Sdkfz. 232 (Sdkfz. 231 8-Rad)
The Treaty of Versailles kept Germany from overtly working on or using tanks, so much research was done on armored cars in the interwar period. Not only were armored cars useful in the reconnaissance or raiding role, but they also provided valuable training for the day when Germany would use tanks again. The first family of armored cars developed for the new Wehrmacht was the Sdkfz. (Sonderkraftfahrzeug) 231 series, based on a six-wheel truck chassis.
However, the Sdkfz. 231 6-wheelers were not as successful as the Germans would have liked. Their offroad performance was lacking, and the Wehrmacht felt that they were too small--there wasn't much difference between the 6-wheel Sdkfz. 231 and the 4-wheel Sdkfz. 222. Beginning in 1937, production switched to a larger 8-wheel version, which was confusingly also designated the Sdkfz. 231; the Wehrmacht just added the term "8-rad" to the designation.
The Sdkfz. 231 (8-rad) were completely different vehicles from the earlier version. Not only did the additional wheels improve offroad performance, they also provided for more space. Two driving positions were standard on the 8-rad, front and back; in the case of a hasty retreat, a soldier could drop into the rear position and drive out of danger, rather than worry about going in reverse. Like the 6-rad, it came standard with a 20mm cannon and 7.92 machine gun in a turret, but the chassis was large enough to provide for bigger armament if necessary.
Both versions of the Sdkfz. 231 saw service at the beginning of the war in the German invasion of Poland. They proved very valuable in the scouting role, and could also penetrate deep into enemy rear areas, where their armament could wreak havoc on supply lines. If they ran into trouble--though armored, a Sdkfz. was in big trouble against a tank--they could use their speed to escape. After the invasion of France, the 6-rad Sdkfz. 231s were withdrawn to training units, and the Reichsheer standardized on the 8-rad. Even these ran into trouble in the marshy ground of a Russian fall or spring, but they still provided excellent service, and were invaluable in North Africa.
By 1942, the earlier Sdkfz. 231 series was being replaced by the Sdkfz. 234 series, which was nearly identical except for a single-piece mudguard system along the hull (which simplified production), and a bigger engine. By 1944, the Sdkfz. 234s were being equipped with both short-barrel and long-barrel high velocity 75mm guns, which could knock out most Allied tanks. These were nicknamed "Puma" by the Germans, but were best suited to hit-and-run attacks, as their armor was still too thin for stand-up combat. Probably well over 4000-5000 Sdkfz. 231/234s were produced during the war, and a small number survive to this day.
As part of his Afrika Korps collection, Dad built the Sdkfz. 232 version of the 231 series. Erwin Rommel used these extensively during the North African Campaign, as their low ground pressure and long range made them superb raiders and scouts. The 232 was just a Sdkfz. 231 with the "bedstead" radio antenna fitted, and could be used as scouts or command vehicles. The front "bumper plate" was additional armor fitted after 1941 to give the crew some frontal protection against antitank guns. Dad built this one pretty much out of the box.
Sdkfz. 232 (Sdkfz. 231 8-Rad)
The Treaty of Versailles kept Germany from overtly working on or using tanks, so much research was done on armored cars in the interwar period. Not only were armored cars useful in the reconnaissance or raiding role, but they also provided valuable training for the day when Germany would use tanks again. The first family of armored cars developed for the new Wehrmacht was the Sdkfz. (Sonderkraftfahrzeug) 231 series, based on a six-wheel truck chassis.
However, the Sdkfz. 231 6-wheelers were not as successful as the Germans would have liked. Their offroad performance was lacking, and the Wehrmacht felt that they were too small--there wasn't much difference between the 6-wheel Sdkfz. 231 and the 4-wheel Sdkfz. 222. Beginning in 1937, production switched to a larger 8-wheel version, which was confusingly also designated the Sdkfz. 231; the Wehrmacht just added the term "8-rad" to the designation.
The Sdkfz. 231 (8-rad) were completely different vehicles from the earlier version. Not only did the additional wheels improve offroad performance, they also provided for more space. Two driving positions were standard on the 8-rad, front and back; in the case of a hasty retreat, a soldier could drop into the rear position and drive out of danger, rather than worry about going in reverse. Like the 6-rad, it came standard with a 20mm cannon and 7.92 machine gun in a turret, but the chassis was large enough to provide for bigger armament if necessary.
Both versions of the Sdkfz. 231 saw service at the beginning of the war in the German invasion of Poland. They proved very valuable in the scouting role, and could also penetrate deep into enemy rear areas, where their armament could wreak havoc on supply lines. If they ran into trouble--though armored, a Sdkfz. was in big trouble against a tank--they could use their speed to escape. After the invasion of France, the 6-rad Sdkfz. 231s were withdrawn to training units, and the Reichsheer standardized on the 8-rad. Even these ran into trouble in the marshy ground of a Russian fall or spring, but they still provided excellent service, and were invaluable in North Africa.
By 1942, the earlier Sdkfz. 231 series was being replaced by the Sdkfz. 234 series, which was nearly identical except for a single-piece mudguard system along the hull (which simplified production), and a bigger engine. By 1944, the Sdkfz. 234s were being equipped with both short-barrel and long-barrel high velocity 75mm guns, which could knock out most Allied tanks. These were nicknamed "Puma" by the Germans, but were best suited to hit-and-run attacks, as their armor was still too thin for stand-up combat. Probably well over 4000-5000 Sdkfz. 231/234s were produced during the war, and a small number survive to this day.
As part of his Afrika Korps collection, Dad built the Sdkfz. 232 version of the 231 series. Erwin Rommel used these extensively during the North African Campaign, as their low ground pressure and long range made them superb raiders and scouts. The 232 was just a Sdkfz. 231 with the "bedstead" radio antenna fitted, and could be used as scouts or command vehicles. The front "bumper plate" was additional armor fitted after 1941 to give the crew some frontal protection against antitank guns. Dad built this one pretty much out of the box.