SdKfz 4
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| SdKfz 4 | |
|---|---|
| Type | half-track truck |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 7.1 tonnes |
| Length | 6 m |
| Width | 2.2 m |
| Height | 2.5 m |
| Crew | 3 |
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| Armor | 8 mm |
| Primary armament |
7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 2,000 rounds |
| Engine | 6 cylinder Opel 3.6 litre engine. |
| Operational range |
130 km |
| Speed | 40km/h |
The SdKfz 4 Gleisketten-Lastkraftwagen ("track chain truck"), nicknamed Maultier ("mule") was a family of half-tracks developed in the World War II by Germany which, between 1933 and 1945, was leading in the production of these vehicles [1].
[edit] Development
The SdKfz 4 was developed after the 1941 invasion of Russia as the ice and mud of Russia bogged down the commercial vehicles (primarily the 3t Opel-Blitz Type 3.6-36 S, the 3t Ford V8 Type G 398 TS/V 3000 S, the Magirus Type S 3000 and the 4.5t Mercedes-Benz Type L 4500 R) that were used to supply German forces. [1]
A total of 22,500 SdKfz 4 halftracks were produced by 1944 [2]. Later in the war, Opel trucks were outfitted with 15cm Panzerwerfer 42 rocket launchers and designated SdKfz 4/1's, with around 300 being produced [3]. However these variants, with the extra weight, could only manage a top speed of 25mph.
The vast majority of SdKfz 4's operated using British Carden-Lloyd running gear, with the exception of the Type L 4500 R, which used PzKpfw. II running gear. The 6-cylinder engines used 5 forward gears and one reverse, at 3,000 rpm, to attain a maximum forward speed of 40 km/h. Each halftrack was equipped with the FuG Spr G f radio.
Aside from the SdKfz 4/1, the SdKfz's were armed only with a light 7.92 mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun with a traverse of 270° and elevation limits of -12° to +80°. With thin armour plating, the SdKfz's were not ideal in close quarter battle against anything greater than small arms fire.
