The Jagdpanther (German: "hunting Panther"), Sd.Kfz. 173, was a tank destroyer built by Germany during World War II. The Jagdpanther combined the 8.8 cm Pak 43 anti-tank gun, similar to the main gun of the Tiger II, with the armor and suspension of the Panther chassis.
This vehicle was a familiar sight, widely associated with the German infantry during all of World War Two. It began simply as an armored version of the Sd.Kfz.11 half-tracked artillery tractor. The half-track was one of the several solutions given to the problem of low off-road capabilities of trucks and associated “special purpose vehicles” (Sonderkraftfahrzeug). The Sd.Kfz.11 was designed in 1938 by Hanomag and was the prime mover for the 105 mm (4.13 in) LeFH howitzer and 37 mm (1.46 in) Flak 43, and 9000 units were built until 1945. This company was the natural choice to fulfill the next Waffenamt specification, which requested an armored vehicle capable of carrying a section of Panzergrenadiers and their equipment in order to keep up with the Panzer Divisions. Each German mechanized infantry corps was to be equipped with a hundred of these. The protection given had to be sufficient against small arms fire and artillery shrapnel, and armament should comprise two MG 34 machine-guns for defense and direct support. In German nomenclature it was classed as a Mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen (“Medium Assault Armored Vehicle”).
The Panzer IV was originally intended to be used only on a limited scale, so initially Krupp was its sole manufacturer. Prior to the Polish campaign, only 217 Panzer IVs had been produced: 35 Ausf. A; 42 Ausf. B; and 140 Ausf. C; in 1941, production was extended to Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik ("VOMAG") (located in the city of Plauen) and the Nibelungenwerk in the Austrian city of St. Valentin.
The Sd.Kfz. 124 Wespe (German for "wasp"), also known as Leichte Feldhaubitze 18/2 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf.) ("Light field howitzer 18 on Panzer II chassis (self-propelled)"), is a German self-propelled gun developed and used during the Second World War. It was based on a modified Panzer II chassis.
Sd.Kfz.251/6 – mittlere Funkpanzerwagen (Kommandopanzerwagen) - This early command and radio vehicle housed map boards, cipher and encoding machines in a rearranged compartment, based on Ausf.A/B versions.
The Sturmpanzer (also known as Sturmpanzer 43 or Sd.Kfz. 166) is a German armoured infantry support gun based on the Panzer IV chassis used in the Second World War. It was used at the Battles of Kursk, Anzio, Normandy, and was deployed in the Warsaw Uprising. It was known by the nickname Brummbär (German: "Grouch")[Note 1] by Allied intelligence, a name which was not used by the Germans. German soldiers nicknamed it the "Stupa", a contraction of the term Sturmpanzer. Just over 300 vehicles were built and they were assigned to four independent battalions.
Sd.Kfz.251/9 – Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24) “Stummel” - The standard SPG variant, also called “kanonenwagen”, was equipped with a short-barrel 75 mm (2.95 in) howitzer, which used the same mounting as the StuG III. It was nicknamed “Stummel” (Stump), and committed in great numbers on the Eastern Front. First ordered in a March 1942 specification, Büssing-NAG delivered two prototypes in June, tested in Russia. A first batch of 150 vehicles was delivered during the following months, based on the Ausf.C. By late 1944, a major modification included a revised modular higher gun-mount with a coaxial MG 42 for close defense.
The Sd.Kfz. 7 was a half-track military vehicle used by the German Army, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS during the Second World War. Sd.Kfz. is an abbreviation of the German word Sonderkraftfahrzeug, "special purpose vehicle". A longer designation is mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 8t, Sd.Kfz. 7, "medium towing motor vehicle 8t".
The Sturmpanzer (also known as Sturmpanzer 43 or Sd.Kfz. 166) is a German armoured infantry support gun based on the Panzer IV chassis used in the Second World War. It was used at the Battles of Kursk, Anzio, Normandy, and was deployed in the Warsaw Uprising. It was known by the nickname Brummbär (German: "Grouch")[Note 1] by Allied intelligence, a name which was not used by the Germans. German soldiers nicknamed it the "Stupa", a contraction of the term Sturmpanzer. Just over 300 vehicles were built and they were assigned to four independent battalions.
The Panther tank, officially Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (abbreviated Pz.Kpfw. V) with ordnance inventory designation: Sd.Kfz. 171, is a German medium tank of World War II. It was used in most European theatres of World War II from mid-1943 to the end of the war in May 1945.
As the German army faced ever increasing numbers of Allied armour, more ways were found to place anti-tank weaponry on already existing chassis, in order to try and counter the Allied numerical superiority. The Raupenschlepper Ost (RSO) was no exception to the armed conversions that were built upon so many German vehicles at the time. The decision was made in 1943 to take the well proven battle tractor and place a Pak 40/4 on its back, in order to provide more mobile anti-tank capabilities on the front line.
The Raupenschlepper Ost (RSO) was a fully tracked, lightweight vehicle developed by Germany during World War II. It was designed to address the mobility challenges faced by wheeled and half-tracked vehicles in the mud and snow of the Eastern Front. The RSO was a simple, robust, and lightweight tractor primarily used to tow light to medium artillery and for general transport of supplies and personnel. Its all-steel tracks and high ground clearance provided superior mobility in challenging terrain, making it an indispensable workhorse for German logistics in the East from 1942 until the end of the war.
The SdKfz 234 Puma was a German eight-wheeled heavy armored car developed during World War II. The basic model was the command armored car SdKfz 234/1 with an open top, fully rotatable hexagonal turret with 2 cm quick-fire cannon. The Puma was primarily designed for reconnaissance missions, but its firepower (especially in the 234/2 variant) made it capable of engaging enemy light armor. Its excellent mobility and range allowed it to operate effectively behind enemy lines. The SdKfz 234 series represented the pinnacle of German armored car design during WWII, combining mobility, firepower, and reasonable protection. The diesel engine provided superior range compared to most contemporary vehicles.
The Sd.Kfz. 161, also known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during World War II as well as later wars. It was the most numerous German tank and the second-most numerous German fully tracked armored fighting vehicle of the war, with 8,553 units produced. The Panzer IV was initially designed for infantry support but evolved to become the primary tank for German forces due to its ability to engage enemy armor effectively. It was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war, with over 8,800 units produced between 1936 and 1945.
Maultier or Sd.Kfz. 3 is the name given to series of half-track trucks used by Nazi Germany during World War II. They were based on Opel, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo or Ford trucks. The vehicles were built by Opel at the Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG and also in France in the Ford factory in Asnieres. In 1942 a total of 635 vehicles were produced, 1943 there were 13,000 and 1944 only 7,310.
The Panzerjäger I was the very first tank hunter in German service. In 1939, as new medium tanks were entering mass production, older Panzer Is were already considered obsolescent. Many such chassis were available, which were perfect for being converted into self-propelled guns. One such idea came from the experience of the Polish campaign, were many Panzers were destroyed by the tiny, but efficient Polish TKS, using light antitank guns, like the Reinmetall Solothurn 20 mm (0.79 in). The capture of the Czech war industry also provided many suitable antitank guns, like the excellent 47 mm (1.85 in), far better suited than the average 37 mm (1.46 in) KwK 36, provided in large numbers to the German infantry at the time . The idea of mounting the Škoda 4.7 cm (1.85 in) cm PaK(t) on a Panzer I Ausf.B chassis was meant to quickly provide a potent way to deal with French tanks, especially SOMUA and B1, for the upcoming Western campaign.
The Sd.Kfz. 161, also known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during World War II as well as later wars. It was the most numerous German tank and the second-most numerous German fully tracked armored fighting vehicle of the war, with 8,553 units produced. The Panzer IV was initially designed for infantry support but evolved to become the primary tank for German forces due to its ability to engage enemy armor effectively. It was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war, with over 8,800 units produced between 1936 and 1945.
The Sd.Kfz.251/1 II mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen mit Wurfrahmen, was a heavy rocket launcher platform (also dubbed “Stuka zum Fuss”), equipped with six massive 28cm Sprengranate (HE rounds) or 32cm Flammgranate (incendiary rounds), the latter using napalm. They were called Wurfrahmen 40, and had a range of 1.9 and 2.2 km, respectively. First ordered in late 1940, these Wurfkoerper rocket launching vehicles only appeared by 1943-44 in limited numbers.
The SdKfz 251/21, also known as the Mittlerer Schutzenpanzerwagen - Drilling MG 151, was a very effective production anti-aircraft version of the SdKfz 251 halftrack. Mounted with three excellent 15mm MG 151/15 or 20mm MG 151/20 machine guns on a compact pedestal behind a small armored shield, having a rate of 700 rounds per minute per gun, these modified SdKfz251 halftracks could provide very effective defensive fire against the Allied aircraft.
The Sd.Kfz. 161, also known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during World War II as well as later wars. It was the most numerous German tank and the second-most numerous German fully tracked armored fighting vehicle of the war, with 8,553 units produced. The Panzer IV was initially designed for infantry support but evolved to become the primary tank for German forces due to its ability to engage enemy armor effectively. It was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war, with over 8,800 units produced between 1936 and 1945.
The Sd.Kfz. 7 was a half-track military vehicle used by the German Army, Luftwaffe and Waffen-SS during the Second World War. Sd.Kfz. is an abbreviation of the German word Sonderkraftfahrzeug, "special purpose vehicle". A longer designation is mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 8t, Sd.Kfz. 7, "medium towing motor vehicle 8t".
