11-2 PANZER TRACKS - AUFKLAERUNGSPANZERWAGEN (FULL AND HALF_TRACKED ARMORED RECONNALSSANCE VEHICLES).pdf

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PANZER TRACTS No.ll-2
Aufklaerungspanzerwagen
(Full and Half-Tracked Armored
Reconnaissance Vehicles)
,
H 8 H to Vollkettenaufklaerer 38
Created by Thomas L. Jentz
and Hilary Louis Doyle
Featuring the H8H, RK9, 250/9, T 15, 38t n.A., and 38t a.A.
with ultra-accurate 1/35 scale drawings
of the "Lochs" Panzerspaehwagen II (2 em) (Sd.Kfz.123)
Cover Photo:
A leichte Schuetzenpanzerwagen (2 em) (Sd.Kfz.250/9) Ausf.B issued to the 2.Panzer-Division.
(WJS)
The scale prints by Hilary Louis Doyle, drawn originally in 1124 scale, have been reduced 68.6 percent to
approximately 1/35 scale.
The scale prints of the "Lochs" were drawn at full scale using a CAD program and printed at 1135 scale.
Surviving Panzers were measured in detail to produce these extremely accurate drawings within the
tolerances,allowed-to the original assembly firms.
Thanks are especially due to Walter J. Spielberger (32) and Karlheinz Muench (1) for providing copies
of rare and unique photos. Photos were also obtained from the Bundesarchiv-Bildarchiv (1),
Bundesarchiv-Militaerarchiv (5); National Archives (1), The Tank Museum (1) and Ordnance Museum
at Aberdeen Proving Ground (1).
Published by
Panzer Tracts
P.O.Box 334
Boyds, MD 20841
©Copyright Thomas L. Jentz 2003
ISBN 0-9744862.:.2-l
All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reprinted or reproduced
in any fashion or by any means without the
express written permission of the publisher.
INTRODUCTION
The advantages of a full-tracked reconnais-
sance vehicle were stated in the experience report
from the 2. leichte-Division after the campaign in
Poland: "In addition, it is proposed that an Einheits-
Aufklaerungsfahrzeug (standardized reconnaissance
vehicle) be developed. Instead of speed, first priority
should be given to cross-country mo_bility and steering
while driving in reverse. Whether a full-tracked tank
or a wheel-cum-track should be favored depends on
the requirements. of ground reconnaissance. All
reconnaissance vehicles used in Poland were confined
to the roads or trails and are unusable for reconnais-
sance. The Einheits-Aufklaerungsfahrzeug must have
sufficient cross-country mobility to
·
conduct recon-
naissance off the roads and trails just like tanks." All
of the reconnaissance vehicles that had been used by
the 2.1eichte-Division in Poland were 4-, 6-, and 8-
wheeled armored cars (refer to Panzer Tracts 11-1).
Already prior to the start of the war, Inspek-
torat 6 and the Heeres Waffenamt had initiated
projects to design armored reconnaissance vehicles
with better cross-country performance than could be
obtained from multiple-axle wheeled vehicles. These
projects included the H 8 H half-track chassis from
Hanomag and the RK9 wheel-cum-track chassis from
Saurer-Werke, Wien.
The H 8 H was a unique design, with the
engine and transmission mounted in the rear - instead
of in the front - similar to the G.S. chassis created for
the schwere Panzerspaehwagen· (8 Rad) (Sd.Kfz.231).
The H 8 H chassis shared the same torsion bar
suspension with large roadwheels as the HL kl7 chas-
sis designed for the 3-ton Zugkraftwagen. Special
tracks with rubber pads and lubricated bearings were
designed to enable these half-tracks to achieve high
road speeds. However, because they were throwing
track pads, even before the war these half-tracks were
ordered to be driven at speeds less than 50 km/hr.
Only a small trial series of 30 rear-engine H 8 H
chassis were produced.
The firm of Saurer-Werke in Austria had
specialized in the development of wheel-cum-track
chassis for use by the Austrian army. Their larger
model, the RR7, was designed for towing artillery at
high speeds on roads while possessing the ability to
pull the artillery pieces into position across muddy
steep slopes. After the annexation of Austria into the
Reich, these wheel-cum-track vehicles didn't fit into
the series of half-tracked vehicles used by, the army for
towing artillery. Alternative uses for these wheel-
cum-tracks were investigated, including their use as
chassis for armored observation vehicles and armored
reconnaissance vehicles. An altered suspension was
designed for the RK 9 chassis, only a few of which
were completed for trials before the project was
abandoned.
During the middle of the campaign in Poland,
on 15 September 1939 lnspektorat 6 ordered the
Waffenamt to start development of a full-tracked
gepanzerte Aufklaerungsfahrzeug (armored recon-
naissance vehicle). This order initiated the VK 13.01
chassis project designed by M.A.N. which evolved into
the VK 13.03 - better known as the "Luchs".
Contracts were also awarded to both B.M.M. (38t
n.A.) and Skoda (T 15) for competing designs. All
three had large diameter roadwheels, but only the VK
13.03 had a torsion bar suspension with shock
absorbers, while the 38t n.A. and T 15 had self-
dampening leaf spring bundles. By March 1942, it
was proposed that the armament of all three of these
full-tracked reconnaissance vehicles be increased
_
a
to
5 em Kw.K. L/60 instead of the 2 em in the VK 13.03
and 3.7 em in the 38t n.A. and T 15. Two of these
projects were canceled after extensive testing of the
few trial vehicles that had been produced. The third
project - the Luchs -was reduced from an initial order
for 500 to an actual production series run of only 100.
In the middle of the war, in 1942, the German
army still didn't have a half-tracked or full-tracked
armored reconnaissance vehicle in mass production.
To quickly get a_
vehicle with improved cross-country
capability into production, the existing 2 em Kw.K.
mounts with armor shields
·
(originally designed for
mounting on the wheeled armored cars) were
mounted on existing half-tracked and full-tracked
chassis. Two examples of this approach were the
le.S.P.W. (2 em) (Sd.Kfz.250/9) and the Aufklaerungs-
panzerwagen 38 (Sd.Kfz.140/1). At first the Sd.Kfz.
250/9 had the ten-sided armor shield and pedestal gun
mount designed for the Sd.Kfz.222. Then in 1943, the
2 em Haengelafette (suspended mount) with 30-mm-
thick front armor was adopted for both the Sd.Kfz.
250/9 and Sd.Kfz.140/1. While only 70 Sd.Kfz.140/1
were completed, over 700 Sd.Kfz. 250/9
·
were
produced from 1942 to 1945 - making it the standard
cross-country reconnaissance vehicle for Panzer-
Divisions in the latter phases of the war.
Toward the
·
end of the war, projects were
again initiated to convert "38" chassis into full-
tracked armored reconnaissance vehicles. At least one
"Vollkettenaufklaerer 38" was created by mounting a
·
7.5 em Kanone on a "Bergepanzerwagen 38" chassis.
Refer to Panzer Tracts 20-2 for details on other
tracked reconnaissance vehicle projects (like the
Panzer-Aufklaerer auf 38t and the Aufklaerer 38D)
that didn't make it past the drawing board.
l.l-45
Schwerer Panzerspaehwagen (Halbketten)
Fahrgestell Typ H 8 H
By early 1937, the firm of Hanomag had
designed a
-
chassis for a schwerer Panzerspaehwagen
(heavy armored car). The Halbketten Fahrgestell
(half-track chassis) was known as the H 8 H- the first
H for Hanomag, the 8 for the 8th design in the series,
and the last H for Hinten (rear). The engine, cooling
system, and transmission were mounted at the rear of
the chassis instead of the more conventional method of
positioning these components at the front. However,
the differential steering unit and drive sprockets were
still located at the front of the tracked section of the
suspension like its predecessor the HL kl 6.
Due to the requirement for higher speed, the
firm of Maybach was contracted to produce a more
powerful engine than the 100 metric horsepower NL
38 used in the predecessor design. Initially rated at
120 metric horsepower at 2600 rpm, the water-cooled,
6-cylinder Maybach HL 49 TRWS gasoline engine had
a bore of 95 mm and a stroke of 115 mm - resulting in
a swept volume of 4.9 liters. An advanced-design, 10-
speed pre-selective SRG 123149 transmission was also
created by Maybach.
Like its predecessor the HL kl 6, the H 8 H had
a torsion bar suspension with six pairs of rubber-tired
roadwheels per side. The Zgw. 50/280/140 track links
with lubricated bearings and rubber pads had been
invented for high-speed travel on roads while also
providing increased floatation off road. Due to the
offset caused by the transversely mounted torsion bar
suspension, there were 55 track links on the left side
and 56 track links on the right. 190-18 pneumatic tires
were mounted on the front for steering on the roads
and through shallow turns when off road.
On 8 May 1937, the Waffenamt reported that
24 s.Pz.Sp.Wg. (Hlbkett) under contract were still to
be delivered. Maybach received an order to produce
24 HL 49 TRWS engines (serial number series from
44001 to 44024). Maybach reported on 7 July 1937
that Zahnradfabrik, Friedrichshafenhad a contract to
produce 24 SRG 123149 (Motor HL 49) transmissions
for the Hanomag Heckfahrzeug H 8 H which were
scheduled to be delivered at a rate of 12 per month in
January and February 1938.
At some point an additional six H 8 H chassis
were ordere.d with the more powerful HL 54 TRWS
engines (serial number series starting at 44025). The
HL 54 was simply the HL 49 bored out to 100 mm in
order to achieve 115 metric horsepower at 2600 rpm.
In the interim, it had been determined that the HL 49
could only achieve 110 metric horsepower at 2600
rpm. Maybach reported that they had produced a
total of 80 HL 49/54 engines in 1938 (for the H 8 Hand
the Buessing NAG m.Zgkw. 5t (BN 9). As reported by
Hanomag- postwar in 1946- a total of30 HSH chassis
were produced, with the first vehicles tested in March
1939. Also, a manual
(D
660/12) on the H 8 H chassis
was published to provide operating instructions for
the crews,
Contracts for the design development and
production of the chassis, armor bodies, turrets, and
armament were awarded to completely separate firms
by different departments in the Heeres Waffenamt.
Therefore Hanomag was only responsible for the
design and production of automotive chassis and did
not have any connection at all with the design and
procurement of the armor or
·turret
that was to be
subsequently mounted on their chassis. At this time,
after being tested for acceptance by Waffenamt
inspectors, the completed chassis were sent to a differ-
ent assembly plant for bolting the armor body onto the
chassis frame, mounting the turret, and outfitting the
interior with equipment, tools, and ammunition
stowage racks.
While sufficient data has been found to prove
that the chassis were produced, there hasn't been a
single document found on the design, production, or
assembly of the armor bodies or turrets to be mounted
on the H 8 H chassis. The reports on the various types
of four, six, and eight.;.wheeled Panzerspaehwagen in
service in September/October 1939 do not mention
these schwere Panzerspaehwagen (Halbketten) as
present in the inventory of either the active or
reserve/training units. Nor have any reports been
found that confirm that these schwere Panzerspaeh-
wagen (Halbketten) were issued to a Panzerspaeh-
kompanie (armored reconnaissance company) of an
Aufklaerungs-Abteilung (reconnaissance battalion).
Therefore, we are left with a major gap in the
history of these armored reconnaissance vehicles.
What happened to these 30 H 8 H chassis? What was
the shape of the armor body that was designed for
them? What turret and armament were to be
mounted on the armor body? What unit were they
issued to - if they were completed? Are photos avail-
able from the veterans but they haven't been identi-
fied?
The conjectural sketch that appears on the
opposite page was created as an aid to identify one of
these schwerer Panzerspaehwagen (Halbketten) (Fgst.
Typ H 8
H)
in any surviving photos.
I
11-46
Above: 30 Typ H 8 H Fahrgestell with rear-mounted engines were completed by Hanomag for the
schwerer Panzerspaehwagen (Halbketten).
Below: A conjectural sketch of the schwerer Panzerspaehwagen (Halbketten)
based on the angles needed to create an armor-piercing bullet-proof shell
with adequate clearance for the automotive components shown in the above photograph.
The turret and armament were based on the only known type available at the time.
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11-47

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