatly simplified to speed up manufacture. 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 could penetrate the Sd.Kfz-250 at long range.

[edit] Variants

SdKfz 250 with 5cm Pak 38 L/60, Belgrade Military Museum, Serbia.
Enlarge
SdKfz 250 with 5cm Pak 38 L/60, Belgrade Military Museum, Serbia.
  • 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 asault 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.

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German armored fighting vehicles of World War II
Tanks
Panzer I | Panzer II | Panzer III | Panzer IV | Panther | Tiger I, II | Panzer 35(t) | Panzer 38(t)
Self-propelled artillery
Wespe | Hummel | Grille | Panzerwerfer | sIG 33 | Wurfrahmen 40
Assault guns
StuG III | StuG IV | StuH 42 | Brummbär | Sturmtiger
Tank destroyers
Panzerjäger I | Marder I , II , III | Hetzer | Jagdpanzer IV | Jagdpanther | Nashorn | Jagdtiger | Elefant
Half-tracks Armored cars
SdKfz 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 250 | 251 | 252 | 253 | 254 Sdkfz 221/22/23 | Sdkfz 231/32/34/63
Self propelled anti-aircraft
Flakpanzer IV: Möbelwagen, Wirbelwind, Ostwind, Kugelblitz | Gepard
Prototypes
Maus | E- series | Panther II | Waffenträger | Neubaufahrzeug
Proposed designs
Panzer VII 'Löwe'
German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
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