Schwerer Panzerspähwagen
Encyclopedia
The term Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (Heavy armored reconnaissance vehicle), covers the 6 and 8 wheeled armoured cars Germany
used during the Second World War
.
In the German Army, armoured cars were intended for the traditional cavalry
missions of reconnaissance
and screening. They scouted ahead of mechanized units to assess enemy strength and location. Their primary role was to observe rather than fight enemy units, although they were expected to fight enemy reconnaissance elements when required.
, or special purpose vehicle) numbers were carried directly over; differentiation is made by the addition of 6-Rad or 8-Rad (Ger: "6 wheel" or "8 wheel") in the vehicle name.
These vehicles first saw combat with the campaign against Poland
and in the Battle of France
. Later they saw use in both the USSR and North Africa
. Extreme climatic conditions in both these areas proved too severe for the vehicle. In the USSR, adverse ground conditions immobilized 150 Sd.Kfz 232s during the first wet season of the campaign. In the desert, heat and sand created some maintenance problems. Still, the eight-wheeled cars turned out to be the best vehicles that Rommel
had for long range reconnaissance across the wide desert territory.
on the front, 8 mm on the sides, and 10 mm on the back, with 6 mm and 5 mm of armour on the top and bottom respectively. This armour was designed to provide protection from small arms fire and HE fragments; it was ineffective against heavier weapons. After the French campaign, additional spaced frontal armour plate was added to provide better protection. Armor was increased up to 30 mm in the later Sdkfz. 234 series. However, it was not designed to provide protection from antitank weapons.
autocannon
. This cannon was based on the 2 cm FlaK 30
Anti-Aircraft gun
, and was capable of firing at a rate of 280 rounds per minute.
The 2 cm cannon was not designed to defeat enemy tanks, and experiments were made towards replacing it with a heavier gun which resulted in the Sd Kfz. 234 Puma. The Puma's 5 cm gun could penetrate and knock out most Allied armoured cars and light tanks. Armored cars' role was to protect the crew from small arms fire during reconnaissance missions, not engaging with enemy.
Using high explosive ammo the 20 mm autocannon was highly effective against infantry and unarmoured vehicles. Great success was also achieved by replacing the regular armour-piercing explosive ammunition with an early version of APDS, but this ammunition was in chronically short supply.
and gunner sat in the turret. The SdKfz232 employed an unusual dual driver arrangement, with one driver seated at each end of the vehicle. This allowed the vehicle to be driven in either direction (forward or backward) with equal ease.
autocannon
, and a Maschinengewehr 13
machine gun
. It had a second driver in the rear so that the vehicle could be driven either forwards or backwards with relative ease. The 231 was introduced into service in 1932 and began to be replaced in 1937 when the German Army switched production to 8-wheeled armoured cars instead of 6-wheeled. Despite being replaced, they were used by Aufklärungs (reconnaissance) units during the Invasion of Poland
, the Battle of France
, and the invasion of the USSR
. They were withdrawn afterwards for use in internal security and training. The crew consisted of a commander, gunner, driver, and a radio operator/rear driver.
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Loosely based on the hull of the Sd.Kfz 231/6-Rad vehicle. The hull was modified to swap the main driver & reverse driver/radio operator positions in order to place the engine at the rear and the 3 axle truck chassis replaced with a pair of 2 axle 4 wheel trucks, for an eight-wheeled, all wheel drive, all wheel steering chassis to improve off road capabilities and maneuverability. The turret was also altered to a hexagonal shape for increased internal volume. Armament was unchanged.
autocannon
that had a muzzle velocity of 899 m/s, the 232 also carried a 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
machine gun
.
gun in an open fixed superstructure.
Due to the short length of the barrel this gun earned the nickname of "Stumpy". One hundred and nine of these vehicles were built at the Büssing-NAG
plant, between December 1942 and October 1943. A further 10 were converted from 231/232 chassis in October 1942. This variant of the Sd.Kfz. series entered service during 1942 and remained in use throughout the war. They were issued as a platoon of six vehicles in support of reconnaissance battalions.
gun and coaxial 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
or MG 42 machine gun
in a rotating six-sided open-topped turret. The open top was protected from grenades by a mesh-covered frame.
, mounting a 5 cm KwK 39/1 L/60
, very similar to the weapon previously used on the later versions of the Panzerkampfwagen III. It weighed nearly 12 tons but was still capable of 85 km/h (53 mph). It was one of the most heavily armed armored cars available. However, engagement was strictly discouraged due to its thin armor, and also due to its intended role of reconnaissance. The armored car could be driven backwards by the radio operator in an emergency as well. Production started in 1943 but was stopped in the second half of 1944. The other three 234 variants were kept in production until the end of the war.
gun, in a raised open superstructure. The gun's low velocity made it armour-piercing round ineffective against most Allied tanks, but allowed the high explosive shell casing to be thinner and thus contain more explosive. The HEAT
round for this weapon was, however, effective against vehicles.
anti-tank gun in an open compartment. This variant was similar to Marder tank destroyer series in that it was a weakly armored, open-topped antitank vehicle that could not engage enemy armor head to head, and it was a stop-gap measure.
machine gun
. A dedicated radio vehicle with the bedstead frame aerial. This was based on the Sd.Kfz. 232/3 series. Note that there is also a 6 wheeled Sd.Kfz. 263.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
used during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In the German Army, armoured cars were intended for the traditional cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
missions of reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and screening. They scouted ahead of mechanized units to assess enemy strength and location. Their primary role was to observe rather than fight enemy units, although they were expected to fight enemy reconnaissance elements when required.
History
The heavy Panzerspähwagen was a large but very fast addition to the German mobile arsenal of the early war years. The original 6-rad (6 wheeled) versions were based on a 6x4 truck with armoured body, but by 1937 they were being replaced by the 8-rad versions. During the replacement, the Sd.Kfz - (SonderkraftfahrzeugSonderkraftfahrzeug
Sonderkraftfahrzeug was the ordnance inventory designation used by Nazi Germany during World War II for military vehicles; for example Sd.Kfz. 101 for the Panzer I....
, or special purpose vehicle) numbers were carried directly over; differentiation is made by the addition of 6-Rad or 8-Rad (Ger: "6 wheel" or "8 wheel") in the vehicle name.
These vehicles first saw combat with the campaign against Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
and in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. Later they saw use in both the USSR and North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. Extreme climatic conditions in both these areas proved too severe for the vehicle. In the USSR, adverse ground conditions immobilized 150 Sd.Kfz 232s during the first wet season of the campaign. In the desert, heat and sand created some maintenance problems. Still, the eight-wheeled cars turned out to be the best vehicles that Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
had for long range reconnaissance across the wide desert territory.
Armour
The Sd.Kfz. 232 had 15 mm of slightly sloped homogeneous steel armorRolled homogeneous armour
Rolled homogeneous armour is a type of steel which is used to armour vehicles.-Composition:Armoured steel must be hard yet impervious to shock in order to resist high velocity metal projectiles. Steel with these characteristics is produced by processing cast steel billets of appropriate size and...
on the front, 8 mm on the sides, and 10 mm on the back, with 6 mm and 5 mm of armour on the top and bottom respectively. This armour was designed to provide protection from small arms fire and HE fragments; it was ineffective against heavier weapons. After the French campaign, additional spaced frontal armour plate was added to provide better protection. Armor was increased up to 30 mm in the later Sdkfz. 234 series. However, it was not designed to provide protection from antitank weapons.
Armament
The Sd.Kfz. 232 was armed with a 2 cm KwK 30 L/552 cm KwK 30
The 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 was a German 2 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of the German SdKfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II light tank...
autocannon
Autocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
. This cannon was based on the 2 cm FlaK 30
2 cm FlaK 30
The Flak 30 and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout the Second World War. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun, but by far the most numerously produced German artillery piece throughout the war...
Anti-Aircraft gun
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
, and was capable of firing at a rate of 280 rounds per minute.
The 2 cm cannon was not designed to defeat enemy tanks, and experiments were made towards replacing it with a heavier gun which resulted in the Sd Kfz. 234 Puma. The Puma's 5 cm gun could penetrate and knock out most Allied armoured cars and light tanks. Armored cars' role was to protect the crew from small arms fire during reconnaissance missions, not engaging with enemy.
Using high explosive ammo the 20 mm autocannon was highly effective against infantry and unarmoured vehicles. Great success was also achieved by replacing the regular armour-piercing explosive ammunition with an early version of APDS, but this ammunition was in chronically short supply.
Powerplant
Production versions of the SdKfz. 232 were fitted with a 155 hp (116 kW), eight-cylinder Büssing-NAG L8V-G petrol engine, which gave a top speed of 85 km/h (53 mph) and a range of 300 km (186.4 mi).Crew
A crew of four was typical. The commanderCommander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and gunner sat in the turret. The SdKfz232 employed an unusual dual driver arrangement, with one driver seated at each end of the vehicle. This allowed the vehicle to be driven in either direction (forward or backward) with equal ease.
Six wheelers
All 6-rad versions were produced from 1932 to 1937. The designation Sd.Kfz is Sonderkraftfahrzeug (special purpose vehicle).Sd.Kfz. 231
The first of the German armored cars, the Sd.Kfz. 231 was based on a modified 6x4 truck chassis. The 231 was armed with a 2 cm KwK 30 L/552 cm KwK 30
The 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 was a German 2 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of the German SdKfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II light tank...
autocannon
Autocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
, and a Maschinengewehr 13
MG-13
The MG 13 was a German general-purpose machine gun obtained by rebuilding a World War I water-cooled machine gun into an air-cooled version....
machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. It had a second driver in the rear so that the vehicle could be driven either forwards or backwards with relative ease. The 231 was introduced into service in 1932 and began to be replaced in 1937 when the German Army switched production to 8-wheeled armoured cars instead of 6-wheeled. Despite being replaced, they were used by Aufklärungs (reconnaissance) units during the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
, the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, and the invasion of the USSR
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. They were withdrawn afterwards for use in internal security and training. The crew consisted of a commander, gunner, driver, and a radio operator/rear driver.
Sd.Kfz. 232
The 232 carried a Fu. Ger.11 SE 100 medium range radio and a Fu. Spr. Ger. "a" short range radio. This model was visually distinctive because of the heavy "bedstead" antenna over the body of the car. At the point where the antenna was connected to the turret a special joint was installed which supported the aerial but still allowed the turret a full 360° traverse.Sd.Kfz. 263
A radio vehicle "Funkspähwagen" equipped with extra long-range radio equipment and an additional radio operator. To support the additional equipment, the turret was omitted, the superstructure was raised, and only a single ball-mounted machinegun was mounted. Note that there is also an 8 wheeled Sd.Kfz. 263.Sd.Kfz. 231
Sd.Kfz. 232
The Sd.Kfz. 232 (8-Rad) was produced from 1938 to 1943, when it was superseded by the Sd.Kfz. 234/2 "Puma". The 232 were not withdrawn from service; many of the old vehicles were upgraded with new radio communication equipment, replacing the "bedstead" with more modern and compact wire antennas. These vehicles are often referred to as Sd.Kfz. 232 (Fu) (8-Rad) (Fu; Funkapparat; radio, Rad;wheel) It was armed with a 2 cm KwK 30 L/552 cm KwK 30
The 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 was a German 2 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of the German SdKfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II light tank...
autocannon
Autocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
that had a muzzle velocity of 899 m/s, the 232 also carried a 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
MG 34
The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, is a German air-cooled machine gun that was first produced and accepted into service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. It accepts the 8x57mm IS cartridge....
machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
.
Sd.Kfz. 233
Converted 232 (8-Rad) chassis, adding the short barrelled 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/247.5 cm KwK 37
The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 was a German 75 mm tank gun used during World War II, primarily as the chief weapon of the Panzer IV tank....
gun in an open fixed superstructure.
Due to the short length of the barrel this gun earned the nickname of "Stumpy". One hundred and nine of these vehicles were built at the Büssing-NAG
Büssing
Büssing was a German bus and truck manufacturer established by Heinrich Büssing at Braunschweig in 1903. Büssing's first truck was a 2 ton payload machine powered by a 2-cylinder gasoline engine and featuring worm drive...
plant, between December 1942 and October 1943. A further 10 were converted from 231/232 chassis in October 1942. This variant of the Sd.Kfz. series entered service during 1942 and remained in use throughout the war. They were issued as a platoon of six vehicles in support of reconnaissance battalions.
Sd.Kfz. 234
The Sd.Kfz. 234 series were completely new designs, of a similar size and appearance to the Sd.Kfz. 232/3 series which they replaced. They were powered by a Tatra diesel. The most obvious external difference is the single-piece mudguards compared to the two-piece mudguards on the 232 series.Sd.Kfz. 234/1
The Sd.Kfz. 234/1 was fitted with a 2 cm KwK 38 L/552 cm KwK 30
The 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 was a German 2 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of the German SdKfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II light tank...
gun and coaxial 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
MG 34
The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, is a German air-cooled machine gun that was first produced and accepted into service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. It accepts the 8x57mm IS cartridge....
or MG 42 machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
in a rotating six-sided open-topped turret. The open top was protected from grenades by a mesh-covered frame.
Sd.Kfz. 234/2 "Puma"
This version had a turret adapted from the cancelled VK1602 LeopardLight Tank VK 1602 "Leopard"
The Light Tank VK 1602 "Leopard" was a German reconnaissance vehicle designed from March through October 1942, with the serial production scheduled for April 1943, but the project was abandoned before the first prototype was built.-Specifications:...
, mounting a 5 cm KwK 39/1 L/60
5 cm KwK 39
The 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 was a German 50 mm caliber gun used during Second World War, primarily as the main armament of later variants of the German Panzerkampfwagen III tank between 1941-1942. It was developed as a variant of the towed gun 5 cm PaK 38...
, very similar to the weapon previously used on the later versions of the Panzerkampfwagen III. It weighed nearly 12 tons but was still capable of 85 km/h (53 mph). It was one of the most heavily armed armored cars available. However, engagement was strictly discouraged due to its thin armor, and also due to its intended role of reconnaissance. The armored car could be driven backwards by the radio operator in an emergency as well. Production started in 1943 but was stopped in the second half of 1944. The other three 234 variants were kept in production until the end of the war.
Sd.Kfz. 234/3
This version, like the Sd.Kfz. 233, carried the short 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/247.5 cm KwK 37
The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 was a German 75 mm tank gun used during World War II, primarily as the chief weapon of the Panzer IV tank....
gun, in a raised open superstructure. The gun's low velocity made it armour-piercing round ineffective against most Allied tanks, but allowed the high explosive shell casing to be thinner and thus contain more explosive. The HEAT
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
round for this weapon was, however, effective against vehicles.
Sd.Kfz. 234/4
Another variant of the 8 wheeler, but mounting a 7.5 cm PaK 40 L/46PaK 40
The 7.5 cm PaK 40 was a German 7.5 centimetre anti-tank gun developed in 1939-1941 by Rheinmetall and used during the Second World War...
anti-tank gun in an open compartment. This variant was similar to Marder tank destroyer series in that it was a weakly armored, open-topped antitank vehicle that could not engage enemy armor head to head, and it was a stop-gap measure.
Sd.Kfz. 263
An eight wheeler with a fixed superstructure and a single 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34MG 34
The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, is a German air-cooled machine gun that was first produced and accepted into service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. It accepts the 8x57mm IS cartridge....
machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. A dedicated radio vehicle with the bedstead frame aerial. This was based on the Sd.Kfz. 232/3 series. Note that there is also a 6 wheeled Sd.Kfz. 263.