SdKfz 4

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SdKfz 4
Type half-track truck
Place of origin Nazi Germany
Specifications
Weight 7.1 tonnes
Length 6 m
Width 2.2 m
Height 2.5 m
Crew 3

Armor 8 mm
Primary
armament
7.92 mm MG34 or MG42
2,000 rounds
Engine 6 cylinder Opel 3.6 litre engine.
Operational
range
130 km
Speed 40km/h

The SdKfz 4 Gleisketten-Lastkraftwagen ("track chain truck"), nicknamed Maultier ("mule") was a family of half-tracks developed in the World War II by Germany which, between 1933 and 1945, was leading in the production of these vehicles [1].

[edit] Development

The SdKfz 4 was developed after the 1941 invasion of Russia as the ice and mud of Russia bogged down the commercial vehicles (primarily the 3t Opel-Blitz Type 3.6-36 S, the 3t Ford V8 Type G 398 TS/V 3000 S, the Magirus Type S 3000 and the 4.5t Mercedes-Benz Type L 4500 R) that were used to supply German forces. [1]

A total of 22,500 SdKfz 4 halftracks were produced by 1944 [2]. Later in the war, Opel trucks were outfitted with 15cm Panzerwerfer 42 rocket launchers and designated SdKfz 4/1's, with around 300 being produced [3]. However these variants, with the extra weight, could only manage a top speed of 25mph.

The vast majority of SdKfz 4's operated using British Carden-Lloyd running gear, with the exception of the Type L 4500 R, which used PzKpfw. II running gear. The 6-cylinder engines used 5 forward gears and one reverse, at 3,000 rpm, to attain a maximum forward speed of 40 km/h. Each halftrack was equipped with the FuG Spr G f radio.

Aside from the SdKfz 4/1, the SdKfz's were armed only with a light 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun with a traverse of 270° and elevation limits of -12° to +80°. With thin armour plating, the SdKfz's were not ideal in close quarter battle against anything greater than small arms fire.

[edit] References