Bussing-NAG sWS (Schwere Wehrmacht Schlepper)

Heavy-class Prime Mover Halftrack Vehicle [ 1943 ]

Around 1,000 sWS helftracks were produced for the German Army before the end of World War 2.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 02/10/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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As World War 2 (1939-1945) raged on for Germany, it was pressed upon the Wehrmacht (Army) service that its fleet of standardized halftrack prime mover vehicles were proving rather expensive and complicated to continue to produce en mass. Therefore, in 1942, it was decided to pursue a low-cost alternative and this charge fell to Bussing-NAG that year and, by the fall of 1943, a new system was readied for production. The product became the 'schwere Wehrmacht Schlepper' (or 'sWS') and was on the lines of two assembly plants - Bussing-NAG in Berlin and the Kolin Works at Ringhoffer-Tatra.

It was a heavy-class (6-ton range) halftrack system utilizing a traditional halftrack vehicle arrangement with a steerable, truck-like pair of wheels at front and a tank-like track-and-wheel arrangement under the rear of the chassis. The forward compartment contained the driver's position and a passenger seat (open-air). The rear of the vehicle could be arranged to accept various loads including troop benches and anti-aircraft gun systems. Power was from a single Maybach HL42 TRKMS six-cylinder, liquid-cooled gasoline-fueled engine of 100 horsepower (3,000rpm) and performance included a maximum road speed of 27 kmh with a range out to 300 kilometers (100km off-road). Dimensions included an overall length of 6.68 meters, a width of 2.5 meters and a height of 2.8 meters. No communications suite (radio) was fitted.

Beyond the base operational model for transporting troops was a dedicated MEDEVAC version with provision for stretchers and support staff. A frontline resupply variant held an armored front cab and protected engine compartment. One proposed form of this model was to feature an anti-aircraft gun (as the 3.7cm FlaK 43 auf sWS). There was also a rocket-projecting armored vehicle which seated a 10-tube launcher arrangement for 15cm battlefield rockets and an operating crew of five. Reloads were stowed within the hull of this variant (designated 15cm Panzerwerfer 42 (Zehuling) auf sWS).

The sWS was to become the new standardized prime mover halftrack for the German Army going forward. However, it too proved a complex and expensive piece of machinery to produce in the numbers required and therefore saw only 1,000 or so units completed before war's end. After that, a stock was taken on by the Czechoslovakian Army and used for a time longer.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1943

Origin

Nazi Germany

Crew

2
CREWMEN

Production

1,000
UNITS

Bussing-NAG / Kolin Works - Nazi Germany

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

Nazi Germany

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Anti-Aircraft / Airspace Denial
Base model or variant can be used to search, track, and neutralize airborne elements at range.

✓ Utility
General utility-minded design to accomplish a variety of battlefield tasks, typically in a non-direct-combat fashion.

✓ Special Purpose
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.

Length

21.9 ft
6.68 m

Width

8.2 ft
2.5 m

Height

9.3 ft
2.83 m

Weight

29,762 lb
13,500 kg

Tonnage

14.9 tons
LIGHT

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Bussing-NAG sWS production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)

Powerplant: 1 x Maybach HL42 TRKMS 6-cylinder, liquid-cooled gasoline-fueled engine developing 100 horsepower at 3,000rpm.

Speed

16.8 mph
(27.0 kph)

Range

186.4 mi
(300.0 km)

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Bussing-NAG sWS production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

None, save for any personal weapons carried by the crew. Anti-Aircraft Gun carriers fitted with various FlaK gun systems to serve as self-propelled units.

Supported Types

Graphical image of the M3 Grease Gun submachine gun

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

None.

sWS ('schwere Wehrmacht Schlepper') - Base Series Designation.

3.7cm FlaK 43 auf sWS - Proposed self-propelled anti-aircraft gun vehicle.

15cm Panzerwerfer 42 (Zehuling) auf sWS - Self-propelled rocket-projecting vehicle; crew of five; 10 x rocket launcher arrangement over rear of vehicle; enclosed / armored crew cab; limited production numbers.

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Image of the Bussing-NAG sWS (Schwere Wehrmacht Schlepper)

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