Krupp Protze

Krupp L 2 H 43 / L 2 H 143 / Kfz.70
Krupp Kfz.70 on display at Deutsches Panzermuseum, Germany.
Type	Artillery tractor / Utility truck
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
Used by	Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Krupp
Manufacturer	Krupp
Produced	1934–1941
No. built	7,000
Variants	Several, see text
Specifications
Mass	2,600 kg
Length	5.10 m
Width	1.93 m
Height	1.96 m
Crew	1 + 5 passengers + 1 light towed gun (Kfz.69), 2+10 (Kfz.70)
Armor	None
Engine	Krupp Boxer motor, 3.3 liters 53 or 60 hp
Payload capacity	1,150 kg
Fuel capacity	110 liters
Operational range	450 km (on road)
Maximum speed	70 km/h

The L 2 H 43 and L 2 H 143 "Krupp-Protze" (unofficial designation) was a six-wheeled 6x4 German truck and artillery tractor produced between 1934 and 1941 and heavily used in World War II. It was powered by a 55 hp or, from 1936, 60 hp Krupp M 304 4-cylinder petrol engine. Its main purpose was to tow artillery, especially the PaK 36, and transport motorized infantry.

This vehicle was extensively used on the Eastern Front, during the North African campaign and in France and Sicily. The "Krupp-Protze" was of relatively advanced design. Its fuel consumption was relatively high (24 Litres / 100 km on road) in comparison to the comparable Opel Blitz 1.5 t truck (16.5 liters / 100 km, produced 1938 - 1942). Total production was about 7,000 units.

Variants

A successful design, the Krupp-Protze was converted into several variants:

• Kfz.19 - Telephone truck
• Kfz.21 - Staff car
• Kfz.68 - Radio mast carrier
• Kfz.69 - Standard configuration for towing the 3,7 cm PaK 36
• Kfz.70 - Standard configuration for personnel carrying
• Kfz.81 - Ammo carrier conversion for 2 cm FlaK gun, usually towed
• Kfz.83 - Generator carrier for anti-aircraft searchlight, usually towed
• Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf. A - Armoured personnel carrier, six-wheeled version, only 20 built in 1937; production went to Daimler-Benz, who built the Ausf. B four-wheeled version in 1941 and 1942.

Sometimes anti-tank (37 mm Pak 36) and anti-air (2 cm Flak) guns were mounted directly on the truck bed. Note on troop carrying capacity: Kfz.69 carried 2 in front with 4 in a pair of forward and rear facing seats (2+2+2); Kfz.70 carried 2 in front with 10 seated in the rear bed benches (2+10).

See also

• List of World War II military vehicles of Germany - by name
• List of German military vehicles of World War II - Trucks - by type

External links

• Pictures at Olive-Drab.com
• Pictures and technical data
• Pictures of a Krupp-Protze carrying a PaK 36
• Info and pictures about Krupp Protze