ORIGINAL: spellir74
250 INFO PACK.
This has a real good 250 INFO sheet in it. Better than my recon one.
Well if no one is going to download the info sheet, I'm going to post it here. So there! ..hrrmm...
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Sd. Kfz. 250 leichte (le.) Schützenpanzerwagen. (Two hull types: "Alte"=pre-1943 and "Neu"=post-1943 (similar to the 251-D type).)
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_Sd Kfz 250/1 _le. SPW /Halbgruppenwagen. Half squad carrier.
_Sd Kfz 250/2 _le. Fernsprechbauwagen /Fernsprechpanzerwagen. Equipped with cable laying gear.
_Sd Kfz 250/3 _le. Funkpanzerwagen /FunkWg. Equiped with radio equipment and "bedstead" aerial frame. Command; Rommel liked ("Griff').
_Sd Kfz 250/4 _le. Beobachtungspanzerwagen (für Artillerie oder luftwaffe). Radio; Observation vehicle for Sturmgeschütz detachment and arti.
(sd Kfz 250/4 _le. Truppenluftschützpanzerwagen. Antiaircraft variant armed with a dual MG34 --never reached production.)
_Sd Kfz 250/5 _le. Messtrupp-Panzerwagen /Beobachtungspanzerwagen. Observation and command vehicle; scissors telescope. Additional radio equipment.
_Sd Kfz 250/6 _le. Munitionspanzerwagen. Ammunition carrier for assault guns; replaced the earlier SdKfz 252.
Ausf A : 70 rounds -- 75mm StuK (Sturmkanone) 37 L/24; kurz (short).
Ausf B : 60 rounds -- 75mm StuK 40 L/48 Sturmkanone.
_Sd Kfz 250/7 _le. SPW (8cm schwerer Granatwerfer)...
Model A : 'GrW-Pzwagen' carrying an 80mm Mortar.
Model B : 'Munitionsfahrzeug' (ammunition truck) carrying 66 rounds extra ammunition for the Model A.
_Sd Kfz 250/8 _le. SPW (75mm KWK L/24) /Kanonen-Panzerwagen (/Kanonenwagen). Support variant mounting a 75mm KwK 37 L/24 gun and an MG 34.
_Sd Kfz 250/9 _le. SPW (2cm KwK38 L/55-Drehturm) /SpähpzWagen. Reconnaissance variant with a 2cm KwK 38 'Maschinenkanone' (autocannon) and a coaxial MG34 or MG42 in turret identical to the SdkFz-222 armoured car (early version) and the kfz-234/1 armoured car (late version).
_Sd Kfz 250/10 _le. SPW (37mm PaK 36). Reconnaissance platoon leader's variant with 37mm PaK 35/36. This was the same antitank gun used in a towed mode early in the war. No or small gun shield.
_Sd Kfz 250/11 _le. SPW mit schwere Panzerbüchse 41 (28mm) (Zugführer-SPW). With 2.8 cm sPzB 41 heavy anti-tank rifle and an MG-34.
_Sd Kfz 250/12 _le. Messtrupp-Auswertewagen /Messtruppanzerwagen. Survey and artillery range spotting vehicle.
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_Sd. Kfz. 253 le. Gepanzerte Beobachtungskraftwagen /Beobachtungswagen. Artillery forward observer vehicle, with fully-enclosed armoured body and artillery radios.
First armoured body built on the chassis. 285 produced 3/40 - 6/41; Many still at end. StuG commanders and by artillery units.
_Sd. Kfz. 252 le. gep. Munitionskraftwagen /Munitionstransportwagen. Ammunition carrier for Sturmgeschütz.
Second armoured vehicle on the Demag D7 chassis (note sloping rear plate and early wheels). 413 built 1-9/41. StuG units...
Early StuG's -short L/24 Ammo.
Later StuG's -longer L/43-L/48; Was replaced by SdKfz 260/6 A and B.
(The 252 usually towed a 1 ton Sd.Anh.32 ammunition trailer)
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Developed to provide transport for half platoons of reconnaissance infantry, following development of 252 and 253.
Twelve official variants.
Redesigned in 1943 with less angular shape to improve production time and minimise costs; greater interior space with no loss of ballistic protection. (Like larger cousin the SdKfz 251 ausf D half-track.)
__The Pre-1943 "Alte" Body__
4250 examples produced --June 1941 to October 1943.
Ammunition trailers often seen being towed by the earlier SdKfz 250 series vehicles.
Underwent production changes; many features from SdKfz 252 and 253 carried over to early production SdKfz 250 vehicles.
Early Pre-1943 Body Features:
:Sharp-edged vertical-sided track guards without a rim on the outer edge.
:Lifting hooks on the corners of the engine deck and roof (Sd. Kfz. 252, 253, 250/3 "Greif").
:A vision port in the rear door.
:Headlights attached to the front side engine compartment armour.
:Pick stowed on the left upper hull side.
:Vision ports for the drivers' had two slits.
:Bolt detail around all vision ports and rain guards above the drivers' vision ports.
:Indicator stalks were carried on the upper hull sides, just in front of the side vision ports (Sd. Kfz. 252, 253 only).
Note curved front belly plate under the nose armour.
Along with the SdKfz 252 and 253, very early SdKfz 250 vehicles such as Rommel's "Greif" still featured the hull side tool stowage, double-slit vision ports with bolt detail, rimless track guards, side positioned headlights, lifting hooks on the engine deck, and vision port in the rear door.
Later Pre-1943 Body Features:
:Lifting hooks deleted.
:Headlights repositioned to sockets on inner edge of track guards as on the Sd. Kfz. 251.
:Vision port in rear door deleted.
:Bolt detail around front vision ports and rain guards deleted.
:Tools repositioned to both front track-guards.
:Tarpaulin clips added around crew compartment.
:Front vision ports to single slits.
:Indicator stalks were repositioned to the track-guards.
:Rimmed track-guards with rounded corners.
__The Post-1943 "Neu" Body__
2378 were built --October 1943 to spring 1945.
The major changes were:
:A single nose plate instead of two.
:The engine deck was widened to almost the entire width of the body.
:The angled body sides were replaced by vertical sides which greatly increased interior room.
:Mudguards were simplified. :Integrated stowage bins were added to the lower sides.
Used for a variety of roles --just like the earlier type.
(I've seen 75mm Kurz on 250 Neu --but without sloped rear. I've seen multiple 250 Neu hull and track types.)
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mostly armoured recon
1943 sdk250 new; fewer angles; phase out 44.
Other than that, I don't know 'doctrine' for these 250 gunned versions.
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250 = June/1941 1 tonne
carries com, driver, 4 troops.
Alte 4250 built to 10/43
Neu 2378 built (phase out in '44)
(singular 'Recce')
sdkfz 222 out mid 43
Images should be easier to load at Matrix.