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The German Army made a lot of half-tracks and their variants during the Second World War than any other country in that period. This category lists all German Half-Tracks used during World War II.

Production Figures

Vehicles Production Values
SdKfz 250 (All Models) 6,600 units
SdKfz 251 (All Models) 15,200 units
Schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper 825 units
SdKfz 2 Kleines Kettenkrad 8,300 units
SdKfz 6 (All Models) 3,000 units
SdKfz 7 (All Models) 3,600 units
SdKfz 8 (All Models) 4,000 units
SdKfz 9 Famo (All Models) 2,500 units
SdKfz 10 (All Models) 17,600 units
SdKfz 11 9,000 units
SdKfz 252 400 units 
SdKfz 253 400 units

The Half-tracks and their variants[]

Maultier (Mule, SdKfz 3)[]

Trucks converted with back wheels for tracks with the Horstmann suspension used on Universal Carriers and British Light Tank models as well as the German Panzer I light tank.

SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad (from Kettenkraftrad, "tracked motorcycle", full name is Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101)[]

The smallest of all half-tracks during the war. It served primarily as a tractor for light anti-tank guns for airborne troops and continued service until 1945 with other roles.

SdKfz 4 (Gleisketten-Lastkraftwagen ("chain-track truck"))[]

An armored variant of the Maultier manufactured by Opel. Can be equipped with a 7.92 mm MG 34 or 42 machine gun atop the vehicle.

Variants[]

  • Panzerwerfer (15 cm Panzerwerfer 42 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz.4/1) - the definitive variant of the armored Maultier armed with ten 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 tubes and sometimes with a 7.92 mm MG 34 or 42 atop the vehicle for defense. Excellent in its role as a support vehicle from 1943 until the end of the war.

SdKfz 6[]

An half-track vehicle served as the primary towing vehicle for the 105 mm light howitzer.

Variants[]

  • 37 mm FlaK36 auf Fahrgestell Zugkraftwagen 5t (SdKfz 6/2) - armed with a 37 mm FlaK 36 AA gun
  • 7.62 cm FK36(r) auf Panzerjäger Selbstfahrlafette Zugkraftwagen 5t (SdKfz 6/3) - armed with a captured Soviet 76.2 mm gun in an armored superstructure.

SdKfz 7[]

An half-track vehicle served in the German Army during the Second World War. It can tow various artillery pieces, primarily the 150 mm field gun.

Variants[]

  • SdKfz 7/1 - armed with a 20 mm Flakvierling quadruple AA gun on both unarmored and armored variants.
  • SdKfz 7/2 - armed with a 37 mm FlaK 43 L/89 on both unarmored and armored variants.
  • Breda 61 - the Italian copy of the half-track.

SdKfz 8[]

An half-track vehicle served in it's role as a artillery tractor for the heavy guns such as the 150 mm sFH 18 and the 21 cm Mörser 18. Served on all fronts until war's end.

Variants[]

  • 8.8 cm Flak 18 (Sfl.) auf Zugkraftwagen 12t (Sd.Kfz. 8) - armed with an 8.8 cm Flak guns in anti-tank role. Later models have an armored cab. Served in Poland, France and Russia in the anti-tank battalions until 1943.

SdKfz 9 (also known as the "Famo")[]

An heavy half-track capable of towing very heavy artillery pieces excluding the 60 cm Karl mortar. But, it is more commonly during employed during the Second World War as a tank recovery vehicle for the Panzers IV to VI (Tiger I and II).

Variants[]

  • SdKfz 9/1 - the definitive tank recovery variant which mounted a crane (ranging from 6 to 10 t). Excellent in its role until war's end.
  • 8.8 cm Flak 18 (Sfl.) auf Zugkraftwagen 18t (Sd.Kfz. 9) - armed with a 8.8 cm FlaK guns for anti-tank duties.

SdKfz 10[]

A light half-track capable of towing light artillery pieces such as the 37 mm PaK 36 and the 75 mm leIG. Served on all fronts until war's end.

Common Variants[]

  • SdKfz 10/4 and 10/5 - both armed with a 20 mm FlaK in both unarmored and armored variants.

SdKfz 250[]

An armored personnel half-track carrier based on the SdKfz 10 chassis. It can carry four soldiers, excluding the commander. Armed with a 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun with a shield.

Common Variants[]

  • The "Alte" Model - recognizable by a lot of angled plates on the body.
  • The "Neu" (new) Model - reconizable by fewer angled plates and more simplier appearance.
  • SdKfz 250/3 - command vehicle variant. The most famous is Erwin Rommel's vehicle during the North African campaign.
  • Sd.Kfz. 250/9 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm) - reconnaisance model with a 20 mm KwK autocannon and a 7.92 mm machine gun on a SdKfz 222 turret.
  • Sd.Kfz. 250/10 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7 cm PaK) - armed with a 37 mm PaK 35/36 L/45
  • SdKfz 252 - unarmed ammuniton carrier variant
  • SdKfz 253 - artillery observer variant, also unarmed.

SdKfz 11[]

A medium half-track that served on all fronts until war's end. It has the ability to tow any artillery from the 37 mm FlaK to the 105 mm leFH. It had variants for special purposes. The SdKfz 251 APC was based on this half-track.

SdKfz 251[]

Chassis was derived from the SdKfz 11 half-track. Commonly armed with one or two 7.92 mm MG 34 or 42 machine guns. Variants introduced a lot of weapons to be fitted. It has the largest production of German armored fighting vehicles during the Second World War. Early models can be recognized by the multitude of angled plates, a feature similar to the smaller 250 APC. The late models had a lesser number of these plates, also similar to the 250.

Common Variants[]

  • 251/1 II (called "Stuka zu Fuß" (Walking Stuka) or Wurfrahmen 40) - an early predecessor to the Panzerwerfer. Equipped with six 28 or 32 cm rocket launchers and were attached to the side of the vehicle.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/3 mittlerer Kommandopanzerwagen - a command vehicle variant equipped with radios.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/7 I Pionierpanzerwagen - an assault engineer vehicle variant equipped with two small assault bridges.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/9 Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm KwK37) - armed with a 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 on a pedestal for use in support units. Models C and D are used.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/10 Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7 cm PaK) - armed with a 37 mm PaK 36 anti-tank gun with its shield, later sliced in half to make the vehicle less obvious.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/16 Flammpanzerwagen - equipped with two flamethrowers on both sides of the vehicle along with an 7.92 mm MG 34 or 42 machine gun atop the driver's compartment.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/17 Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm) - equipped with a 20 mm FlaK gun on a pedestal in replacement of the standard machine gun.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/21 Schützenpanzerwagen (Drilling MG151s) - AA gun variant equipped with three 15 mm or 20 mm MG 151 auto cannon on a pedestal.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/22 7.5 cm PaK40 L/46 auf mittlerem Schützenpanzerwagen - equipped with a 75 mm PaK 40 AT gun with its shield.
  • OT-810 - Czechoslovakian produced version.

sWS (Schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper (Heavy Military Tractor))[]

An half-track that was introduced in 1943. Unarmored variants served as an artillery tractor and resupply vehicles.

Variants[]

  • Panzerwerfer 42 auf sWS - multiple rocket launcher variant armed with ten 15 cm Nebelwerfer tubes similar to the SdKfz 4 model including its armored body.

All items (17)

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