The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - Sonderkraftfahrzeuge 251 Series Halftrack 10/11/2005

See Educational Resources

[alfa6]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

.................................................................. .................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
to add the Foxhole to your sidebar,
click on the books below.

Sd. Kfz. 251 Series Halftrack

A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling of a wheeled vehicle.

In 1911 the French engineer Adolphe Kégresse converted a number of cars from the personal car park of Czar of Russia as half-tracks. From 1916 onward there was a Russian project by the Putilov plant to produce military half-tracks along the same lines using trucks and French track parts.



Half-tracks were used extensively in World War II by all sides, especially the Germans and Americans, but fell out of favor soon after, replaced with fully-tracked or fully-wheeled vehicles. Half-tracks were used primarily as armored personnel carriers, but also saw duty as mortar carriers, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, self-propelled anti-tank guns, artillery haulers, armored fighting vehicles and many other tasks. One notable user of half tracks after WW-II was the Israel Defense Forces who used half tracks until just recently.



The Sonderkraftfahrzeuge, or "special vehicle" series were invaluable multi-purpose vehicles used throughout the war as support vehicles. The SdKfz 250 and 251 models were used as troop carriers that accompanied tanks into battle and were armed with machine guns, mortars or rockets called Wurfrahmen. This made them an excellent mobile artillery unit but their weak armor made them easy targets for tanks, heavy machine guns, or even grenades.



While Panzer Divisions were first being developed requirements were given for a personnel carrier that was armored and could carry the infantry into battle. In 1935 it was suggested that an armored body could be placed on a medium half track tractor. The SdKfz 11 became the basis for the chassis of the Sd. Kfz. 251 series



Produced by Hanomag, but the hull and superstructure were built by Büssing-NAG. 22 different models made. A brief listing of some of the models follows.

SdKfz 251/1 mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen: Crew of 11. Had 2 7.92 mm MG34s and 1 MG34 or MG42, with 2,010 rounds.

SdKfz 251-1 with a Medic at work

SdKfz 251/1 mittlere Schützenpanzerwagen (Wurfrahmen 40): Crew of 7. Had 2 MG34s or MG42s. Had 5: 28cm Sprengranate (HE round) and 1: 32cm Flammgranate (incendiary round). After France in 1940 J. Gast KG, Berlin were ordered to create a projector for the Wurfgerät 40. The elevation was +5° to +40°. Firing took 10 seconds and the range of 1.9 km for Sprengranate and 2.2 km for Flammgranate.

Nicknamed "Walking Stuka" or "Bellowing Cow"

[Soaring Feather]

Morning, PE!!

[alfa6]

Oh heaven's yes, don't get me wrong. It's an excellent thread. I'm only making amateurish inquiries about the German terminology and its translation.

Shoot you are way ahead of me, after "nien", "raus", "kaput" and "fliegerabwherkannoen" I am pretty much out of German!

Thanks for the compliment, although I think it could have been better.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[alfa6]

Actually, in one critical area they were better. The armor [what there is] is sloped , adding to the occupants' survivability. On US half ttracks, the plate is vertical

That reminds of the story that been attributted to Gen. Bradley. Bradley asked a GI in North Africa about the armor on the half tracks and the GI said, "Naw the bullets just go through one side and kinda rattle around the inside."

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[alfa6]

Since the tag on the photo ID is of Blue Angles genre and the
Marine fly the Fat Albert support craft I would have to say it is a USMC Bulldog D.I. figure.

Plus I cheated and looked at the pic under a little bit higher resolution. he, he.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Colonial Warrior]

Thanks, Alpha6, for taking up the Foxhole...even if it's just occasionally. You did a great job!

[alfa6]

Thanks for the kind comments, as I go thought todays thread I see a few things I wished I had done differently.

Oh well, Maybe next time I can get it right.

Y'all have a good day

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[SAMWolf]

A kewpie doll to whoever can name the Officer in this picture. ;-)

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Schnell Heinz

[snippy_about_it]

Morning DD. I remember when comics were 10 cents, too. Of course back then I was buying "romance" comic books. LOL.

[snippy_about_it]

Hey there!

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Gail. If it's Treadhead Tuesday then it must be Quilting Day for you. :-)

[snippy_about_it]

Neat f-o-g. Neat tagline too.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Don't forget Jeb Stuart and the Haunted Tank.

[snippy_about_it]

XOXO

[PzLdr]

Looks like Guderian

[SAMWolf]

DING DING DING! One KewpieSpankenTruppen coming up.

A montage showing Heinz Guderian, father of the German Panzer Korps, amidst parading Panzer MKI light tanks and a display of of the growing luftwaffe behind him.

[SAMWolf]

Liked that better than Sgt Rock. :-)

[SAMWolf]

hotlink

I hate when that happens

[SAMWolf]

How'd I know you'd get it? :-)

[SAMWolf]

Dodging flak? Morning PE.