SdKfz 251

You are here: Home › Gallery › Germany › Halftracks and tracked vehicles ›
SdKfz 251 photo gallery

Click on thumbnail images to enlarge


Mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen Sd.Kfz. 251 (HL KL 6p, Gerat 90) halftrack was an armored fighting vehicle designed and first built by the Hanomag company during World War II, and based on their earlier, unarmored Sd.Kfz. 11 vehicle. The SdKfz 251 Ausf A and B were superseded in 1940 by the SdKfz 251 Ausf C which was produced until late 1943. SdKfz 251 Ausf D was developed in order to simplify construction so that output could be increased as much as possible.

Production: 15252 units.

Variants:

  • Sd.Kfz. 251/1 – Mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen Gerat 901. Weight 9 tons, height: 2160 mm, crew: 11-12. Armament 1-2x MG34/42 (2010 rounds)
    •  280 mm or 320 mm rocket launcher Wurfrahmen 40 “Stuka zu Fuss”. Crew: 7
    • “Falke”  fitted with infra red equipment for use with infra red Panther detachments.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/2 – Gerat 892, 81 mm Mortar (Granatwerfer), 66 rounds for the GrW34. Crew: 8, weight: 8640 kg
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/3 – Gerat 893 mittlere Funkpanzerwagen (communications vehicle).  8 different types of radio equipment were carried by the SdKfz 251/3 depending upon the unit for which it was issued. Weight : 8500 kg, crew: 7, height: 1750 mm, Armament 2x MG34
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/4 – Gerat 904 Zugpanzerwagen für IG 7,5 cm. Ammo carrier (120 rounds) and  gun towing tractor. Weight: 8750 kg, crew: 7.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/5 – Gerat 905 Pionier Schützenpanzerwagen. Radio (FuG8 + 4) command vehicles for Pioneer platoons (Pionierzug).  Weight: 8870 kg, crew: 9. Armament 2x MG34 (4800 rounds)
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/6 – mittlere Funkpanzerwagen (Kommandopanzerwagen). Command vehicle. Crew: 8, weight: 8500 kg
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/7 – Gerat 907 Pionierpanzerwagen. Assault engineer vehicle. Crew: 7-8, weight: 8070 kg
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/8  – Gerat 908 Krankenpanzerwagen. Armoured ambulance (carrying up to 8 seated casualties or 4 seated casualties and 2 stetcher cases). Crew: 3, weight: 7470kg. Sometimes with FuG 5.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/9 – Gerat 909 “Stummel” Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm KwK37). Armed with a 75 mm L/24 gun (52 rounds). Crew: 3, weight: 8530 kg, height: 2070 mm.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/10 – Gerat 910 Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7 cm PaK). Armed with a 37 mm Pak 36/37 AT gun (168 rounds). Crew: 5-6, weight: 8020 kg, height: 2170 mm.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/11 – Gerat 911 Fernsprech panzerwagen. Telephone line layer ordered in January 1942 . Crew: 5, weight: 8050 kg, height: 2170 mm.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/12 – Gerat 912 Messtrupp und Gerätpanzerwagen. Survey and instrument carrier for artillery units. Crew: 6.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/13 – Gerat 913 Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen. Artillery sound recording equipment vehicle.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/14 – Gerat 914 Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen. Artillery sound recording equipment vehicle. Crew: 8, weight: 8500 kg, height: 2500 mm.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/15 – Gerat 915 Lichtauswertepanzerwagen. Artillery flash spotter vehicle.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/16 – Gerat 916 Flammpanzerwagen  (flamethrower). Crew: 5, weight: 8620kg
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/17 – Gerat 917 Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm Flak 38 auf m. SPW). Anti-aircraft vehicle armed with a 2 cm KwK 38 gun (600 rounds). Crew: 4-6, weight: 8800 kg, height: 2250 mm.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/18 – Gerat 918 Beobachtungspanzerwagen. Artillery observation vehicle.Crew: 6, radio: FuG12
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/19 – Gerat 919 Fernsprechbetriebspanzerwagen. Mobile telephone exchange vehicle.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/20 – “Uhu” Gerat 920 Schützenpanzerwagen (Infrarotscheinwerfer). Crew: 4. Command and observation vehicle of the infra red  Panther platoons
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/21 – Gerat 921 Schützenpanzerwagen (Drilling MG151s). Anti-aircraft variant equipped with a triple-mount of MG151/15 cannon, later being MG151/20 mm Luftwaffe cannon. Crew: 4-6. Ammo: 2000 rounds.
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/22 – Gerat 922 7.5 cm PaK40 L/46 auf Mittlerer Schützenpanzerwagen. Fitted with a 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun (22 rounds). Crew: 4
  • Sd.Kfz. 251/23 – Gerat 923 Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm KwK). Crew: 4, gun: KwK 38 (100 rounds).

Bibliography:

  • Kanonenwagen (Sd.Kfz.251/9) – Detlev Terlisten, Nuts & Bolts Vol.06
  • Der mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.251) – Walter E. Seifert, Waffen Arsenal – Special Band 32
  • German Half-Tracks of World War Two – Frank V. De Sisto, Concord Armor At War 7054
  • Mittlerer Schutzen-Panzerwagen “Sd-Kfz.251” – “m.SPW” – Waldemar Trojca, VDM Heinz Nickel 2006
  • Panzerbeobachtungswagen (Armored Observation Vehicles). Sd. Kfz. 253 to Pz. Beob. Wg. Panther – Thomas L. Jentz, Panzer Tracts No. 11-1
  • Les semi-chenillés Mittlererpanzerkfraftwagen Sd. Kfz 251 – Centurytracks No.2, Editions Du Barbotin
  • German Army Semi-tracked Vehicles 1939-45 M. Schuetzenpanzerwagen Sd.Kfz 251 – P. Chamberlain, H. L. Doyle, Bellona Handbook No. 2 Part 3
  • Modelling the SdKfz 251 Halftrack – Osprey Modelling 6 2004
  • Hanomag Sd.Kfz 251/1 APC – Walter J. Spielberger, Armour in Profile Number 18
  • Sd Kfz 251 Vol.I/II – Wydawnictwo Militaria 286
  • SdKfz 251 Ausf D – Squadron Signal Publications Walk Around Color Series 5709
  • SdKfz 251 Half-Track 1939-45 – Bruce Culver, Osprey New Vanguard 25
  • Halbkettenfahrzeuge: German Half-track Vehicles 1939-1945 – J. Williamson, Almark Publishing, Wehrmacht illustrated No.4
  • Schutzenpanzerwagen: War Horse of the Panzer Grenadiers – Horst Scheibert, Schiffer Publishing 1992
  • Schutzenpanzerwagen SdKfz 251, SdKfz 250 – W. Spielberger, P. Chamberlain, H. Doyle; AFV Weapons Profile 57
  • Schutzenpanzerwagen in Action – Uwe Feist, Kurt Rieger, Squadron/Signal Publications Armor Number 2
  • Die Halbkettenfahrzeuge des Deutschen Heeres 1909 – 1945 – Walter J. Spielberger, Motorbuch Verlag 1993
  • German Halftracks At War 1939-1945 (Images of War) – Paul Thomas, Pen and Sword Military 2012