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Sonderkraftfahrzeug (abbreviated Sd.Kfz. ,
[1]
German for "special purpose vehicle") was the
ordnance inventory designation used by
Nazi Germany during
World War II for
military vehicles ; for example Sd.Kfz. 101 for the
Panzer I .
Sd.Kfz. numbers were assigned to
armored ,
tracked , and
half-tracked vehicles in
military service with
Nazi Germany prior to and during
World War II .
Sd.Kfz. numbering system
There were no strict rules regarding number series. For example, the
Pz. Kpfw. II Ausf. L was designed and named as a reconnaissance vehicle, yet was placed in the 100-series rather than the 200-series. Overall, the vehicles were placed in these categories:
Sd.Kfz. 1 to 99: Unarmoured half-tracked vehicles
Sd.Kfz. 100 to 199: Tanks and tank variants, such as tank destroyers and self-propelled artillery
Sd.Kfz. 200 to 299: Reconnaissance vehicles, armoured cars, armored personnel carriers, and command tanks
Sd.Kfz. 300 and above: Mine-clearing and demolition charge laying vehicles
Designations
Sd.Kfz. 1 to 99
Sd.Kfz. 1 (Krupp/Daimler Geschützkraftwagen Kraftwagen 19; number later deleted)
Sd.Kfz. 2 (Krupp/Daimler Tractor; number later reassigned)
Sd.Kfz. 2 (Kettenkrad light half-track "tracked motorcycle")
Kettenkrad Sd.Kfz. 2 in Russia
Sd.Kfz. 2/1 (Field cable-laying variant for long distance field cable Feldfernkabel )
Sd.Kfz. 2/2 (Field cable-laying variant for heavy field cable Schweres Feldkabel )
Sd.Kfz. 3 (Armored version of Daimler DZVR; number later reassigned)
Sd.Kfz. 3 -
Maultier half-track cargo vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 3 (Maultier) unloaded from a
Messerschmitt Me 323 "Gigant" transport aircraft
Sd.Kfz. 3a (Maultier based on 2-ton
Opel trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 3b (Maultier based on 2-ton
Ford trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 3c (Maultier based on 2-ton
Magirus trucks)
Sd.Kfz. 3/4 (ambulance based on Maultier on Ford or Opel chassis
Sd.Kfz. 4 (Maultier based on 4.5-ton trucks; also known as Sd.Kfz. 3/5)
Sd.Kfz. 5 (3-ton 6x6 truck, Krupp L3 H63/H163 fuel tank vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 6 (5-ton medium halftrack for engineers)
Sd.Kfz. 6
Sd.Kfz. 6/1 (5-ton medium half-track for the artillery)
Sd.Kfz. 6/2 (self-propelled
37 mm antiaircraft gun )
Sd.Kfz. 6/3 "Sd.Kfz. 6 mit 7.62 cm FK 36(r)", half track carrying a captured Soviet
76mm M1936 (F-22) gun
portee in an armored superstructure)
Sd.Kfz. 7 (8-ton medium half-track)
Sd.Kfz. 7/1 (self-propelled
20 mm quadruple anti-aircraft gun )
Sd.Kfz. 7/2 (self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 7/3 (armored fire-control vehicle for V-2 rockets on 8-ton towing vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 7/6 (variant for anti-aircraft range finding)
Sd.Kfz. 8 (12-ton heavy half-track)
Sd.Kfz. 8 half-track towing
Gotha Go 242 glider
Sd.Kfz. 9 (18-ton heavy half-track)
Sd.Kfz. 9/1 (halftrack mounted 6 ton crane)
Sd.Kfz. 9/2 (halftrack mounted 10 ton crane)
Sd.Kfz. 9/6 (tractor with 40-ton winch)
Sd.Kfz. 10 (1-ton light halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 10
Sd.Kfz. 10/1 (light gas detection vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 10/2 (light decontamination vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 10/3 (light decontamination sprayer vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 10/4 (self-propelled 20 mm Flak 30 antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 10/5 (self-propelled 20 mm Flak 38 antiaircraft gun)
Sd.Kfz. 11 (3-ton light halftrack)
Sd.Kfz . 11
Sd.Kfz. 11/1 - carrier for
10 cm Nebelwerfer 35 and
10 cm Nebelwerfer 40 mortars
Sd.Kfz. 11/1 - designation re-issued in 1944: self-propelled 20 mm Flak 38 antiaircraft gun
Sd.Kfz. 11/2 -medium decontamination vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 11/3 -medium decontamination spraying vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 11/4 -smoke-generation vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 11/5 -medium gas detection vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 100 to 199
Sd.Kfz. 101
Panzer I Ausf . A, B, C and F light tank
Sd.Kfz. 111 Panzer I ammunition carrier variant
Sd.Kfz. 121
Panzer II Ausf . a to F light tank
Sd.Kfz. 122 Panzer II (Flamm)
flame tank
Sd.Kfz. 123
Panzer II Ausf. L "Luchs" reconnaissance tank
Sd.Kfz. 124
Wespe self-propelled
10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer on Panzer II chassis
Sd.Kfz. 128 Panzer II (50 mm KwK 39 L/60),
VK 16.02 Leopard
Sd.Kfz. 131
Marder II self-propelled
7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun on Panzer II chassis
Sd.Kfz. 132 Marder II self-propelled Soviet
7.62 cm Pak 36(r) antitank gun
Sd.Kfz. 135 -
Marder I
Panzerjäger tank destroyer on captured French
Lorraine 37L tracked carrier
Sd.Kfz. 135/1 (self-propelled 150 mm howitzer)
Sd.Kfz. 136 Bergepanzerwagen 38
Sd.Kfz. 138 (
Marder III self-propelled 75 mm anti-tank gun)
Marder III (Sd.Kfz. 138) had either a Soviet 76.2 mm F-22 field gun, or German 7.5 cm Pak 40 on a
Panzer 38(t) chassis
Sd.Kfz. 139 - Marder III self-propelled 76.2 mm anti-tank gun
Sd.Kfz. 140 -
Flakpanzer 38(t) (Flakpanzer 38(t) auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) Ausf M) self-propelled 20 mm anti-aircraft gun on a Panzer 38(t) chassis
Sd.Kfz. 140/1 - armored reconnaissance vehicle based on the Panzer 38(t)
Sd.Kfz. 141 -
Panzer III medium tank with 37 mm or 50 mm L/42 main gun
Panzer III (Sd.Kfz. 141) Ausf H with short 5cm KwK 38 gun
Sd.Kfz. 141/1 - Panzer III medium tank with 50 mm L/60 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 141/2 - Panzer III medium tank with
short-barrelled 75 mm KwK 37 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 142 -
StuG III
assault gun with 75 mm L/24 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 142/1 - StuG III assault gun with 75 mm L/43 or L/48 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 142/2 -
StuH 42 assault gun with 105 mm L/28 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 143 - Panzer III based artillery observation post
Sd.Kfz. 144 - Bergepanzerwagen III
Sd.Kfz. 161 -
Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/24 main gun
Panzer IV Sd.Kfz. 161 with Schurzen side skirts
Sd.Kfz. 161/1 - Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/43 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 161/2 - Panzer IV medium tank with 75 mm L/48 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 161/3 -
Möbelwagen self-propelled 37 mm antiaircraft gun
Sd.Kfz. 161/4 -
Wirbelwind self-propelled 20 mm x 4 antiaircraft gun
Sd.Kfz. 162 -
Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer with 75 mm L/48 main gun on Panzer IV chassis
Sd.Kfz. 163 -
Sturmgeschütz IV for Sturmkanone 40 (L/48)
Sd.Kfz. 164 -
Nashorn (until 1944 known as Hornisse ) panzerjäger tank destroyer with 88 mm Pak 43 main gun)
Sd.Kfz. 165 -
Hummel self-propelled 150 mm artillery
Sd.Kfz. 165/1 -
Heuschrecke self-propelled 105 mm artillery
Sd.Kfz. 166 -
Brummbär self-propelled 150 mm infantry gun
Sd.Kfz. 167 -
Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun with 75 mm L/48 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 171 -
Panther tank
Panther Sd.Kfz. 171
Sd.Kfz. 172 - proposed assault gun variant of Panther tank
Sd.Kfz. 173 -
Jagdpanther (Panzerjäger Panther) tank destroyer
Sd.Kfz. 179 -
Bergepanther recovery variant
Sd.Kfz. 181 -
Tiger I heavy tank
Sd.Kfz. 182 -
Tiger II ("Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B") heavy tank
Sd.Kfz. 184 - Ferdinand/
Elefant "Panzerjäger Tiger (P)" tank destroyer
Sd.Kfz. 185 -
Jagdtiger tank destroyer with 88 mm L/71 main gun due to lack of supply of 128mm gun
Sd.Kfz. 186 - Jagdtiger tank destroyer with
12.8 cm Pak 44 main gun
Sd.Kfz. 200 to 299
Sd.Kfz. 221 (
Leichter Panzerspähwagen with 7.92 mm machinegun)
Sd.Kfz. 222 (Leichter Panzerspähwagen with 2 cm KwK 30 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 223 (Leichter Panzerspähwagen with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 231 6-rad (
Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (6 wheel) with
2 cm KwK 30 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 231
Sd.Kfz. 231 8-rad (
Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (8 wheel) with 2 cm KwK 30 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 232 6-rad (
Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (6 wheel) with medium range and short range radios)
Sd.Kfz. 232 8-rad (
Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (8 wheel) with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 233 (
Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with
7.5 cm KwK 37 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234 (
Schwerer Panzerspähwagen )
Sd.Kfz. 234/1 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 20 mm gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234/2 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 50 mm gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234/3 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 75 mm gun)
Sd.Kfz. 234/4 (Schwerer Panzerspähwagen with 7.5 cm Pak 40 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 247 (armored staff car)
Sd.Kfz. 250 (armored light halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 250/1 (with communications gear)
Sd.Kfz. 250
Sd.Kfz. 250/2 leichter Fernsprechpanzerwagen light armored halftrack with cable-laying gear
Sd.Kfz. 250/3 (with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 250/4 ( with twin antiaircraft machineguns)
Sd.Kfz. 250/5 leichter Beobachtungspanzerwagen observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 250/6 (reconnaissance vehicle)
Sd.Kfz. 250/7 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (schwerer Granatwerfer) (mortar carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 250/8 leichter Schützenpanzerwagen (7.5 cm) with
7.5cm KwK 37 gun
Sd.Kfz. 250/9 ( with 20 mm L/55 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 250/10 (with 37 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 250/11 (with
2.8 cm sPzB 41 anti-tank "rifle")
Sd.Kfz. 250/12 (for survey crews)
Sd.Kfz. 251 (medium armored halftrack)
Sd.Kfz. 251 carrying troops in southern Russia in 1942
Sd.Kfz. 251/1 (with communications gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/2 (mortar carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 251/3 (with radio gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/4 Schützenpanzerwagen für Munition und Zubehör des leIG18 -
artillery tractor
Sd.Kfz. 251/5 (medium armored halftrack for engineers)
Sd.Kfz. 251/6 (medium armored halftrack command post)
Sd.Kfz. 251/7 (medium armored halftrack for engineers)
Sd.Kfz. 251/8 (medium armored halftrack ambulance)
Sd.Kfz. 251/9 (medium armored halftrack with 75 mm L/24 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/10 (medium armored halftrack with 37 mm antitank gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/11 (medium armored halftrack with telephone equipment)
Sd.Kfz. 251/12 (medium armored halftrack with survey gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/13 (medium armored halftrack with artillery sound recording gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/14 (medium armored halftrack with artillery sound ranging gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/15 (medium armored halftrack with artillery flash spotting gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/16 (medium armored halftrack with flamethrower)
Sd.Kfz. 251/17 (medium armored halftrack with 20 mm L/55 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/18 (medium armored halftrack observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 251/19 (medium armored halftrack with telephone exchange gear)
Sd.Kfz. 251/20 (medium armored halftrack with infrared searchlight)
Sd.Kfz. 251/21 Schützenpanzerwagen (Drilling MG151s). with triple 15mm or 20mm
MG151 autocannon )
Sd.Kfz. 251/22 (with 75 mm L/46 Pak-40 gun)
Sd.Kfz. 251/23 (reconnaissance vehicle - possibly never produced. Was to have a 20mm gun in turret similar to Sd.Kfz. 234/1)
Sd.Kfz. 252 (light halftrack ammunition carrier)
Sd.Kfz. 253 leichter Gepanzerter Beobachtungskraftwagen (artillery observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 254 (medium track or wheel observation post)
Sd.Kfz. 260 (light armored radio car)
Sd.Kfz. 261 Kleiner Panzerfunkwagen equipped with radios for army communication
The Sd.Kfz. 261 had a large frame aerial over the vehicle
Sd.Kfz. 263 6-rad (heavy armored radio car - 6 wheel)
Sd.Kfz. 263 8-rad (heavy armored radio car - 8 wheel)
Sd.Kfz. 265 (
Panzerbefehlswagen
Panzer I command tank)
Sd.Kfz. 266 (
Panzer III command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 2 radios)
Sd.Kfz. 267 (Panzer III,
Panther tank , and
Tiger I command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 8 radios)
Sd.Kfz. 268 (Panzer III, Panther, and Tiger I command tanks with FuG 6 and FuG 7 radios)
Sd.Kfz. 280 gepanzerter Munitionsschlepper (armored ammunition tractor, also known as Sonderschlepper III)
Sd.Kfz. 300 and above
Sd.Kfz. 303 version of the Goliath used a petrol engine as a cost-saving measure
Sd.Kfz. 300 -
Minenräumwagen remote-controlled mine destroyer
Sd.Kfz. 301 -
Borgward IV heavy remote-control demolition layer
Sd.Kfz. 302 -
Goliath tracked mine (Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath ) light remote-control demolition vehicle with electric motor
Sd.Kfz. 303 -
Goliath tracked mine light remote-control demolition vehicle with petrol engine
Sd.Kfz. 304 -
Springer medium remote-control demolition vehicle
See also
References
^ Chamberlain, Peter; Doyle, Hilary (1978). Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two: A complete illustrated directory of German battle tanks, armoured cars, self-propelled guns and semi-tracked vehicles, 1933-1945 . Arco Pub. Co. p. 17.
ISBN
978-0668045650 .
External links
Media related to
Sonderkraftfahrzeuge (Sd.Kfz.) at Wikimedia Commons