Development of the Sd. Kfz. 7 can be traced back to a 1934 requirement for an 8-ton half-track. The vehicle first appeared in 1938 and was destined to be used mainly as the tractor for the 8.8cm flak gun. The Sd. Kfz. 7 was an extremely useful vehicle, employed both as a weapons carrier and prime mover by the Wehrmacht. They also saw service as observation and command posts for V2 rocket batteries. The vehicle could carry up to 12 men and a considerable quantity of supplies, as well as pulling up to 8000kg (17,600 lbs) of equipment. Most were fitted with a winch, which enabled them to pull smaller disabled vehicles out of mud or other quagmires. A mainstay of the German Army, the Sd. Kfz. 7 was even admired by the enemies of the Reich. In fact, the British tried to make exact copies of captured Sd. Kfz. 7s and some vehicles were appropriated for use by the Allies after World War II.

Pictured here is a 1:50 scale replica of a German Krauss-Maffei Sd. Kfz. 7/1 8-Ton Semi-Tracked Personnel Carrier/Prime Mover with 2cm Flakvierling 38 that was attached to a Luftwaffe Flak.Abteilung, then deployed to Belgorod, Russia, during August 1943. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 5-inches
Width: 2-inches

Release Date: May 2003

Historical Account: "Skyward Bound" - A mixed flak Battalion (German: Abteilung) was formed as a part of the Luftwaffe Field Division. It had one heavy Battery with three 20 mm cannons and four 88 mm guns along with twenty-seven 20 mm Anti-Aircraft guns. It had a headquarters staff as well as signals support troops. The anti-aircraft units were formed up in battalions (German: Flak-Abteilungen), regiments (German: Flak-Regimenter), brigades (German: Flak-Brigaden e.g. Flak-Brigade XIX), divisions (German: Flak-Divisionen, e.g. 27.Flak-Division) and corps. Battalions would be "light" (German: leichte) "mixed" (German: gemischte) or "heavy" (German: schwere), referring to the size of guns in their batteries.

Flak guns in use were in five calibers - 20 mm and 37 mm and the heavier 88 mm, 105 mm and 128 mm. Over the course of the war, the continuous attacks by first RAF, then USAAF bombers on German cities led to increases in the number of Flak units deployed in Germany. Late in the war, AA units were bolstered by the use of foreigners and German youths. There were a total of 29 Flak divisions. Each division generally consisted of five Flak Regiments, one searchlight regiment, three motorized flak transport battalions, one Air Signals battalion and supply troops. The number of transport battalions varied depending on location and need of transport of the divisions. First of these was formed in Berlin on July 1st, 1938, as Air Defense Command (German: Luftverteidigungskommando) but later renamed as 1.Flak Division.