The Sonderkraftfahrzeug (Sd. Kfz.) 251 half-track had its origins in the same requirement as the smaller and lighter Sd. Kfz. 250. Intended as an armored personnel carrier, the Sd. Kfz. 251 entered service in 1939, and quickly became the standard means of transport for the panzergrenadiers. As it turned out, the Sd. Kfz. 251 was an especially useful vehicle, not only capable of keeping up with the newly formed panzer divisions but also providing invaluable support as well. All told, there were 22 special-purpose variants built, including the menacing-looking Stukavoss ("infantry Stuka"), which mounted a series of rocket launchers on the outer sides of the vehicle. Other variants included a flame-thrower, anti-tank, and communications vehicle, as well as an observation post, ambulance, and infra-red searchlight carrier. Despite suffering from early reliability problems, the Sd. Kfz. 251 was produced by the thousands, eventually becoming a trademark of the German panzertruppe on all fronts.

The Sd. Kfz. 251/22 is a self-propelled anti-tank gun of Nazi German origin. It was developed and produced in the late stages of World War 2. Using a powerful anti-tank gun on a halftrack is less than ideal, but did provide much needed mobility for anti-tank guns to support infantry in defensive positions.

Even in the late stages of World War 2 the 75mm PaK-40 was a potent anti-tank gun. It can be accurately used at longer distances and at range it is still effective against the vast majority of soviet and allied tanks. The main limitation of the the SdKfz 251/22 is the limited traverse and elevation of the gun. Unlike many tracked tank destroyers the SdKfz 251 halftrack cannot pivot. A limited number of shells were carried. Cramped internal arrangement probably reduced the rate of fire compared to the towed variant.

Shown here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Sd. Kfz. 251/22 Ausf. D halftrack with a 7.5cm PaK 40 anti-tank gun embedded in the crew compartment. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 3-inches
Width: 1-inch

Release Date: September 2023

Historical Account: "Firepower" - Towards the end of the war every available field gun was mounted atop a vehicle to produce a self-propelled anti-tank weapon. In the case of the Sd. Kfz. 251/22, a modified PaK 40 anti-tank gun was built with a trimmed shield so it could be mounted directly on the standard Sd. Kfz. 251 chassis. The gunner would sit on a folding wooden seat to the left of the gun while the rest of the crew served the weapon. Impressive to look at, the design had major shortcomings among them a limited left and right traverse due to the confining space in which the crew had to operate. Furthermore, an overloaded chassis and a structure not designed to handle the strain of the gun's recoil led to many mechanical breakdowns.