SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen

Fire Support Vehicle / 75mm Gun Carrier

Nazi Germany | 1944

"Surplus KwK 37 tank guns were fitted to SdKfz 250 halftrack hulls to create the SdKfz 250/8 series fire support vehicles for the German Army in World War 2."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen Fire Support Vehicle / 75mm Gun Carrier.

1 x Maybach HL42 TRKM 6-cylinder water-cooled, gasoline-fueled engine developing 99 horsepower.
Installed Power

43 mph
70 kph
Road Speed

186 miles
300 km
Range

Structure
The physical qualities of the SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen Fire Support Vehicle / 75mm Gun Carrier.

4
(MANNED)
Crew

14.9 ft
4.55 meters
O/A Length

6.2 ft
1.9 meters
O/A Width

6.8 ft
2.07 meters
O/A Height

12,599 lb
5,715 kg | 6.3 tons
Weight

Armament & Ammunition
Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen Fire Support Vehicle / 75mm Gun Carrier.

1 x 75mm KwK 37 L/24 howitzer
1 x 7.92mm MG34 machine gun

AMMUNITION:
20 x 75mm projectiles
500 x 7.92mm ammunition (estimated)

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen family line.

SdKfz 250/8 - Base Series Designation

SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen 7.5cm - Long-form German Army designation.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/06/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

One of the many variants developed out of the SdKfz 250 halftrack for the German Army during World War 2 (1939-1945) was the SdKfz 250/8. These vehicles were constructed as fire support platforms and properly armed while retaining the inherent capabilities of the SdKfz 250. They saw service until the end of the war in 1945.

The SdKfz 250 was one of the more numerous of the German halftracks in the conflict, accounting for 6,628 units built by Demag, Adlerwerke, Bussing-NAG and MWC from 1941 to 1945. While lightly armored (up to 14.5mm of protection), the vehicles were relatively lightweight and multipurpose by nature and thus good candidates to be used as gun carriers. As the German Panzer IV series moved to the newer, longer KwK 40 series 75mm (7.5cm) main guns, its original short KwK 37 L/24 75mm weapon became available in large quantities. This made the SdKfz 250 the perfect conversion platform for the weapon which brought along the proven gun-mounting hardware fitted to the Sturmgeschutz series vehicles. The end result became the SdKfz 250/8 fire support halftrack.

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Some modifications were required to fit the gun and mounting hardware over the rear of the SdKfz 250 chassis and this included deletion of several of the passenger seats and the forward MG34 machine gun mounting to clear working space for the gunnery crew of three. A single 7.92mm MG34 machine gun was retained and this installed over the howitzer weapon for training the main gun as well as for self-defense. The driver's position also remained and the engine was still fitted to a forward compartment. Truck-like road wheels controlled steering at the front of the vehicle while the rear was driven by tank-like tracks with overlapping roadwheels. The main gun was allotted twenty rounds of 75mm projectiles. A radio kit was also carried.

The formal designation of the new vehicle was "Sd.Kfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen (7.5cm)".

At the end of the conversion process, the weight of the SdKfz 250/8 reached 6.3 tons and this worked to reduce the vehicles speed on roads and when going cross-country. The addition of the turret and its associated structure also increased the vehicle's profile to over two meters which made it a tempting target for enemy tank-killers and tanks alike.

SdKfz 250/8 vehicles were in service from 1944 onward and fought as part of German light armored reconnaissance formations. Their guns were suitable as anti-infantry and suppression weapons when firing High-Explosive (HE) shells and could threaten light-armored vehicles at range. Their halftrack bodies also allowed for good cross-country performance.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.

Total Production: 500 Units
Contractor(s): State Factories - Nazi Germany

[ Nazi Germany ]

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Image of the SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen

Image from the Public Domain.

Going Further...
The SdKfz 250/8 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen Fire Support Vehicle / 75mm Gun Carrier appears in the following collections:

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