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 halftrack was a highly successful design, with a bewildering array of variants produced during WWII. The 251/10, for example, was a halftrack equipped with a 3.7cm PaK 36 antitank gun. This small-caliber weapon designed by Rheinmetall first appeared in 1936, but by the time WWII broke out it was outdated and ineffective against more heavily armored enemy tanks. Thus, a number of these 'door knockers' (as the gun was sometimes nicknamed by German troops) were mounted on the hull superstructure of some German halftracks to provide light and mobile anti-armor support.

This particular 1:72 scale half-track comes mounted with a squeeze-bore 2.8cm anti-tank gun, with mass production beginning in 1941. It was employed on the Eastern Front since the commencement of Operation Barabarossa, and also saw action in North Africa and Western Europe. The addition of this weapon on the Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack gave German pioneers a useful antitank capability. The actual model is delivered in a three-color camouflage scheme that has been beautifully rendered in fine stripes. All detail such as the 2.8cm sPzB 41 gun is delicately reproduced, and the open-topped vehicle is accurately manufactured. This halftrack is ready for action - and ready to join a model vehicle collection! Sold Out!

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

Release Date: September 2007