SdKfz 165 Hummel

SdKfz 165 Hummel
Production Information
Type	Self-propelled artillery gun
Technical Specifications
Length	7.17 meters
Width	2.87m/9ft 5in
Height	2.81m/9ft 3in
Weight	24.3 tons
Engine	Maybach V-12 198kW/265hp petrol engine
Speed	42kph/26mph
Range	200 km
Armor	15 mm- Max of 30mm/1.18in
Armament	1 x 150 mm sFH 18 howitzer with 18 shells 1 x 7.92 mm MG 34
Crew	6
Usage
Role(s)	Self-propelled artillery
Year introduced	1943
Affiliation	Germany

The SdKfz 165 Hummel was a self-propelled howitzer that was used by Germany during World War II.

Description

The Hummel was based on the Geschützwagen III/IV chassis which is fundamentally a mixture of both the Panzer IV and Panzer III chassis with the best parts of both being put into one. The Hummel also had a Maybach HL 120 TRM Engine that was capable of propelling it at speeds of up to 42 km/h.

The Hummel had an armament that consisted of a single sFH 18 150 mm Howitzer and a secondary MG 34. However, the Hummel could only carry about eighteen rounds of 150 mm ammunition meaning that it constantly depended on an ammunition carrier or half-track to resupply it if it were carrying out an artillery barrage.

The Hummel also had a leaf spring suspension system and armor protection that consisted of about 15 mm of armor plate. The total weight of the Hummel was about 24,300 kilograms while the total length was 7.1 meters. The maximum range of the Hummel was around 200 kilometers and its fuel tank could hold 600 liters gasoline.

Variants

There was only one variant of the Hummel system ever made and this version was the munitionsträger Hummel. As the name would suggest, it was an ammunition carrier and the main difference between it and the regular Hummel was that it had the main howitzer removed. Around 150 were built and their purpose was to follow regular Hummels and supply them with new rounds when needed.

History

A Hummel on display at the German Tank Museum.

The Hummel was developed around the period of 1941-1943. As early as 1941 was the idea for a mobile howitzer to support troops on the Eastern Front thought of but it was only in 1942 that the first prototype was actually made. The first production model was created later that year. As was their original purpose, the Hummels saw most of their combat experience along the Eastern Front. They had fairly good reliability and were liked by their crews. They were used until the end of the war and provided a good solution for artillery that had trouble being able to catch up with advancing troops. Around 600 were made in total during the war.