Armored car Sd.Kfz. 221
| Sd.Kfz. 221 | |
|---|---|
Vehicle column with a Sd.Kfz. 221 front left |
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 2 men |
| length | 4.72 m |
| width | 1.95 m |
| height | 1.80 m |
| Dimensions | 4 tons |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | Front 14 mm, sides / rear 8 mm |
| Main armament | 1x 7.92 mm MG 34 with 1,100 rounds |
| Secondary armament | no |
| agility | |
| drive |
Horch 3.5 l V8 gasoline engine 80 hp |
| Top speed | 80 km / h |
| Power / weight | 20 hp / ton |
| Range | Max. 320 km |
The Sd.Kfz. 221 is a German light reconnaissance tank from the Second World War.
history
During secret maneuvers by German units in the Soviet Union , the Army Office of the Reichswehr recognized that a suitable successor to the Kfz reconnaissance vehicle. 13 was missing. The four-wheeled reconnaissance vehicle was to be incorporated into the armored units of the Wehrmacht created in March 1935 . In the course of the armament of the Wehrmacht , the Weserhütte ironworks then developed a corresponding vehicle in 1935 with the "Standard Chassis I" (Horch 801 type) supplied by Auto Union from the Horch ( Zwickau ) plant . This new Sd.Kfz. 221 proved to be fast and manoeuvrable, but had limited off-road capabilities despite all-wheel drive . This fact was not very apparent during the attack on Poland and the western campaign on the mostly well-developed roads. In Operation Barbarossa , the attack on the former Soviet Union, the vehicles often reached their limits in the often difficult terrain. With a few increases in combat value, such as the replacement of the MG by the Panzerbüchse 39 or later the Panzerbüchse 41 in 28 mm caliber , the vehicles remained in service until the end of the war. The vehicle was detected by the Sd.Kfz. 222 detached. Some of the vehicles were used as a lightly armored liaison vehicle between command posts.
technology
The "unit chassis I" (type Horch 801) with all-wheel drive and independent suspension based on the chassis of the heavy unit car , said from the Horch 830 -derived water-cooled eight-cylinder - V-type engine was arranged together with the radiator at the rear. The armor provided protection against fire from handguns and shrapnel, but even smaller anti-tank guns (37 mm) or the Russian PTRD anti-tank rifle were able to destroy the vehicles.
Sd.Kfz. 223
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The Sd.Kfz. 223 is a variant equipped with radios. First the FuG 10, later the FuG 12 was used. The large loop antenna was used in the first prototypes and was later replaced by a rod antenna. Instead of two men (221), the Sd.Kfz. 223 a third crew member. Chassis, engine and armament corresponded to the Sd.Kfz. 221. The armor was largely identical to that of the Sd.Kfz. 222 with 2 cm KwK .
Comparable vehicles
literature
- Main battle tank / data and facts technology , Pabel Möwig Verlagsunion, Rastatt, ISBN 3-8118-1662-4 .
