Sd.Kfz. 250

SdKfz 250
SdKfz 250
	Sd.Kfz. 250/2
Type	Half-track armored personnel carrier
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1941–45
Used by	Nazi Germany; Kingdom of Romania
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Demag
Designed	1939–40?
Manufacturer	Demag, Adlerwerke, Büssing-NAG, MWC
Produced	1941–45
No. built	Approx. 6628
Variants	see list below
Specifications (Sd.Kfz. 250/1 Ausf. A)
Mass	5,800 kilograms (12,800 lb) (loaded)
Length	4.56 metres (15.0 ft)
Width	1.945 metres (6.38 ft)
Height	1.66 metres (5.4 ft)
Crew	2 + 4
Armor	5.5–14.5 mm (0.22–0.57 in)
Main; armament	1 or 2 x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG 34 machine guns
Engine	Maybach 6-cylinder, water-cooled HL42 TRKM petrol; 100 horsepower (100 PS)
Power/weight	17.2 HP/ton
Transmission	7 + 3 speed Maybach VG 102128 H
Suspension	torsion bar
Ground clearance	28.5 centimetres (11.2 in)
Fuel capacity	140 litres (37 US gal)
Operational; range	300–320 km (190–200 mi) (road); 180–200 km (110–120 mi) (cross-country)
Maximum speed	76 km/h (47 mph) (road)

The Sd.Kfz. 250 was a light armoured halftrack, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sd.Kfz. 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II.

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.

The Sd. Kfz 250 was adopted in 1939 to supplement the standard halftrack. Production delays meant the first 250 did not appear until mid-1941.^[1]

Development

In 1939 the Inspectorate for Motorized Troops (AHA/In 6) decided that small armored half-tracks would be useful to accompany tanks in the attack. They could satisfy requirements for which a larger vehicle wouldn't be needed such as headquarters, artillery forward observer, radio, and scout vehicles. Demag, the designer of the smallest half-track in service, the Sd.Kfz. 10, was selected to develop the light armored troop carrier (leichter gepanzert Mannschaft-Transportwagen) or Sd.Kfz. 250. The D7 chassis of the Sd.Kfz. 10 was shortened by one roadwheel station, an armored hull (Panzerwanne) replaced the sheet steel hull and almost every component was specially designed for the D7p, as the armored chassis was designated.^[2]

Description

Power for the Sd.Kfz. 250 was provided by a Maybach 6-cylinder, water-cooled, 4.17 litre (254 cu in) HL 42 TRKM gasoline engine of 100 horsepower (100 PS). It had a semi-automatic Maybach VG 102 128 H transmission with seven forward and three reverse gears. It could attain 76 km/h (47 mph), but the driver was cautioned not to exceed 65 km/h (40 mph).^[3]

Both tracks and wheels were used for steering. The steering system was set up so that shallow turns used only the wheels, but brakes would be applied to the tracks the farther the steering wheel was turned. The drive sprocket had rollers rather than the more common teeth. The rear suspension consisted of four double roadwheels mounted on swing arms sprung by torsion bars. An idler wheel, mounted at the rear of the vehicle, was used to control track tension. The front wheels had transversely-mounted leaf springs and shock absorbers, the only ones on the vehicle, to dampen impacts.^[3]

The Sd.Kfz. 250 was unique among German half-track designs as it, and its parent Sd.Kfz. 10, used a hull rather than a frame.

Armor

Thickness/slope from the vertical	Front	Side	Rear	Top/Bottom
Superstructure	14.5 mm (0.57 in)/30°	8 mm (0.31 in)/35-30°	10 mm (0.39 in)/10°	5.5 mm (0.22 in)/?°
Hull	14.5 mm (0.57 in)/12°	14.5–10 mm (0.57–0.39 in)/0°	8 mm (0.31 in)/45°	5.5 mm (0.22 in)

Service 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 more 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 of this early version stopped in October 1943 with some 4,200 built,^[1] 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.

Variants

Sd.Kfz. 250/1 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen: The standard troop carrier.

Sd.Kfz. 250/2 leichter Fernsprechpanzerwagen: Equipped with cable-laying gear.

Sd.Kfz. 250/3 leichter Funkpanzerwagen

Command variant, equipped with radio equipment and "bedstead" aerial frame.

Sd.Kfz. 250/3-I (Fu 7, Fu 18) (Luftwaffe)

Sd.Kfz. 250/3-II (Fu 5, Fu.Spr. f)

Sd.Kfz. 250/3-III (Fu 8, Fu 4, Fu.Spr. f)

Sd.Kfz. 250/3-IV (Fu 8, Fu.Spr. f)

Sd.Kfz. 250/3-V (Fu 12, Fu.Spr. f)

Sd.Kfz. 250/4

Sd.Kfz. 250/4 leichter Truppenluftschutzpanzerwagen

Antiaircraft variant armed with a dual MG34, never reached production.

Sd.Kfz. 250/4 leichter Beobachtungspanzerwagen

Observation vehicle for a Sturmgeschütz detachment.

Sd.Kfz. 250/5 leichter Beobachtungspanzerwagen: Command variant with additional radio equipment.

Sd.Kfz. 250/6 leichter Munitionspanzerwagen: Ammunition carrier for assault guns.

Sd.Kfz. 250/6 Ausf A

carried 70 rounds for 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 gun.

Sd.Kfz. 250/6 Ausf B

carried 60 rounds for 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 gun.

Sd.Kfz. 250/7

Sd.Kfz. 250/7 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (schwerer Granatwerfer)

With 80 mm Mortar.

Sd.Kfz. 250/7 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (Munitionsfahrzeug)'

Ammunition transporter, carried 66 rounds for 80 mm mortar.

Sd.Kfz. 250/8 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm): Support variant armed with a 7.5cm KwK 37 L/24 gun and an MG 34.

Sd.Kfz. 250/9 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm): 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).

Sd.Kfz. 250/10 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7 cm 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.

Sd.Kfz. 250/11 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (schwere Panzerbüchse 41): With 2.8 cm sPzB 41 heavy anti-tank rifle and an MG-34.

Sd.Kfz. 250/12 leichter Messtruppanzerwagen: Survey and artillery range spotting vehicle.

Sd.Kfz. 252 leichter gepanzerter Munitionskraftwagen: Ammunition carrier for Sturmgeschütz.

Sd.Kfz. 253 leichter gepanzerter Beobachtungskraftwagen: Artillery forward observer vehicle, with fully-enclosed armoured body and artillery radios.

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Hogg, Ian V. (1980). Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles. London: Hamlyn. p. 251. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ Jentz, p. 2
^ ^a ^b Jentz, p. 3

Bibliography

Chamberlain, Peter, and Hilary L. Doyle. Thomas L. Jentz (Technical Editor). Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two: A Complete Illustrated Directory of German Battle Tanks, Armoured Cars, Self-propelled Guns, and Semi-tracked Vehicles, 1933–1945. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1978 (revised edition 1993). ISBN 1-85409-214-6
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.
Jentz, Thomas L. Leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen: (Sd.Kfz. 250) Ausf.A and B: History of Production, Variants, Organization and Employment from 1941 to 1945 (Panzer Tracts No. 15-1) Boyds, MD: Panzer Tracts, 2008. ISBN 0-9815382-0-7
Niehorster, Leo W. G. German World War II Organizational Series, Vol. 4/II: Mechanized GHQ units and Waffen-SS Formations (28 June 1942) Milton Keyes, Buckinghamshire: Military Press, 2004
Spielberger, Walter J. Halftracked Vehicles of the German Army 1909-1945. Atlgen, PA: Schiffer, 2008 ISBN 978-0-7643-2942-5

External links

[hogg-1] Hogg, Ian V. (1980). Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles. London: Hamlyn. p. 251. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

[2] Jentz, p. 2

[j3-3] Jentz, p. 3

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e German armoured fighting vehicles of World War II
Tanks	Panzer I Panzer II Panzer 35(t) Panzer 38(t) Panzer III Panzer IV Panther Tiger I Tiger II
Self-propelled artillery	Bufla Wespe Sturmpanzer I Sturmpanzer II Grille Hummel Panzerwerfer 42 Wurfrahmen 40 Karl-Gerät 10.5 cm leFH18/3 (Sf) auf G.W. B-2(f) 10.5cm leFH18(Sf) LrS 10.5cm leFH18(Sf) 39H 15cm sFH13/1 (Sf) LrS
Assault guns	StuG III StuG IV StuH 42 StuIG 33B Brummbär Sturmtiger
Tank destroyers (Panzerjäger, Jagdpanzer)	Panzerjäger I 35R(f) Marder I II III RSO/PaK 40 Nashorn Elefant Jagdpanzer IV Hetzer Jagdpanther Jagdtiger
Half-tracks	Maultier Sd.Kfz. 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 250 251 252 253 254 sWS
Armored cars	Kfz 13 Sd.Kfz. 221/22/23/60/61 Sd.Kfz. 231/32/33/34/63 Sd.Kfz. 234 Sd.Kfz. 247 ADGZ
Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns	Flakpanzer I Flakpanzer 38(t) Flakpanzer III Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen Wirbelwind Ostwind Kugelblitz
Demolition vehicles	Goliath Springer Borgward IV
Experimental vehicles, prototypes	Panzer I Ausf. C (VK 6.01) Panzer I Ausf. F (VK 18.01) Panzer VIII Maus Geschützwagen Tiger Entwicklung series (Panzer E-100) Panther II Heuschrecke 10 Neubaufahrzeug Sturer Emil Dicker Max Pz.Sfl. II Pz. Sfl. IVc Flakpanzer Coelian VK 30.01 (P) VK 45.01 (P) VK 30.02 (DB)
Proposed designs	Panzer III/IV Löwe Panzer IX Panzer X P.1000 Ratte P.1500 Monster VK 16.02 Leopard Gep. MTW Kätzchen VK 45.02 (P) VK 20 series Flakpanzer Mareșal
Designations	List of Sd.Kfz. designations List of VK-designated tanks
German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II

v t e Romanian armored fighting vehicles of World War II
Tanks	Renault FT • R-1 • R-2 • R-2c • CDL R35 • T-3 • T-4 • T-38
Tank destroyers	TACAM T-60 • TACAM R-2 • VDC R35
Assault guns	TAs
Half-tracks	Famo • Sd.Kfz. 10 • Sd.Kfz. 11 • SPW ușor • SPW mijlociu
Armored cars	Sd.Kfz. 221/22/23 • AB-41 • OA vz. 27 • OA vz. 30
Armored carriers	Malaxa UE • T-20 Komsomolets
Prototypes	T-1 • AB md. 41 • Mareșal • Romanian Goliath
Proposed designs	R-2a • R-3 • 1942 medium tank • T-34-120/150 • T-26/37 • TACAM R-1 • TACAM T-38 • Mareșal SPAAG • Mareșal self-propelled howitzer • Mareșal command vehicle